Wonderful Island Hopping

Organisation, arrival, departure and transfers:

Once we had decided on the Seychelles as our holiday destination, we soon settled on booking the trip with SeyVillas. This proved to be a good decision, as the website provides extensive information on a wide range of accommodation as well as travel tips, and all our questions were answered quickly and helpfully by email or phone.

After a tiring overnight flight with a stopover, we arrived at the airport on Mahé. We were welcomed by the Creole staff at their desk, and our driver took us straight to the minibus. The transfer to the port was quick and straightforward, and we were promptly taken to the ferry. After a one-hour crossing, we arrived on Praslin and were taken to our hotel in another minibus. All our subsequent transfers later in the trip also ran smoothly, were always punctual and caused no problems. The introductory briefings held by Creole at the respective hotels were also helpful, allowing us to gather further information for the excursions we had planned ourselves.

Praslin:

Our first stay in the Seychelles was at the Berjaya Praslin Resort on Praslin. It is quite a large hotel for the archipelago and is located very close to a supermarket, several cash machines and a few restaurants.

The gently shelving beach is very attractive and has plenty of sun loungers, including in the shade. There was only a small amount of seaweed. The deluxe rooms were very spacious and equipped with everything we needed, although some were in need of renovation.

We had booked half board and were very pleased with it. Breakfast included fresh fruit and a variety of hot and cold dishes, while pancakes and omelettes were freshly prepared to order. Dinner was served at the hotel’s ‘Pizzeria’ restaurant, which is located directly on the beach. Every day, it offered a fresh, delicious regional buffet with a different theme. The selection generally included soup, salads, various fish and meat dishes, and a dessert buffet.

At the beginning of our stay, I had arranged a trial dive with Octopus Divers, located directly at the hotel, which I had booked by email before leaving home. We spent a total of 45 minutes diving near St Pierre in two groups. Beforehand, we were introduced to our equipment in English or French and shown the most important hand signals. Everything went smoothly in my group, and our guide pointed out the different animals. We saw a sea turtle, two sharks, an octopus, stonefish, lionfish, rays and much more. Overall, I was allowed to dive far more freely and independently than I had expected, and I will now definitely be getting my diving qualification.

Before leaving home, we had booked an excursion to Curieuse and the Curieuse Marine National Park through SeyVillas, operated by Angel Tours. Christian collected us directly from the hotel and took us to the beach where the excursion would depart once everyone else had been picked up. In the morning, we snorkelled without a guide at two different spots, one just off Praslin and one near St Pierre. Plenty of hire equipment was available if required. The locations were well chosen, there was a great deal to discover, and we had plenty of time at each spot. We then continued to Curieuse, where lunch was waiting for us as soon as we arrived. It consisted of grilled fish, grilled chicken, rice and various salads, followed by bananas and watermelon for dessert. A selection of drinks was also available, and everyone was given water for the onward walk. There was more than enough food, and it was genuinely very good. After a short break, we walked across the island to the tortoise sanctuary. Along the way, our guide regularly explained the flora and fauna in English and French and answered our questions.

As a result, we did not have quite as much time left when we reached the sanctuary, although it was still perfectly adequate. For the return journey to the departure and arrival point, we travelled along the opposite side of Praslin from the morning route, meaning that by the end of the day we had completed a full and very scenic circuit of the island.

We booked a hire car for one day through our hotel reception and used it to drive around the entire island. Because of the public holiday, we were unable to visit Fond Ferdinand as originally planned, so we went to Vallée de Mai instead. We joined the short, complimentary guided tour offered by the park and then explored independently, following the longest route. As our eyes gradually became accustomed to spotting them, we kept discovering various geckos and lizards. We saw hardly any birds, however, although we could hear them. We spent the end of the day at the beautiful Anse Lazio.

Vallée de Mai

La Digue:

Due to a misunderstanding during the booking process, not all three rooms were available as planned when we arrived at the Patatran Hotel. However, after consulting SeyVillas and Creole, the hotel offered us two available rooms in a higher category and promised compensation for the inconvenience.

Pool at the Patatran Hotel The rooms were thoughtfully furnished, clean and attractive, with wonderful sea views. As on Praslin, the hotel offered a generous breakfast selection with freshly prepared crêpes and omelettes, fruit and more. Dinner alternated between à la carte service and a buffet. Both were appealing, and the staff in the restaurant and throughout the hotel were exceptionally friendly and attentive.

Beach at Patatran We spent most of our time on the small but exceptionally beautiful beach directly beside the hotel. The snorkelling here was also good, although we had to be mindful of the almost constant waves and currents. Among the various species of fish, we spotted a sea turtle and several rays.

Sea turtle We hired the hotel’s bicycles for a day and used them to explore the entire island. In the morning, we visited L'Union Estate & Anse Source d'Argent and the adjoining Anse Source d'Argent. As expected, however, it was quite busy, and many other beaches are every bit as beautiful as this famous one. Almost every beach in the Seychelles is a dream beach. In the afternoon, we cycled on to Grand Anse. We had this very wide and beautiful beach almost entirely to ourselves.

Mahé:

Our final stay was at the Bliss Hotel in northern Mahé. Here too, the rooms were very attractive and clean, with highly ‘designed’ interiors. Half board was also worthwhile here. Although the breakfast and dinner selection was smaller, the food was equally delicious. In the evening, we could choose from a changing selection of fish and meat, which was freshly grilled and brought to our table. The small stretch of beach, which had almost no shade in the afternoon, was also very attractive. In the evening, we could watch the sun set directly over the sea. The snorkelling here was worthwhile too.

One day, we took the bus to Victoria, shopped at the market and explored the world’s smallest capital city. Half a day was enough for us.

We also hired a car through Creole and drove around the entire island. In the south, we visited the Takamaka Rum Distillery and enjoyed the panoramic views at Police Bay. In the heart of the island, we stopped at various viewpoints along Sans Soucis Road. The tea factory is also worth visiting for its beautiful grounds, despite currently being closed, as is Mission Lodge. As we drove around the island, it was well worth simply stopping at different places to enjoy the views or make a short visit to the various beaches.

Sunset at the Bliss Hotel

Conclusion:

We had a wonderful holiday. The Seychelles are a breathtakingly beautiful destination. Behind every bay and around every bend, another new and usually magnificent view awaits.