Cerf & Praslin – Simply Perfect
The Seychelles are quite rightly considered one of the most exclusive destinations in the world. Breathtaking dream beaches, unspoilt nature and tourism that respects and blends into the existing surroundings. As a family with four children, we spent a blissfully peaceful week on Cerf, followed by a somewhat livelier week full of colourful impressions on Praslin.
It is almost impossible to say what the highlight was: every island and every beach we visited had its own unique charm. Away from the hotels, we were particularly impressed by the friendliness of the islanders, as well as the cleanliness and tranquillity that seem to envelop the entire Seychelles.
There were just three small things that surprised us, and they are probably the only things keeping the Seychelles from being the Garden of Eden itself. Firstly, the weather was not perfect at the beginning of our stay.
The Seychelles have a tropical climate, which means it is always pleasantly warm, but it is also often cloudy and there are occasional showers. After heavy rain, however, the sun can return very quickly. Our children were not bothered in the slightest and splashed about in the pool whatever the weather. We were also surprised by the ‘lack’ of tourist infrastructure. This is actually entirely positive. However, reaching some dream beaches involves a bit of walking, and with young children we could not do everything.
And finally: no one travels to the Seychelles to save money. Even so, day trips and groceries are certainly not cheap.
But that is really all the ‘negative’ we can come up with, even after some effort. Everything else about the islands is simply breathtaking.
Cerf Island
Our stay began with a week at Tropical Sanctuary, a villa with a pool that was actually far too large for the 6 of us, but wonderfully luxurious. A pool and a blissfully secluded beach right outside the door, daily room service and a gardener, fresh coconuts from the garden, and good food in the mornings and at lunchtime at the nearby L’Habitation: this is the perfect combination of hotel service and the seclusion of a holiday home. And all in a breathtaking location, provided you are happy to walk a short distance along the natural beach for your meals. The island’s interior really is wild jungle, so it is reassuring to know that there are no venomous or dangerous animals in the Seychelles. Watching the sun set in the late afternoon while sitting right on the beach, drinking tea just 20 metres from the holiday home without another soul in sight: this must be what true relaxation feels like.
From Cerf, we also visited the main island of Mahé. With a hire car, you can drive around the entire island in just a few hours, passing so many idyllic beaches with so few people on them that eventually you lose count.
Praslin
We spent the second week at the small Castello Beach on the island of Praslin. Excellent food, a wonderful pool and lovely sea views: not a luxury hotel, but a peaceful, high-quality upper-mid-range property. It was also an extremely convenient base for all sorts of activities. A walk to the dream beach of Anse Lazio, a day trip to the enchanting island of ‘La Digue’ or a visit to the national park: Praslin is breathtaking.
The day trip to ‘Curieuse’, including snorkelling off St Pierre, was probably the highlight of our journey. As a family, we hired our own small boat with 2 crew members: certainly not cheap, but worth every euro. There was a tiny island in the middle of the sea that looked as though it belonged in a pirate film, with magnificent coral reefs just offshore that were easy to explore while snorkelling. We saw all kinds of fish and even a sea turtle. Visiting the giant tortoises and walking across the unspoilt island of ‘Curieuse’ were among the most impressive encounters with nature that we can remember.
Conclusion
The Seychelles are a dream. It is not always sunny and certainly not cheap, but quite simply a little piece of the Garden of Eden in today’s world.
