3 Islands, 15 Days and 1 Paradise

As there are no cars on the island (apart from the occasional taxi or small van), we hired bicycles for the duration of our stay, which we would wholeheartedly recommend to everyone. They cost around €7–10 per day and are well worth it, especially as they are so convenient. By bicycle, you can explore every corner of the island relatively quickly.

Our accommodation on all 3 islands was always perfectly adequate and clean. On La Digue, we stayed right in La Passe at Buisson Guesthouse, which is run by Doris and Charles. It was our absolute favourite guesthouse. They are wonderful hosts who go out of their way to look after you and are incredibly warm and welcoming!

Travelling by bicycle and on foot, we reached the highest point on the island, Nest d’Aigle. The paths are quite steep, but the climb (around 1–2 hours) is genuinely worthwhile! From there, we had a beautiful view of the surrounding islands, including Praslin, Coco Island, Fregatte Island and many more. About two-thirds of the way up, there is also a small café/restaurant where you can stop for a breather.

View of Coco Island from Nest d´Aigler, Praslin. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t on our side.

On Praslin, we stayed at Villa Bananier. In our opinion, this island also has the most beautiful beach, Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or). It is a gorgeous, wide beach with white sand and shallow turquoise-blue water. From here, we took a trip to the neighbouring Curieuse Island. There, you can admire the giant tortoises before enjoying a fresh, delicious barbecue right on the beach.

Cote d´Ore, Praslin Curieuse Island The Vallée de Mai nature reserve is a wonderful place to discover the flora and fauna of the Seychelles. We thought the admission price of around €23 was a little steep, but if you are already in the Seychelles, it is well worth seeing – it really is beautiful!

Vallée de Mai National Park, Praslin Unlike on La Digue, you can travel around Praslin and Mahé easily and conveniently by bus. A journey costs around €0.30 each way, regardless of where you get off. There is no precise timetable, but buses run approximately every 10 minutes.

Compared with the other 2 islands, Mahé, the main island, was our least favourite, as we had already seen so many impressive places by then. Nevertheless, we had a wonderful stay. Our accommodation, The Beach House, was right on Beau Vallon and overlooked the sea.

Sunset at Beau Vallon Bay, Mahé Among other things, we went diving with Ocean Dream Divers and took a trip to Anse Takamaka, which was genuinely worthwhile. You are almost always alone on the beaches and, if anyone else is there at all, you only have to share them with a handful of people.
Anse Takamaka Cote d´Ore, Praslin All in all, the holiday really was a dream: relaxing, adventurous and exciting. We went on lots of excursions, learnt about the local culture and chatted with the people there. Everyone is very friendly, and so far the Seychelles have not become overcrowded with tourists. We really enjoyed the local cuisine. Rice and curry are available in every imaginable variation.

Prices are slightly higher than in other parts of Africa, but it is still very affordable, with options available even for those on a smaller budget. You simply need to look around carefully, and you will discover beautiful places, food stalls and beaches.