A Dream Holiday Full of Variety
The following is an account of an unforgettable Easter holiday in the Seychelles in 2017. We spent four nights on Praslin at Beach Villa Guesthouse, three nights at Chez Marston on La Digue and another five nights at The Beach House on Mahé.
First of all, I would like to say that we can recommend all of these accommodations – from the friendliness of the staff and the location and cleanliness of the accommodation to the breakfasts provided. We also found the food in the Seychelles delicious and varied overall. From European dishes to traditional Creole cuisine, which includes many excellent fish dishes, the restaurants and takeaways had something to suit every taste and budget.
The transfers between the islands booked through SeyVillas were also well organised, and there was always a local contact who was easy to reach.
After a pleasant flight and an impressive ferry transfer from Mahé to Praslin, we arrived at Beach Villa Guesthouse. That same late afternoon, we took our first dip in the bath-warm waters of the Indian Ocean and relaxed after the journey on the guesthouse’s ‘private’ beach.
On our second day, we set off on foot to explore a little of the island and its natural surroundings. We decided to hike the Pasquière Track across the island, with the aim of reaching Anse Lazio, a breathtakingly beautiful bay. The hike had plenty to offer, from the island’s typical jungle landscape to several excellent views down through the jungle towards the sea. Feeling a little exhausted, we treated ourselves to a truly delicious Creole curry at Anse Lazio for a fair price. We travelled most of the way back by public bus – taking the bus is an experience in itself and something you should definitely do on Praslin.
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The highlights of our boat trip were a stop at the tiny island of St Pierre, an ideal place for snorkelling, and our time on Curieuse. There, we encountered free-roaming giant tortoises, mangrove forests and an excellent Creole barbecue on the beach.
The following morning, it was time to travel across to La Digue. The island is particularly known for its many beautiful beaches, almost all of which can easily be reached by bicycle. We were especially impressed by Grand Anse, with its jungle path leading to Petite Anse and Anse Cocos.
In addition to the numerous snorkelling spots, such as Anse Patates, a visit to the L'Union Estate nature reserve is highly recommended. The park not only provides access to the world-famous Anse Source d'Argent, with its breathtaking rock formations, but also offers an insight into traditional Seychellois agriculture, including the production of coconut oil using an old copra mill.
After three thoroughly enjoyable days on La Digue, we continued – or rather returned – to Mahé by ferry.
Our accommodation, The Beach House, was located at Beau Vallon in the north-west of the island and had direct access to a narrow stretch of beach on the opposite side of the road. Beau Vallon is known for its small promenade beside a lively beach, offering plenty of places to eat for both locals and visitors.
On our first full day on Mahé, we decided to walk the Anse Major Trail from Bel Ombre. A beautiful 2-hour hike along the rugged coastline lay ahead of us, offering magnificent views over the sea but very little shade for rest breaks. After spending a few relaxing hours at Anse Major, we took a water taxi back to Beau Vallon.
For the next few days, we hired a car so that we could explore more than just the north of the island. We followed the coastal road to visit several beaches in the south of the island, as well as other sights.
At Anse Intendance – which we actually visited twice – and Police Bay, the high waves made it clear why swimming at these two beaches is only advisable at your own risk. We found tranquillity on the calm, expansive beach at Anse Takamaka and while snorkelling at Anse Soleil.
Our visit to Le Jardin Du Roi Spice Garden, an extensive garden, gave us a good overview of the variety of useful plants grown in the Seychelles. We were able to see some truly fascinating fruits and spices up close. We also visited the Takamaka Rum Distillery and drove along the mountain passes in the centre of the island, enjoying wonderful views across Mahé, sometimes extending as far as the surrounding smaller islands.
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Le Jardin Du Roi Spice Garden" title="Le Jardin Du Roi Spice Garden" sizes="(max-width: 160px) 160px,(max-width: 320px) 320px,(max-width: 480px) 480px,(max-width: 640px) 640px,(max-width: 800px) 800px" srcset="/img/journals/308/160x120/jardin-du-roi-seyvillas-travel-journal-sabrina8.jpg 160w, /img/journals/308/320x240/jardin-du-roi-seyvillas-travel-journal-sabrina8.jpg 320w, /img/journals/308/480x360/jardin-du-roi-seyvillas-travel-journal-sabrina8.jpg 480w, /img/journals/308/640x480/jardin-du-roi-seyvillas-travel-journal-sabrina8.jpg 640w, /img/journals/308/800x600/jardin-du-roi-seyvillas-travel-journal-sabrina8.jpg 800w">
Takamaka Rum Distillery " title="Takamaka Rum Distillery " 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,(max-width: 1152px) 1152px" srcset="/img/journals/308/160x120/takamaka-rum-distillery-sabrina9.jpg 160w, /img/journals/308/320x240/takamaka-rum-distillery-sabrina9.jpg 320w, /img/journals/308/480x360/takamaka-rum-distillery-sabrina9.jpg 480w, /img/journals/308/640x480/takamaka-rum-distillery-sabrina9.jpg 640w, /img/journals/308/800x600/takamaka-rum-distillery-sabrina9.jpg 800w, /img/journals/308/1024x768/takamaka-rum-distillery-sabrina9.jpg 1024w, /img/journals/308/1152x864/takamaka-rum-distillery-sabrina9.jpg 1152w">On our final full day, we visited the capital, Victoria, by public bus, which is something we can certainly recommend. It allowed us to avoid the traffic chaos – heavy traffic and numerous one-way streets – as well as the search for a parking space. A particular highlight was our visit to the Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market in Victoria, where it felt as though you could buy almost anything, from all kinds of food and clothing to tools.
We spent our final evening at the weekly market at Beau Vallon, on the beachfront promenade, enjoying traditional music and dancing as well as excellent food from the many small stalls.
As our flight back to Germany did not depart until late in the evening, we spent our departure day snorkelling at Sunset Beach. We were therefore able to check out of our room at a leisurely pace in the morning and leave our luggage at the accommodation, where we were even able to have a shower before our transfer to the airport. It was a wonderfully relaxed end to a dream holiday…
