Birthday Celebrations in the Seychelles

Our first stop was Grand Anse. After cycling up and down the island’s many hills, we reached our destination. We left our bicycles near the only refreshment kiosk, and the sight before us left us speechless (not least because we had no idea what else awaited us, or that we would remain in this blissful state for the rest of the holiday).

Grand Anse, La Digue

You can imagine how many photographs we took before finally going for a swim! We stayed all morning, then at around lunchtime crossed a small headland to reach Petite Anse; the same sense of wonder, the same number of photographs and another swim. We had no desire to return, but fortunately this was only the beginning of our holiday, so around sunset we set off home on our bicycles. On the way, we stopped at a small kiosk for an exceptional freshly made fruit juice and took photographs of the magnificent giant tortoises that you regularly encounter along the roads.

Today we decided to explore the entire west coast. We cycled to the end of the road at Anse Fourmis, then retraced our route, stopping at every beach for the customary photographs and swims…these would become our rituals throughout the holiday. More specifically, we visited Anse Banane, Anse Grosse Roche, Anse Gaulettes and Anse Patates…the most beautiful of all for us, if we really had to choose a winner…

Anse Patates, La Digue

Anse Patates is a small beach that almost seems to recreate, in miniature, the features of some of the Seychelles’ best-known beaches: exceptionally fine white sand, palm trees leaning towards the sea and granite boulders. All within just a few metres. At high tide, the waves can swallow up the beach, but you can place your towel on the stone steps leading down to it. Anse Patates is just a few minutes by bicycle from the harbour at La Passe, heading north. It is very small, but to make sure you do not miss it, look out for the Patatran, the hotel overlooking the beach.

This was the only day we set an alarm; we wanted to be among the very first to enter the park at Union Estate and enjoy Anse Source d'Argent in complete solitude. After cycling there, you enter through Union Estate on payment of an admission fee. It is a sort of village where, as well as seeing tortoises, you can learn how coconuts are processed and view what remains of the vanilla plantations. Once you reach the restaurant, you leave your bicycle and continue to the beach on foot: WOW!!! It was picture-perfect.

Anse Source d'Argent, La Digue

As you continue south, there is one amazing sight after another. Remember not to stop at the first cove: there is so much more to see! We immediately immersed ourselves in the beauty of this fabulous beach, and you will quickly understand why it is the most photographed beach in the world.

We decided to stay there all day, leaving our visit to Union Estate Park and nearby Anse Union until late afternoon.

The only beach we had yet to visit was Anse Severe, so we spent the day on this rather long, almost perfectly straight beach in the north, along the road that passes in front of the small harbour. It is easily reached by bicycle, and you cannot help but be captivated by the beauty before your eyes. Of course, we felt the same way across the entire island: we could have stayed for a lifetime.

The beach is bordered by granite rocks at both ends, with those at the far end extending a short distance towards the island’s northernmost point. One final detail: this beach faces the island of Praslin at more or less the closest point between the two, offering a wonderfully picturesque view, especially at sunset. It is roughly the same view that can also be enjoyed from the harbour area.

Today we transferred to Mahé and, coincidentally, it rained. It was the only rain of our entire holiday, and we were pleased it had chosen that particular moment to appear!

We were taken to the harbour and boarded the ferry to Mahé at around 12:00, once again travelling via Praslin. On arrival in Mahé, we were driven to Casadani, a small hotel in the north of the island, just a 2-minute walk from Anse Marie-Laure and a few minutes from Beau Vallon.

From the restaurant terrace, we were immediately enchanted by the wonderful views of Silhouette and North Island, as well as the famous Beau Vallon beach. After leaving our luggage, we rushed straight out for a swim at nearby Anse Marie-Laure. We still felt rather sad after leaving behind the magnificent beauty of La Digue and found it difficult to imagine Mahé could compare…but some lovely surprises awaited us!!! At dinner we met Ivan, the manager of Casadani, and made a bet with him: after touring the island the following day, we would immediately change our minds. We accepted the challenge!

Touring Mahé, our journey along the roads through Misere and the Reserve first offered us superb views from above, as well as the chance to visit the tea factory and explore the trails in the park at Morne Blanc, before heading down towards the beaches in the south.

First, however, we enjoyed a swim at Port Launay North Beach, which lies within a small bay. The sea is calm and clear, the reef is still intact and the snorkelling is wonderful. Crabs scuttle across the beach, while the trees provide shade in which to relax and enjoy the rare beauty of this spot.

Port Launay, Mahé

Continuing south, a swim at Anse Soleil is a must. It is a wonderful beach, neither too large nor too small, but just the right size. It is not particularly easy to reach; the road is somewhat challenging and parking is not straightforward, but once you reach the sea, you are greeted by a dazzling white beach framed by palm trees, takamaka trees and dense tropical jungle. Then there is Anse Takamaka, a distinctive, unspoilt beach with crystal-clear water. There is no coral reef, so the sea is less calm, while the beach is surrounded by spectacular granite rocks, a small lagoon and incredible sand.

Besides these, we also saw the equally captivating Grand Anse, Anse Boileau, Baie Lazare and Anse Intendance …all magnificent!!!

Needless to say, we lost the bet and completely changed our opinion of Mahé!

We spent a relaxing day on the wonderful Beau Vallon. It is very popular, but well worth visiting because you can experience authentic Creole life here. You simply must admire the sunset over the sea, stroll along the beach, swim and enjoy an excellent lunch. The beach is lined with kiosks serving smoothies, coconuts and excellent fish.

Our final day. We visited Victoria, the capital, which is worth half a day for shopping and a stroll around the centre…if only to get a taste of modern Seychellois life! You can visit several museums and the beautiful Hindu temple.

In the afternoon, we had one final swim at nearby Anse Marie-Laure while waiting for our last sunset and our final dinner at Casadani. We then transferred to the airport for our sad journey home to Italy at dawn on 26/11, once again flying with Emirates via Dubai.

What can we say…we left our hearts in the Seychelles…heavenly places and delightful people…
We would like to thank SeyVillas for the wonderful organisation; they made our dream come true, allowing us to spend our entire stay in paradise. Everything was managed to perfection, as though synchronised by a Swiss watch…thank you.

Mauro and Katia