Praslin – Lost in Paradise
German autumn weather is surely one of the toughest tests of an even temperament. But rather than enduring the wind, rain and first ground frosts as usual, my girlfriend and I booked a trip south this year.
We chose the Seychelles, as the photos and travel reports online looked promising. Since we only had nine days for the entire trip, we opted for a small self-catering guest house directly on Anse Kerlan on Praslin, rather than an island-hopping tour of the kind many visitors enjoy.
As soon as we arrived at the house we had rented, our choice of accommodation proved to be spot on. A pretty, whitewashed bungalow right on the island’s western shore, with a veranda, an open-plan kitchen and an enormous, comfortable bed, became our home for the next seven nights.
Our hosts went to great lengths to look after us. Every morning, breakfast and coffee were served on the veranda. Terry, our host and the man of the house, never missed an opportunity to drive us to restaurants or supermarkets around the island each evening. A housekeeper checked our rooms every day, while our hostess, Iris, took care of all the formalities.
We spent almost the entire first day on our small, more or less private beach. The jet lag and journey of more than 20 hours had taken their toll. With a glorious view of the turquoise sea and the welcome partial shade of the palm trees lining the shore, we enjoyed the warm, salty air and watched the beach crabs busily digging. The stress of the previous few days was soon forgotten.
Over the following days, we explored our island. As Praslin is considered the Seychelles’ finest island for beach holidays, beaches were at the top of our sightseeing list. We had decided not to hire a car, so we reached our destinations on foot along narrow roads, over lush tropical hills and, occasionally, on the island’s public buses. At night, we had no choice but to take one of the expensive taxis back to our accommodation. Most of the restaurants scattered across the island do not open before 18:00, which is precisely when the daily bus service ends. Anyone who does not want to walk several kilometres along unlit roadsides has to arrange a lift.
We climbed among the impressive granite rocks at Anse Lazio, splashed about in the turquoise water at Anse Georgette, soaked up the sun at Anse Boudin and found a delicious little restaurant to our liking not far from Anse Volbert . Speaking of food, Creole cuisine is fresh and easy on European stomachs. There is plenty of fish and seafood, sometimes served as a grilled fillet and sometimes as octopus curry. Rice and vegetables are often served on the side. Those who do not want to forgo a piece of meat despite the fresh catch from the Indian Ocean will find steak and burgers on the menus. The sometimes high prices of food and drink can be explained by the need to import almost all consumer goods to the Seychelles.
A highlight at the end of our stay on Praslin was the boat trip to the uninhabited neighbouring islands of Cousin, Curieuse and St. Pierre.
The nature reserves are home to diverse and impressive flora and fauna. On Cousin, we saw numerous endangered bird species and a sea turtle. After a generous barbecue, we crossed the green hills of Curieuse, passing through ancient-looking mangrove forests and enormous crabs of all sizes and colours. When we reached the other side of the island, we were greeted by the free-roaming giant tortoises from the breeding centre there. At the end of a wonderful day trip, we donned our snorkels and fins and explored the underwater world around St. Pierre. Another impressive experience was visiting Vallée de Mai National Park in the centre of the island. It preserves an area of primeval forest containing various species of palm, including the famous coco de mer with its unusually shaped nut, found nowhere else.
The Seychelles are definitely worth visiting. Even those with only a few days to spare will find plenty to enjoy. The natural scenery is tropically beautiful, while the islands’ proximity to the equator keeps the weather consistently warm. When it rains, it provides welcome relief from the heat. The islands are manageable in size and offer fantastic, picture-perfect beaches.
The surrounding islands are home to thriving, unspoilt plant and animal life. Despite this, tourism in the Seychelles remains relatively low-key. The local people are open and generally very friendly towards visitors. The only thing that takes some getting used to is the sometimes high price of imported goods. It is also worth hiring a car. The public transport is certainly worth trying for the rattling buses and the locals’ exciting driving style, but anyone wishing to remain mobile after dark will find it difficult to manage without a car of their own.
