Island Hopping in Paradise

La Digue

From the airport to our first stop, we were met by Creol staff both there and at the ferry terminal. Everything was always well organised, and they took us to our destination. We spent our first night in paradise on the small, wonderfully charming island of La Digue. The few kilometres from one end of the island to the other are mainly covered by bicycle. After a short cycle ride, we too were able to admire the magnificent bays of Grand Anse and Petite Anse.

Grand Anse That same day, we enjoyed the fragrance of the vanilla plants at L'Union Estate and marvelled at the giant tortoises by Giant Union Rock. The path leads to the famous Anse Source d'Argent, which is every bit as beautiful as you imagine. You can enjoy the sunset not only there, but also at Anse Severe, which is easily reached by bicycle from the southern end of the island in around 15 minutes.

Sunset at Anse Severe

Praslin

We took the ferry from La Digue to our next island, Praslin. There, the greater level of tourism and the island’s larger size are more noticeable. Nevertheless, life is very relaxed, as it is almost everywhere in the Seychelles. The people of the Seychelles are always very friendly and helpful. Our accommodation was close to the famous Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or). Although it is popular, there are still plenty of opportunities to relax. From here, we went diving and snorkelling in Curieuse Marine National Park.

It was a wonderful experience and very well organised by the diving school. Once again, we explored the island by bicycle, but also by bus. This requires a certain sense of adventure, but it is absolutely worthwhile. For the equivalent of around 50 cents, you can see a great deal of the island and quickly strike up conversations with the local people. This was also how we reached Vallée de Mai National Park.

Vallée de Mai The park teaches you a great deal about the island’s natural environment and is best explored with a knowledgeable guide. Without one, we would never have spotted the tiny lizards on the Coco de Mer palms, nor would we have recognised a cinnamon tree. The cooler temperature in the park was a pleasant surprise. We were able to enjoy a short walk without immediately working up a sweat. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at one of the many takeaways. They serve very tasty, affordable food. We felt very much at home on Praslin, where we were able to relax wonderfully and discover the local culture.

Mahé

A ferry crossing of around 45 minutes took us to the largest island, Mahé. With a fair amount of swell, it was not for those with delicate stomachs. Once again, a driver collected us and took us to our accommodation at Baie Lazare. The southern part of the island is far less touristy than the north, which made it all the more appealing to us. We did not hire a car to explore the island here either, but travelled by bus instead. Once again, it was absolutely worthwhile. Most of the journey to the Tea Factory could be made by bus.

However, we had to tackle the strenuous uphill section on foot because, unfortunately, the bus did not arrive. In tropical temperatures, this was quite an experience. Once we reached the Tea Factory, we were able to rest and take our time learning about the various stages of tea production.

View from the Tea Factory As a lovely souvenir, we stocked up on plenty of delicious tea. We then continued to the capital, Victoria. The main item on our itinerary was the Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market. It was an experience for both the eyes and the nose. Unfortunately, the rest of our city tour was rather spoilt by the rain. We were able to explore the various beautiful bays and sights mainly by bus. On our final day, we visited the Takamaka Rum Distillery . This is also highly recommended, even if you do not drink rum.

You gain an insight into both the production process and the island’s fascinating history. As there were no suitable bus connections, we eventually explored the southern part of the island by car, where we experienced the rougher side of the sea at Anse Petit Boileau.

We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday in the Seychelles and are still overwhelmed by the beauty of the islands, each in its own unique way.