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First stop: Praslin

We began our first Seychelles holiday on Praslin. We booked a domestic flight for the transfer from Mahé to Praslin, which gave us our first glimpses of the stunning scenery. The transfer to our guesthouse, Cap Jean Marie Beach Villas at Anse Kerlan, was quick and trouble-free.

The guesthouse owners gave us an incredibly warm welcome, and we felt as though we had known each other for years. The bungalow was in excellent condition, spotlessly clean and furnished with great care. As well as a large bedroom and bathroom, there was also an open-plan kitchen and living area equipped with a hob, oven, fridge, sink, microwave and various kitchen utensils and crockery. The owner immediately gave us plenty of tips for excursions and places to eat, and we could always ask her about anything else too. Each morning, our freshly prepared breakfast was brought to our private terrace.

The guesthouse has direct access to the beach, where there are also several sun loungers and cushions available for guests to use. We visited many different beaches on Praslin and concluded that Anse Kerlan was the most beautiful for us: it was peaceful, we had plenty of privacy, the underwater world was also the best there at that time, and we were even lucky enough to see sea turtles on several occasions.

We explored the island by hire car every day. The drive through the natural surroundings was an adventure in itself! On the way to the north of the island, we passed directly by Vallée de Mai, so even without visiting the park, we were able to catch a glimpse of many impressive Coco de Mer palms.

The absolute highlight of our time on Praslin was our trip to Curieuse and the Curieuse Marine National Park there. Aldabra giant tortoises live here. If you treat the animals with the respect they deserve and do not crowd them, they reward you by being remarkably trusting and are quite happy to be stroked from head to toe. The short walk along the island’s trails is also well worth doing. Various viewpoints offer phenomenal views across the bay and the surrounding islands. With a little luck, you may also spot a few more tortoises in the island’s interior, as well as plenty of enormous mangrove crabs. Snorkelling in front of the ‘Doctor’s House’ is another recommendation – there are some wonderful reef formations here that are still in good condition. We were even lucky enough to see a green sea turtle, which has sadly become quite rare here.

Stop 2 – La Digue

After seven days, we continued to La Digue by ferry. We stayed at Patatran by Anse Patates. We had a small bungalow right on the beachfront, with a wonderful view of the brilliant turquoise sea. Unfortunately, it was very windy during our stay and the waves were quite strong, so we only made one attempt to explore the reefs at Anse Patates. When the sea is calm, I imagine this would be a very beautiful spot.

The bungalow itself was furnished in a fairly practical style. We particularly enjoyed eating our takeaway meals on our small balcony because the view was so wonderful. The breakfast buffet in the main building was very good. There was plenty of choice, including fresh fruit and yoghurt, and freshly prepared omelettes, fried eggs, waffles or pancakes were available to order. We explored the island by bicycle. From the giant tortoises at Anse Severe to the impressively high waves at Grand Anse during our stay, there is something here for everyone! Depending on what you prefer, you can also find both livelier and quieter beaches. The delicious fresh fruit platters and juices sold in many places are highly recommended too.

What we will probably remember most about this island, however, is our guided hike to Anse Marron. Our guide led us over and beneath granite boulders, through the jungle and across the sea, and was always ready to lend a helping hand whenever needed. There are fantastic views of deserted beaches, and you also learn a great deal about the local flora and fauna.

Stop 3 – Cerf

To round off our trip, we enjoyed the tranquillity of this small island off Mahé. We found it very convenient that the island was only a short transfer from the airport, allowing us to make the most of our final day for as long as possible. The rooms – we stayed in two different ones during our time there – were very clean and attractively furnished. Dinner alternated between a buffet and à la carte service. If none of the daily specials appealed, there was also a selection of standard dishes that were always available, such as various pasta dishes.

On our first day, we hiked to the other side of the island. The trail passes a small cemetery and a wonderful viewpoint. Unfortunately, we cannot say very much about the underwater world, as I was not feeling particularly well during the final days of our trip. However, guided reef tours are available, and at dusk we were able to watch several baby sharks from the jetty.

Our verdict:

So far, we have only seen a small part of the Seychelles, but we already feel that there is something here for everyone: peace and relaxation, as well as adventure and activity.

For us, Praslin was the most beautiful: compared with La Digue, there were more deserted beaches where we could have the whole place to ourselves. We were also so pleasantly surprised by the warm and friendly nature of our guesthouse owners – we had never experienced anything quite like it on any of our previous trips.