3 Weeks – 3 Islands – 3 Worlds

Praslin – La Digue – Mahé. That was our itinerary, promising a wealth of experiences as well as relaxation. And it certainly delivered on that promise.

Beaches, Coco de Mer and giant tortoises

Praslin welcomed us with glorious weather after a stormy ferry crossing. Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or), on the quieter eastern side, was exactly the right place to arrive and marvel at the dazzling colours. Against a backdrop of lush green palms, the turquoise Indian Ocean rivalled the blue of the sky. It was a spectacle that delighted us time and again, right up to the final day of our holiday.
As well as relaxing days on the beach, particularly our time at Anse Lazio, two highlights defined our week on Praslin.
We joined Dereck and his ‘Spanish Dancer’ for a day trip to Curieuse Island. The main attraction there is undoubtedly the many Aldabra giant tortoises, which are quite accustomed to people and were more than happy to be fed. Their size is awe-inspiring, and it is hard to imagine that 100,000 of these prehistoric giants live on Aldabra Atoll. We found it difficult to tear ourselves away from the tortoises.

Aldabra giant tortoise, Curieuse The short walking trail across the island led through mangroves teeming with crabs in the most vibrant colours.

Colourful fiddler crab, Curieuse After a swim in the sea, we enjoyed an excellent beach barbecue with grilled fish before continuing aboard the ‘Spanish Dancer’ to St Pierre Island, where we anchored offshore to go snorkelling. St Pierre is a truly picture-perfect little island!

St Pierre The seabed was not quite as picture-perfect, as the corals had fallen victim to El Niño. However, the sheer number of fish of every size and in the brightest colours more than made up for it. The colourful parrotfish were particularly wonderful to watch, as were the little clownfish whenever they ventured out of their anemones again.
A very worthwhile excursion! – As was our visit to Fond Ferdinand Nature Reserve. The Coco de Mer truly is a very special plant, but the park is also home to many other species of palm, some of them endemic. As visits to the park are guided, you see and learn a great deal. The view across Praslin and the neighbouring islands at the end of the tour made the slightly strenuous climb well worth it.

View over Praslin (Fond Ferdinand) The crowning finale was the tame eel living in one of the park’s small streams.

Slowing down

We spent our second week on La Digue – pure relaxation at a slower pace. The island is so small that you can get everywhere on foot or by bicycle. Of course, Anse Source d'Argent is a dream beach, but La Digue has far more to offer than this endlessly photographed stretch of sand. The three beaches Grand Anse, Petite Anse and Anse Cocos are equally beautiful, with Petite Anse our particular favourite. You can also follow an easy path from bay to bay, taking in even more of this lovely island along the way.

Petite Anse, La Digue We were surprised to find tortoises on La Digue as well – and not only in the enclosure at Union Estate Park. Near Anse Severe in the north of the island, we saw two giant tortoises, one of which was taking a nap right in the middle of the road.

Giant tortoise on the road, La Digue Leaving La Digue was difficult not only because of its peaceful atmosphere, but also because we had such a wonderful stay at Belle des Iles Guest House. The owner, Fleur, is incredibly warm and hospitable – and a fantastic cook! A truly special place to stay.

226|Belle des Iles Guest House, La Digue

A colourful change of pace

Compared with La Digue, Mahé seemed enormous to us – even though it is still a very manageable island. Exploring it by public bus was quite an experience. The old Chinese Tata and Indian Ashok Leyland buses rattled across the island, seemingly ignoring every speed limit. On uphill stretches, the drivers pushed first gear until the engine roared. Going downhill, once they had passed a ‘Reduce speed now’ sign, they accelerated until the next sharp bend. It was as thrilling as a rollercoaster ride – all for just 5 rupees.
For those same 5 rupees, we travelled from Anse à la Mouche in south-west Mahé to the capital, Victoria. Two places particularly caught our attention. The first was the market, with its abundance of colours, sounds and aromas. Fish, fruit, vegetables, fabrics, herbs, spices, plants… All beneath a canopy of colourful cloths and parasols.

Victoria Market, Mahé The second was the Botanical Gardens, with their wide variety of plants. But besides the plants, we were particularly fascinated by the many fruit bats. We had seen fruit bats on all three islands, but here in the Botanical Gardens we discovered several ‘sleeping trees’, with numerous bats hanging upside down from the branches. Although fruit bats are said to be active at dusk and during the night, hunger also seems to stir them into action during the day. Jackfruit trees are simply irresistible – and fruit bats certainly do not share, loudly defending whichever fruit they happen to be eating. It was a spectacle we could have watched for hours.

Fruit bat in the Botanical Gardens in Victoria, Mahé 3 weeks – 3 islands – 3 worlds – leaving us with countless impressions (and photographs) and returning home thoroughly refreshed.