Wonderful Days in the Seychelles

If you are less interested in hotel concepts on holiday and can happily do without all-inclusive packages, you can enjoy a dream break on the tropical beaches of Mahé. Instead of parasols, there are takamaka trees, your own beach towel replaces the sun lounger – and the locals have never even heard of German-style beach baskets. You can take in the sea views too – but only from the car on the ring road that runs around almost the entire island. Take care: there may be little traffic, but driving is on the left. And do not let the magnificent views distract you so much that you overlook the tree standing in the middle of the road.

So it is all quite different from the Maldives or Phuket, the Dominican Republic or Vietnam, where you can easily wander between your room with a view, the beach and the restaurant, often seeing little of everyday life in the country you are visiting. Of course, there are hotels on Mahé too, and some are close to the beach. But at many of these dream beaches, there is simply no scope to build large resorts or a promenade lined with bars and restaurants. The upside is that the beaches are usually peaceful, everyone can find both a shady and a sunny spot – as well as a space to park their hire car.

Many visitors to the Seychelles book self-catering holiday accommodation. The specialist for this is based – believe it or not – in Bielefeld, in East Westphalia. So I was able to book virtually ‘just round the corner’. Those who choose accommodation near the capital, Victoria, or in the interior of Mahé can even find reasonably priced places to stay. However, many supermarkets offer only a limited selection, much of it centred on fast food. For fresh fish, fruit and vegetables, the markets are a better option. You can save money by skipping the restaurant and visiting a takeaway instead. Wherever locals queue to order a meal, you can usually expect tasty, home-style Creole cooking. None of this sounds particularly glamorous, but it works well if you embrace this style of holiday.

For most holidaymakers, the Seychelles are synonymous with beach holidays. On Mahé, however, it is well worth setting off to explore by car and on foot. Half a day is enough for a general overview – it takes no longer than that to drive around the island. You can then decide where you would like to spend more time.
Leaving the capital, Victoria, and heading south, the Eden Island holiday complex soon comes into view. Its beaches are reserved for residents of the luxury apartments, while guests of the Eden Bleu Hotels are taken to other beaches by shuttle. Eden Island is really only for visitors who appreciate traditional holiday infrastructure, with plenty of restaurants, bars, a shopping centre and a marina. Even so, it was exactly right for us, as we only had three days before boarding a sailing boat. The Eden Bleu on a half-board basis is a good choice: in the evening, you can dine outside on the terrace overlooking the marina and mountains. Our balcony offered almost the same view – a wonderful panorama.

The aquarium in Eden Mall is a must for anyone who does not snorkel or dive. Charles Savy made the best of a bad situation by opening it in 2012, when Somali pirates were even kidnapping Seychellois fishermen and boat tourism was facing an existential crisis. As an expert on the underwater world, he repeatedly discovered rare creatures in the sea, including an unusual species of crab that had previously been mentioned only once by Japanese scientists. Visitors to his aquariums therefore do not see sharks or rays bred in the Netherlands, but many small, colourful species about which Savy shares a wealth of detail. A visit to the aquarium is now part of the school curriculum in the Seychelles.

Heading south brings you to Anse Royale. The Eden Bleu takes its guests there in a very comfortable SUV shuttle. It is a genuine dream beach: enormous yet peaceful. The fact that there are comparatively few of the granite rocks typical of the Seychelles is no drawback. The bay is ideal for swimming, but also invites you to take a long walk along the beach, including a visit to the village and market.
The southern tip of Mahé is largely the preserve of walkers who find their own way through the natural surroundings. A map on your smartphone can help you plan such a walk. Drivers cross via Quatre Bornes to the west coast of the island, where several of the expensive luxury hotels are located. There are lovely beach walks at Grand Anse, although signs warn of strong currents in the sea. It is best not to venture beyond wading depth.

The drive then continues into the rainforest of Morne Seychellois National Park. The journey itself is an experience. This unique mountain landscape, home to countless endemic plants and animals, offers some of the finest walks on Mahé. Birdlife ranges from tropicbirds and bulbuls to Seychelles sunbirds, and walkers will often hear frogs croaking too. However, these amphibians, which are only 1 centimetre long, are almost impossible to spot. The next stop, at a tea plantation, comes as a small surprise. Of course, tea generally thrives in tropical highlands. But few people expect to find it in the Seychelles, which are not known for extensive agricultural land. The cultivated area is not particularly large, however. There is only one tea factory, and the harvest is just enough to meet the needs of the islanders. Do not expect exceptional quality, but the views from there more than make up for it.

From the rainforest, the road leads straight down into the quiet centre of the capital. To be honest, there is not a great deal to see there. I took the obligatory photograph of the silver-painted Big Ben, but that was all I needed.