A Paradise for Beach and Nature Lovers

Mahé

As we flew to the Seychelles from Cape Town and did not arrive until the evening, we spent our first night at Hotel La Roussette, which is close to the airport. We were able to unwind after the journey in the small pool. The grounds are beautifully landscaped.

Hotel La Roussette on Mahé

Praslin

The next day, we continued to Praslin. We were collected from the hotel and driven to the ferry. Generally speaking, all the drivers were exceptionally punctual and always very helpful. We had booked seats on the upper deck of the ferry, and it was wonderful to enjoy the views and the breeze. Tip: Pack light. Take only the essentials so that you do not have to check in your rucksacks at the ferry and can save time later when it comes to the somewhat creative baggage collection process.

The car hire company met us directly at the harbour, and we were able to drive straight to our accommodation, The Old School Self Catering, which was only a few minutes from the harbour. The owner gave us a very warm welcome and booked our chosen excursion for us. The apartment was spacious, with a generously sized kitchen and even a washing machine.

Hire car on Praslin If you only have a few days on the island, hiring a car is a very convenient way to explore it. On Praslin, we saw many locals having barbecues on the beaches at the weekend. The Seychellois are nearly always cheerful and helpful. Anse Boudin proved to be a wonderful place for photographs; it was fairly quiet and excellent for snorkelling.

Anse Boudin Of course, Anse Lazio is also well worth a visit. It is a wonderful place for swimming, and at dusk the rocks take on breathtaking colours.

Anse Lazio In Vallée de Mai National Park, we learnt a great deal about the coco de mer, watched many birds and admired the vegetation.

Vallée de Mai Tip: Make sure you visit in the morning, when it is not yet so hot. The tour buses tend to arrive around midday. Do not forget mosquito repellent. An excursion to Cousin Island Special Reserve is a wonderful experience for nature lovers and anyone who values sustainable tourism. Some of the birds nest on the ground, there are many unusual species, and tortoises roam freely around the island. The excursion is not particularly cheap because of the island’s admission fee, but by paying it you automatically support the conservation of this nature reserve.

Important: Make sure you apply mosquito repellent, as the interior of the island is teeming with mosquitoes. It is also advisable to wear shorts and flip-flops, as you step from the boat into knee-deep water to reach the beach.

La Digue

Our accommodation, Tannette's Villa, served a wonderful breakfast with everything you could wish for, all freshly prepared, of course. The accommodation is set back a little from the beach, so hiring a bicycle is definitely worthwhile.

Bicycle in front of Tannettes Villa Anse Patates is a beautiful beach. At low tide in particular, you can find somewhere to lie down. It looks like a painting. If you walk around the rocks on the right, there is another tiny section of the bay. If you arrive early enough, you practically have a private cove. The snorkelling there is wonderful. Take care when swimming out, as it is rather rocky at low tide. Tip: If you are lucky, you may see a wedding ceremony and the subsequent photo shoot, during which the bride and groom quite often end up covered in salt and sand.

Anse Patates Well worth an excursion: Grand Anse, Petite Anse & Anse Cocos. Make sure you take enough water for the walk to Anse Cocos. The path is rough and uneven, and can become quite strenuous, especially around midday. Your reward is a series of beautiful, peaceful beaches. But take care: swimming is prohibited here. Even if you repeatedly see people in the water, do not follow their example. We saw people being swept off their feet by the waves and sustaining injuries. You can still paddle in the shallows to cool off.

Petite Anse Tip: You can find delicious, affordable curries at the island’s six takeaways. Our favourite was Mimum’s Takeaway. The food is served in cardboard boxes. If you bring your own spoon, you can even enjoy a plastic-free meal. Our favourite beach for snorkelling was Anse Severe. As soon as the tide comes in, you can snorkel out to the edge of the reef and admire shoals of fish, rays and tiny octopuses. We even saw a sea turtle. It was the absolute highlight of our holiday.

Snorkelling at Anse Severe You should definitely bring the following: sun cream, preferably reef-friendly, as we want to give the slowly recovering reefs a chance; insect repellent; a wet bag or zip-lock bag for valuables at the beach or on boat trips; and a lightweight, quick-drying beach towel.