Pearls of the Indian Ocean
The reviews we had read did not fill us with enthusiasm, as they portrayed the local people as not particularly welcoming, but... once we arrived, we realised that... paradise really does exist. Everyone we met always went out of their way to help us with whatever we needed and patiently tried to understand our English, which we would describe as ‘adequate’. And the places themselves... truly enchanting.
But let us start at the beginning, although I will try to be brief so as not to bore you with unnecessary words describing dream beaches and crystal-clear seas.
And so, here is our story: we approached our usual local travel agency while also contacting one we found online, namely SeyVillas, which proved thoroughly trustworthy, knowledgeable and well organised in arranging the various transfers, which were always punctual and friendly.
We have to say that doing it online was also more fun. We felt as though we were already on holiday as we chose the hotels where we would stay, looked through the photographs and selected those that best suited our requirements. We wanted to be as close to the ocean as possible and have breakfast only, so that we would be free to have lunch and dinner wherever appealed to us at the time.
We chose to visit three islands, something we would recommend to everyone, because it gives you a broader view of these paradise islands. If you also add a few excursions by sea alongside those on land, you can fully appreciate the breathtaking beauty of these pearls of the Pacific Ocean.
We chose Praslin, La Digue and finally Mahé. Visiting them in this order meant that, on our return, we were already on the island with the airport, shortening our journey home.
Even after exploring all three properly, I still could not say which one we liked best, and that is why we recommend visiting all three. Giusy, however, found La Digue truly enchanting. On both Praslin and Mahé, we recommend hiring a car, which costs around €50 per day, so you can search for the ‘perfect’ beach. On La Digue, you can hire a bicycle, which is all you need to experience this wonderfully unspoilt little island. You will find every kind of beach: from the calmest, where the ocean looks like a lagoon, to those where the ocean is, so to speak, at its most impressive.
On Praslin, the most sought-after beaches undoubtedly include Anse Lazio, although we left almost immediately because it was simply too crowded. Quieter and, in our opinion, more beautiful is Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or) , which fits the idea of the perfect beach more closely, with dazzling white coral sand and a sea of a thousand colours. From here, we recommend taking a boat trip to the sister islands of Félicité and Cocos, where we had the thrilling experience of swimming with turtles.
At this point, all that remains is for you to find the accommodation that suits you best. If you choose the SeyVillas website, you can even enjoy yourself before booking by browsing through the hundreds of options.
On Praslin, we chose the Castello Beach Hotel, although the Indian Ocean Lodge has a decidedly better beach. On La Digue, we opted for the La Digue Island Lodge, which was simply superb: it is practically on the beach, and all the accommodation faces the ocean. One unusual feature is the bathroom, which has an opening to the outside. Absolutely beautiful!
On Mahé, we stayed at the AVANI Seychelles Barbarons Resort & Spa, which also faces the ocean. In fact, it is so close that the high tides almost reach the building. Its beach is so beautiful that there is hardly any need to look for a better one, but the more you see, the better, which is why we recommend hiring a car. Do bear in mind, however, that they drive on the left....
Goodbye everyone and... enjoy the Seychelles and your stay in paradise on earth.
Sergio
