A Dream You Can Make Come True, Even with Children

We have now been back in Germany for a few weeks and still look back very fondly on our trip to the Seychelles. By ‘we’, I mean my lovely wife, our two little boys and Dad – that is, me. I would love to share a little of our journey with you.

Before the trip

How did it all begin? Well, we got married in 2014 and had already wanted to visit the Seychelles back then. Numerous reports in newspapers and on television had made it seem like the ultimate dream destination. But sometimes life has other plans, and our eldest unexpectedly announced his arrival. It was a wonderful event, but the trip was postponed and eventually forgotten. After our youngest was born in 2017, our desire to visit the Seychelles resurfaced. We spent a long time wondering whether such a lengthy journey to the tropics would be reasonable with children so young. To give you the answer straight away: absolutely! At the beginning of 2018, a year before our trip, I began searching the internet in earnest and came across SeyVillas more or less by chance. No sooner said than done: I browsed the well-designed website, put together a trip and that was that. Or was it? Not at all. I was not 100 per cent satisfied, so I quickly rang SeyVillas and got in touch with Lisa. I have to say, I was delighted. Lisa put together what later proved to be our dream trip, tailored to our wishes. Every request, however small, was accommodated, and all our questions were answered patiently, professionally and entirely to our satisfaction. We ultimately booked the trip for January 2019. We genuinely did not have to worry about a thing and afterwards were also grateful that we had booked the transfer package. ‘You’re going to the Seychelles during the rainy season?’ I cannot count how often I heard that beforehand. But here, too, all the speculation proved unfounded. Yes, it rained. At times it rained heavily, but only briefly and on just two days. Otherwise, we had nothing but sunshine and bliss. So do not let anyone put you off or dampen your spirits about travelling to the Seychelles in January, even though there are undoubtedly times of year when it is considerably drier. After all, there is no controlling the weather.

But at the jungle camp

And we’re off... Farewell, cold Germany!

At the beginning of January, laden with luggage and with the whole family in tow, we flew from Düsseldorf to Mahé with Emirates via Dubai. We were very grateful to have chosen an itinerary with a stopover, as it gave all of us another chance to stretch our legs properly. The impressive airport also tempted us into one or two spontaneous purchases. Our holiday had therefore already begun with the journey itself, especially as Emirates offered genuinely excellent service, particularly for the children. There was never a dull moment, and our greatest fear – that our boys would spend the long flight whingeing and crying – came to nothing. There was simply far too much for the little ones to do on board: eat, drink, play with the wonderful gifts from Emirates, charm the cabin crew and sleep as well. It was genuinely much more relaxing than we had expected. We reached Mahé in the early hours of the morning and were initially overwhelmed by the morning sun and the remarkably warm temperatures. On went the shorts and flip-flops, and off we went into our adventure!

From Mahé, we continued to Praslin on a domestic flight. Check-in proceeded at an unbelievably leisurely pace. The calm and easy-going nature of the Seychellois, which initially amused us stressed-out Germans, rubbed off on us immediately. The flight aboard the small twin Fokker aircraft operated by Air Seychelles was a real highlight! The children could peer into the cockpit, while we were speechless at the beauty of the Seychelles, of which we could only catch a tantalising glimpse ‘from above’. Unfortunately, the flight was over far too quickly, although after the exertions of the long journey it did save us a little travelling time. Once we arrived on Praslin, we continued aboard the Cat Rose to the first stop of our holiday: La Digue and Cabanes des Anges. At last, we had arrived in paradise!

La Digue... here you are!

Our first impressions were almost overwhelming. Heavenly birdsong, the turquoise Indian Ocean, unbelievably magnificent granite rock formations, dense greenery everywhere we looked, and fragrant, beautiful flowers and plants that have remained firmly etched in our memories. Cabanes des Anges proved to be a little gem, slightly tucked away but in an absolutely superb location, both for the beaches and the centre of the island.

Comfortable bed at Cabanes des Anges There was also a supermarket virtually around the corner, which was of course incredibly convenient for self-catering accommodation. A beautifully presented and clean apartment awaited us, thoughtfully equipped with everything we could possibly need. From the large balcony, we could admire the small but lovely pool and the well-maintained gardens. Completely exhausted, we first collapsed into bed for an afternoon nap before rounding off our arrival day with a quick dip in the pool, a lovely home-cooked dinner and a good glass of Takamaka on the balcony.

The following morning and throughout the days that followed, we always awoke to sunshine and a lovely breakfast waiting for us at the property. We hired bicycles with child seats on site straight away so that we could get around La Digue and explore the island.

Rock formation at Anse Source d'Argent

Torties and other impressions

We soon found what we considered to be the most child-friendly beaches on La Digue. These were the world-famous Anse Source d'Argent, with its spectacular granite formations, and Anse Severé. Both beaches were particularly suitable for children. The offshore reef created shallow water, and there was plenty of space to play and have fun. There were also enough shady spots beneath the palms to escape the sun from time to time. Our boys loved the crystal-clear, bath-warm water and the huge variety of fish they could observe. At Anse Severe, after a short bicycle ride across La Digue, we saw our first two free-roaming giant tortoises, which had taken over the entire cycle path. The calm, unhurried nature of these animals is fascinating enough in itself, but being able to touch them was simply incredible. Incidentally, they were one reason why our eldest had been so excited about the holiday beforehand. ‘Torties’, as he calls them, are his favourite animals alongside sharks. We did not encounter any of the latter in person, and to be honest, I was not sorry about that. While we treated ourselves to a wonderfully thirst-quenching coconut at Anse Source d’Argent, after our bicycle rides I happily enjoyed my Seybrew at the Takamaka Café, with its magnificent view of Anse Severé.

Coconut on the beach We also thoroughly enjoyed the food on La Digue. Choosing between the takeaways was not always easy: on the one hand, there was such a wide selection, while on the other, one or two places were closed for their annual holidays. That did not bother us, though, as it meant we got around the island rather well. We particularly enjoyed the curries at Mi Mums Take Away, which were also beautifully presented and served at a very fair price. The boys were occasionally allowed something from the ‘unhealthy’ section too. Chips and all the trimmings! A classic pizza also found a willing taker from time to time. But that is simply how it is: we were on holiday, after all, and we all had a great time. I could go on talking about La Digue for hours. The island is so enchanting and so lively, yet at the same time wonderfully cosy and welcoming. We absolutely loved everything, from our accommodation to the beauty of the island itself. Up to this point, everything had simply been perfect, and the week flew by.

A refreshing dip at Anse Severe

Rain? Certainly, but only briefly, and it was warm. Time to change islands.

On the day of our ‘island change’, we experienced our first tropical rainy day. It poured down, but at least we did not lose a day because of it, as we had three ferry journeys ahead of us anyway and would be travelling for much of the day. The heavy rain made the ocean correspondingly rough, so the trips aboard the Cat Rose and Cat Cocos were rather bumpy. Apparently, though, we all have good sea legs, as none of us felt ill. Quite the opposite, in fact: our youngest preferred to have a little nap. He must have felt as though he were being rocked in a cradle. I had been worried about how we would manage the changes on Praslin and then on Mahé with all our luggage and our two boys. Once again, I was incredibly glad that I had booked the transfers and everything else in advance. Creole Travel took care of everything, and it all went perfectly and smoothly. After just one week on La Digue, however, we had already slowed down so completely that almost nothing could have stressed us out. On Mahé, we reached the jetty in Bel Ombre for the journey to the second destination of our trip: Silhouette Island and the Hilton Labriz Resort & Spa. In Bel Ombre alone, we were welcomed like royalty: we were given cool towels and drinks, our luggage was taken care of, and the little boat, which we had almost entirely to ourselves, carried us safely towards Silhouette.

Welcome to the Hilton Labriz

Rain? Welcome to the Garden of Eden. Or perhaps the set of Jurassic Park? .

I will never forget my first sight of Silhouette. It felt as though we had arrived in paradise. Or right in the middle of the film Jurassic Park, or perhaps the mysterious jungle camp from a German commercial television channel. The mighty Mount Dauban towered imposingly before us, surrounded by rainforest. We had thought La Digue could not be surpassed, but we were proved wrong. Life moved to an entirely different rhythm on Silhouette: it was incredibly peaceful, with hardly anyone to be seen. We were then taken by golf buggy to our Garden Villa, where our room attendant gave us a very warm welcome. The Garden Villa’s facilities were truly fantastic. There was a huge bed for Mum and Dad, a comfortable sofa converted into a bed for our eldest, a cot for our little one, a Nespresso machine with capsules in the room, complimentary bottles of water and, to our surprise, two cuddly toy turtles from Hilton for the boys. They were absolutely delighted! While the boys enthusiastically pounced on the newest members of the family, we continued looking around and were thrilled by the outdoor shower and the wonderful freestanding bath. The balcony, with its substantial wooden loungers, also promised wonderfully relaxing days. The neighbouring villas were all a good distance away, so we genuinely had as much privacy and peace as anyone could wish for. The fabulous beach was only a stone’s throw from our room. Beaches are always a matter of personal taste, of course, but the beach in front of the Hilton eclipsed every beach we had seen before. It was vast, with turquoise, crystal-clear water, and largely deserted even though the resort was almost fully booked. The boys could romp about and enjoy themselves until they dropped, while we simply relaxed in one of the hammocks and let the world drift by. The wonderful pool area was also exactly to our taste and provided a refreshing place to cool off, as the Indian Ocean felt almost warm by comparison at just under 29°C. The food also made our hearts sing. Thoughtfully arranged themed evenings and live cooking, with an unbelievably extensive selection at dinner, as well as a magnificent and generous breakfast buffet, kept us well fuelled throughout the day. We deliberately chose not to focus on activities that week. Instead, we explored the beautiful resort and all its colourful facets at a leisurely pace and simply relaxed completely. The hotel staff left nothing to be desired and devoted themselves wholeheartedly to even the smallest concern or request. Our children were welcomed everywhere with open arms and were looked after with equal warmth and affection. Everything was just right and exceeded our expectations by far. Anyone seeking relaxation and tranquillity combined with luxurious accommodation, excellent food and an extraordinarily beautiful, protected island should definitely visit the Hilton Labriz. The pictures I am sharing with you speak for themselves.

Even the loveliest holiday must eventually come to an end

Then, on the day of our departure – would you believe it – it rained again. You might have thought the sky cried whenever we left the islands, or in this case, the Seychelles. Overjoyed by all the wonderful impressions, yet deeply sad at the same time, we travelled back to Germany, and we will certainly treasure these experiences for a long time to come. One thing is certain for us: someday we will return to the Seychelles, and we will book with SeyVillas again. I would particularly like to thank you! From the initial advice right through to the end, the trip was unforgettable. Everything was perfectly coordinated and superbly organised. And finally, if you are wondering whether you should visit the Seychelles with young children, my answer is: absolutely, you will not regret it! Our sons already want to go back to see ‘Shelly and his friends’.