Island Hopping in Paradise

The Seychelles had always been a dream destination for us. At the end of September, we finally set off on our first (but certainly not our last) holiday to the Seychelles. We chose an island-hopping trip to La Digue, Praslin and Mahé. We booked everything, including flights and transfers, through SeyVillas. We were completely satisfied, especially with the quick arrangements and seamless transfers.

The direct Condor flight was very comfortable, and the 10 hours passed very quickly. We landed at 6 am and by around 10 am we were already at our first guest house on La Digue. The accommodation was called Villa Anse Source d’Argent. The bungalows are spacious, clean and well equipped. The owner is a lovely lady who immediately arranged 2 bicycles for us (100 rupees per day per bicycle, or around €7). You really can explore the entire island by bicycle and find a secluded beach every day. Breakfast was always served on the terrace (fresh fruit, toast, butter, jam, cheese, eggs, coffee/tea and juice).

All the beaches on La Digue are unique and stunning, but we were most impressed by Anse Cocos. Snow-white sand, natural pools and turquoise water. Simply paradise. We also spotted lots of fish while snorkelling among the granite rocks. On the same day, we also visited Grand Anse and Petite Anse, as these 3 beaches are next to one another.

Anse Grande We absolutely loved the granite rocks at Anse Source d'Argent. It is worth simply continuing through the water (definitely only with water shoes), as the rocks are incredibly beautiful and unique. There are also places where you can stop for a break. It was a great spot for snorkelling (we even saw a sea turtle and a ray) and swimming. We recommend arriving early if you would like to take beautiful photos. It gets a little busier later on. The path to the beach leads through L'Union Estate & Anse Source d'Argent National Park, which we also explored, although the park itself was not a highlight.

All the takeaways on La Digue are worth trying (especially Gala Takeaway), as they offer different menus each day and the food is delicious and very inexpensive.

Unfortunately, those first few days passed very quickly, and we had to say goodbye to La Digue. We then continued on to Praslin. During our stay, we stayed at Berjaya Praslin Resort. We were already aware that this was not a luxury hotel, so we did not have particularly high expectations. Nevertheless, we were a little disappointed when we saw our room. However, dinner and breakfast were not bad, so overall we were not entirely dissatisfied.

We booked only 4 nights on Praslin. We travelled exclusively by bus and had only positive experiences. The buses arrived fairly punctually and were an affordable alternative to hiring a car. As the island is not very large, we were able to reach all the highlights by bus. Our first destination was Vallée de Mai. We booked a German-language guided tour, which made the park much more interesting (we paid an additional 150 rupees per person). We were able to admire the unique Coco de Mer coconuts and the giant palms.

Vallée de Mai We spent 2 days at our dream beach, Anse Lazio. When we saw the beach for the first time, we could hardly believe our eyes. It was so beautiful. Turquoise, crystal-clear water, powder-soft white sand and stunning granite rocks at both ends of the beach. We really enjoyed our time here because it was perfect for everything: swimming, snorkelling (rays, sea turtles and fish), sunbathing or simply relaxing in the shade. Although Anse Lazio is quite well known, the beach was never overcrowded.

Anse Lazio We spent our final 5 nights on the largest island, Mahé. We booked by far the best accommodation of our trip there: Romance Bungalows at Beau Vallon. Our Large Bungalow really was huge and beautifully furnished. The kitchen was very well equipped, although we did not cook. On our first day, we immediately explored the surrounding area. We also tried the best restaurants. Baobab Pizza, for example, serves truly excellent, delicious pizza. The Boathouse, with its Creole buffet, is another highlight. It costs 450 rupees (around €30), but it is still worth it. You simply have to try the mango salad, papaya salad and octopus curry, as they are all so delicious.

As we had been very happy with the buses on Praslin, we did not hire a car on Mahé either. Even so, we were able to explore the south of the island, including Anse Takamaka and Baie Lazare. However, we concluded that Beau Vallon was still the most beautiful beach on Mahé. Compared with Anse Lazio or Anse Cocos, though, the beaches here are not quite as spectacular.

Baie Lazare One day, we completed the Copolia Lodge Trail , as we wanted a little change from the beach. The trail is only 1 km long, but it climbs steeply uphill and was quite strenuous. The view was definitely worth it, though.

Copolia Trail On Wednesdays, Bazar Labrine takes place at Beau Vallon. It is highly recommended, as you can once again sample delicious, inexpensive Creole dishes there. Fish, skewers and various types of meat were grilled, and there was also banana cake and fried sweet potatoes.

Beau Vallon Conclusion: It was a truly fantastic holiday, as each island was similar yet very different at the same time. We particularly loved the atmosphere and the dreamlike beaches with their granite rocks on La Digue. Anse Lazio and Vallée de Mai on Praslin were wonderful, while Mahé, with its magnificent mountains and views, was also well worth visiting. We will definitely return and will certainly book everything through SeyVillas again, as we were very satisfied with every aspect of the trip.

Campfire at Beau Vallon