New Year’s Eve by the Sea
Many of our friends had always described the Seychelles to us as a true paradise on earth, so this winter, to escape the freezing temperatures, we decided to discover it for ourselves.
My husband and I therefore gave up our traditional Christmas lunch and, despite some grumbling from both our families, set off early on the morning of the 25th for a holiday filled with sunshine, relaxation and the sea.
Thanks to the SeyVillas website, we were completely free to choose which islands to visit, in what order and where to stay. We also opted for the extremely convenient ‘transfers included’ package, which meant that all our ferries and transfers were booked in advance, so we did not have to worry about a thing during our holiday.
Our plan was to rest and relax, but at the same time we wanted to explore as much as possible and see plenty of beaches. Discovering the more secluded beaches was actually the most enjoyable part of our holiday, and we cannot wait to return and continue the adventure we began.
Praslin
The first island we visited was Praslin. Here, we decided to book a catamaran excursion called ‘Robinson Crusoe’, which included a visit to Curieuse Island. As well as seeing the giant tortoises in the reserve, we were also able to enjoy a walk of around 40 minutes through the mangrove forest.
La Digue
The second stop on our journey was the island of La Digue. We hired two bicycles to get from one beach to another. Naturally, we visited the world-famous Anse Source d’Argent, reached via a beautiful path winding through coconut plantations, palm trees and granite rocks.
The following day, once again cycling along picturesque roads surrounded by nature, we reached Grand Anse. From this beach, you can walk to two other beautiful beaches: Petite Anse and Anse Cocos.
The latter may seem very similar to its two ‘neighbours’, but in our opinion it has one special feature that makes it, we might say, the most beautiful of the three – although ranking the beaches and stunning places of the Seychelles is virtually impossible, as each one has its own distinctive character and creating a list would be far too difficult.
What makes Anse Cocos special is the presence of several natural pools at the northern end of the beach, perfect for swimming without worrying about the currents and for taking photographs worthy of a calendar.
Mahé
Our final stop was Mahé and, although at first we never wanted to leave La Digue, this last island proved to be a wonderful surprise. After hiring an automatic car, we set out to discover the island’s best-known beaches. The road crossing the island from one side to the other offers some beautiful views.
We discovered one of our favourite beaches by chance while heading towards the island’s southern coast. The beach in question was Fairyland Beach, very close to the better-known Anse Royale. Its crystal-clear waters caught our attention as we drove along the seafront, and we simply had to stop.
Unfortunately, time flew by and after 9 days our holiday came to an end. Enchanted by this paradise, which we had finally seen with our own eyes, we returned to our everyday lives filled with the immense joy of having begun a new year beside the sea, with our bare feet in the sand and the scent of salt in our hair.
We will certainly return to continue exploring this unspoilt paradise.
Thank you, SeyVillas, and goodbye, Seychelles!
