Paradise, More Paradise, Seychelles!!

On 17 March, we set off from Frankfurt via Doha, heading for paradise. When we landed on Mahé at around 8.00 am on 18 March, we could hardly wait to reach our accommodation and start exploring paradise. From Mahé Airport, we went straight to the jetty and then took the ferry across to Praslin. The crossing immediately made us forget how tired we were from the journey and put us straight into holiday mode. Everything at the pier was also extremely well organised, and we were soon travelling by minibus to Beach Villa Guesthouse, our first accommodation. We received a very warm welcome and immediately felt at home. The property is right on the beach and has a truly friendly, family atmosphere. The owners even speak German. Whenever we had any questions, they were always quick to help, and they were generally happy to stop for a chat.

We took it easy on our first day. We unpacked a little, explored the area, treated ourselves to a fresh coconut and relaxed while watching the sunset.

Sunset at Grand Anse, Praslin From the second day onwards, we had a hire car. Our first trip was toVallée de Mai

Vallée de Mai on Praslin and we were amazed by the size of the Coco de Mer palms. It was simply incredible. We spent at least 2 hours in the park, and there was so much to discover. Afterwards, we continued towards Anse Lazio. The snorkelling there is excellent (PLEASE NOTE: snorkel by the rocks on the right, as there is much less to see on the left. It is useful to know this, as we were disappointed at first.). Over the next few days, we explored just about every corner of the island. We also visited Praslin’s second national park, Fond Ferdinand. It is less well known and considerably cheaper, but you still get an excellent guided tour and wonderful views.

On 22 March, we took a boat trip to Curieuse and St Pierre with the son of the owner of our guesthouse. The giant tortoises on Curieuse really do roam freely, and you can admire them at very close range. Impressive animals! Once we had seen enough of the tortoises, we continued across the island on foot. Passing mangroves, crabs, palms and much more, we eventually reached the other side of the island. A fantastic barbecue was waiting for us there. Freshly grilled fish, salads and bread – everything you could possibly want. I would definitely recommend trying the smoked fish salad. Delicious.

After the meal, we had a little more time on the beach before continuing to St Pierre. This is an uninhabited rocky islet with palm trees. It is a great place for snorkelling. We saw lots of colourful fish, some intact coral and even two blacktip reef sharks. Some people also spotted sea turtles. It was fantastic.

We can thoroughly recommend Beach Villa Guesthouse. The rooms are practical, very clean and in a superb location.

Grand Anse on Praslin Dinner at the guesthouse is also highly recommended. The hostess is an excellent cook.

On 23 March, we continued to La Digue. When we arrived, the hostess at Pension Michel immediately sorted us out with two bicycles. We did not need to be asked twice and simply set off straight away. Travelling without a plan is not usually our style, but we fancied just seeing where the day took us. By chance, we ended up at the island’s most beautiful beach, Anse Source d'Argent Anse Source d'Argent. To reach this beach, you have to pay 115 SR at the park entrance. The price is completely justified, and it is well worth it. We strolled through the beautifully landscaped park for a while. At the beach, the colours of the water were even more spectacular than on Praslin. La Digue generally has an extremely relaxed atmosphere, as there are very few cars and everyone gets around by bicycle. Our personal highlight was the southern island tour with Robert. This is a full-day tour that starts at Grand Anse

Grand Anse, La Digue and goes via Anse Marron

Anse Marron, La Digue to Anse Source d’Argent. The tour takes 6–8 hours and is an absolute must. You climb over rocks, crawl through narrow gaps and caves, wade through the water and cross the jungle. There is a 1.5-hour break at the very secluded Anse Marron. It is a wonderful place for swimming and snorkelling. Meanwhile, Robert prepares a fruit platter that makes the perfect lunchtime snack. Robert regularly stops to explain the natural surroundings and show you fascinating things. For example, he climbed a coconut palm, and we cracked open coconuts in the middle of the jungle without using any tools. It was a really memorable experience on La Digue, and anyone who enjoys nature and adventure should book this trip.

Every beach on La Digue is genuinely stunning, and I had no idea nature’s palette included so many shades of turquoise. Breathtakingly beautiful! At Anse Severe.

Giant tortoise at Anse Severe, La Digue the snorkelling is excellent, and you can see all kinds of colourful reef fish, from surgeonfish and needlefish to parrotfish and batfish. Pension Michel is also highly recommended. You receive a very warm welcome, and the hostess usually sings a little song as she walks through the beautifully landscaped and well-maintained garden. The guesthouse is very clean, and the rooms are modern and extremely well equipped. If you did not know otherwise, you might think you were staying in a 4-star hotel. You can also hire bicycles directly from the guesthouse.

Sadly, our time on La Digue passed far too quickly, and on 28 March, we continued to Mahé, the final island of our trip. Once again, the journey went completely smoothly. We were already expected at The Beach House and received a warm welcome with a fruit cocktail. The bungalow was very clean and practically furnished. One major advantage of the accommodation is its location. You can look directly out to sea and only have to cross a quiet road to reach the beach. On Mahé, we once again booked a hire car directly through Seyvillas. The car was delivered to our accommodation on time and was almost brand new. We took things a little easier on the first day, however, as there was a Creole market in the village that we naturally had to explore. The following morning, we drove to Victoria to visit Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market .

Here, you will find fish, fruit, vegetables, spices and a few souvenirs. Simply watching the hustle and bustle is great fun. We then strolled around the city for a while before heading south in the afternoon. There is plenty to discover there. We visited the artists’ village, ‘Village Artisanale’, the Takamaka factory and the spice garden Le Jardin Du Roi Spice Garden. View from Jardin du Roi, Mahé, All three places are worth visiting and offer an insight into local life and the wonderful natural surroundings. The south is also home to some beautiful beaches that you should definitely explore. We particularly liked Petit Police Bay and Baie Ternay

Baie Ternay. We would also recommend Anse Soleil , as it is excellent for swimming and snorkelling. There is a rock in the water on the left-hand side, and huge numbers of fish gather around it. You hardly know where to look first.

In general, we would definitely recommend hiring a car on Mahé, as it is the only way to explore the island properly. It is also great fun driving along the winding roads through the mountains. Just make sure you always drive slowly and carefully. Conclusion: The Seychelles really are a dream destination and, for us, a little piece of paradise on Earth. Everything is very relaxed, and the Seychelles are an absolute must for nature and beach lovers.

Seyvillas organised everything perfectly and was always available whenever we had any questions. We fell in love with the Seychelles and are planning to return next year. We will definitely book through Seyvillas again. Thank you very much for making everything so smooth and friendly, which made our holiday twice as relaxing. Best wishes from Melanie and Vanessa.