Paradise: We Found It
Travel report by Bianca and Jill
3–19 March 2017
A holiday in the Seychelles
We wanted a varied holiday with plenty of sunshine, beautiful beaches and a warm sea.
Good friends recommended flying to the Seychelles and going island hopping, following the classic route of Praslin, La Digue and Mahé. They also suggested staying in guesthouses. While searching online, we very quickly came across SeyVillas.
We soon discovered that the service was excellent. We could call at any time with questions and quickly received accommodation suggestions tailored precisely to our needs.
It was a wonderful holiday. The accommodation was exactly what we had hoped for and ideally located, and all the transfers went perfectly too.
On each island, we had a local travel agency representative who visited us in person. We could discuss any requests with them, and they also provided us with important information. Before travelling on to the next island, we always received a friendly reminder letter confirming when we would be collected for our next transfer. We were also able to change the departure times of our inter-island ferry transfers at short notice.
The essentials, such as flights, transfers and accommodation, were perfectly planned and booked through SeyVillas, leaving us with plenty of freedom to organise our holiday as we pleased once we arrived. Hiring cars locally was easy, and we could also extend the rental at short notice.
All the accommodation was very clean, and the owners and staff were very friendly. We really felt at home. And the islands, the scenery and the people are simply a dream!!
Our accommodation was:
- Islander on Praslin: it has its own beach, with plenty of shops within walking distance for groceries.
- Pension Fidele on La Digue: as we had always booked family apartments with 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and an open-plan kitchen and living area, we had the entire first floor to ourselves! And, of course, bicycles can be hired directly from the property.
- Choice Villa on Mahé: it is situated above Beau Vallon, with a bus stop right outside, so you can easily make a spontaneous trip to Victoria if the weather is not so good. You can also hire a car without any fuss through the accommodation’s owners. It was simply wonderful, and it certainly will not be our last trip to the Seychelles.
Next time, we might also book a sailing trip lasting several days.
Mahé
Departure from Frankfurt
Saturday, 4 March
Arrival at Mahé International Airport. Transfer to the harbour at 6.00 am. We have a coffee and wait for the ferry. Ferry from Mahé to Praslin. Arrival at the Islander Guesthouse at 12.00 noon. Afternoon: the Islander’s beach.
In the evening, we enjoy our first takeaway meal!!
Shopping and relaxing on the beach at the Islander Guesthouse.
Monday, 6 March
We have hired an automatic car for 2 days to make getting used to driving on the left a little easier. Vallée de Mai. A 2-hour walk, followed by a drive south, lunch at the Coco de Mer Hotel and then back again.
We drive to Anse Lazio and eat at the fish restaurant overlooking the bay. We return along the coast.
A visit to Anse Georgette, the beach at the luxury Constance Lémuria Resort.
Journey to La Digue. Collected from the Islander at 9.00 am, with the ferry departing between 10.00 and 10.15 am. Then on to Pension Fidele. In the afternoon, we cycle to Anse Source d'Argent in the national park. Dinner from a takeaway restaurant.
We cycle north to Anse Banane, where there are plenty of opportunities for snorkelling.
Saturday, 11 March
Morning: we cycle as far as Anse Severe, with its coral reefs. Afternoon: over the steep hill to Grand Anse, followed by a Creole takeaway in the evening.
The same as Saturday, but with a different takeaway. Since arriving on La Digue, we have had no access to WhatsApp or emails. Today, we finally find Wi-Fi in a café!
Pick-up at 6.30 am, then the 7.00 am ferry to Praslin and Mahé. We arrive on Mahé at 9.00 am, and then it absolutely pours down!!! We then arrive at Choice Villa. In the afternoon, we take the bus to Victoria, have pizza and stroll around the market.
We have hired a car for 3 days. We drive around Victoria and visit Villa Artisanal, a craft village, followed by the Takamaka distillery. However, the tours have already started, so we decide to return another day. We drive down the east coast to Jardin du Roi, a botanical garden in the south. We then continue to the west coast, head north again and return via the Sans Souci road.
Wednesday, 15 March
The Sans Souci road, Mission Lodge and the Tea Factory, followed by Anse Intendance. We have a Coke at the Banyan Tree hotel and take a roundabout route back along the east coast in the late afternoon. Pizza in Beau Vallon in the evening.
We drive around the northern tip of the island, then go shopping at Eden Plaza, which has some upmarket shops. We arrive at the Takamaka distillery punctually at 11.30 am, but no tour is taking place. Instead, they arrange a special tasting for us, and we sample the different varieties of rum. Then we visit Anse Intendance and go shopping once more at Eden Island in the evening. However, there had been a downpour beforehand, so it is very quiet there.
We take the bus to Victoria, look inside the Hindu temple and buy some Creole souvenirs. In the afternoon, we head to the beach at Beau Vallon. Dinner at La Scala Restaurant.
We enjoy our final day at the beach. At 8.30 pm, we set off for the airport. Our flight departs at 11.40 pm, and we land back in Frankfurt at 7.00 am on 19 March. A wonderful, dreamlike and relaxing holiday comes to an end!!
