A Holiday in Paradise

We set off on 30 September. We flew with Etihad via Abu Dhabi to Mahé. The flight was pleasant, and we were already full of anticipation. After arriving on Mahé, we received a very warm welcome from the Creole Travel Services team. We were taken by minibus to the port of Victoria and, after a short wait, boarded the ‘Cat Cocos’ ferry, which took us to Praslin.

Praslin

During our stay on Praslin, we stayed in an apartment at Ocean Jewels Resort, right on Grand Anse. The apartment was clean, very spacious and well equipped. Although there was seaweed on Grand Anse (which we already knew about), it was still lovely to stroll along the powdery white beach. The airport was only 5 minutes away, and there was also a cash machine there.

One highlight was our excursion to Curieuse Island to see the giant tortoises. We were in a small group, and our guide Peter was very friendly and informative. The walk through the mangroves was particularly lovely, and we saw lots of little crabs along the way. After this rather sweaty walk, we finally reached the giant tortoises, which are protected on the island. Our guide gave us a few leaves so that we could feed them.

Giant tortoise The secluded beaches with the island’s characteristic granite rocks were also unique. Afterwards, we enjoyed a delicious barbecue on the beach, followed by a fantastic snorkelling experience at St Pierre.

We hired a car for 2 days and explored the island. Of course, we could have taken the bus, but firstly, the buses did not always run, and secondly, it was quite hot at the time. We therefore decided to hire a car, which we did not regret. On Praslin, we kept discovering beautiful beaches such as Anse Boudin and Anse Possession.

Our absolute dream beach, however, was Anse Lazio. We particularly loved the granite rocks, powdery white sand and beautiful underwater world. We would return for this beach alone!

Snorkelling Another wonderful beach for sunsets is Petite Anse Kerlan.

Anse Kerlan, Praslin

La Digue

We also really loved the island of La Digue – perhaps even more than anywhere else.

We spent 5 days at Rising Sun Guesthouse. Although it is no longer the most modern guesthouse, it had everything we needed, and its location was very central. Just 100 metres away is Gala Takeaway, which we can highly recommend. We thought the food was absolutely delicious.

Compared with Praslin, we felt there was a much wider choice of restaurants and takeaways, which also stayed open later. That was great. Like everyone else, we got around by bicycle, which was great fun! There are also some lovely hidden beaches in the east of the island, such as Anse Banane. We particularly liked Grand Anse in the east and Anse Patates in the north. The enormous waves were fascinating.

Grand Anse, La Digue The world-famous Anse Source d'Argent lies in the south-west and is reached through a park (admission: approximately €8). The spice plantations in the park are also well worth visiting. You can see vanilla, pepper, mangoes and much more. The beaches, and especially the granite rocks, are truly breathtaking and look just like something from a picture book.

Anse Source d'Argent, La Digue

Mahé

On our final island, we spent 5 days at Romance Bungalows. It was the best accommodation of the entire trip and offered the best value for money. The hostess was incredibly friendly, and we were given a ‘honeymoon room’ with an enormous granite rock incorporated into its interior. The accommodation was right by the island’s most popular beach, Beau Vallon.

Anse Kerlan, Praslin As Mahé is considerably larger than the other 2 islands, we hired a car. The car hire office was right next to our accommodation, which was very convenient.

Bird on the balcony We did not find the beaches quite as lovely as those on Praslin and La Digue, but we still really enjoyed Anse Royale and Port Launay North Beach. Both are excellent for snorkelling. Near the southern tip lies Anse Bazarca, a beautiful beach with large waves. There are more lovely beaches and places in the west, such as Baie Lazare. We would also recommend Baie Ternay, which we reached along a very narrow road (take care when driving!).

However, snorkelling is only possible by boat because the water is very shallow. Even so, we saw several rays searching for shellfish. We were fascinated by the unspoilt natural surroundings.

Finally, you should certainly take time to enjoy the beautiful sunsets at Beau Vallon.

Sunset at Beau Vallon We would love to visit the Seychelles again! It was simply paradise. Many thanks to SeyVillas and Ms Niemann for the excellent organisation and this wonderful holiday in paradise!