A Holiday in Paradise

There was no flowing honey, but the crystal-clear turquoise water was even more beautiful. Then you hear the birds singing and the waves breaking, feel the gentle breeze against your skin and suddenly realise – this can only be paradise on earth! We will remember our dream holiday in the Seychelles in 2018 for many years to come:

We arrived on Mahé, then took a small propeller plane to our first holiday island, Praslin. Here we stayed at Les Villas D'Or, a collection of chalets on Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or), wonderfully secluded, idyllic and beautiful. Our first destination on Praslin was Anse Georgette, a beach renowned for its high waves. It was still wonderful for swimming, and the viewpoint offered a fantastic view.

View of Anse Georgette The Vallée de Mai was also on our itinerary. We felt as though we were in The Jungle Book, surrounded by palms, vines and, of course, the coco de mer.

in the Vallée de Mai However, we discovered even more of this famous and somewhat notorious plant at Fond Ferdinand. Guided by Walter, a very friendly local, we hiked to the summit of the protected area and enjoyed an impressive view over almost the entire island. Another special experience was an excursion to Cousin Island, a bird sanctuary where, as you might expect, you can encounter some magnificent birds. One island further on – on Curieuse – we rounded off the day with a walk along wooden boardwalks leading to a beautiful bay, where a palm tree stretched far out over the water.

Of course, relaxation was also on the itinerary, and in the evenings we often visited Coco Rouge Take Away & Cafeteria, a casual restaurant serving simple but very tasty Creole food. On our final evening on Praslin, we visited Café de Arts and enjoyed some delicious cocktails.

Next, we travelled to La Digue, an island with a completely different atmosphere, partly, of course, because it is much smaller than Praslin. We stayed at Elje Villa, a beautifully maintained house with a large terrace and a lovely garden in the heart of a residential area. Naturally, one of our first destinations was Anse Source d'Argent, famous from various adverts and films – and now we know why, as it truly is beautiful with its granite boulders. This rock shapes the appearance of the island in general and can also be seen, for example, at the impressive Grand Anse, whose sheer power takes your breath away.

Grand Anse, La Digue It was particularly lovely that everyone travelled around by bicycle. We cycled through the small village, around the island, through L'Union Estate & Anse Source d'Argent and to Anse Cocos, which has a natural pool.

Anse Cocos, La Digue The guided hike to Anse Marron was fascinating. We quite literally clambered over all kinds of obstacles, through the forest, across granite boulders and even through water-filled crevices. But it was worth it: Anse Marron also has a natural pool, which we enjoyed for a long time before wading back to Anse Source d'Argent through the slowly returning tide that evening, watching the sunset along the way. During our stay, the Seychellois were celebrating the Feast of the Assumption. A festival was therefore taking place in the village centre, where we also had dinner one evening.

We often visited the small restaurant Chez Jules. It is fairly well hidden along the cycle route around the island, but rewards visitors with a fantastic view and a wonderful atmosphere. It was difficult to say goodbye, but Mahé was waiting for us! The largest island is completely different again from La Digue or Praslin. We travelled there by ferry, although we would not particularly recommend it, as the sea is often very rough and it is easy to feel seasick. On Mahé, as on Praslin, we had a hire car. Even the journey to our accommodation, Blue Lagoon Chalets, was a complete contrast to the previous two islands: motorways, a proper town, a university...

But all of this had its own appeal, and over the following days we explored the island in greater detail. One highlight was undoubtedly the hike to Anse Major. We walked almost entirely along the clifftops, surrounded by forest, meadows and rocks, with fantastic views of the sea. The beach itself was very quiet, which naturally made our visit even more enjoyable. A small fishing boat took us back to our starting point.

Of course, we also visited the capital, Victoria. Although we agreed that it was interesting to see, we found the town itself less appealing.

Far more beautiful, for example, was a visit to the beach at Four Seasons Resort, which is open to everyone after providing your name at reception. We often went there, as well as to the two lovely restaurants near our accommodation at Anse à la Mouche in the evenings. We also frequently drove around and stopped at whichever bay appealed to us most. It is worth mentioning that the north of the island is much more touristy than the south, so we only ventured there once. In the south of the island, we found many artists’ studios, including those of Donald Adelaide, Tom Bowers and Michael Adams. They are all interesting people with remarkable stories.

Naturally, we also went snorkelling on Mahé, as we did on all the islands, and it was an unforgettable experience. Shortly before our departure, our final visit was to Le Jardin Du Roi Spice Garden, a beautiful colonial-style garden filled with native plants.

I could tell you so much more, from unforgettable experiences to fantastic beaches, but it makes far more sense to discover and fall in love with this paradise in the middle of the Indian Ocean for yourself. And finally, I almost forgot the giant tortoises! They found a very special place in our hearts, just as those wonderful weeks themselves did...