Mahé – an unforgettable stay
Whether sunny or cloudy, dry or rainy, our holiday on Mahé was one of the loveliest we have ever had.
My husband, my family and I spent our 13-day holiday in August/September 2015 on the main island of Mahé. The Chez Batista villa was our accommodation, and we stayed on what is surely one of Mahé’s most beautiful beaches, Anse Takamaka.
We expected good, sunny weather, but during our holiday we had only 5 days of uninterrupted sunshine – the remaining days were cloudy and sometimes rainy, and we even experienced 2 severe thunderstorms at night. Apart from the rain, the clouds hardly bothered us because, to be honest, you cannot last even 10 minutes there in the full sun. However, the sun still needs to make an appearance for good photographs. The locals told us that the weather was very unusual for that time of year, although it had become increasingly unpredictable over the past few years (for comparison, at the same time the previous year, in 2014, there had been nothing but sunshine).
Our accommodation: Chez Batista
We did not receive the rooms we had booked, which were a few metres from the beach in the ‘garden’. Instead, to our surprise, we were shown to the suites upon arrival, and our 2 rooms were right on the beach and ‘over’ the water – we were absolutely delighted! Apart from a leaking shower head in the bathroom of one suite, there was nothing to complain about; everything was tip-top! Very clean, air-conditioned and free from mould. It is worth mentioning again that this accommodation is right by the sea, so the salt and sea spray can take their toll, and a small patch of mould may occasionally appear here and there. This was the case on our balcony, but it did not bother us at all, as we were not sleeping there.
Breakfast was sufficient to give us a good start to the day. There were juices (not freshly squeezed), water, instant coffee, powdered milk, toast, butter, jam, cheese, fruit salad, freshly made pancakes, Nutella and freshly prepared omelettes, scrambled eggs or fried eggs with ham, if requested, as well as cheese, onions and tomatoes. The same breakfast was served every day. I find it rather unfortunate that many holidaymakers complain about not receiving a lavish European-style breakfast in the Seychelles, but it is important to remember that the Seychelles would have to import many of the ingredients at great expense, including coffee beans.
The Creole buffet at Chez Batista on Sundays was simply fantastic. It was varied, plentiful and fresh, with many local specialities such as fish, shark, ray and flying fox. The buffet was also very popular with locals. At other times, you could order à la carte in the restaurant during the day, both at lunchtime and in the evening. There were also delicious cocktails – the Aisha cocktail is highly recommended – and the very tasty local beer, ‘Seybrew’.
The staff were very friendly and always greeted us warmly. We felt very comfortable and welcome. Some of the staff also chatted and laughed with us. People there are very happy to talk at length if you show an interest and approach them.
The beaches
We explored many beaches and fell in love with Anse Takamaka and Anse Soleil during our holiday. These gorgeous beaches not only offer plenty of space and breathtaking views, but are also ideal for snorkelling. There are apparently other beaches where the snorkelling is very good, but visibility at the other beaches was often poor during our visit due to the lack of sunshine, rough seas and disturbed sand.
The underwater world
Snorkelling was one activity we definitely did not want to miss, and Mahé made it possible at almost every beach. Of course, calm weather and ideally plenty of sunshine are needed for excellent visibility underwater, but we were still able to enjoy snorkelling even in cloudy weather – there is simply so much to see.
At Anse Takamaka alone, we were able to swim with sea turtles, stingrays, colourful fish and even a small shark.
Our tips
1. Hire car – this makes it easier to reach almost anywhere on the island and allows you to remain flexible. Taxis are very expensive, while buses are very cheap, although they can sometimes take quite a bit longer and some bus drivers drive like mad. Please note that traffic drives on the left on Mahé and the driver’s seat is on the right. Some of the roads are also very narrow, and you often pass places where there is a steep drop of several metres.
2. Takeaways – restaurants can become expensive over time, with prices sometimes comparable to those in Europe. It is also worth trying the small takeaways, where you can get a generous portion of Creole food for the equivalent of €2–€3.
3. Kaz Kreol restaurant is definitely worth a visit. The octopus and fish there are absolutely delicious.
