A True Paradise

We decided to go island hopping and booked stays on Mahé and La Digue. Our accommodation was a small, family-run bungalow complex on Beau Vallon beach, set in beautiful gardens. Several restaurants are within walking distance. The Baobab Pizzeria is directly opposite, right on the beach. The food there is good and reasonably priced compared with the other restaurants, but only between a third and half of the dishes on the menu were available to order. We went there 3 times and found this aspect very disappointing. There is a very good alternative on the nearby promenade, where Seychellois vendors serve freshly prepared food every day. It is delicious, and the portions are usually so generous that they could easily count as 2 meals. They also serve freshly caught fish such as red snapper, brought in that morning. There is also a fruit stall, as well as various souvenir stalls on market days. One stall serves cocktails too.

We took the bus to Victoria on a Sunday. The streets were empty, so we could look around at our leisure. There were very few cars on the road, which meant we could photograph the miniature ‘Big Ben’ without any difficulty. We then continued by taxi to the Botanical Gardens. There were hardly any people there either. It was magnificent: fantastic plants, enormous trees, an abundance of flowers and plenty of fruit that we would only ever see in shops back home.

Of course, there had to be a coco de mer as well. It was very impressive. We were also able not only to watch fruit bats feeding, but to hear them too. The fruit must have been particularly juicy and tasty.

As we did not have a hire car, we travelled by bus several times. It is something you should experience at least once. It is quite an adventure.

The market in Victoria, which is closed on Sundays, is of course a must-see. Huge fish, an abundance of fruit and vegetables – some familiar, others less so – souvenir shops, flowers and spices all give the market its distinctive character. Everything is fresh, of course. Herons stride between the tables at the fish stalls, hoping to snatch a few tasty morsels.

If you have not yet spotted a palm spider, just look up at the market ceiling. Large numbers of them, at every imaginable stage of growth, have spun their webs there. It clearly pays off.

The absolute highlight, however, was our tour of the island with a German-speaking guide. You could not experience a tour like this on your own in a hire car. Firstly, you naturally see far more than you would if you were driving yourself, and secondly, the driver knows where to find the best spots and most beautiful views, which he always referred to as screensavers. He parked in places where nobody else would ever think of stopping, just to show his passengers a wonderful view. He simply knew exactly where to take truly impressive photographs.

His explanations about the vegetation, attracting hummingbirds and much more made the day a truly special experience. We were out for many hours, including a break for swimming and lunch, and it was magnificent. He also seemed to know everyone, and at the end he took us to visit an acquaintance who has been caring for a tame fruit bat for many years. How often do you get the chance to see a fruit bat from so close?

Our second destination was La Digue. We took the ferry, a catamaran, from Victoria via Praslin to La Digue. The journey took around 1.5 hours. During our trip in July, the ocean was very rough, and about half of the passengers did not feel particularly well on board. The crew were well prepared for situations like this, however. If you already know that you are prone to seasickness, you may wish to consider flying instead. 1.5 hours can feel very long.

When we arrived on La Digue, someone was already waiting for us and took us to our small hotel.

One place you absolutely must see is, of course, La Digue’s famous beach, Anse Source d'Argent.

If you would like to enjoy the beach almost entirely to yourself, the best time to visit is either early in the morning until around 11.00, or after 15.00. You can also visit between these times, but you will have to share the beach with plenty of day visitors. It is also a very good place for snorkelling. You can have a fruit platter prepared there too, and it is large enough to make a satisfying meal.

There is a larger supermarket on the island, while towards the harbour there are various souvenir shops, smaller markets, a Creole Travel office and a takeaway. Exploring the island by bicycle is highly recommended. It is fascinating to discover the varied vegetation and reach beautiful beaches where there is not another soul in sight. Of course, not all of them are suitable for swimming, but the sight of the rocks and crashing waves alone is very impressive.

You can book a snorkelling trip at the harbour, for example. It is advisable to wear a swimming or snorkelling vest. The water was very rough, at least during our visit, and therefore not entirely safe. We were surprised ourselves by how far we drifted from the boat.

For us, this was the ultimate dream holiday, and we will certainly return one day. We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the entire SeyVillas team, whose excellent organisation made this holiday so special. Everything went completely smoothly.

One final tip: if you decide to go island hopping, you should plan to visit Mahé at the end of your trip. We were collected from La Digue quite early and arrived at the airport on Mahé around midday, but our flight did not depart until 20.00. That meant a long wait, and there is nothing there to make the time pass more pleasantly.