Once Paradise, Always Paradise
It began with a somewhat adventurous journey: we set off from Munich Airport, with a stopover in Istanbul, from where we were due to continue to Mahé. However, a severe thunderstorm had caused congestion at Istanbul Airport, so we were initially unable to receive permission to land. We eventually touched down after a considerable delay of just over two hours. Fortunately, we just managed to catch our connecting flight. After all that excitement, the rest of the journey was very pleasant and well organised. After landing on Mahé, we were met straight away and warmly welcomed by the ‘Creol’ representative. We then took the ferry to Praslin – the first stop on our island-hopping trip.Praslin
As soon as we arrived on Praslin, we were delighted by the beautiful scenery. Our hotel, Berjaya Praslin Resort, is situated on Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or), a wonderful beach with dazzling white sand. On our first day, we hired a canoe from a stall on the beach and paddled over to Saint Pierre, which is a wonderful place for snorkelling. There were lots of colourful fish, and we even spotted a sea turtle, a pufferfish and two rays. Saint Pierre is certainly worth a visit, as you would struggle to find a more perfect ‘postcard view’. The next day, we went on an excursion to Curieuse Island, famous for its tortoises. We also booked this trip with local people at a stall on Anse Volbert, although excursions can, of course, also be booked in advance or locally through your tour operator.
La Digue
After five nights on Praslin, our journey continued to La Digue. We had been particularly looking forward to this part of our trip – and we were not disappointed. On our first day on La Digue, we undertook the strenuous walk from La Passe to Grand Anse (you can, of course, hire a bicycle, but we are more inclined to walk...) and from there to Petite Anse before continuing to the wonderfully idyllic Anse Cocos. Anse Cocos is my personal ‘insider tip’. It has not really been a secret for quite some time, but because the route there is difficult and at times adventurous, you will often have this picture-perfect beach entirely to yourself. There is also a small ‘pool’ among the granite rocks where you can swim and snorkel wonderfully. Elsewhere at Anse Cocos, however, it is best not to swim because of the currents. We spent the following day in L'Union Estate & Anse Source d'Argent National Park. The park is absolutely worth seeing, and its many palm trees create a very special holiday atmosphere. The highlight of the park is, of course, the gorgeous Anse Source d'Argent. This is one of the world’s most famous beaches and attracts huge numbers of visitors. However, as we wanted to have this ‘Bacardi beach’ to ourselves for at least a little while, we set off very early. We were therefore able to stroll along this picture-perfect beach alone for a while before the first visitors arrived. Another reason to visit early is the tide, as the beach naturally looks rather less idyllic at low tide.
Mahé
The final destination of our trip was Mahé, and we have to admit that we completely underestimated it! We thought Mahé might rather ‘pale in comparison’ after Praslin and especially La Digue, but the Seychelles’ main island has a charm all of its own and is certainly worth visiting! Our hotel, The Beach House, is situated on Beau Vallon. For us, this was the ideal location, as Beau Vallon is a beautiful, exceptionally long beach with lovely white sand and perfectly calm water that immediately invites you in for a swim. Unlike the beaches on Praslin and La Digue, where you can often spend time almost entirely alone, there is a small beachfront promenade here, around 500 metres long, with several takeaway restaurants and clothing stalls. The food from the takeaways was simply SUPERB, with freshly grilled fish, chicken and other local dishes! The fish in particular was very fresh, and you could choose the size and type straight from the grill, all at a very reasonable price. Of course, the lovely restaurants directly on the beach are also inviting places to eat. Here is another tip: if you are island hopping and fancy a coconut to eat or drink, wait until you reach the little beachfront promenade mentioned above on Mahé, where they are available for a fraction of the price. A wide range of water sports can be booked directly on the beach. We hired a car to explore the capital, Victoria, and the south of the island. Southern Mahé is absolutely worth seeing, and a trip to Sauzier Waterfall is also recommended. Unfortunately, the capital failed to enchant us. Victoria may be a ‘nice little town’, but we simply did not feel a spark.
