Dream Holiday in the Seychelles

At last, we were off! After months of anticipation, we took a direct flight from Frankfurt to Mahé on Friday evening. After just under 9 hours in the air, we landed at the small airport on Mahé on Saturday morning. From there, we continued straight on to Praslin. A small Air Seychelles propeller plane took us to the beautiful island of Praslin in just 15 minutes.

Flying to Praslin on a propeller plane We received a warm welcome at our accommodation, Chalets Cote Mer. We were offered a small refreshment and enjoyed the view from the terrace while our room was being prepared. The grounds were beautifully maintained, all the flowers were in bloom, and there was a fantastic view of the bay.

View from the hotel in Praslin We now had 5 days to explore the island. At reception, we were able to hire a car for 3 days, and it was delivered directly to our accommodation.

First on our itinerary was a hike up Fond Ferdinand. In a small group, a guide led us up to a viewing platform. Along the way, the guide repeatedly stopped to explain all sorts of interesting facts about the plants and the famous Coco de Mer. After around 600 steps and an ascent of 300 metres, you are rewarded with a beautiful view! The tour is highly recommended, and the SCR 125 admission fee is definitely justified.

View from Fond Ferdinand We then drove across the island towards the north. One of the most beautiful beaches I had ever seen was waiting for us: Anse Lazio. The granite boulders and crystal-clear water looked just like something from a travel brochure.

Anse Lazio The beaches on Praslin were generally a dream. After 5 wonderful days on Praslin, we continued to La Digue on Thursday. As our hotel was only a 5-minute walk from the jetty, we had no trouble walking to the ferry, even with our luggage. The crossing took 15 minutes.

Once we arrived on La Digue, we took a taxi – an electric golf buggy – to our next accommodation. Most people travel around the island by bicycle, and we were able to hire ours directly from our accommodation. Our accommodation, Villa Anse Source d'Argent, was located a little further inland. It was a lovely little guest house with 5 cottages. Each room/cottage had its own terrace with a drying rack, table and chairs. The rooms were pleasant and adequately furnished. Breakfast was served on our private terrace each morning at the time we requested and included toast, butter, jam, a wonderful fruit platter and eggs cooked to order.

The bedroom and bathroom were very clean. There was also a small minibar in the room. Cycling is a fantastic way to explore the island.

One ‘must-see’ is Petite Anse: cycle towards Grand Anse, then leave your bicycle there and continue on foot. Do not worry about the lack of bicycle locks – La Digue has a very close-knit community and is completely safe. A small path leads over the rocks to Petite Anse. Another gorgeous beach. You need to watch out for the waves when swimming, but the long white beach is perfect for cooling off. Anse Source d'Argent is also highly recommended.

It can be reached through L'Union Estate , which charges an admission fee of 115 rupees per person per day. Within the park itself, you will find tortoises, an art gallery and a restaurant. The beach is signposted and easy to reach.

Unlike at Petite Anse, the water here is very shallow and calm, making it ideal for families with children. Behind the beach, there is a small stall selling inexpensive fresh coconuts. In the evening, we would recommend trying one of the takeaways. We usually ate at Gala or Rey & Josh Cafe Takeaway – both were delicious! After a few more wonderful days, we took the ferry back to Mahé, where we had landed a week earlier. We took the earliest ferry, departing at 07:00.

The water was very calm, and despite the 60-minute journey, the crossing was very pleasant. At the port on Mahé, we collected our pre-booked hire car without any problems; we had booked it with MakiCar. We had chosen Villa Vanilla on the west coast of the island as our accommodation. It was a small property with fantastic views of the rainforest and a lovely pool. It bordered ‘Morne Seychelles National Park’, which is wonderful for hiking and offers spectacular views.

Much like Grand Anse on La Digue, Anse Intendance is highly recommended on Mahé. Police Bay is another gorgeous beach worth visiting. Anyone looking for a little more activity will be well catered for at Beau Vallon. Every Wednesday from around 16:00–17:00, there is a small market where you can buy souvenirs and gifts. There are also several food stalls – be sure to try the fresh banana chips!

The water at Beau Vallon remains shallow for quite some distance, making it excellent for less confident swimmers and children. A wide range of water sports is also available. The capital is not far from Beau Vallon. Victoria – the smallest capital city in the world. We visited the Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market, where fresh fish, spices, fruit and various handicrafts are sold every day except Sunday.

From there, it is just a few minutes’ walk to the Victoria Clocktower, the small capital’s best-known landmark. The National Museum is opposite the clocktower. Another eye-catching sight for us was the Hindu Temple - Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar. This brightly coloured Hindu temple is an essential photo stop.

Hindu temple in Victoria After 2 weeks of a dream holiday, it was time to pack our things and head back to the airport. As our flight was not until 23:00, we still had the day to relax. Our accommodation allowed us to use a shower, so we could freshen up before travelling to the airport. We returned the car at the airport, and this was just as straightforward as collecting it at the port. We had enjoyed some wonderful days and gathered so many fantastic impressions. We had never seen such fascinating beaches and scenery before.

We will remember the long white beaches, crystal-clear water, incredibly delicious Creole cuisine, enormous palm trees and friendly people for a long time to come.

Thank you for a dream holiday on these 3 wonderful islands. We will certainly return one day! And thank you to SeyVillas for the fantastic selection of accommodation and the hassle-free booking process!