Our Dream Holiday in the Seychelles

Our dream holiday in the Seychelles began on La Digue. Immediately after arriving on Mahé, we took the ferry via Praslin to La Digue. The ferry journey gave us our first impressions of this beautiful corner of the world – paying a small supplement for a seat on the ‘upper deck’ is therefore highly recommended. Once ashore, it took us only a few minutes to walk to our first accommodation, Le Repaire Boutique Hotel. We received a very warm welcome with homemade iced tea and immediately felt at home. The grounds, and the garden in particular, are very well maintained, beautifully secluded and lead directly onto the hotel’s own stretch of beach.

Our room was very modern and clean, with plenty of space to settle in for the first few days. The hotel is run by an Italian family and has a very good restaurant serving absolutely delicious Italian pizza and lovely wine – highly recommended.

The best way to get around La Digue is by bicycle, and this allowed us to explore some wonderful places and beaches. Anse Severe in the north of the island is a very expansive, shallow beach surrounded by beautiful rock formations. It is also a great place for snorkelling, and on our very first day we encountered our first giant tortoise on the beach. These peaceful creatures are simply wonderful to watch and immediately captivated us. The next day, we went on a guided hike with Robert Agnes (Sunny Trail Guide) to the stunning Anse Marron, where we learnt a great deal about the natural surroundings and enjoyed them to the full. Robert made such an effort to show us the beautiful beaches along the south coast and introduce us to the jungle. The hike ended at the breathtaking Anse Source d'Argent and is highly recommended.

Anse Marron, La DigueAnse Source d'Argent We also thoroughly enjoyed another excursion from La Digue – a trip with Shamyl from Simplicity Boat Charter to Big Sister Island, Félicité and Coco Island. The snorkelling at various spots was fantastic, and we saw several turtles and even swam alongside them. The beach on Big Sister Island was our absolute favourite in the Seychelles, and we found it difficult to tear ourselves away from this wonderful place. Shamyl and his team prepared a barbecue on the island, and we were also able to admire a few more giant tortoises – an absolute dream destination.

Big Sister IslandBig Sister Island After so many memorable experiences, we continued by ferry to Praslin. Our accommodation, ‘Colibri Guest House, is right by the sea, and we had a room with a fabulous sea view. We could also enjoy the view from a wonderful vantage point over breakfast, so we were enchanted all over again each morning. As everything on Praslin is a little more spread out, we hired a car for the day and visited the famous Anse Lazio, among other places.

Anse Lazio, Praslin Although it was slightly busier than the beaches we had experienced on La Digue, it is so expansive, with fine sand and gently shelving water, that it is difficult to look away. Another destination was Fond Ferdinand, which we could reach on foot from our accommodation. The walk there certainly worked up a sweat, but there were some wonderful views along the way.

View from Fond Ferdinand During a guided tour, we learnt a great deal about the flora and fauna, as well as the famous coco de mer, which still grows there naturally. After climbing numerous steps, we were rewarded with a fantastic view across the surrounding islands and were once again delighted by the diversity and beauty of the Seychelles.

The following day was all about giant tortoises and snorkelling. We had booked an island and snorkelling tour with David (Surfari Seychelles) and were collected directly from our hotel. David has some Swiss roots and speaks German. He explained a great deal to us and, together with his colleagues, prepared an excellent Creole lunch. We first visited Curieuse Island and Curieuse Marine National Park, which is home to more than 200 free-roaming giant tortoises. As these animals never fail to delight us, we felt completely at ease here too.

Curieuse We continued with a short hike across the island and, after the aforementioned lunch, travelled on to St Pierre for some snorkelling. This tiny island is perfect for taking a fantastic photograph. Snorkelling on the offshore reef was simply beautiful, and we were able to watch several shoals of fish.

Our final stop was Mahé! We once again travelled by ferry, this time from Praslin to Mahé, where a representative from the car hire company met us directly at the harbour. Hiring a car on the island is highly recommended, as taxis are very expensive and a car gives you complete flexibility to explore the wonderful surroundings. Our hotel, Crown Beach Hotel, is in the south-east of the island, directly beside a beautiful beach. We felt completely at home in our modern room with its sea view and also spent plenty of time at the beach and pool.

We were particularly impressed by Anse Takamaka, which feels slightly wilder and is especially photogenic at sunset. Sans Soucis Road is also highly recommended – this mountainous road connects the east and west of the island and runs through Morne Seychellois National Park. It offers wonderful views across the island and the islands offshore, as well as the feeling of experiencing the national park up close. Several hiking trails branch off from the road and come highly recommended in guidebooks, but unfortunately we did not have enough time to follow these recommendations.

As many people will know, there is almost no escaping the delicious Takamaka rum in the Seychelles. This genuinely excellent drink appears on almost every advertising hoarding and is available in every restaurant, kiosk and bar. On Mahé, we had the opportunity to visit Takamaka Rum Distillery and take part in a rum tasting.

Takamaka Rum Distillery The tour was very interesting and the atmosphere wonderfully inviting. For example, guests are welcomed at a Takamaka bar with a complimentary and absolutely delicious rum drink. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and are looking forward to recreating that holiday feeling at home with a delicious Takamaka cocktail.

Our holiday in the Seychelles was a unique experience, and we are certain that the many lasting memories will stay with us for a long time to come.

Svenja & Florian