Nothing Is Impossible
Planning the trip
The deal was: as soon as we won the lottery, we would travel to the Seychelles. We had no idea where they were or what they would look like. Unfortunately, the lottery win never materialised, but after a little research, we discovered that it was perfectly possible to visit this classic paradise even on a limited budget. So we spent days poring over guidebooks, comparing prices and searching for accommodation before finding SeyVillas. For our first trip, we wanted to fit as many experiences as possible into the 10 days we could afford. No sooner said than done.La Digue
After landing on Mahé with Qatar Airways, we immediately took the small plane to Praslin. The views were wonderful! However, it is not suitable for travellers with a fear of flying. :) We then continued by ferry to La Digue. We booked the transfers through SeyVillas as well, which I would highly recommend to anyone visiting for the first time. This made travelling between our accommodation, as well as on our arrival and departure days, stress-free and seamless. On La Digue, we stayed at the guesthouse Belle des Iles Guest House. It was the loveliest of our three places to stay and felt like a little jungle apartment, with at least 3 Seychelles geckos visiting us every day and even a praying mantis. We were also able to hire bicycles there for our explorations. In 4 days, we cycled around almost the entire island. The hike from Grand Anse, Petite Anse & Anse Cocos is not to be missed! Take care: the path to Anse Cocos is not easy to find. At the end, you are rewarded with a small natural pool. One highlight at Anse Source d'Argent was seeing 3 large, colourful fish swimming around us less than half a metre away, clearly visible through the crystal-clear water. We spent our final evening on La Digue with Tommy. He owns the ‘Bikini Bottom’ Fruit Bar at Anse Severe. Thanks to him, we were also able to try breadfruit. He is a very funny, friendly chap with a tortoise called ‘Papaya’.
Praslin
We were initially a little disappointed by Praslin. Our accommodation, Villa Bananier, was located at Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or), which is not exactly the most beautiful beach in the archipelago. There is only one takeaway within walking distance, and it was not particularly good either. The restaurants nearby were all very expensive. On the other hand, there were plenty of small supermarkets that kept us going throughout the day. Our favourite experience was the hike to Anse Georgette. Starting from the ‘Mont Plaisir’ bus terminus, it took us about an hour to cross the red rocks, with wonderful views of the surrounding islands, and reach the small, almost deserted bay. We even spotted a tenrec. All the bus journeys on the island were quite an adventure. We did not want to miss Fond Ferdinand either. In hindsight, we would have preferred to visit Vallée de Mai, as Fond Ferdinand can only be explored with a guide. This meant we were tied to a large, slow-moving tour group. Still, you simply have to see the Coco de Mer at least once. We thought Anse Lazio was every bit as beautiful as Anse Georgette. The summer months are windier in the Seychelles, and diving beneath the waves is great fun.
Mahé
Our final stop was on the main island of Mahé, where we stayed at Villa Roscia. The owner was very kind and accommodating, and we had everything we needed. Naturally, we also had to take a day trip to Victoria. There is plenty to see there. The Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market offers an abundance of fruit and vegetables, including some we had never seen before. Fresh fish, heaps of spices and ceramics make it easy to choose a few souvenirs. We were also able to visit and experience three different religions in one day, thanks to the Hindu temple, the mosque and a Catholic church. Back at Beau Vallon: Bazar Labrin takes place there every Wednesday evening. It is a public market where local people offer their home-cooked food at affordable prices. The cassava cake is particularly recommended: a sweet dessert made from coconut milk and cassava root that is unfortunately rarely available in Germany. We also had the chance to try the famous calou. Another highlight for us was watching a local man climb a palm tree that must have been at least 20 metres tall to collect coconuts. Thankfully, everything went well and he made it safely back down.
