Seychelles at Last!!!
On 19 January 2019, we set off on an Emirates flight to Victoria, where, as soon as we land, we are welcomed by the Creole staff, who take us through the lush vegetation and warm tropical air to catch the ferry to our first island... La Digue!
20–22 January, La Digue:
Our adventure on the island of La Digue begins with another warm welcome from Lorella, a member of the Creole staff. As well as asking for our first impressions of the hotel, our room and so on, she is quick to suggest a short tour that will help us make the most of the small yet remarkable island of La Digue.
We only have a few days available, so on our first day we immediately decide to visit the famous Anse Source d'Argent.
To reach the beach, you have to pass through L'Union Estate , where you can admire vanilla plantations, coconut palms, takamaka trees and an area inhabited by giant tortoises.
To reach the beach’s various little coves, you have to follow a truly scenic path between enormous boulders plunging into the sea and short stretches of dense vegetation.
The sea is calm and warm, with dazzling shades of turquoise and blue. The only ‘drawback’ of this wonderful beach is the tide: between 11:00 and 15:00, the water becomes very shallow, so if you want to get into the sea – and even then, not fully – you have to head towards the coral reef.
Our day continues with a bike ride around the village of La Passe, where the Cat Cocos ferries dock. Here, you can find a few souvenir shops, which are far too expensive, and several food shops.
At around 18:00, we head back to our hotel, La Digue Island Lodge. Here in the Seychelles, the day starts and ends early, as once darkness falls, at around 18:30, it becomes a little difficult to get around because the roads have no lighting.
We decide to spend our penultimate day on La Digue at Grand Anse, a wonderful, long beach of pure white sand with the most turquoise water I have ever seen.
To reach this beach, we have to follow a route of about 20 minutes from our accommodation, with plenty of ups and downs through the jungle and past small local houses.
When we arrive at the beach, the heat is scorching and, even though it is only 09:30, the sun is already beating down! We therefore decide to find some shade beneath the little palm shelters dotted along the beach. To use one, you have to pay 100 rupees to the coconut seller.
Because of the intense heat and humidity, we decide not to continue to the nearby Petite Anse, a 10-minute walk away, and instead enjoy the crystal-clear water, which is full of fish and small sharks!
We then get back on our bikes and, after a strenuous climb, head towards the north of the island. We pass through La Passe and continue north until we reach Anse Severe, where it is impossible to resist taking a dip in the sea, even though this beach is also affected by the low tide.
One lovely memory of this bike ride will undoubtedly be encountering giant tortoises crossing the road.
After a delicious fresh fruit juice – you will find plenty of little stalls that blend fresh fruit for you – we get back in the saddle and decide to continue to Anse Patates, a small, exceptionally picturesque cove with golden sand.
On 23 January, our Creole representative arrives right on time for our transfer to our second island... Mahé.
We choose this island because it is the largest and because we want to experience real life in the Seychelles, even if only for three days.
Unlike the outward journey, the ferry transfer is relaxing. The sea is calm and the catamaran almost empty, so we enjoy the hour-long crossing while admiring the scenery.
We arrive on Mahé, but the weather is cloudy, grey and a little rainy, so once we reach our hotel, Bliss Hotel in Glacis, we decide to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing completely.
24–26 January, Mahé:
On our first day on Mahé, following the hotel staff’s recommendation, we decide to visit a small beach not too far from our hotel, Anse l'Ilot.
The beach is a 10-minute walk from where we are staying. Unfortunately, the sea is rough, so we cannot swim very far or go snorkelling... but being the only people on the beach convinces us to spend the entire day at this little spot!
Unfortunately, on the penultimate day of our holiday, the ‘rainy season’ begins to make itself felt.
Before setting off, we had been worried because websites, guidebooks and other sources advised against travelling in January, as it is the wettest month... and on 25 January, we really do experience a full day of tropical rain!
It is 10:00 and raining heavily, so we decide to visit the capital, Victoria.
We take the bus from Glacis into the city. Travelling by bus is one of those experiences you should try in the Seychelles, as it really brings you into contact with the people who live on these islands. A single journey costs just 7 rupees.
The city is easy to explore on foot, starting with Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market, the central market, and the colourful Hindu Temple - Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar, before continuing to the botanical gardens, where you can admire large coco de mer palms and takamaka trees.
Unfortunately, we are unable to explore the gardens fully because of the violent, torrential storm that catches us by surprise. Tired, soaked and cold, we therefore decide to return to the hotel and, as the downpour shows no sign of stopping, spend the evening there.
Sadly, the day finally arrives for us to return home... Our flight is at 23:00, but because of the bad weather and the morning check-out, we cannot venture far from Glacis, so we spend the day relaxing by the pool and reflecting on our holiday.
While booking this trip, we were very apprehensive about visiting the Seychelles in January, during their rainy summer, but we were lucky because it only rained on two days of our week-long holiday.
Do not let the supposedly unfavourable season put you off, because the country has a tropical climate and the weather is therefore changeable throughout the year!
There are also far fewer tourists during the rainy season, allowing you to explore and experience the islands at their best!
Perhaps partly because of the bad weather, we were unable to explore and experience Mahé at its best, but the Seychelles are a beautiful country, home to kind, cheerful, friendly and welcoming people, with magnificent scenery unlike anywhere else in the world!
However, the place that has undoubtedly remained closest to our hearts is the island of La Digue: small, lush and easily explored by bike.
So, if like us you have no more than a week available, I would still recommend making time to visit one of the smallest and most enchanting islands in the archipelago!
