Finally Back in the Seychelles
Finally returning to the Seychelles after 10 years. Having already enjoyed island hopping around the Seychelles in 2005, we decided to spend most of our 3 weeks on Praslin so that we could explore as many of the island’s beaches as possible. As beach lovers, this is paradise beyond compare for us. Back then: La Digue, Anse Cocos – we had the beach almost entirely to ourselves for a whole day, an absolute dream – but what about 2015?
Our home for these 3 weeks was the Beach Villa Guesthouse on Grand Anse. A well-kept property right on the beach, with wonderfully friendly staff, a delicious breakfast and, as a ‘bonus’, a selection of regional dishes in the evening that you simply can – and must – try your way through. Superb food!
Martin, the owner, offers day trips and fishing excursions on his boat. So, you really do get the full package here at the villas. The bus stop for the island’s dream beaches is just a short walk away, and shops can be reached in two minutes.
Before our trip, we had already booked a day tour with Mario, who has lived in the Seychelles for ‘a few’ years and has been running his own business here under the name ‘Edelweiss Tours’ for the past 2 years. If you are staying on Praslin for a little longer, you should book Mario’s services in advance, as his tours are very popular. The day tour is varied and offers plenty of highlights. Mario also shares some excellent insider tips, shows you ‘secret routes’ and suggests excursions for the rest of your stay in the Seychelles.
We visited Anse Georgette with him, walking there via Lemuria Resort, before continuing to Lemuria’s beaches, Anse Kerlan and Petite Anse Kerlan. We then carried on to Mont Plaisir, which is also the final stop on the bus route and the starting point for the panoramic trails to Anse Georgette and Anse Lazio. From there, we travelled along the west coast towards Consolation in the south and on to ‘Fond Ferdinand’ National Park, which is well worth visiting in addition to the ‘Vallée de Mai’. It is slightly smaller, but more varied and almost deserted – 100% recommended, and it can also be reached using the ‘Anse la Blague’ bus route (Anse Blague).
Just 5 minutes from here is Anse La Blague, a very peaceful beach that is well worth a detour. We continued via Cote d'Or, heading north along Anse Boudin to the Zimbabwe viewpoint, which offers a lovely view across the island. Then it was on to what is probably the best-known beach, Anse Lazio. It was a long but wonderful day trip, including a photo shoot, which is also part of Mario’s programme. You also receive plenty of information and tips about life in the Seychelles.
Over the course of the 3 weeks, we visited almost all the beaches, whether by bus – for a mere 5 rupees – or on foot. Everything is very easy to reach. Our favourite is Anse Georgette. The ‘secret route’ leading there from Mont Plaisir is somewhat strenuous, but offers wonderful views of Anse Kerlan, Anse Lazio and Curieuse Island, and is simply magnificent. In the morning, Anse Georgette is almost deserted.
The walk from Mont Plaisir to Anse Lazio is also recommended.
This is another beautiful panoramic trail with magnificent views of the coast, and if you arrive early enough, you will find Anse Lazio almost empty. You should definitely stop by the somewhat hidden ‘Honesty Bar’: cold drinks on a ‘self-service’ basis and a lovely view through the greenery towards Anse Lazio – an absolute dream.
In 2005, we walked the Pasquiere Track; this time, it was to be the Salazie Track, which ends at Anse Volbert. The route is quite strenuous and almost completely overgrown in places. From the narrow ascent, you cross a plateau to reach the pass, where there are magnificent views of the islands of Cousine and Cousin. Up to this point, it sometimes feels as though you are in the jungle. After that, the route is almost entirely downhill and is very steep in places, so sturdy footwear is essential.
La Digue – yes, we decided to do it after all and took the ferry over for the day. At the same time, we visited our former neighbours, Annemarie and David from the Beach Villas, and stopped by Patatran Village. And, of course, we took the first ferry so that we could see Anse Source d'Argent with as few people around as possible – and we succeeded!
We naturally had to fit in a cycling tour as well, riding to Grand Anse and back. We had forgotten just how strenuous those ‘special bicycles’ can be. Unfortunately, we did not manage to reach Anse Cocos this time, although it was worth trying. In the evening, we took the ferry back to Praslin.
On Mario’s recommendation, his fellow Swiss countryman Sandro from Vasco Tours was also able to offer us a day trip on Mahé. As the lads are also very busy, his colleague Alen – who, incidentally, is also fond of the royal blue colours – looked after us that day. Just as we had come to expect from Mario, our tour with Alen was very informative, straightforward and relaxed. And today, we visited Police Bay for the first time: high waves and unspoilt nature – simply wonderful!
SeyVillas was a great help when organising our trip, thanks to the incredible amount of information, travel reports and superb photos. In our opinion, the description and review of our accommodation, Beach Villa, where we felt very comfortable throughout our 3-week stay, was 100% accurate. So, we would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for the excellent work and service!
Three weeks on Praslin, including one day on La Digue and one day on Mahé – it worked perfectly. We would gladly do it again!
