Paradise on Earth

A travelogue from the Seychelles

21.07.2017
Our trip began with Air Seychelles at 19:55, on a direct flight from Düsseldorf to Mahé.

22.07.2017
The overnight flight was exceptionally pleasant and smooth. After a 10-hour flight, we landed in Mahé right on time at 08:00 local time. Immigration and baggage reclaim were quick, so we were able to catch our onward flight to Praslin at 09:20 as planned.
It was only a short walk to the domestic airport, just 300 m away. On the small 16-seater aircraft, we sat directly behind the pilots. As it later turned out, taking the connecting flight had been an excellent idea. Other travellers on Praslin told us that the sea had been very rough and many passengers had suffered from seasickness.
It was easy to exchange money at Praslin Airport: cash could be exchanged inside the building, and there was a cashpoint outside. Our driver from SeyVillas (Creole) was already waiting and took us directly to our first lodge, Heliconia Grove. The journey took around 15 minutes. There, we were welcomed by a lovely lady with a cool refreshment and a brief, informative introduction. The property is set in a well-maintained little garden, directly beside Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or). Another interesting feature is the tortoise enclosure with six large tortoises.
83|Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or), Praslin Giant tortoise enclosure at Heliconia Grove, Praslin The bungalows are spacious and well equipped, with a veranda overlooking the Indian Ocean and a small private swimming pool.
The little village has a few small boutiques, several restaurants and hotel complexes, as well as some small supermarkets.
Apart from that, we spent the day enjoying the beach, sunshine and sea, in a climate that was surprisingly comfortable.
We very much enjoyed having dinner at the small La Goulue restaurant. The curry dishes there were excellent. The fruit bat curry in particular is definitely worth trying.
The restaurant does not have many seats, and some of the tables are built around a small concrete pillar. For a good table outside, it is best to book ahead or arrive before 19:00.

23.07.2017
Today we started with a breakfast buffet at Pirogue Restaurant & Bar (for around €17).
Afterwards, we headed straight to the beach. Our accommodation provided sun loungers and kayaks. Other than that, the plan was simply to relax.
In the afternoon, we had fresh coconut and fruit, as well as something from the ‘takeaway’. These are located directly beside the road, level with the supermarket. To finish, we enjoyed a wonderful ice cream from ‘La Luca’ gelateria, just a little further along.
At the beach, we also booked a boat trip to Curieuse for the following day, including a barbecue followed by snorkelling off St Pierre Island.

24.07.2017
Today began with breakfast, which we had ordered at our accommodation. It consisted of a fruit platter, toast, jam, yoghurt, juice and milk. We could make our own coffee using the kettle. We enjoyed breakfast on our veranda.
After breakfast, we strolled along the beach to the agreed meeting point for the boat trip. Everyone was already gathered there, and we boarded the boat straight away. Unfortunately, there were not the advertised eight people, but 14. This was definitely too many for the small boat. After 10 minutes, we were dropped off on Curieuse Island.
Following a brief explanation, we first visited the ‘Old Turtle Point’ tortoise sanctuary, with several impressive specimens and a breeding centre.
We then crossed the island to ‘Anse St Jose’ bay for swimming and a barbecue. There was grilled fish and chicken with Creole sauce and salad.
At around 15:30, we were picked up again and went snorkelling at St Pierre Island. There were plenty of fish to see there. Conclusion: it might be better to book the boat trip (€55 per person) through your accommodation. We were not entirely satisfied with our operator. There is also an additional entrance fee of €13 for the Curieuse Marine National Park.

Curieuse, Anse St. Jose

25.07.2017
Today we started with a breakfast we had prepared ourselves on our veranda (toast, jam, fruit and juice), then headed to the bus stop. For 30 cents per person, we took a fairly crowded bus to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Vallée de Mai. Admission cost around €23 per person.
Vallée de Mai, Praslin" data-caption="Vallée de Mai, Praslin" title="Vallée de Mai, Praslin" data-srcset="/img/journals/288/160x80/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg 160w, /img/journals/288/320x160/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg 320w, /img/journals/288/480x240/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg 480w, /img/journals/288/640x320/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg 640w, /img/journals/288/800x400/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg 800w, /img/journals/288/960x480/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg 960w, /img/journals/288/1024x512/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg 1024w, /img/journals/288/1200x600/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg 1200w" data-src="/img/journals/288/1200x600/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg" data-srcset-webp="/img/journals/288/160x80/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.webp 160w, /img/journals/288/320x160/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.webp 320w, /img/journals/288/480x240/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.webp 480w, /img/journals/288/640x320/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.webp 640w, /img/journals/288/800x400/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.webp 800w, /img/journals/288/960x480/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.webp 960w, /img/journals/288/1024x512/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.webp 1024w, /img/journals/288/1200x600/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.webp 1200w">Vallée de Mai, Praslin" title="Vallée de Mai, Praslin">Vallée de Mai, Praslin" title="Vallée de Mai, Praslin" sizes="(max-width: 160px) 160px,(max-width: 320px) 320px,(max-width: 480px) 480px,(max-width: 640px) 640px,(max-width: 800px) 800px,(max-width: 1024px) 1024px" srcset="/img/journals/288/160x120/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg 160w, /img/journals/288/320x240/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg 320w, /img/journals/288/480x360/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg 480w, /img/journals/288/640x480/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg 640w, /img/journals/288/800x600/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg 800w, /img/journals/288/1024x768/vallee-de-mai-praslin-seyvillas-travel-journal-manuela5.jpg 1024w">Vallée de Mai, Praslin This palm forest really is impressive. We spent a good three hours in this unique place, marvelling at the imposing forest with its legendary Coco de Mer palms and their male or female fruits.
Female Coco de Mer The highlight was spotting three black parrots in the palm trees.
Black parrot The return bus took quite a long time to arrive, but this form of transport is unbeatable for the price, and the bus journey is a little experience in itself.
Back at Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or), we picked up something from the takeaway, along with some fresh fruit, and relaxed on the beach.
In the evening, we took a few photographs of the sunset on the beach.

Sunset at Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or), Praslin

26.07.17
Today we took the bus to Anse Lazio. This time, the bus timetable was not entirely accurate, and we waited for almost an hour. The route along the coast is beautiful. The final section on foot goes over a hill and is a little strenuous.
The bay is well worth it, though: an absolute dream beach.
You can follow small paths past the rocks to other bays, and eventually you will find an inconspicuous sign for the Honesty Bar on the left, hidden in the bushes. It is definitely worth walking up, as the views are fantastic and refreshments are available.
75|Anse Lazio, Praslin Honesty Bar – Anse Lazio, Praslin 75|Anse Lazio, Praslin 75|Anse Lazio, Praslin 75|Anse Lazio, Praslin On the way back, we treated ourselves to a fresh fruit platter. It was not particularly cheap (€10), but it was delicious, and the setting was perfect for enjoying it. As we climbed the steep road back, a car stopped beside us with two people from Augsburg who offered us a lift up the hill. While chatting, we discovered that they had to pass Cote d'Or on their return journey, so they dropped us off there. Incredibly kind of them.

Sunrise at Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or), Praslin

27.7.17
Today began with some early-morning exercise on the beach for Jürgen. It was a fantastic running route, and he was also able to take a few photos of the sunrise.
The shuttle to the ferry collected us more or less on time, and we crossed over to La Digue on calm seas. At the harbour on La Digue, a friendly lady from Creole showed us to the small transfer bus for our next accommodation. It was already waiting and took us to the Etoile Labrine lodge, which we reached in just under 10 minutes.
Etoile Labrine Lodge, La Digue Once again, we received an exceptionally warm welcome and a helpful introduction.
We arranged bicycles straight away — they were delivered to the bungalow within 20 minutes — confirmed dinner and also booked a boat trip aboard the Labrine for the following day.
The bungalow was ready for us to move into. There was less space than before, but it was sufficient and clean, and the grounds were once again beautifully maintained.
This time, the bungalow was around 1 km from the beach, but it was also much cheaper than on Praslin. By bicycle, however, it took no time at all to reach either the beach or the village.
We cycled around for a while, and at the helipad we actually ran into the two people from Augsburg who had given us a lift by car from Anse Lazio back to the Heliconia Grove lodge the previous day.
We continued past Anse Patates and Anse Gaulettes as far as Anse Grosse Roche. We stopped in the bay, relaxed and admired the waves.
On the way back, we stopped at Anse Severe, where we enjoyed coconut milk and a fruit platter in a hammock.
13|Anse Severe, La Digue 13|Anse Severe, La Digue After showering, we cycled back to the beach. The sunset at Anse Source d'Argent was not quite as spectacular because of the clouds, but at that late hour there was no longer an admission charge.

We then had dinner at our lodge, and it was excellent.

28.07.2017
Breakfast at the lodge consisted of fresh fruit, toast and jam, muesli and milk, plus an egg cooked to our liking or a crêpe with chocolate sauce, and it was perfectly fine.
We then cycled to the harbour, where a small boat took us across to the Labrine. This time, the only other guests from our accommodation were an Alsatian couple and their two children.
The boat trip aboard the Labrine to Félicité, Marianne and Sister Islands was an absolute dream. Wonderful weather, calm seas, magnificent views of the islands and endless fish while snorkelling, topped off by a sea turtle.
The BBQ and fresh fruit platter on board were beautifully presented, and the crew were incredibly friendly.
In the evening, we enjoyed the sunset over cocktails at a beach restaurant.

Félicité

29.07.2017
Today’s plan was the La Digue classic, Anse Source d'Argent.
As our accommodation was right by this beach, we arrived early enough to take our first photos without any other tourists around. Even later, there were still plenty of opportunities to find a peaceful spot all to ourselves.
A short walk through the water around the final rock revealed even more fantastic photo opportunities.
Anse Source d'Argent, La Digue In the afternoon, there was also a photo shoot for a wedding couple. After all, the bay is well known for that too.
Dinner at our accommodation was excellent once again and brought the day to a lovely close.

Sunset at Anse Source d'Argent, La Digue

30.07.2017
Today, we cycled over a small hill to the beaches of Grand Anse, Petite Anse and Anse Cocos. They are linked by small tracks that lead steeply uphill and downhill over rough and rocky ground.
Petite Anse beach, La Digue Petite Anse beach, La Digue At Anse Cocos, we treated ourselves to a coconut and then went to the much-advertised natural pool at the end of the bay. There were lots of people lying there, with towels packed closely together. We did not like it at all, so we returned to Grand Anse, sat in the shade beneath a palm-leaf shelter and had a fruit juice.
On the way back, we stopped at Simon’s fruit stall and had a fresh passion fruit juice.
It was hard to believe that, after all the beaches we had visited over the previous few days, there could still be something even better.

31.07.2017
In the morning, we still had a little time for a bicycle ride to Anse Severe. The driver then arrived punctually for our transfer to the ferry. We took the Cat Coco ferry to La Digue, then changed ferries and continued to Mahé. Thankfully, the sea was not too rough. Our private transfer to Copolia Lodge was already waiting, and after a journey of around 15 minutes we reached our accommodation.
What a place! It was a fantastic lodge with a large, welcoming lounge area and an incredible view of Eden Island and three other islands, with a mountain panorama on the other side.
The room was also superb, and the balcony overlooked the mountains and the capital, Victoria. What more could anyone want? Hard to imagine, but it got even better! The hospitality was warm and welcoming, breakfast was excellent, and dinner at the lodge was simply outstanding.

View from Copolia Lodge towards Eden Island

01.08.2017
After a good breakfast, we waited for our car. However, it did not arrive. The lodge rang the hire company immediately, and the owner said he had our reservation down for the 5th. The misunderstanding was resolved, and half an hour later our Hyundai arrived.
We set off straight away for Mission Lodge Lookout.
The ruins were not especially interesting, but the view over the bays more than made up for it.
We continued to Port Glaud, where we visited Sauzier Waterfall. It was quite amusing, as you drive up to a gate where a man opens it from the inside and collects a small admission fee. You then drive a few more metres and park the car; after a 5-minute walk, you are already there.
56|Port Glaud We then continued to Port Launay/ Baie Ternay Marine National Park. Shoals of fish swam around our feet there. We even saw several rays.
Finally, we drove towards Grand Anse, stopping at a takeaway along the way.

Baie Ternay, Mahé Stingray at Baie Ternay, Mahé

02.08.2017
It rained a little this morning. We first drove to Victoria and explored the small city.
It was certainly worth seeing, especially the Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market, but there were also many lovely buildings and, of course, the city’s landmark, the Victoria Clocktower.
The sun gradually broke through, and we drove to Beau Vallon beach. We must have missed a turning somewhere, as we ended up driving along the mountainside through the tiniest villages until the road went no further. It was an adventure, but the views were fantastic.
At Beau Vallon beach, it felt like Mallorca, with jet skis and banana boat rides.
In the evening, we took lots of photos of the sunset and then visited the Wednesday evening market, where we had dinner. Without question, the highlight was watching the sun set into the sea.

47|Beau Vallon

03.08.2017
The next morning, our tour took us around the north coast. We drove past Victoria, and our first stop was Pointe Conan, a reclaimed island.
Here, small private homes stand side by side.
Our next stop was at Anse Etoile. Afterwards, we stopped at Anse Nord d'Est and Carana Beach. At the hotel of the same name, we asked for permission to walk through the grounds so that we could take photos on the beach. The gatekeeper let us through, and we managed to take some wonderful pictures. We continued on and stopped at Sunset Beach in Glacis. This was another beautiful bay, perfect for sunbathing. However, the waves were so high that we did not go into the water.
Our final stop for the day was once again Beau Vallon. We parked in the large car park right by the beach, picked up some takeaway food and sat on the wooden logs beside the promenade to eat.

We stayed on the beach for a while longer before driving towards Eden Island. However, visitors could only drive across the bridge and then park in the shopping centre’s multi-storey car park. Only residents are permitted to drive around the island itself. We decided not to park there and returned to our accommodation, where we enjoyed yet another delicious dinner.

04.08.2017
Today, we decided to explore the south-west coast. For us, this was the most beautiful scenery on Mahé. Our first stop was the tea factory on Sans Souci Road. We were less impressed by the tea factory itself than by the magnificent view of the west coast and Port Glaud.
We continued past Grand Anse, Anse Boileau and Anse à la Mouche, before taking the turn-off to Petite Anse. We left our car at Marias Rock Cafe and walked up the steep road to the beach. The 5-star Four Seasons Resort was located there. We did not particularly like the bay. Marias Restaurant impressed us more. We ordered two fresh mango juices and a crêpe and waited for the brief rain shower to pass.
We continued past Baie Lazare to Takamaka Beach. They were all beautiful bays that invited us to linger. At Takamaka Beach, we took another extended break and watched the waves in awe until one swept over us and left us soaked. That brought our break to an end, and we first had to dry ourselves off.
45|Anse Takamaka, Mahé 45|Anse Takamaka, Mahé We then continued to Anse Intendance. A small path runs past the left-hand side of the Banyan Tree hotel and leads to the beach. There is a large car park there, which even has fresh water available. We did not like the section of beach directly in front of the car park at all. We walked along the beach as far as the Banyan Tree hotel and took some wonderful photos there. There were only a few hotel guests on the beach. Most of them seemed to be staying within the grounds. Beautiful waves washed around the granite rocks, just as they had throughout the day.

Anse Intendance

05.08.2017
Today, only the south-east coast remained to be explored. Unfortunately, it had been stormy and rainy throughout the night, and it did not look as though it was going to stop. We set off anyway, and the weather was already better down on the coast. When it started raining again, we decided to drive all the way south to Police Bay first. We parked our car at the end of the tarmac road and continued on foot. We could also have followed the turn-off to the left, which would have taken us directly to the bay. As it was still raining slightly there, we took an umbrella with us. The sky then cleared, and we were once again able to take some beautiful photos.
55|Police Bay, Mahé We then spent some time relaxing at Anse Bazarca and enjoyed the view of the sea and its high waves. We then headed north again along the south-east coast. At lunchtime, we stopped at Anse Parnel and sat down in the Surfer Restaurant for a bite to eat. Turtles lay their eggs on this beach. We continued to Anse Royale. We had expected more from it and did not like the beach at all. In general, the beaches on the east coast were not as beautiful. By then, we had become rather spoilt. In the afternoon, we returned to Copolia Lodge one last time and enjoyed a delicious dinner.

06.08.2017
Our final day in the Seychelles. The weather seemed determined to make leaving easier for us. Since yesterday afternoon, it had been pouring with rain and stormy without a break. We fortified ourselves with the wonderful breakfast one last time, packed our suitcases and left our room at around 10.30 am. Despite the rain, we claimed 2 sun loungers, moved them beneath the covered terrace and finally began writing our travel journal. The time passed far too quickly.
We also played a game of billiards, which Jürgen won with a great deal of luck, and then it was already time for our pre-booked massage. Afterwards, the cook prepared a small meal for us, and at 6.00 pm our taxi driver collected us promptly and took us to the airport. Our flight was due to depart at 9.55 pm. Unfortunately, the rain – or rather, the torrential downpour – did not stop, and all passengers had to walk across the apron to the aircraft. As there were only 6 umbrellas, boarding took quite some time. All the passengers took advantage of a brief spell of lighter rain to run quickly to the aircraft so that we could finally depart. We eventually took off 30 minutes late and, after an uneventful flight, landed in Düsseldorf on 07.08. at 6.35 am, also 30 minutes behind schedule.