White beaches, giant trees and flying foxes

First of all, each of these islands is truly dreamlike in its own right. Even as you approach Mahé by air, the view leaves you speechless. We had long dreamed of enjoying a holiday of a lifetime in the Indian Ocean. In the end, we chose the Seychelles.

What ultimately convinced us was SeyVillas’ excellent website. It is informative, clearly laid out and answers just about every question that might arise when planning a dream trip like this. Whenever we did have further questions, the team replied promptly by email.

Mahé

For our first long-haul trip, we decided to visit two of the Seychelles’ countless islands. We first spent a few days on the main island of Mahé. We explored it in a hire car booked through SeyVillas, which was waiting for us when we arrived at the airport. This allowed us to discover some of the island’s most beautiful corners, which we otherwise would never have seen. Our favourite beaches were Anse Intendance and Anse Takamaka. Both boast exceptionally clear water and powder-soft sand.

We were very impressed by the vegetation on Mahé. There are so many different plants and flowers, with coconuts and even star fruit simply hanging from the trees. Everything is so lush and green – a true jungle. Fruit bats fly overhead as you swim in the clear water at one of the countless beautiful beaches. It feels like being in Jurassic Park.

Coco de MerRainforest On Mahé, you should certainly not miss the Seychelles National Botanical Gardens in the capital, Victoria. It boasts an extraordinary variety of plants, particularly the unique Coco de Mer, as well as giant tortoises. We stayed in the best self-catering apartment we have ever had, at Villas de Jardin. As the name suggests, it is set on a hillside amid beautifully maintained gardens. The spacious terrace and pool offer fantastic views, while the sound of the sea invites you to simply relax and dream. With plenty of grocery shops and takeaways nearby, you are also well catered for when it comes to food.

Cerf

After all the oohs and aahs on the main island, we moved on after 10 days to the neighbouring island, where we stayed at Cerf Island Resort.

Cerf Island Resort The transfer aboard the hotel’s own motorboat also went very smoothly. Cerf comes highly recommended for snorkelling enthusiasts, as the coral reefs are quite easy to reach from here. We explored the surrounding Sainte Anne Marine National Park by canoe. The underwater world here is well worth seeing. Cerf Island is just as impressive for its vegetation as it is for the sense of peace and tranquillity, with neither cars nor bicycles used on the island. You can truly unwind and enjoy nature on the beautiful beach that runs along the island.

Saint Anne Marine National Park Those days flew by, and before we knew it, it was time to travel home again. SUCH A SHAME

One thing is certain: the Seychelles will see us again soon, as we are eager to discover the other islands too. Once back home, we were already browsing the SeyVillas website again – our longing to return is strong.

Thank you to SeyVillas for helping to make this unique experience possible.