The Seychelles: A Different World for Us

Early in the morning, we glide over the green islands rising from the endless sea and land very close to the water on Mahé. The arrival formalities are straightforward and, as we experience time and again later, you are surrounded outside by numerous taxi drivers. We do not have much luggage and have decided to use the regular public buses (30 cents per journey, regardless of the distance), which works well throughout the holiday. Only once does a bus driver refuse to take us because he thinks we have too much luggage – the buses can sometimes be very crowded. But of course we manage in the end, and the locals on the bus are very helpful. It also gives you a very direct impression of the local people, as everyone travels by bus (except on La Digue), albeit without a timetable… When it comes to safety, you do have to make a few allowances: the buses run (is that not enough?), some roads are narrow and winding, and quite a few bus drivers have a very spirited driving style.

Airport on Mahé 17|Grand Anse 17 | Grand Anse The capital, Victoria, is a disappointment; even while strolling around, we do not find anything we consider worth seeing. There is a small clock tower at a road junction, no particularly exciting churches, a Hindu temple and a rather uninviting little museum whose exterior has clearly seen much better days. What nature has to offer here is far more interesting, so we make our way to the market, where there are unfamiliar fruits to examine, countless spices to browse and genuinely fresh fish to buy. Incidentally, small-scale fishermen frequently sell fish directly by the roadside at bargain prices, although they are usually simply too large for a couple staying in a holiday bungalow.
For anyone interested in the unique flora, the beautifully maintained botanical garden is well worth a visit. If you are comfortable walking, it is easy to reach from the town centre in the direction of the airport. Here you encounter giant snails, tortoises, trees sustained by aerial roots and every kind of palm. If you look up at the sky, especially around dusk, you will also see flying foxes, which are unfamiliar in Europe – at first, their silhouettes make you think they are bats.

During our holiday, we take the fast ferries to La Digue and Praslin, where we unwind for 10 days in early June.
The ferry to La Digue As this is our first time so close to the equator, we have to get used to the very short days – it is dark by 19:00! – the brief twilight, the constant warmth and, for those who are interested, a different night sky. As it remains warm even during brief showers, despite our best efforts we still have far too many clothes in our suitcase, and we could also have done without the second pair of shoes.
A week on La Digue – what an experience! Every day brings a new beach. Many can be reached by bicycle, but it is much more exciting to hike along barely marked paths through the tropical rainforest and discover secluded coves where dress codes seem pointless. Admittedly, as Austrians we are accustomed to hiking trails, but the heat and humidity take more out of you than the climbs. Knowing that there are no poisonous animals or plants here is certainly very reassuring!

Nature on La Digue Hiking on La Digue Where else can you find such fine white sand and warm turquoise water, all framed time and again by wild, beautiful granite formations? And you could argue endlessly about which beach is the loveliest! Our children, who collect shells with great enthusiasm, would have been a little disappointed here, however, as we hardly find any. And because I enjoy long, leisurely swims, I do not quite get my fill: the waves are often very high wherever there is no offshore reef. But letting the waves carry you along and wash over you is endless fun (as a swimmer, you can take the usual warnings about currents at the larger beaches in the south in your stride); unfortunately, we do not have a bodyboard! Here on La Digue, we practically trip over bananas; coconuts, oranges, lemons, papayas and avocados are everywhere – one enormous garden where everything grows and ripens throughout the year. There is so much unfamiliar wildlife and plant life to see and discover!

10|Anse Marron Bananas at Belle Vue Early June must be the low season, as by no means all the accommodation is occupied. By our standards, the beaches are therefore empty, and even in the evenings the restaurants have hardly any guests – perhaps you have to appreciate that sort of thing. We like the quieter pace of life; nowhere feels hectic, and the Creole people are friendly and helpful whenever needed. If you are accustomed to other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where you genuinely have to watch your belongings and even look after your personal safety, it is astonishing how peaceful everything is here.

Hundreds of cyclists fill La Digue; everyone gets around by bicycle here. Only about one in 10 has a working light, incidentally, and their general condition is not always what we are used to, but this cycling island has an atmosphere all of its own! The ox cart is now almost the stuff of legend, and there are already a few cars and small hotel buses, but the island really belongs to pedestrians and cyclists. As for the accommodation, there is probably something for everyone, although the many bungalows constantly being built certainly dominate here. We are staying at Villa Anse Source d'Argent, a large bungalow in the south of the island. The four bungalows here are warmly looked after by Lina, who keeps everything in good order, prepares breakfast and can answer any questions that come to mind. The television only has one Creole-language channel, which removes that temptation too.

The days on La Digue pass far too quickly, and we spend a few more on Praslin. Here we have chosen the somewhat dated but pleasantly managed Le Relax Beach Resort, located directly on the beach on the west coast, as fewer waves are expected here at this time of year. That may be true, but the entire west coast is green rather than white because everything is covered in washed-up vegetation (apparently October or November is a better time to visit!). As a result, crowds of tourists head to the east-coast beaches by bus and car every day, which is not really a problem given the short distances. This is probably the only reason we end up at Anse Lazio in the north of the island, and it is by far the most beautiful of all!

75|Anse Lazio It is a picture-perfect beach in a bay that is not too large, with barely any waves, so everyone is splashing about in the water. This is also why the sailing catamarans so common in the Seychelles come here, and suddenly you find yourself among many other tourists.

Market stall on Praslin Plant on Praslin A crab Ferry from Praslin And not a word about the centuries-old tortoises lying beside the road and in gardens here and there? Not a word about the Coco de Mer, to which we have given a rather indecent nickname? Not a word about the excellent food? Well, you can read all about those things elsewhere.
The days pass far too quickly, and it is time to head home again. Once more, we are surprised by the airport, which does not even have an enclosed terminal, by a flight to Europe that is half empty and allows us to stretch out comfortably, and by a world that, despite the arrival of mobile phones, televisions and so on, still works a little differently.