Experiencing the Seychelles

While Central Europe was still struggling with a late cold snap, my partner and I flew to the Seychelles in mid-April. After an overnight flight, we received a warm welcome from Creole Travel Service at the airport on Mahé early in the morning. We were given refreshing towels, a road map that also highlighted recommended snorkelling spots, and a printout of our itinerary with all the transfer details. We then continued to the ferry and from there to Praslin, the first island of our holiday.

We stayed there for five nights at the Cote d'Or Apartments, which was quite close to the beach as well as small supermarkets and several restaurants. (Incidentally, the cinnamon ice cream from the gelateria at Ristorante da Luca is highly recommended!) We took a day trip to Curieuse, where we were able to see and even stroke giant tortoises in the wild, before continuing to the tiny island of St Pierre for some snorkelling.

Giant tortoises on Curieuse On the return journey to our starting point, we even spotted several dolphins. From the following day onwards, we travelled around by hire car. Despite our initial concerns, driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road went surprisingly well. Vallée de Mai and Anse Lazio beach are both definitely worth visiting. The snorkelling there was wonderful, and we even saw two young lemon sharks.

69|Anse Georgette Anse Lazio – a dream beach

A few days later, we took the ferry to La Digue and checked into Maison Charme de l'Ile. It was by far the loveliest accommodation we had ever stayed in. Breakfast, served on our private veranda each morning, was also delicious. We could quickly reach anywhere by bicycle. We were a little disappointed by Anse Source d'Argent, as there was unfortunately quite a lot of plastic rubbish lying around. Nevertheless, the granite rocks there are very impressive. Our favourite place to eat, incidentally, was Gala Take-Away, which serves genuinely good Creole food at very reasonable prices.

Grand Anse Anse Source d'Argent

Finally, we spent another five days on Mahé at Bord Mer Villa. The owner and all the other staff were very friendly here too, and we were welcomed with fresh juice, although we did not enjoy it quite as much overall. The hotel had very thin walls, and lorries drove directly behind our accommodation until late in the evening, often reversing with the accompanying beeping noise. Beau Vallon is very tourist-oriented and fairly expensive, particularly when it comes to restaurants.

However, the beach is very beautiful, and the snorkelling is excellent near Fisherman’s Cove in the south-western section. Among other things, we spotted a sea turtle there. Every Wednesday, there is a market along the beach promenade with various takeaway stalls, souvenirs and plenty of music. We were given this tip by the lady from Creole Travel Service who visited us at the hotel on our first day. She also advised us that, when taking the bus to Victoria, the capital, we should use the bus stop a little further along by the petrol station rather than the one directly outside the hotel, as buses run more frequently from there.

Hawksbill turtle In Victoria, the Hindu temple and the nearby Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market are well worth visiting. The market mainly sells freshly caught fish, spices, fruit and vegetables, while the upper floor has several souvenir shops for tourists. If you have a hire car, you should definitely visit Mission Lodge, which offers a fantastic view of Mahé’s west coast.

Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Temple in Victoria After 14 days, our holiday came to an end. We returned to the airport very early in the morning and began our journey home. We had seen so much, including black parrots, countless fish, Seychelles day geckos and flying foxes, which were already flying around in the afternoon. Overall, we liked Praslin best, as everything there was just right: the beaches and the snorkelling opportunities. All in all, it was a wonderful holiday, and the support provided by the local travel agency worked perfectly. We were always collected reliably, and a representative also visited us at each accommodation to make sure that everything was all right.

Seychelles day gecko in the Vallée de Mai Underwater world