Far Away from It All
Mahé
Our Seychellois adventure begins on the largest island, Mahé, home to the capital, Victoria.
Having just landed and still not feeling too tired, we decide to take a local bus to Casadani, our hotel in Bel Ombre. As soon as we board, we realise that we are the only foreigners, which makes us happy because it gives us an immediate, positive introduction to the local people and their way of life.
We received the warmest of welcomes at our accommodation. Everything is well maintained and clean, the breakfasts are very good and substantial, and dinner is truly exceptional. We recommend booking half board.
Casadani’s location makes it an excellent base for exploring the island, but above all for getting to know Seychellois culture. It is tucked into a hillside among local homes, yet close enough to the long beach of Beau Vallon to walk there, and this is where we spend our first day by the sea. It is a beautiful place, and as it was our first beach, it certainly made an impression, although Mahé has even better beaches to offer.
Just a little further north, in fact, lies Sunset Beach, a small, enchanting beach that can be reached by bus. Above all, however, the magnificent Anse Intendance lies on the south coast. It can also be reached by public bus, around half an hour from Victoria’s central bus station, and was the most beautiful place we saw in the archipelago.
Of course, we also visited Victoria, its famous market and the Hindu temple. Both are well worth seeing. A small tip for the capital: if you happen to be near the Anglican church while a service is taking place, go inside and sing with the congregation. It will be a moving and profoundly meaningful experience that will bring you even closer to the local community.
All in all, Mahé is a magical place where you can easily experience life as the Seychellois do.
La Digue
Tiny La Digue is the true essence of island life. It is so small that you can explore it on foot or by bicycle.
We stay at Chez Marston. Legend has it that Marston is the person you need to know in the Seychelles if you really want to understand the Seychelles. It is an excellent, welcoming and clean guesthouse. The breakfasts are good, as was the dinner we tried once, but on La Digue it is better to eat at the island’s various takeaways, which are very inexpensive. The best of all is My Mum, with excellent food and a wonderfully down-to-earth atmosphere.
On La Digue, you are constantly in touch with nature, whether through the giant land tortoises, the lush vegetation all around you or the sea teeming with marine life. We chose to take a snorkelling trip to nearby Félicité Island and were truly thrilled by the colourful fish, sea turtles, rays and even a shark that darted past us.
On La Digue, we visited L’Union Estate, a former coconut plantation and a compulsory yet very enjoyable stop on the way to Anse Source d'Argent, a beautiful place. We then visited Grand Anse, Petite Anse and Anse Cocos on the south-east coast, magical places reached by bicycle and on foot along forest trails.
On La Digue, you truly feel lost in the deep blue of the sea and sky, far away from everyone and everything, in a place that feels both so small and so vast at the same time.
Praslin
The island of Praslin was our final stop. We stayed at Villa Bananier, a delightful Creole-style guesthouse run by the owner, Anne. It is located at Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or), the island’s best-known and most popular beach. The rooms are spacious and clean, there is a very large veranda running around the house, and the breakfasts are good.
Guests can cook for themselves or arrange to have Creole dinners prepared. We chose to cook and tried a nearby takeaway once, although it was nothing like those on La Digue. There are a few restaurants within walking distance, but we did not try them.
To be honest, after Mahé and La Digue it is difficult to remain impressed by the sea and beaches. Praslin nevertheless manages it with Anse Georgette, a small bay in the north within Constance Lémuria, the first resort built in the Seychelles. Access is restricted, so your accommodation on the island must provide the reception of the enormous complex with your names and the date on which you wish to visit.
This corner of paradise is absolutely worth visiting, as is Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage national park that is home to many endemic species of flora and fauna. It feels like stepping into a world made for giants. It is a unique experience, as this is the only place where you can encounter certain plant and animal species, including the famous Coco de mer palm.
In our opinion, Anse Volbert remains rather unremarkable, partly because of the seaweed but above all because of its touristy atmosphere, something we only really noticed on Praslin. Another beautiful place that certainly deserves a full day is Anse Lazio. It is said to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but our favourite remains Anse Intendance on Mahé.
It must be said that getting around Praslin by public bus requires patience and determination. It is better to hire a car.
In conclusion, the Seychelles are very different from how most people imagine them. This is Africa in the most positive and dreamlike sense of the word, with its exuberant natural beauty and its smiling people.
Sooner or later, we will do it all again!
Andrea and Benedetta
