Exploring the Seychelles by Catamaran
Preparations
I had wanted to take this trip for years, and I wanted to do it this way, by boat. I love the sea and, for years, my wife, my daughters and I have enjoyed exploring the various islands, bays and coves of Sardinia and Elba in our inflatable boat. From time to time, when I have the chance, I also go sailing for a few days with friends.
My wife, on the other hand, does not sail and, before this trip, she was worried about sleeping at sea, away from port. Perhaps she was even more concerned about sharing the confined spaces normally found on a sailing boat with people we did not know, particularly as they would not speak the same language as us.
It came as a huge surprise when my wife agreed to join me on this trip. We had already travelled abroad a fair amount: to the Caribbean (the Dominican Republic, the British Virgin Islands, etc.), the Maldives (Gangehi) and the Red Sea (Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh), as well as Europe, of course. But I had always been curious about this particular trip.
I love nature and snorkelling, and certain scenes that only nature can offer genuinely move me: a beautiful sunset, a small bay or a myriad of tiny fish bringing colour to the seabed. For some reason, the Seychelles had always represented all of this to me. Add a sailing boat, which to me symbolises freedom, a place where I can reconnect with myself and completely clear my head of all the thoughts that usually trouble it... and, to me, it is perfection... but what about my wife? That was the doubt troubling me.
So, as soon as my wife agreed, helped along by the occasion of our 25th wedding anniversary, I searched online through a thousand different options. In reality, however, the seven-day cruise aboard the catamaran I had seen on the SeyVillas website, VPM Cocktail Créole, seemed able to meet all our needs and expectations: a large catamaran, with plenty of space, much larger cabins than on a standard sailing boat, greater stability both at anchor and under sail, and the chance to visit different bays by approaching directly from the sea... perfect. No sooner said than done, I booked it, though not before repeatedly bothering the ladies at SeyVillas, who answered all the questions my wife had prepared for me with endless patience.
Departure
On 31 March, we boarded a plane in Bologna bound for Dubai with Emirates. I must say that the fares were fairly similar to those offered by other airlines, with the exception of Ethiopian, which we preferred not to fly with so that we could avoid the yellow fever vaccination required after transiting through the country. The flight was excellent, the staff were extremely courteous and the entertainment service was first-rate. Space, as everyone knows, was a little limited in economy class. After a two-hour wait in Dubai, we boarded our Dubai–Mahé flight, again with Emirates. This time, the staff were far less courteous and attentive to passengers’ needs — perhaps because we were travelling in economy class?
We landed in Mahé at 6.30 a.m. It took about an hour to complete customs formalities and, immediately afterwards, we found the extremely courteous Creole staff waiting for us outside. They welcomed us, gave us our documents and asked us to wait for another couple who would be travelling with us to Eden Island. Just a few metres from the Creole ‘desk’, we found a Cable & Wireless kiosk, so we took the opportunity to buy a prepaid SIM card for calls to Italy, as the SeyVillas staff had recommended. A few moments later, the other couple joined us. Much to our surprise, they were Italian and would also be joining the same trip. We immediately got on very well.
Together, we travelled to Eden Island in the minivan booked by SeyVillas, which was comfortable and in excellent condition. From there, we went to the Eden Blue Hotel, where we decided to have breakfast and take a few dips in the pool while waiting until 3 p.m., when we were due to board. The hotel is very welcoming and, although it does not have its own beach, the pool overlooks Eden Island Marina, offering a wonderful view.
At the appointed time, a hotel employee offered to take us to the boarding point in an electric buggy, like those typically used on golf courses. It was only a few minutes away on foot, but walking beneath the scorching sun at 2 p.m., with luggage and clothing that was not exactly suitable for the heat, would not have been pleasant.
Eden Island is still largely a construction site and, apart from the brand-new toilets, there was nothing else at the boarding point at the time. There is a supermarket just a few minutes away on foot, but we preferred to stay in the shade.
Boarding the catamaran
At around 4 p.m., the skipper allowed us aboard, showed us around the catamaran and assigned us our cabin. After some light refreshments, we finally set off for Sainte Anne Marine Park.
The cabin was welcoming, clean and pleasantly scented — and, for someone like me who has travelled on sailing boats, it was huge! There was a full-height wardrobe with enough room to hang longer clothes, as well as a smaller cupboard. Beneath the generously sized double bed were two compartments for storing luggage. I should point out that we had soft canvas sailing bags rather than rigid suitcases, but there was still room left for the rucksacks we had used as hand luggage.
The cabin had a consistent ceiling height of over 2 m throughout, including above the bed. The bathroom, equipped with an electric marine toilet and shower in the typical sailing-boat arrangement, was a good size. The cabin was kept cool by a fan and a large hatch.
The weather was not perfect, and a few showers left the catamaran’s deck rather wet. However, in just over half an hour we had reached Sainte Anne Marine Park, where we wasted no time before going snorkelling. This brought the first pleasant surprise: I had been told not to expect very much beneath the water, but I found large shoals of colourful fish, including parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish and pufferfish. Unfortunately, they were surrounded by a reef that showed very few signs of life because of El Niño.
At the end of the day, however, we enjoyed a double rainbow and a beautiful sunset.
Dinner was excellent, with incredibly fresh fish, vegetables and rice, all featuring the traditional flavours of Creole cuisine and prepared by our chef, Daniel — and that was only the beginning. A breathtaking starry sky and the sea’s gentle rocking — nothing at all to those accustomed to sleeping at anchor aboard a sailing boat in our own waters — sent us to sleep almost immediately.
The following morning, the sunshine and a wonderful breakfast of fresh fruit — with flavours, softness and colours we can only dream of in Italy — along with eggs, toast, cornflakes and, for those with a sweet tooth, Nutella and jam, filled us with wonderfully positive energy.
Praslin
After breakfast, we set sail for Praslin under full sail — even if only to make us happy, as there were barely 10 knots of wind and, with more than 30 miles to cover, the skipper thought it best to keep the engines running — but with the sun, the breeze, the colours and the natural surroundings... we hardly even noticed.
Of course, for anyone who loves sailing, the holiday is in the journey itself, and during these 6 hours at sea we had plenty of time to admire the paradise around us, take photographs, sunbathe and completely relax, each in our own way. I took the opportunity to chat with the skipper and his crew and learn a little more about the route, sailing and so on, while my wife blissfully enjoyed the sunshine... and the conversation.
And then, finally, Praslin.
As we approached the island, we had already begun to realise what a wonderful place awaited us, but our imagination did not come close to the reality. Anse Georgette, where the colours of the vegetation and the sea, the fragrances — everything was simply superb!
There was just enough time to drop anchor before we dived straight into the crystal-clear sea, teeming with colourful fish... we thought we had reached the pinnacle, but then... that afternoon came Anse Lazio.
Thousands of colourful fish brushed past us in the water, completely untroubled by our presence; flying foxes soared through the blue sky; and there were hundreds of different plants, with vibrant colours and wonderfully fragrant flowers... unforgettable. For me, the hours we spent here were worth every hour of the journey. I could already have gone home happy, but there was still so much awaiting us. Dinner was once again based around the freshest fish, and then it was time for everyone to turn in.
The following morning... what can I say? Having breakfast in front of this view.
We then sailed a few miles to reach Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or). A brief downpour greeted us on arrival, so we went ashore in our K-Way jackets — no great hardship — and from there took a taxi to the Vallée de Mai nature reserve.
There, the friendly Vincenzo guided us through the reserve, taking us along the entire trail and giving us detailed explanations of the local flora and fauna. Once the short tour was over — 1.5 hours — we took the taxi back and reboarded. After lunch, we set off for Coco.
Coco Island is a little gem rising from the turquoise waters, with enormous boulders on a dazzling white beach made entirely from fragments of coral, from which coconut palms tens of metres tall emerge as if by magic. Once again, the water was filled with brightly coloured fish of every kind. The only downside was the white coral reef below the surface, which showed no signs of recovery from El Niño. Just after I came out of the water, there was a surprise only a few steps away: a grey reef shark came to join us by the shore, probably swept in by the fairly strong undertow.
We had just enough time to get back aboard before setting a course for La Digue, where we spent the night.
La Digue
The next morning, straight after breakfast, we hired bicycles and the four of us Italians — the usual fearless bunch — decided to begin with the road featuring the steepest climbs and descents, which would take us to the last beach accessible by road: Anse Fourmis. The road is very beautiful and, fortunately, shaded in places. All the climbs can be cycled, although I ride regularly throughout the year and Roberto, the other Italian, is a natural sportsman; our wives had to walk a few stretches... working up quite a sweat. After a quick swim, we decided to head back, stopping at Anse Banane, Anse Grosse Roche, Anse Gaulettes, Anse Patates and Anse Severe, which I think is the prettiest. Unfortunately, on the way back, a tropical storm hit us with full force. Monica — my wife — and I decided to stop for a drink, while Roberto and his wife carried on through the torrential rain. About 2 hours later, the weather improved and we set off again in our ever-reliable K-Way jackets, taking great care, particularly on the descents, where the sand and water on the tarmac made things rather ‘interesting’. We reached the jetty and Anse La Réunion, which we were unable to visit because payment in rupees was required to enter. We did not have any, they did not accept euros or credit cards, and there was not enough time to return to the jetty to exchange money and then come back. By then, our time had run out and Monica was tired, so we returned aboard.
After another exceptionally good dinner, the weather changed and an extremely powerful storm hit us during the night, although the sea and the wind remained calm. Fortunately, this was the transition period between the two monsoons, which we had chosen specifically for its typically calm seas, light winds and clear water.
The following morning, the sky was leaden and it was still raining. We were meant to visit Cousin, but the weather put us off, as none of us wanted to get drenched again as we had the previous day. The skipper also warned us that we probably would not see anything in those conditions. We therefore decided to ‘fall back’ on Saint Pierre, where, despite the rain pouring from the still-leaden sky, a few of us decided to enter the water and go snorkelling.
As soon as I entered the water, I was surrounded by a shoal of surgeonfish, while thousands of other tiny blue fish swam above a bed of enormous black sea urchins, creating beautiful contrasts. A few steps away, a ray glided past me, and at that point my excitement went through the roof. I called to the others and, within 30 seconds, the catamaran was empty and everyone was in the water, completely unconcerned by the rain, the sky and everything else. We looked like a group of children at an amusement park, even though the youngest among us was 46 and the oldest just over 70... such is the power of a love of nature.
We returned to the boat, by then all delighted with what we had seen, and had lunch before setting off for Curieuse, home to a colony of giant tortoises. We went ashore and immediately started taking photographs, not only of the tortoises and their antics as they competed for food from tourists, but also of the beautiful beach and its granite boulders.
Mahé
Back aboard, we set a course for Mahé while the sky filled with colours that changed from one moment to the next, compelling us to take dozens and dozens of photographs of an endless sunset, remarkable for the colours of the sea, the sky and everything around us. I do not think any film director could imagine creating what we saw and photographed.
By the time we arrived at Beau Vallon, it had already been dark for at least a couple of hours. We had dinner and waited until midnight to begin celebrating the birthday of a Swiss lady who had decided that she wanted the festivities to start at the exact time of her birth — and naturally, we were more than happy to join in.
The following morning, the sun is shining brightly and, after breakfast, we go ashore and spend the entire morning at Beau Vallon, a beautiful white beach (although personally I am not keen on long beaches without any rocks). Here, you can try various water sports, including waterskiing, jet skiing, parasailing and banana boating, or simply swim peacefully in the clear, shallow water. We return on board and soon set off for one final little surprise. By now, we are convinced that we have already seen the very best, but the captain wants to amaze us — and succeeds, as always — by taking us to Grand Anse. Unfortunately, we arrive at lunchtime and only have time to take a few photographs before sitting down to eat. For the first time, the chef has prepared pasta for us: a macaroni bake with mushrooms, ham, Parmigiano Reggiano and olives. As Italians, we cannot resist, and we each polish off two platefuls. With no thought for digestion, we put on our fins and masks and jump into the water. The seabed is nothing special, but the two little beaches are simply too tempting, and we stay in the water for at least 2 hours before emerging, exhausted but happy. We climb back on board, only to dive in again. We know that our holiday is almost over, so we use up every last bit of energy.
Once back on board, we have a shower, and then the captain sets a course for Eden Island, where our holiday will end the following morning. We will have to say goodbye to friends whom we may never see again, but with whom we have formed unique bonds thanks to everything we have experienced and seen together.
The end of the journey
When we arrive at Eden Island, sadness descends upon us. On a boat near ours, people are drinking and celebrating, while on ours you could hear a pin drop... Then the captain calls us to the table and, fortunately, Daniel works another of his culinary miracles, lifting everyone’s spirits.
We decide to open a few bottles of good wine ourselves and celebrate together. There is no longer a crew and a group of tourists, but ‘only’ a gathering of friends who want to savour those final moments together. In our hearts and in one another’s eyes, we recognise what we had all known since our very first day sailing together: we are one, a group of good friends who care for one another and share a respect for others and a love of nature.
The following morning, the 4 of us Italians will be the only ones leaving the Seychelles to return to Italy, while the others will remain in this paradise for another week. It is a place left in good hands, entrusted to people who, through their simplicity and their smiles, understand just how precious the treasure in their care truly is.
Experiencing the Seychelles by catamaran is certainly not for everyone. It is not suitable for children, who would become bored and spoil the holiday for others, nor is it for those looking for dancing and entertainment late into the night. It is for adults without excessive expectations — in other words, those who are not seeking luxury but understand that true luxury is all around them: nature, friendship and love.
I would like to thank SeyVillas for their support during the booking process, for their recommendations and for not making a single mistake, making our trip truly memorable.
I would also like to thank VPM, the yacht charter company, which provided the boat and a truly exceptional crew: from the captain, with his unique experience, expertise and sensitivity, to the SUPERLATIVE chef, whose every dish was outstanding — the barracuda and Jesus Christ-style squid were unforgettable — and the fantastic sailor, a great fisherman who was always on hand to help with any problem.
I would also like to thank all our travelling companions, including the crew, whose intelligence, sensitivity and ability to get along together made this a MEMORABLE holiday!
Luca and Monica
