Honeymoon on Praslin and La Digue

For a long time, we debated where to go on our honeymoon. We had originally considered another destination, but it had always been my dream to visit the Seychelles for our honeymoon. For our wedding in September 2017, we asked friends, family and colleagues to give us money towards the honeymoon so that we could stay within our planned budget. In the end, we booked our trip through a travel agency 7 weeks before departure.

Praslin

Even the approach to Mahé at around 6 am was impressive. From there, we took the ferry to Praslin. Entering the harbour was breathtaking. We were completely captivated by the many different colours shimmering in the sea. Our driver took us to the Berjaya Praslin Resort hotel complex on Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or) beach. On the way, the sight of the white beaches and turquoise sea brought tears to my eyes. Those beaches really did exist, and not just on the posters in travel agencies.

Anse VolbertAnse Volbert During our stay, we explored the entire island. We also took the local bus to Anse Lazio. Unfortunately, the weather was not perfect that day and the waves were too high. Nevertheless, we enjoyed listening to the sound of the sea from the beach. There were very few visitors, although a handful of brave people did venture into the waves.

Anse Lazio, Praslin Together with friends from the hotel, we hired a car. Driving on the left took some getting used to, even as a passenger. However, as there was hardly any traffic, it was not a problem. We wanted to visit the smaller Fond Ferdinand reserve. During a guided tour of the park, we learnt a great deal about the Coco de Mer and other exotic wildlife and plants. After the strenuous climb, we were rewarded with wonderful views of the harbour and Praslin’s coastline, as well as La Digue in the distance.

View from La Digue towards PraslinFond Ferdinand After making our way back down, we continued to the private beach at Anse Georgette. This beach belongs to a hotel with a large golf course. You need to telephone the gatekeeper in advance, as only a limited number of visitors who are not hotel guests are allowed onto the beach. After an approximately 20-minute walk through the grounds, you are rewarded with a fantastic turquoise sea and a beautiful white beach. It is a small beach, and the waves were stronger than usual during our visit. Nevertheless, like the few other guests, we could not resist plunging into the water. It was wonderful. It was also breathtaking to see the sunlight making the sea glow in the most beautiful shades of turquoise.

Anse Georgette One day, we simply set off on foot from our hotel towards Anse Possession, following the road all the way. There is hardly any traffic here, so this is easy to do. Along the way, we enjoyed wonderful views of Curieuse Island. Once we reached Anse Possession, we savoured the peace and solitude for a while before heading back.

Anse Possession We also booked a day trip to Curieuse Marine National Park to see the giant tortoises, followed by snorkelling off St Pierre Island. We travelled by boat from Anse Volbert beach on Praslin to Curieuse Island, which took around 5–10 minutes. We were dropped off at Anse Jose. After a short visit to the Doctor’s House, we followed the signposted trail to Baie Laraie beach, where the giant tortoises and our barbecue awaited us. We passed through mangrove forests, wetlands and impressive landscapes covered in lush green vegetation. We were completely captivated by the giant tortoises and their wonderfully calm nature. If only all of us humans could be like that. We spent quite some time with the giant tortoises before our barbecue, and also took a stroll along the beach and enjoyed a swim in the water, which remains at a constant 27°C. After the barbecue, we went snorkelling in a bay off Curieuse Island. Unfortunately, the sea conditions meant that we could not snorkel off St Pierre Island. As complete beginners, we were greeted by a breathtaking underwater world. We were thrilled and, with some effort, even managed to capture a few of the colourful fish on camera. The excursion was absolutely worthwhile and comes highly recommended. It was a wonderful day trip, thanks in no small part to our local guide.

Tortoise on CurieuseBaie la Raie, Curieuse

La Digue

As our hotel was on Praslin, I was determined to spend 2 days on La Digue. The ferry crossing from Praslin took just 15 minutes. As on Praslin, entering the harbour was simply breathtaking, with the sea displaying a whole variety of turquoise shades. There is even less traffic here, almost none at all. Cycling is the way to get around. After checking in at our Chez Marston, we immediately hired bicycles for 2 days. On the first day, we cycled south towards the absolute dream beach of Anse Source d'Argent. We settled down for a few hours and enjoyed the sun and sea on this glorious beach. Like several other visitors, we also went snorkelling here and spotted plenty beneath the water. We enjoyed the sunset at the equally beautiful Anse La Réunion, which had already welcomed us earlier that day with its white sand and turquoise sea.

Anse Source d'ArgentAnse Source d'ArgentAnse Source d'ArgentAnse Source d'Argent The next day, we cycled north. Along the way, we encountered giant tortoises roaming freely. One even brought the little traffic on the island’s tiny roads to a temporary standstill. It took 4 strong men to move the giant tortoise off the road. A true Seychelles adventure. Even on Anse Gaulettes beach, a giant tortoise crossed our path and tried to join us on our blanket. Trying to rescue the blanket from the giant tortoise was certainly entertaining. In the evening, we took the ferry back to Praslin.

Anse Gaulettes, La Digue Tortoise on La Digue Our verdict on the trip:
We will return, and next time we will go island hopping to explore other islands. We would love to discover even more of this paradise. I have never found it so difficult to say goodbye to a holiday destination. Everything we experienced and saw felt like a dream of paradise that had come true. Choosing the Seychelles for our honeymoon was the best decision we could have made.