The Sunny Side of Life

We arrived at the airport on Mahé and travelled straight on to La Digue by ferry via Praslin. The transfers went wonderfully smoothly: always punctual and always friendly. Even the crossing to La Digue gave us our first glimpse of the islands’ breathtaking beauty, with their small, jungle-covered mountains and almost impossibly beautiful rock formations.

Our accommodation, Marie-France Beach Front Appartment, on the small island was phenomenal, and the owner, Marie, a former teacher at the little local school, welcomed us straight away with a cold glass of freshly squeezed juice. From the balcony, we had a fantastic view of the sea and the island of Praslin. It was the perfect spot for a wonderful sunset.

Sunset from the balcony, La Digue Anse La Réunion beach, La Digue After catching up on some much-needed sleep, we cycled to Grand Anse on our second day to relax and enjoy the beach, the sunshine and the warm weather. Of course, a coconut was a must, and a friendly local skilfully hacked one open with a machete so that we could drink it. It was a wonder he still had all his fingers!

Road to Grand Anse, La Digue Grand Anse beach, La Digue Coming from Bavaria, we naturally had to live up to the mountaineering stereotype, so on our third day we headed straight up the island’s little mountain. After a few detours due to the lack of signposting, we eventually found the path to the top and were rewarded with a beautiful view. The island’s flora and fauna alone are worth the journey: tiny bananas that taste much sweeter than those at home, jackfruit, vanilla, flowers and, of course, jungle trees with vines straight out of Tarzan and Jane.

View from the island peak, La Digue Madagascar red fody We spent the next few days at Source d´ Argent and Anse Coco, probably the most beautiful beaches on the small island, where we made our first attempts at snorkelling. Almost immediately, we managed to capture a sea turtle with our underwater camera. These animals glide through the ocean with a grace that is almost impossible to imagine.

15|Anse Source d'Argent, La Digue Having caught the snorkelling bug, the next day we set off in a small boat with a young local man named Samir and his brother Lorenzo, heading to the tiny island of Coco Island. There, we learnt a great deal about the sea and its inhabitants and swam along the edge of the reef, following all sorts of colourful fish. Our camera barely had a moment’s rest.

Turtle spotted while snorkelling, Coco Island Indian Ocean yellow-nose surgeonfish & lemonpeel angelfish, Coco Island Of course, we also had to make a trip to the Vallée de Mai National Park on neighbouring Praslin. The Coco de Mer, one of the symbols of the Seychelles alongside the giant tortoises, looks like a rather impressive bottom.

It was now time to say ‘bye-bye’ to little La Digue. We spent our second week at Villa Dorado on Mahé. This small guest house stands out particularly for the attention to detail in its ambience and décor. Its location directly on the beach is, of course, also superb. With our hire car, which we would highly recommend on Mahé, we visited the capital, Victoria, with its market and Hindu temple. Driving on the left-hand side of the road is quite an experience in itself, while a very bumpy ride on a public bus is also one of the islands’ cultural highlights.

Sea view, Villa Dorado, Mahé

Buddhist temple, Victoria, Mahé

We spent much of the week at Anse Royal, which is stunningly beautiful and also wonderful for snorkelling, particularly at its northernmost end. On the morning before our departure, thanks to its easterly location and our early start, we were able to watch one final, unforgettable sunrise. After saying goodbye to our daily visitor, an incredibly sweet beach dog, we sadly had to head home. Perhaps we will return one day!

42|Anse Royale, Mahé

Sunrise from the hotel beach, Mahé