In Paradise

The older I get, the more the cold and gloomy days in January affect me. That is why I decided to make this long journey, even though I am terribly afraid of flying. I flew with Lufthansa from Zurich to Frankfurt and from there with Condor to Mahé. With the sea very rough, the crossing by high-speed ferry to Praslin and then on to La Digue was not particularly comfortable. This made me appreciate the warm welcome at the Le Repaire Boutique Hotel all the more, and I was delighted with the lovely room overlooking the sea and the excellent food.

La Digue

I could hardly wait to finally see Anse Source d'Argent ; unfortunately, it rained all day. But the sight of this beautiful beach was all the more impressive when I found myself almost alone there at dusk.

Anse Source d'ArgentFruit stall at Anse Source d' Argent I cycled there four times in total, at different times of day, and was struck anew each time by the path through the unique rock formations. The fruit drink I created myself at the beach bar was the perfect finishing touch.

Anse Source d'Argent One day, I cycled to the east coast of La Digue. Just as I rounded a bend, I came across a tortoise on the road. It came straight towards me. This was one of my most memorable experiences.

Tortoise by the roadside I also greatly enjoyed Grand Anse : large waves, turquoise sea and, once again, the beautiful granite rocks.

Grand Anse, La Digue A small path between rocks and trees leads to Petite Anse. This walk is also thoroughly worthwhile.

Praslin

The Indian Ocean Lodge hotel is located directly on Grande Anse. I took many walks along the beach there. Seychellois children play with sand and coconut palm bark.

Children playing on Praslin And there were wonderful evening skies almost every day.

Evening atmosphere in the hotel garden On a rainy day, I visited the breeding station at the Black Pearl Farm , where, in addition to the giant clams, I was able to admire this beautiful starfish.

Starfish The journey back to the hotel took a long time because I kept having to stop to photograph the beautiful flowers.

Flower in the Vallée de Mai I have a deep affinity with nature, so the Vallée de Mai was an absolute highlight for me. I explored it alone and spent two hours in this primeval forest. Every so often, I was startled by a cracking sound or some other noise. I looked around in vain; it was the enormous leaves and branches rubbing against one another.

Suddenly, it began to rain, but I did not get wet at all because the huge leaves of the Coco de Mer palms provided plenty of shelter. The cheeky bird that flew very close to me was a bulbul.

In the Vallée de MaiIn the Vallée de Mai A trip on the local bus is highly recommended. It costs just 7 rupees. I took one to Anse Lazio, another beautiful beach where it is tempting to linger.

Anse Lazio, Praslin For me, however, the most beautiful beach on Praslin was Anse Georgette . With its idyllic setting and few visitors, it is truly special. Apparently, you are required to register in advance. But I was lucky and merely had to complete a form at the checkpoint of the Lemuria resort. I was then allowed to walk through the beautifully situated golf course to this unique beach.

Anse Georgette Last but not least: I was determined to experience driving on the left. So, on my final day, I hired a car and drove along the south coast around the entire island. This narrow, winding route is beautiful and passes completely secluded beaches. Yet another exciting experience.

The impressions and images from this extraordinary journey are so vivid that, even now, two weeks later, they are still with me every evening before I fall asleep, during the night and when I wake up. Despite my fear of flying, I would return to the Seychelles at any time! And I would most certainly visit La Digue and the Vallée de Mai again.