Paradise Exists on Earth Too

As soon as we arrived at the airport, we were met by Creole’s impeccable team, who handled all our transfers on the island. Creole took us to the port on Mahé for the transfer to Praslin, and our arrival at the Acajou Beach Resort immediately gave us a taste of the magical atmosphere here. The hotel is very charming, with beautifully maintained gardens and one of the loveliest and most ‘welcoming’ beaches on the entire island, Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or): it is extremely long, with beautiful sand, and the sea is unaffected by the tides and, above all, by the seaweed that we later saw on the opposite side of the island.

On the second day of our stay, following SeyVillas’ expert advice, we hired a car so that we could explore the island from top to bottom. I had booked entry to the Lemuria for 10 am (make sure you do this well in advance, even before setting off) so that we could visit Anse Georgette. The walk there is wonderful: you cross the resort and its golf course, and after around half an hour (it actually takes 20 minutes, but stopping several times to admire the surroundings is a must), you arrive at this magnificent beach. There were very few people, crystal-clear water and lush vegetation. It was our first real encounter with the wonderful spectacle the Seychelles have to offer: a stunning sea, granite boulders that give the beaches their unique character, and vegetation providing natural ‘parasols’ on the beach.

After getting back into the car, we retraced the road along the island’s eastern coast. There are not many places to park along the road, but we stopped several times to admire all the beaches along the way, from Anse Kerlan to Grand Anse, and from Anse St Sauveur to Anse Cimitière. They are all different, but each offers breathtaking views. Our next destination was Anse Lazio. Once we reached the western coast, we stopped at a kiosk at Anse Boudin for some fruit. It was a very distinctive little place, and we ‘settled in’ inside a palm-frond hut overlooking the beach to enjoy some excellent tropical fruit. After this short break, we arrived at Anse Lazio, another of Praslin’s splendid beaches. It is much larger than Anse Georgette and attracts more visitors, but it is still very enjoyable, as you can always find plenty of privacy. We explored the entire beach and reached what some people call Little Anse Lazio. Here, you feel even more immersed in nature and secluded from everyone else. We waited for sunset on this small beach, and it was spectacular and breathtaking (take care, as the tide comes in quite high, so keep your bags and towels somewhere safe).

The following day, we made our way to the port of Praslin at Baie S.te Anne to catch the boat to La Digue. Once we arrived, we hired bicycles and headed towards Anse Source d'Argent. Cycling around this island and encountering only the occasional car gives it a special charm...arriving at Anse Source D’Argent leaves you speechless. The beach is beautiful, enchanting and unique. The crystal-clear water can sometimes be shallow depending on the tide, but the scenery, framed by majestic granite rocks, is breathtaking.

We cycled across the other side of the island towards Grand Anse. The route is tiring in places, partly because the bicycles are not exactly new, but it is well worth the effort. On this side, we barely encountered a single motor vehicle, so you feel as though you are travelling right through the heart of nature. Grand Anse is very striking. As it is not protected by the coral reef, the sea is very rough and not particularly safe for swimming, but the sand is the most beautiful we saw anywhere in the Seychelles.

We spent our final day on Praslin visiting Curieuse and Saint Pierre, which are also very beautiful.

The second part of our trip was spent on Silhouette, an almost uninhabited island where, apart from the resort in which we stayed (Hilton Labriz Resort & Spa) and a small village, there was nothing else. Nature reigns supreme here. The beach is very beautiful, exceptionally long and varied, with the traditional rocks and vegetation extending right into the sea. While snorkelling, I was also lucky enough to encounter two enormous manta rays. The resort and its staff take wonderful care of you, and together with the charm of the beach, this truly makes you feel as though you are in a little paradise on earth.

Andrea and Barbara