Seychelles – Island-Hopping Adventures in the Indian Ocean

On 19 October 2018, we set off on our first long-haul trip to the Seychelles.

As we wanted to see more than just one of the country’s islands, we decided to go island hopping. SeyVillas provided us with a friendly and exceptionally knowledgeable adviser who helped us put together our destinations, accommodation and transfers. The trip was perfectly planned. After landing on Mahé, the ferry took us to our first destination, the island of Praslin. Following our rather long and tiring journey, we were welcomed at Chalets Cote Mer with a cold drink before settling into a spacious villa for the next few days.

Chalet Cote D'Or We went on several excursions from here. We hiked through Vallée de Mai National Park, relaxed on the island’s most beautiful beach, Anse Lazio, and visited Praslin’s black pearl farm. The island’s public buses are ideal for reaching these places. The journey itself is quite an experience, and it is also very inexpensive. Another highlight for us was a day trip by motorboat to the neighbouring island of Curieuse.

Here, we were able to spend time with giant tortoises, hiked across the island and were rewarded with delicious fish for our barbecue lunch. Afterwards, we went snorkelling just off St Pierre Island. We had never seen such a variety of fish and coral before. It was an unforgettable day. The second stop on our Seychelles tour was also the most beautiful: the island of La Digue. It is largely car-free and has magnificent white beaches. Although the island attracts plenty of tourists, the beaches were usually deserted. White sand, turquoise waters and a blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds. A picture-postcard idyll! A beach holiday at its best.

And to top it all off, we had a fantastic hotel. The half-board package we had booked at Le Repaire Boutique Hotel, following a recommendation from SeyVillas, turned out to be an excellent choice. We have rarely eaten so well. Hiring a bicycle on La Digue is definitely the right decision. It allows you to reach small bathing coves quickly and cycle almost all the way around the island. Only the beaches Grand Anse, Petite Anse & Anse Cocos can be reached solely on foot.

These beaches simply have to be seen. The clamber over rocks and along forest paths is well worth it. The Anse Source d'Argent is also well worth visiting and is a paradise for photographers and snorkellers. The additional admission fee for the park and beach is worth paying too. We encountered a sea turtle while snorkelling.

Our hike to the island’s highest point, the ‘Eagle’s Nest’ viewpoint, was also interesting. The route climbs very steeply, and the sun and high humidity soon left our shirts soaking wet. On the way there, we came across a giant tortoise taking a break by the roadside. Once we reached the top, we were rewarded with panoramic views over La Digue and the surrounding islands. In the evening, we were able to enjoy a sunset on the beach.

The third and final stop on our trip was Mahé, the largest island in the Seychelles by area. We had booked a self-catering apartment at Tropical Hideaway, not far from Beau Vallon. The apartment was enormous, and the hosts were wonderfully kind and helpful. Self-catering was no problem at all, as there were plenty of restaurants, takeaways and shops nearby.

A day trip in a hire car took us all the way around the island. Despite spending time on the road, we still had plenty of opportunities to stop for a swim at the beautiful Anse Intendance and Anse Takamaka, as well as to visit a mountain viewpoint offering panoramic views of the capital, Victoria, and Eden Island.

Panoramic view of Victoria and Eden Island The best way to visit Victoria is by public bus, as this saves you the trouble of searching for a parking space. The Buddhist temple and the colourful bustle of the Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market are well worth seeing. It does not take long to explore Victoria, as it is the smallest capital city in the world. At every stop on our trip, all of which we had selected together with SeyVillas, we met friendly people who seemed entirely unfamiliar with the words ‘hurry’ and ‘stress’. And although we speak only a little English, we had no problems communicating.

On the final day of our trip, we simply relaxed once more at Beau Vallon until our flight departed northwards that evening.

We are left with wonderful memories of our time in the Seychelles.

Thomas and Carmen