We Found Our Paradise!
Even the approach to the Seychelles was something truly special. As the plane slowly descended and we caught our first glimpse of the small tropical islands, we were absolutely thrilled.
Praslin
The transfer to Praslin went relatively smoothly, although the ferry crossing was quite an adventure in rough seas. We were probably a little unlucky with the conditions; in fine weather, the journey may be somewhat more relaxing.
When we arrived at Chalets Cote Mer, we were given a lovely, spacious room with a truly wonderful view.
We immediately felt at home there. The grounds are very nicely designed. The pool area with its infinity pool is relatively small, but beautifully laid out. The staff were consistently very friendly and helpful. The half-board meals in the beautifully furnished restaurant directly above the sea were excellent. Breakfast was wonderful, with fresh fruit, a choice of egg dishes and plenty of homemade jam. Dinner was also very good. There was always a choice of two main courses, as well as a starter and dessert. We were always VERY happy there.
On Praslin, we took a private island tour. The day was an absolute highlight. Despite the rainy weather, we had a great deal of fun and probably saw almost everything there is to see on the island: the beaches Anse Georgette, Anse Lazio, Anse La Blaque and Anse Volbert.
Despite the rain, Anse Georgette was, for me personally, the most beautiful beach we saw during our holiday.
We also visited ‘Fond Ferdinand’ park, which is slightly smaller, less expensive and not as ‘crowded’ as Vallée de Mai, to see the famous Coco de Mer and many other different plants.
La Digue
Our transfer to La Digue went without a hitch, and everything was just as we had hoped there too. The Patatran enjoys a wonderful location, at least for us as snorkellers seeking peace and quiet. It is around a 15-minute walk from the centre, at the northern tip of the island and very close to Anse Severe (image 5). We had a lovely villa called ‘Alamanda’, which was very spacious and beautifully furnished, although it was situated high up on the steep hillside. The pool area was beautifully laid out, the restaurant was quite nicely furnished and the food was fairly good, although it could not match our first hotel.
We were able to snorkel wonderfully just off the hotel and saw turtles, a ray and numerous fish.
The hotel is an excellent base for exploring the entire island. Bicycles are available to hire at the hotel, but we prefer exploring on foot. One day, we walked down the eastern side of the island, stopped at Chez Jules and had a fabulous smoothie. On the way there, we were lucky enough to encounter a wild giant tortoise.
On another day, we walked down the western side, all the way to Anse Source d’Argent.
This beach and the nearby L’Union Estate Park are certainly worth a visit. The magnificent granite rocks rise imposingly above the beach and sea, and it is not difficult to see why this is the most photographed beach in the Seychelles.
On our final day, we went on a snorkelling excursion organised by Creole Travel. Travelling by catamaran with a group of around 30 people, we visited three islands in total: Sisters Islands, Coco Island and Felicite. And what can I say? The excursion was wonderful! We had fantastic snorkelling experiences at every stop. At Sisters Islands, we even saw two small sharks and a great many fish that we had not seen near our hotel. The crew were very friendly and helpful, we felt completely at ease, and the food on board was good too. There was a barbecue buffet, with something for everyone.
That day, we finally managed to see a sunset as well – somehow, we had always been on the wrong side of the island before – and it was very, very beautiful. And with that, our holiday on La Digue came to an end.
And with that, our holiday on La Digue came to an end.
On the day of our return flight, we had around 6 hours to spare on the main island. We did not want to spend all that time waiting at the airport, so we decided to share a taxi to ‘Eden Island’ with some other holidaymakers. We had a look around and then visited the aquarium there. It is not very large, but everything has been created independently, and it is home exclusively to marine life found in the waters around the Seychelles. We had a guide who spoke excellent English, answered all our questions and shared plenty of interesting information. After a quick bite to eat, we returned to the airport and then flew home – and we have been longing to return ever since.
We found our paradise in the Seychelles and will certainly be back.
