Don’t worry – be happy in paradise

On 3 June 2017, we finally landed on Mahé. The ferry transfer to La Digue, which we had booked as part of a complete package through SeyVillas – and which we can wholeheartedly recommend – went completely smoothly, something you really appreciate after a 10-hour flight.

When we arrived on La Digue, we were taken to our beautiful little guest house, Bois d'Amour. Michelle gave us a very warm welcome. Everything had been beautifully decorated with flowers, and 2 fresh coconuts were already waiting for us to drink on our veranda. You really are right in the middle of La Digue’s beautiful natural surroundings. In the tree opposite our guest house, we were able to observe the large flying foxes up close.

Exploring the island by bicycle is simply fantastic, and even in the humid afternoon heat, the breeze as you cycle keeps things pleasant. Bertrand, an employee of Creole, SeyVillas’ partner organisation in the Seychelles, recommended his favourite beach, Anse Severe.

This beach also became our own quiet favourite, as it offers the perfect combination of a wonderful beach, beautiful granite rocks and shady takamaka trees. Plenty of La Digue’s animal inhabitants could also be found here, which certainly influenced our decision to return to this beach so often.

But all the other beaches were beautiful too, including Grand Anse. When you cycle along the north-east coast and one beautiful view follows another, you sometimes have to pinch yourself to realise that you really are cycling through this incredible place. We can definitely recommend stopping at Chez Jules on Anse Banane. The view is wonderful, and they serve excellent juices, curries and, of course, our beloved coconuts.;).

When you are on La Digue, you naturally have to visit the world’s most photographed beach, Anse Source d’Argent. Once you are there, it is easy to understand why so many photographs are taken here: the granite rocks and the water are simply breathtaking.

One morning, when the sun was hiding slightly behind the clouds, we took the opportunity to hike up the mountain to the Belle Vue restaurant. It was a very sweaty experience, but the view made it absolutely worthwhile. (A little tip: we set off very early in the morning, which was certainly more comfortable in terms of the weather. However, at that time – around 9.00 am – the restaurant was not yet open, so although you can enjoy the beautiful view, you should not expect any food or drink. Make sure you bring water.;))

Before we knew it, our time on La Digue had come to an end, and we took the ferry across to Praslin. A friendly lady from United Car Hire was already waiting for us there with our hire car. Praslin is considerably larger than La Digue, and if you want to see a lot of the island, a hire car is highly recommended – especially if you are staying at the villa Mille Etoile, as it is situated very high up on a mountain. After a rather steep and adventurous drive up to the villa, we were immediately rewarded with that priceless view.

Up here, you truly have the place to yourselves, with only the sounds of the birds, crickets and sea. The sunsets in particular are simply indescribable, and the villa’s name is no coincidence, as the number of stars visible at night is incredible.

The house belongs to the Hotel L'Archipel complex, which is situated further down the hill. We were allowed to use all the facilities as though we were hotel guests. There were sunloungers on the beach – but do not worry, it was not ‘Mallorca-style’, with towels reserving them at dawn.;) They were elegant wooden sunloungers that blended perfectly into the beautiful natural surroundings of Anse Gouvernement. There were always loungers available, and the entire hotel complex was incredibly peaceful.

Anse Gouvernement, Hotel L’Archipel The friendly hotel employee, Jean C., also deserves a mention. He lends guests canoes, snorkelling masks and other equipment free of charge for exploring Anse Gouvernement. He even went with David to gather cinnamon leaves because David was keen to cook a curry using local spices and had asked him for advice. On our final day, he even drove all the way up to the villa especially to bring us some fresh cinnamon bark. When we tried to offer him a small tip as a thank-you, he almost seemed offended and refused to accept it.

With such a beautiful house, that view and the hotel beach, we almost had to force ourselves to explore the rest of the island. But it was definitely worthwhile. Anse Lazio is not described as Praslin’s most beautiful beach without good reason.

Anse Lazio, Praslin Granite rocks, Anse Lazio The small cove was especially lovely. Facing the sea, we walked along the left-hand side of the beach and past the first rocks. There is another little cove here, as well as the Honesty Bar, which is run by a German-Seychellois couple. If they are not there, you can simply help yourself, place the money in the fridge and take any change you need from the bowl labelled ‘Change’. Absolutely brilliant!

You should not miss Vallée de Mai National Park either, especially if, alongside the beautiful beaches, you would also like to experience the Seychelles’ magnificent green landscapes and see the Coco de Mer up close.

Female Coco de Mer It truly was an unforgettable holiday for us, and we will definitely return!! Many thanks to SeyVillas for the seamless, perfect and straightforward planning.

Orevwar (see you soon),
Lisa&David