21-Day Family Tour
The Seychelles had long been right at the top of our travel wish list. In August 2017, everything finally fell into place and we made this dream come true. To avoid any ‘risk’ associated with booking everything separately, we decided to book through SeyVillas, and we did not regret it for a moment. All the services we booked were as described, and the organisation on the ground was impeccable – many thanks once again for that.
Our return flight from Mahé with Emirates was at 6.35 am, so it was clear to us that we would visit the main island at the end of our trip. Looking back, our concerns that we might not enjoy Mahé as much after visiting the first few small paradise islands were completely unfounded – every one of the islands is simply breathtakingly beautiful!
Praslin
After a long flight from Frankfurt via Dubai to Mahé, we therefore continued straight to the ferry for Praslin. As is typical in August, the crossing was rough. Fortunately, we had booked seats on the upper deck and enjoyed the fresh air and clouds of sea spray – any tiredness soon disappeared. The car hire representative was already waiting for us at the harbour. After a brief introduction and several reminders not to park beneath coconut palms, we drove our hire car to our first accommodation, Les Villas D'Or, situated directly on the beach of the same name.
The deciding factors when choosing it were the central location, a beach free from seagrass and, of course, its position right on the beachfront. Feeling hungry, we set off for dinner. As it turned out, it is advisable to book ahead every time, as everywhere was quite busy. With a little patience, however, we managed to get a table and enjoyed our first very delicious meal.
We liked the accommodation very much. The entire property is very spacious, and the chalets are designed to be so airy that we managed without air conditioning. The staff were very friendly and helpful when it came to organising excursions. It is important to embrace the Seychelles motto here: ‘If it does not work out today, then tomorrow or the day after!’
In the end, we were able to do all the tours we wanted. The giant tortoise enclosure was the highlight for our daughter! Breakfast was delivered to the villa every morning at the agreed time, along with the drinks we had ordered. We thoroughly enjoyed it and loved being able to have breakfast in our own villa or on the veranda. The only thing we missed was shaded parking.
After a relaxing day on the beach, we visited Vallée de Mai the following day. As we did not arrive until around midday, we had to wait a little for a guided tour to begin. The tour is certainly worth doing – we learnt many interesting things about this unique palm forest, its inhabitants and the island. In the afternoon, we headed north to Anse Lazio – a truly wonderful beach, although naturally quite busy. Be sure to visit the ‘Honesty Bar’ at the very end of the bay as well!
The following day, we had a full-day excursion to Bird Island, Curieuse and St. Pierre planned. We had booked it through the accommodation and were collected directly from there by boat. Once we had found the right boat, we discovered that we were a small group of just 5 people in total, which we really appreciated, as well as the exhilarating crossing to Bird Island. To this day, we are still not sure, but Bird Island probably has more mosquitoes than birds – fortunately, we had come well prepared with insect repellent and did not get bitten.
The island tour took place in a larger group, so at times it was a little difficult to follow the guide’s explanations. It was certainly fascinating to see that the birds showed no fear at all and nested right beside the paths. After the tour, all guests were taken back to the anchored transfer boats aboard the island’s own rat-free boat. As when we landed, we were the last to leave, so we were able to enjoy the beautiful beach in peace for a little longer. Fortunately, the rain clouds passed by the other end of the island!
We then continued to Curieuse, where a large barbecue had been prepared. It was delicious, but as all the groups from the various tour operators gathered there at the same time, it was a little too crowded for our liking.
Refreshed, we set off on a short walk to ‘Tortoise Bay’, where numerous hungry giant tortoises were already waiting for us. The route there through the mangroves was also very interesting, and thanks to the low tide we were able to spot many animals. Our collection was delayed slightly because our boat had developed engine trouble – no problem, as it meant more time with the tortoises. We then took the replacement boat to St. Pierre for some snorkelling. We found the water a little too choppy there, and getting into and out of the boat was somewhat difficult.
The next morning, we headed to Anse Georgette. Access is only possible with an advance reservation. Like the many other small hire cars, we therefore parked beside the access road before asking to be admitted at the gate. At first, they could not find our reservation, but we were eventually allowed in. It is quite a walk across the golf course to the beach, with a few optional short detours leading to magnificent viewpoints. Once again, the journey was well worth it, and we enjoyed our first coconut on the idyllic beach. We were very lucky on the way back: a hotel employee who was taking several guests to the beach by golf buggy kindly gave us a lift back. This spared us the rather strenuous return walk. We then spent our final day ‘recovering’ at the hotel.
Praslin was the first island we visited in the Seychelles, and it was a wonderful start to our trip. It is still a little gem untouched by mass tourism.
La Digue
After a very short ferry crossing, we arrived on La Digue around midday. Unfortunately, there was little sign of the much-praised tranquillity during the transfer – it was all rather hectic, and we also had to carry our luggage from the jetty to the taxi ourselves. We would have appreciated a little more service here. There was also no real need to cram the vehicles quite so full – the distances are so short that they could simply have made several trips.
However, the relaxation began as soon as we arrived at the hotel. We had chosen Le Repaire Boutique Hotel. Although our room was not directly on the ‘beachfront’ as advertised, we still enjoyed our stay there very much overall. The beach itself is lovely, but by Seychelles standards it is fairly average.
The breakfast in particular was excellent – we could order as much as we liked from a wide selection, and everything was brought to our table.
The day after we arrived, we took the hire bicycles available directly from the hotel and set off towards ‘Grand Anse’. From there, we continued on foot via Petite Anse to Anse Cocos.
The whole hike was a little strenuous, but overall it was very manageable and easy to follow. It is definitely well worth doing.
Our destination the following day was the Chez Batista Restaurant, which we easily reached by bicycle. The route is rather hilly, but that leaves plenty of time to enjoy the magnificent views.
While enjoying a delicious cocktail in the restaurant, we received a visit from an unusual guest.
Chez Jules" title="Chez Jules" sizes="(max-width: 120px) 120px,(max-width: 240px) 240px,(max-width: 360px) 360px,(max-width: 480px) 480px,(max-width: 600px) 600px,(max-width: 768px) 768px,(max-width: 864px) 864px,(max-width: 1536px) 1536px" srcset="/img/journals/322/120x160/chez-jules-la-digue-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg4.jpg 120w, /img/journals/322/240x320/chez-jules-la-digue-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg4.jpg 240w, /img/journals/322/360x480/chez-jules-la-digue-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg4.jpg 360w, /img/journals/322/480x640/chez-jules-la-digue-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg4.jpg 480w, /img/journals/322/600x800/chez-jules-la-digue-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg4.jpg 600w, /img/journals/322/768x1024/chez-jules-la-digue-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg4.jpg 768w, /img/journals/322/864x1152/chez-jules-la-digue-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg4.jpg 864w, /img/journals/322/1536x2048/chez-jules-la-digue-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg4.jpg 1536w">We were also keen to explore a few of the smaller islands and go snorkelling. We therefore booked a full-day excursion with ‘Simplicity Boat Charter’ for the following day. Arranging everything via WhatsApp was straightforward. Our first snorkelling stop was off Grande Soeur, although unfortunately the water was quite choppy there.
We then went ashore and explored the small island. We thought Grande Soeur was the most beautiful of the many stunning islands, especially as there were only a handful of other tourists there besides us, as well as several giant tortoises once again. The barbecue was delicious and, thanks to the small group, very relaxed.
After refuelling, we continued to Félicité Island for more snorkelling. The snorkelling here was truly fantastic, with so much to see; the highlights were the eagle rays, a small reef shark and several squid. On the return journey to La Digue, we even saw dolphins. It was a truly wonderful day. We can recommend Simplicity Charter 100% – the two brothers were extremely friendly, helpful and professional.
To make sure we did not get bored, we decided to tackle the route around the south of the island that day. We booked a tour with Robert Agnes. In our view, this is definitely recommended, as the route can be very difficult to find in places and, depending on the tide, leads through a veritable maze of rocks. Along the way, we met several lost hikers who were grateful for directions on how to continue. We simply relied on our guide, leaving us plenty of time to enjoy the stunning scenery, before being treated to a delicious lunch at Anse Marron. Robert himself had been bitten by a centipede the previous evening. Despite being in considerable pain, he greeted us on the day of the tour, and his brother then took over as our very capable guide. The second part of the hike took us to the beach of all beaches for the first time: Anse Source d'Argent.
It is rightly considered one of the most famous beaches in the world – idyllic, particularly very early in the morning and in the evening, before the day visitors arrive or after they have already left.
We therefore spent the following afternoon at Anse Source d'Argent, recovering from our morning hike to Nid d'Aigle. It is highly recommended when visibility is good.
Sadly, this also marked the end of our stay on this truly wonderful island. We still found it very relaxing, even though a great deal has been written about how hectic it has become compared with the past. For us, it remains an island paradise!
Mahé
Due to a timetable change, a different ferry was used for the crossing from La Digue. Unfortunately, there were no seats on the upper deck. The rough crossing on the lower deck was not for those with delicate stomachs. Fortunately, we had come prepared, but sadly several travellers became quite unwell.
Collecting our hire car directly at the jetty was straightforward, as was the drive to our hotel in the south, the Double Tree by Hilton - Allamanda Resort & Spa. We had deliberately chosen its somewhat secluded location in the south and were completely satisfied with our decision. There is plenty to discover in the south of the island, while the north is only a short drive away by hire car.
Among other places, we visited the Le Jardin Du Roi Spice Garden and were enchanted by the variety of plants. The lunch we enjoyed afterwards in the garden’s restaurant was also delicious.
The next day, we walked directly from the hotel to Anse Capucins. Provided you have a reasonable level of fitness, it is a wonderful, secluded hike which, contrary to many descriptions, is easy to follow. The only slightly alarming part was the large barking dogs near the start, though fortunately they were on leads! The beach was unsuitable for swimming in August, but the high surf provided a spectacular alternative.
The weather was rather changeable the following morning, so we booked a ‘Zipline Adventure’ at the Constance Ephelia. It was fantastic. The team were very friendly and entertaining, and the zip lines through the jungle were spectacular. When we asked about a nearby pharmacy where we could buy ear drops for our daughter, it prompted an extraordinary wave of helpfulness. This culminated in the resort’s doctor treating our daughter and providing us with the appropriate medication or issuing a prescription. It was truly wonderful to experience such care.
As a result, dinner at Del Place Bar & Restaurant, which is highly recommended for more than just its wonderful view, tasted even better.
With the sunshine back the following day, we explored the beaches in the south of the island. Our favourite was Police Bay, which can also be reached quite easily by car with a little courage. You simply need to follow the narrow dirt track carefully from the end of the tarmac road! We ended the day at Anse Takamaka with a delicious meal at Chez Batista Restaurant. Naturally, not before treating the resident giant tortoises to a few tasty bananas.
Hoping to escape the renewed spell of unsettled weather in the south, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast and then drove north again to visit the Tea Factory. Unfortunately, the weather was no better there, but the tour of the factory was interesting nonetheless. A friendly member of staff even gave our daughter a sample of the tea that had just been packaged.
Overall, we found the weather in August ideal for hiking and other activities, with the temperature only just about bearable; however, the wonderful views and opportunities for photographs beneath the brilliant blue skies seen in brochures were rare. As we were nearby, we visited the Mission Lodge Lookout despite the cloudy sky. We liked it so much that we decided to return in better weather and, fortunately, the opportunity arose the very next day. Before that, however, we hiked the Glacis Trois Frères that evening, as the famous endemic carnivorous pitcher plants were said to grow there. After spotting just a few isolated specimens near the start, we found pitcher plants in abundance at the end of the trail, along with a beautiful view of the coast.
Glacis Trois Frères" title="Glacis Trois Frères" sizes="(max-width: 120px) 120px,(max-width: 240px) 240px,(max-width: 360px) 360px,(max-width: 480px) 480px,(max-width: 600px) 600px,(max-width: 768px) 768px,(max-width: 864px) 864px,(max-width: 1536px) 1536px" srcset="/img/journals/322/120x160/trois-freres-nature-trail-plant-mahe-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg9.jpg 120w, /img/journals/322/240x320/trois-freres-nature-trail-plant-mahe-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg9.jpg 240w, /img/journals/322/360x480/trois-freres-nature-trail-plant-mahe-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg9.jpg 360w, /img/journals/322/480x640/trois-freres-nature-trail-plant-mahe-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg9.jpg 480w, /img/journals/322/600x800/trois-freres-nature-trail-plant-mahe-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg9.jpg 600w, /img/journals/322/768x1024/trois-freres-nature-trail-plant-mahe-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg9.jpg 768w, /img/journals/322/864x1152/trois-freres-nature-trail-plant-mahe-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg9.jpg 864w, /img/journals/322/1536x2048/trois-freres-nature-trail-plant-mahe-seyvillas-travel-journal-joerg9.jpg 1536w">On the day of our departure, we set off very early, but with a delicious takeaway breakfast. At the airport, someone was already waiting for us, as arranged, to return the hire car. This went smoothly, as did check-in. Exhausted, but with so many wonderful impressions and experiences, we arrived back in Frankfurt after a hectic connection in Dubai.
