Seychelles, Another World!
We had been planning our 15-day holiday in the Seychelles, from late February to early March, for quite some time, and the timing could not have been better, given the bitter cold that gripped our country during that very period. My wife and I set off full of enthusiasm, with stays planned in Mahé, La Digue and Praslin, in that order.
The Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay on Mahé is a large resort, yet it still manages to retain a fair amount of character, despite the way properties of this size can often feel rather impersonal. It overlooks Mahé’s best beach, from which it takes its name. The rather inconvenient low-tide phenomenon is barely noticeable here, so you can enjoy a pleasant swim at any time of day. Just a stone’s throw away is the lively Wednesday night market, with stalls for street-food lovers, although food stalls can also be found there every evening.
The property is very well maintained, starting with the beautiful tropical garden that surrounds it. Given its size, keeping it as immaculate as it is cannot be easy. The rooms are very clean, comfortable and extremely spacious. For those who cannot live without the internet, the connection is decent and available throughout the resort, at least as far as the swimming pool. The pool is also well maintained, though not used very much, for reasons that are easy to understand once you see the sea directly in front of the resort.
The breakfast buffet is quite good and certainly caters for every palate, with traditional European sweet options as well as the savoury dishes typically found in British or Central European breakfasts.
As well as a rather unlikely casino, the hotel has three restaurants, one of which is a buffet restaurant. All are excellent, offering a decidedly varied selection of dishes to suit every taste.
The professionalism of the reception staff is particularly noteworthy, especially the kind Mrs Theresine, who handles every guest request with courtesy and expertise.
Some important details for travellers wishing to keep the weight of their luggage down: the property provides beach towels, which can be collected by giving your room number at a gazebo near the swimming pool, while the selection of toiletries provided is excellent, including shampoo, shower gel, body lotion, and a toothbrush with toothpaste. Equally important is the fact that you can relax comfortably on the beach on the resort’s sun loungers, of which there are always more than enough for all guests.
Overall, our opinion is entirely positive in every respect, not least when it comes to value for money.
The rest of the island is breathtakingly beautiful, and it is well worth setting off, map in hand, along the well-maintained roads that wind through dense, dreamlike tropical vegetation. Unfortunately, we were unable to visit the famous Tea Factory in the hills, as it was closed for refurbishment until at least June 2018. Baie Ternay. Grand Anse and Anse Intendance are the most notable beaches you will encounter along the coastal road, which allows you to ‘circumnavigate’ the island while barely ever leaving the sea behind.
On La Digue, we stayed at La Diguoise, a small property on the west coast of the islet, a couple of kilometres from the harbour where ferries arrive from the outside world. To reach it, you have to follow an unpaved road that is nothing short of dreadful, owing to the poorly maintained vegetation along its southern side, with weeds and all kinds of rubbish scattered here and there. In our view, however, this works in the guesthouse’s favour, because once you reach the entrance, you are left enchanted: six or seven brick-built bungalows, apparently very simple but equipped with everything you could need, set within a magnificent tropical garden that is every bit as beautifully maintained!
Meals are served outdoors beneath a delightful veranda near reception. At breakfast in particular, you are joined by countless little birds that come and chirp on the table beside you. Paradise!
As soon as you arrive, you quickly realise that the person behind it all, the driving force keeping everything running, is the excellent owner, Mrs Elodie, assisted by her son Nicolas, particularly in the kitchen. The energy, professionalism and skill that she puts into running her property are exceptional. Here too, the internet connection is more than adequate, available free of charge in the reception area and for a fee in the bungalows.
To fully appreciate the island’s astonishing beauty, bicycles are absolutely essential. These can be arranged through the property, which works with a local provider. For reference, the network of small roads running across the entire island covers around 15 km, so it really is worth seeing everything there is to see, starting with the beaches, which many consider to be the finest in the world. Grand Anse, Petite Anse, Anse Severe, Anse Patates, Anse Fourmis, and, last but certainly not least, the world-famous Anse Source d'Argent, which can be visited by paying 115 rupees per person and passing through L'Union Estate , a genuine tropical garden where you can also see Seychelles giant tortoises and a vanilla plantation.
The rest of the island is wonderful too! The roads occasionally climb up gentle slopes, but nothing too challenging, even for those who are less fit or for the ladies. It is truly unmissable and, wherever you happen to be staying, do not miss the experience of exploring the island by bicycle. We did it on two of our four days, so make of that what you will!!!
And what about Praslin?
We chose to stay at the Berjaya Praslin Resort, honestly drawn by the low price offered for the stay, which had made us slightly suspicious and left us wondering what sort of disaster awaited us. Trusting the photos on SeyVillas and the resort’s official website, we took the plunge: in our opinion, it is by far the best resort overlooking Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or), not least because of its value for money.
It is a small to medium-sized property with around 70–80 units, divided between Superior Rooms (charming, single-storey brick bungalows) and Standard Rooms (hotel-style rooms on a raised floor, reached via a long corridor above reception). At the centre of the resort is a wonderful tropical garden, absolutely teeming with colourful little birds that come to peck at crumbs on your table while you eat in the restaurant. There is also an immaculately maintained swimming pool, though it too is always sadly deserted because the sea is simply so much better.
The comfort of the accommodation is undoubtedly first-rate, both in terms of the daily amenities and the standard of cleanliness. The internet connection is reasonable. Beach towels and sun loungers are also provided here; the latter can be collected by presenting a voucher at the beach restaurant, which has an arrangement with the Berjaya for meals as well. These are available either as a buffet or à la carte. Breakfast, meanwhile, is served as a buffet in the restaurant next to reception. We could not fault either the quality or the quantity of the food on offer. It would truly be a crime to complain…
The long beach at Anse Volbert is perfect for equally long walks and delightful swims, as even at low tide you only need to go a few metres farther out to enjoy the water. The colours are quintessentially Seychellois, and sometimes even the finest travel-agency brochures fail to do justice to their breathtaking beauty.
On Praslin too, you simply must explore the island by hiring a car. This can be arranged through the Berjaya reception, which works with several agencies based within the resort itself.
To conclude, a few words about SeyVillas. We promised ourselves that we would contact them personally to express our sincerest appreciation for the organisation and the properties in their portfolio. Their approach also gives more independent travellers like us the freedom to organise a completely tailor-made trip, exactly as they wish. All at very reasonable prices, which certainly does no harm.
Thank you, Seychelles, and thank you, SeyVillas!!!
