Island Paradise in the Indian Ocean

29 September 2018 was set to be a wonderful day in our year. That was the day we began our flight south-east towards the Seychelles. We are a close-knit family of three, including our son.

As we had already travelled around southern Thailand that spring, we hoped this holiday would surpass our previous experiences and that, despite the perhaps somewhat similar scenery, we would gain plenty of new impressions. Flying from Berlin Tegel, our journey first took us to London, from where we had a thoroughly relaxing British Airways flight to Victoria. Like a fair proportion of tourists, after a car transfer to the harbour we headed straight for Praslin.

Praslin

The crossing is probably best described as rather rough. When we reached our destination, the greenish tinge to our faces was not the only splash of colour. Quite the opposite: the jewel of Praslin greeted us in all its early-summer splendour. Collected by a friendly islander, we drove across the island for the first of many times and marvelled at its truly magnificent flora. Many winding bends later, we arrived at our accommodation for the next four nights, the Ocean Jewels Resort on Grand Anse. Although the seasonal seagrass meant that swimming in the sea was not possible, the beautiful view across our private garden, complete with sun loungers and beach access, all the way to the Indian Ocean made up for a great deal. The ocean was only around 20 metres from our terrace door, as we were staying in the large villa on the front row. The two-storey property was actually far too large for the three of us, but we had a relaxing and enjoyable stay in the spacious accommodation, which included a kitchen, three bathrooms, and living and dining areas. This was due in no small part to the exceptionally friendly team led by the manager, Paul, who gave us plenty of good excursion tips.

One of his tips took us to Anse Lazio on our very first day. We set off in our hire car. The roads on Praslin are not poor quality as such, but in places they have incredibly steep gradients — we found one of 30(!)% — and even more extreme hairpin bends. A small car such as our Kia Picanto occasionally struggled on the steepest slopes, but overall it was perfectly adequate and reliable. After all, there are no long drives on such a small island. We thoroughly enjoyed these drives, and they also led to some wonderful discoveries.

Once we arrived at Lazio, we first enjoyed the sunshine, which, despite Germany’s record-breaking summer, was sorely needed after the exhausting journey. After we had rested enough, we tested our new GoPro in the glorious sea and enjoyed the warm water. Unlike many other beaches in the Seychelles, here you could enter the water without encountering sharp rocks. Our drone also produced some outstanding photos. I think we can recommend that every visitor take a look at the neighbouring cove on the left, which is within walking distance. With a little luck, you will have it almost entirely to yourself, although the beach in general is far from overcrowded.

Anse Lazio On the way back, we made a detour to the Zimbabwe viewpoint, which you can safely skip. After a winding drive, you reach a restricted area at the top, and the view over the rainforest is not really worth the journey.

On 2 October, we visited the next dream beach: Anse Georgette, also in the north of Praslin. You need permission in advance, as the hotel that owns the beach area does not want too many visitors. As a result, the beach nestled among the rocks was fairly empty and, above all, picture-perfect — only even more beautiful.

Anse Georgette As we eventually felt like a little variety, we left the charming beach and, in the spirit of the neighbouring waterfall, plunged into Vallée de Mai and thus into our next adventure. It was not quite as adventurous as we had hoped, but it was still worthwhile. We entered the park with a more or less knowledgeable but very friendly guide. The wildlife was not exactly abundant; we saw only a snake, some geckos and black parrots in the distance. What you could not miss, however, were the Coco de Mer palms, complete with their seeds and fruit. They were undoubtedly impressive, although after a while it became rather tedious to keep hearing how to distinguish the male trees from the female ones. The longer circular trail, which we completed without a guide, also led through wonderful rainforest but offered no particular highlights. Overall, it was not necessarily worth the considerable cost, but it was not truly disappointing either. You will see plenty of other rainforest in the Seychelles.

Vallée de Mai To round off this fantastic day, as well as our time on the island, we decided to take a short tour of the south. There you will find plenty of spectacular roads and picturesque little coves, all worth a brief detour. Most are also very close to the road.

On 3 October, we had another excursion planned that our host, with his excellent local knowledge, had recommended. Following his advice, we booked a return transfer to Curieuse Island with Sagittarius Boat Excursions near the Paradise Sun Hotel, whose car park is, incidentally, a very convenient place to park. This was definitely a good choice, and a small boat took us to our destination in under 15 minutes. Our expectations were about as large as the first creatures we encountered on the island: the imposing giant tortoises made us realise within seconds that visiting had been the right decision. These creatures were as impressive as they were hungry, so we frequently had to pick more leaves to feed the reptiles. Naturally, we took photos just as enthusiastically as the animals devoured their greenery. One really good tip for a photo with an upright tortoise is to scratch its neck. It will think you are removing parasites and stretch its head towards the sky so that you continue. This makes it easy to take a wonderful photo at eye level with the reptile.

On Curieuse After spending a long time with our new animal friends, we decided to set off on the obligatory walk across the island to the Doctor’s House, which we reached after a trek of around an hour that was not entirely easy. Along the way, it is advisable to watch out for the numerous spiders, sitting in their webs looking both menacing and fascinating. The many mangroves, palms and crabs are equally impressive to see. At the beautiful beach beside the less spectacular Doctor’s House, we waited a few minutes until the small boat collected us again at the pre-arranged time.

La Digue

The following day was dominated by the boat trip to La Digue. It was considerably more turbulent than the first, although also much shorter. Despite travelling by water, we arrived on the beautiful island feeling thoroughly shaken. We were taken in one of the few motorised vehicles on La Digue to the nearby Le Repaire Boutique Hotel, which was to be our home for the next five nights. We spent the afternoon at Anse Severe in the north. The beach was very beautiful, although the sea was too shallow for swimming that day.

On 5 October, we collected the bicycles we had hired through the hotel (practically everything here is done on two wheels) and set off for the world-famous Anse Source d'Argent. The entrance fee of 115 rupees was more than worth it. After a few hundred metres, passing several giant tortoises along the way (sadly, only in an enclosure), we caught our first glimpses of the beach. The coves that followed were an absolute dream, with turquoise-blue, crystal-clear water. However, we were not the only people who had heard about the beauty of this place, so it was rather busy.

Anse Source d'Argent We spent the next two days on the opposite side of the island at Grand Anse, Petite Anse & Anse Cocos. The bicycle ride there is manageable, although there is a steep climb on the return journey which even forces some people to dismount. You leave your bicycle at Grand Anse. I recommend settling beneath the palm shelters at the far left-hand end of the beach, as this is practically the only spot with shade. They are free to use, although it is appreciated – and highly recommended – if you buy a coconut for 50 rupees from the exceptionally friendly coconut stallholder there. The ones with star fruit are particularly delicious. Jumping into the sea is also great fun because of the spectacular waves, although you should remain close to the shore as the current is strong.

Much the same applies at Petite Anse, a 15-minute walk further on, except that the shelters there cost 100 rupees and include a coconut product. Anse Cocos is similar too, although there are no shelters, but there are a few trees providing shade. As it takes a 30-minute hike through the rainforest to reach it, you will find relatively few other people on this large beach. The sheltered area at the far left-hand end is also wonderful for swimming and snorkelling.

Anse Cocos On 8 October, we returned to Anse Source d´Argent. Once again, we were lucky with our choice of spot and spent a lovely day there. This time, the sea was considerably shallower, making it excellent for snorkelling between the first two coves. We actually saw some splendid marine life, such as fish. An underwater camera is particularly worthwhile. Our final day on La Digue ended with a meal at the Gala takeaway on the way back (unfriendly staff, average taste, excellent price).

Mahé

9 October, and what felt like our ninth or tenth transfer by boat. Today’s journey to the main island of Mahé was no bed of roses either – more like ripping the flowers out. Unfortunately, we were not rewarded with fine weather. After a good hour, we entered the harbour accompanied by several large fishing boats. Victoria is not exactly the most beautiful part of Mahé, so after transferring to Beau Vallon and settling into Hanneman Holiday Residence (very large apartments, friendly German owner), we set off on an island tour the following morning.

Our host had given us the idea, and we had booked a small hire car in advance. Unfortunately, the sky was once again overcast and rainy, although this naturally did nothing to diminish the island’s beauty. Setting off northwards towards North Point, we stopped along several stretches of coastline to take photographs. We then headed south, passing through Victoria and continuing as far as the airport. I recommend taking the route through the island’s interior, as it is more scenic; you will travel along the main road on your departure anyway. We then crossed the mountains and drove north again, as far as the national park. There, we made two brief but worthwhile stops at the Tea Factory and the Mission Ruins. Both places offer fantastic views.

Tea factory on Mahé Our day ended with a return to the hotel and one last short swim, which is particularly enjoyable in Beau Vallon Bay.

Sadly, our holiday in the Seychelles came to an end the following day. We were collected early in the morning and flew back to Berlin via London Heathrow.

Thank you very much for reading my account so attentively to the end. I hope I have been able to offer you one or two useful tips and make you even more excited about your holiday in the Seychelles.