Paradise on Earth
After a long flight from Venice, we stayed in the Seychelles on the island of Mahé from 20–28 September. After landing on Mahé, we hired a car so that we could explore the island independently, although it is also possible to get around by public transport, as there are plenty of buses and taxis. Unlike in Italy, you drive on the left, but it does not take long to get used to it.
We stayed at Anse à la Mouche, in a guesthouse with clean rooms and a very courteous and helpful owner. She offers rooms with private bathrooms and terraces, as well as a shared kitchen where guests can prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner. Nevertheless, we ate out at nearby restaurants almost every evening so that we could try Creole cuisine.
Before leaving, we were worried about the weather, as the online forecasts predicted rain throughout the week. During the first three days, we did not have constant sunshine; the sun came and went, with a few showers. On the remaining days, however, the sun was strong and temperatures were around 28°C.
However, as the owner of our guesthouse explained, even these heavy rains are part of the archipelago’s charm; otherwise, the islands could not be so green.
During the first few days, we explored Mahé, visiting its most beautiful beaches from north to south: Baie Lazare, Anse Intendance, Anse Boileau, Glacis Beach, Anse Takamaka and Port Glaud, our favourite. The colours were spectacular, there was a swing hanging from a palm tree, and local people sold coconuts by the sea, which we enjoyed while taking in the enchanting view. From here, you can walk to L’Islette, a small island just offshore. You can also walk to the waterfalls, where swimming is permitted.
We booked our excursion to La Digue and Praslin through SeyVillas. The organised bus collected us from the guesthouse and took us to the excursion’s departure point, where we boarded the ferry. Once we arrived on Praslin, we took another ferry to La Digue, a journey of around 15 minutes, where the excursion itself began.
Here, we visited L'Union Estate and the Plantation House , and saw the Aldabra giant tortoises. We were accompanied throughout by a very knowledgeable guide, who explained how coconuts are used on these islands today and how they were used in the past.
Our other and final excursion was to the islands of Curieuse Marine National Park: Curieuse and St Pierre.
The first is famous for its free-roaming giant tortoises and the Doctor’s House, while the second is ideal for snorkelling.
