Day Trip to Curieuse and St Pierre
Our time in the Seychelles began on the island of Praslin. Here, on our hotel beach, Cote d'Or – which was absolutely gorgeous and idyllic – we met the friendly gentlemen from a local excursion company.
They had set up a small stand there and offered a range of excursions. After exchanging information and doing a little negotiating, we decided on a trip to the neighbouring island of Curieuse and St Pierre. We were promised giant tortoises, a delicious Creole meal, speedboat rides and an interesting snorkelling trip at St Pierre. The next morning, after breakfast, we were able to board the speedboat directly from our hotel beach without any fuss. Armed with sun cream and plenty of good cheer, we set off for Curieuse.
The journey was over incredibly quickly because – as we learnt – the island is just under 1 km from Praslin, and we had already been able to see it from the beach every day. When we arrived on the island, we were warmly welcomed by a member of staff. After paying the entrance fee of SCR 200 per person, we were finally free to meet the tortoises roaming around. WOW! How wonderful it was to see these animals in real life. We found some fresh leaves on the island and began feeding the ever-hungry creatures – they even performed ‘little tricks’ for a few fresh leaves. They were also quite happy to pose for selfies with us. A truly unique experience!
After a short while, we followed a hiking trail across the island to the ‘Doctor’s House’, where people suffering from leprosy were treated many years ago. It was fascinating to walk through the history of the Seychelles, and the trail itself – crossing a mangrove area and taking us over rough and rocky terrain – was a real experience too. Every so often, another tortoise would greet us and brighten up our walk.
The beautiful beach more than made up for the brief rain shower, and before we knew it, everyone was in the water. The powdery white sand, the little boats bobbing on the water just offshore and the palm trees lining the beach – what more could you want?
Oh yes – there was something else… By then, we were slowly beginning to feel hungry, and the aroma drifting over from the barbecue area was already absolutely wonderful! We were treated to freshly grilled chicken, fish, vegetables, rice, bread and various sauces – everything tasted delicious, and afterwards we enjoyed fresh bananas and pineapple. Once everyone had briefly lent a hand, our spot was tip-top again and it was time to continue our trip.
Fortunately, we had not eaten all our bread, so the crew packed up the leftovers for the fish at St Pierre. Once we arrived and had been kitted out with snorkelling equipment, the fish were fed – and within less than a minute, shoals of them were all around us! What a spectacle! We hardly knew where to look first. After a 30-minute snorkelling stop, our biggest highlight made an appearance – yet another turtle. It swam past us completely unperturbed and made this day truly unforgettable.
We would book this excursion again in a heartbeat and are incredibly happy that we spent the €50. All in all, it was a brilliant day filled with fantastic experiences and memories that we will never forget.
