A Dream Diving Holiday in the Seychelles
Who does not dream of powdery white beaches, crystal-clear turquoise water, lush tropical forests, sunshine and complete relaxation?
But it was not only the qualities mentioned above that drew us to the Seychelles. Above all, we wanted to experience the underwater world of the granitic islands.
As passionate divers, we are always looking for new, exciting and unforgettable underwater adventures. And the Seychelles certainly deliver!
However, as this travel journal is not intended solely for divers, we will also tell you a little about the world you can experience without diving equipment – which impressed us just as much!
We would like to begin with our tour operator:
SeyVillas From our initial enquiry through to the final booking, we received excellent advice. Our wishes were taken into account, changes were made and we received all the support we needed. Our contact with the travel experts at SeyVillas was always friendly and courteous. We booked the following services through SeyVillas: Accommodation, transfers and hire cars.After booking, we therefore felt confident that everything would run smoothly once we arrived. But the service we received in the Seychelles far exceeded our expectations! Everything happened punctually and exactly as agreed; even the hire cars were already waiting for us at the guesthouses when we arrived. We had a personal local contact whom we could reach via WhatsApp or telephone. We have rarely experienced everything being so well organised and running so smoothly. Thank you very much!
We strongly recommend that everyone book their transfers and hire cars through SeyVillas. It may cost a few euros more than arranging everything yourself, but the flawless local organisation provided by SeyVillas is more than worth the small additional cost!
Praslin | Cap Jean Marie Beach Villas (Anse Kerlan)
A dream come true! Set directly beside a small bay and nestled within a tropical garden, the four villas await their guests. The furnishings are attractive and practical, with everything you could need. The hosts are very friendly and helpful. There are several small shops nearby, within walking distance, selling everything you need for daily life. Many different restaurants can be found at Grand’Anse, around a 10-minute drive away by hire car. Some of the restaurants belong to hotels but are still happy to welcome outside guests. Simply stop by, ask and make a reservation.
Praslin | Dive centre
We dived with Whitetip Divers at the Paradise Sun Hotel on Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or). The dive-centre team is young and dynamic. The diving operation is extremely well organised, although the dive boat is a little small. We met at 9 am each morning, assembled our equipment and then travelled to the dive site, which took between 5 and 50 minutes depending on the location. A maximum of 6 divers follow each guide. Diving independently as a buddy team is not an option because the dive sites cannot be fully covered in a briefing. You do not simply dive from A to B or make your own way back to the boat. Most dive sites are out in the open sea, which can, of course, mean strong currents. You therefore always follow the guide, who knows how to use the currents to your advantage, allowing you to dive along beautiful reefs without ending up in open water or over a sandbank. Once the maximum dive time or minimum cylinder pressure has been reached – 50 minutes or 50 bar – you ascend slightly, the guide deploys the surface marker buoy and, following the safety stop, the boat collects you at the surface. The guide carries several surface marker buoys so that, if anyone uses their air too quickly, a buddy team can be sent to the surface independently.
You pass your equipment up to the team on the boat, and they change the cylinders straight away. There is a surface interval with water, fruit and biscuits while the boat travels to the second dive site. After the second dive, you return to the dive centre within a maximum of 20 minutes, arriving back between 12.30 pm and 1.30 pm.
The dive centre can arrange another afternoon dive on request. It is closed on Sundays, but if enough divers would like to go out – at least 6 – the team is also happy to organise a Sunday trip.
Praslin | Underwater
Unfortunately, El Niño has also had a negative impact on the underwater world of the Seychelles. However, we do not think it is as severe as at other reefs around the world. You can tell that dive tourism plays only a minor role on the islands. The reefs appear intact, there are plenty of fish and the underwater landscapes are simply breathtaking. The reef inhabitants seem curious about divers and apparently have not yet had any negative experiences. We were able to watch a nurse shark hunting. Turtles remain completely unperturbed. Schools of fish hold their position. We were very, very impressed! Whether you prefer larger marine life or nudibranchs, there is something here for every taste. Of our 12 dives, there was only one on which we did not see a shark! Nurse sharks, grey reef sharks, blacktip reef sharks and whitetip reef sharks. Napoleon wrasse, octopuses, turtles, enormous stingrays, eagle rays, moray eels, barracudas, leaf scorpionfish and stonefish, scorpionfish, mackerel, tuna, spiny lobsters, sea cucumbers and starfish in every imaginable variety – to name just a few of the reef’s most notable inhabitants. There are often strong currents, but in our opinion, these enhance the diving experience. We cannot recommend Whitetip Divers highly enough!
Praslin | The island
Hire a car and explore this beautiful island at your own pace! Distances are generally short, even if the roads can occasionally seem a little adventurous. You will discover hidden coves, lovely viewpoints, a pleasant climate in the tropical forest and, of course, countless picture-perfect beaches. Do not miss the opportunity to sample the fruit sold at roadside stalls.
Praslin | Excursions
We took a trip to Curieuse Island (Curieuse Marine National Park). As we had spent a lot of time underwater, we did not want to book a full-day excursion with a snorkelling trip, so we took a water taxi from Anse Volbert to the island. The crossing takes just 10 minutes. Once on Curieuse, we first admired the inquisitive giant tortoises. It feels like being in Jurassic Park. These prehistoric creatures happily eat mangoes from your hand and enjoy having their necks scratched. It was an incredibly special experience. We then set off on the approximately 1-hour walk to the doctor’s house at the former leper colony. The walk is not strenuous, but remember to take plenty of water, sun protection and a hat! Walking through the lush vegetation was both beautiful and impressive. Time and again, we caught lovely views of neighbouring Praslin and Curieuse’s own idyllic sandy beaches. When we reached the doctor’s house, we ate the picnic we had brought with us on the beach, cooled off in the turquoise water and rested after the walk. After a total of 2 hours on the island, we arranged for the water taxi to collect us again.
Exploring the Vallée de Mai was also a must for us. We hired a private guide, who gave us a detailed explanation of the various species of palm and, of course, the famous Coco de Mer. Thanks to our guide, we not only gained an excellent insight into the Garden of Eden, but also learnt a great deal about the lives and work of the people on Praslin.
Praslin | Food and drink
Our beach villa had a fully equipped kitchen, but we had little desire to cook for ourselves. For anyone who would like to, however, here is a tip: Unfortunately, the vegetables in the minimarkets are often no longer entirely fresh, fish and meat are only available frozen, and the selection of fruit is also rather limited. However, there are plenty of roadside stalls along the main road to Côte d’Or where you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as freshly caught fish directly from the fishermen.
The tap water is perfectly safe to drink. Soft drinks, lemonade, fruit juices, beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks are available in every minimarket.
However, you should dine out at least once. There are many excellent restaurants on the island, as well as small takeaway restaurants serving incredibly tasty local food at affordable prices. Our highlight for local yet very high-quality cuisine in a wonderful setting was: Les Rochers Restaurant & Boutique, between Anse Bateau and Anse St Sauveur by Grosse Roche. Make sure you arrive early so that you can enjoy the sunset with a sundowner and your feet in the sand! Booking is recommended, and do check which days the restaurant is closed.
Mahé | Villas de Jardin (Port Glaud)
These villas stand out for their magnificent views. The interior is beautiful, cosy and comfortable. The bathroom feels like a wellness oasis, while the outdoor shower and shared pool complete the excellent experience. From the wooden terrace or the pool, you can watch the fruit bats searching for food from late afternoon well into the evening. The drive up to the higher villas is very, very steep, although you soon get used to it. For this accommodation, we strongly recommend hiring a car – and not only because the steep route is almost impossible to manage on foot. There is a minimarket in the village and a nearby restaurant, the Del Place Restaurant. However, we can only recommend the restaurant with some reservations. It is beautifully situated and attractively furnished, but in our opinion the food is not quite worth the price. We ate better food for less at other restaurants. Even so, it is worth visiting for lunch. Elegant attire is expected in the evening. At Villas de Jardin, it is best to cook for yourself in the evening if you do not want to travel longer distances after dark.
Mahé | Dive centre
We went diving with Atoll Divers on Coral Strand Road in Beau Vallon. The dive centre has a young, dynamic team, and you can expect European standards, as the manager is from France. The diving operation is extremely well organised, and the dive boat, which is equipped with compressors, is very professional. We met at 8.00 am, loaded the equipment into the minibus and drove to the boatyard where the dive boat is moored. As the boat has compressors, the equipment is not assembled until you are on board. The procedure is the same as on Praslin. The only difference is that, thanks to the compressors on board, the cylinder does not need to be changed; it is simply refilled during the surface interval.
The dive centre offers a wide range of experiences, including snorkelling excursions. We would highly recommend Atoll Divers!
Mahé | Underwater
Underwater, you can expect the same as around Praslin. However, there are also dive sites where you can explore wrecks. Trips to the wrecks are only offered to very experienced divers and upon request.
Mahé | The island
Hire a car and explore this beautiful island independently! Distances are considerably longer than on Praslin, and the traffic is also much heavier. We feel that Mahé is absolutely worth visiting and in no way inferior to Praslin. However, as it is not quite as tranquil as Praslin, next time we would stay on Mahé first and then visit the smaller island of Praslin.
Mahé | Excursions
We drove around a great deal, taking in the various beaches, landscapes and impressions. The vegetation is very different from that on Praslin. There are many different hiking trails on the island. However, it was definitely too hot for us, and we had not brought suitable footwear.
We would certainly recommend a visit to the Le Jardin Du Roi Spice Garden. The garden is magnificent, informative and unique. If you missed the Coco de Mer on Praslin, you can also see it here!
The capital, Victoria, is also definitely worth visiting. We were lucky enough to be in Victoria on payday. There was something resembling a small street festival, with numerous stalls selling everything from clothes and toys to household appliances, food and drink. Just make sure you do not need to visit the bank that day; Seychellois workers have to cash their pay cheques at the bank, resulting in long queues… There are many small souvenir shops in the city selling handmade works of art and other items by local artists and producers.
Mahé | Food and drink
Our villa had a fully equipped kitchen, and its location meant that we had to cook for ourselves. We did not want to drive long distances after dark, so we stocked up on fresh fruit, vegetables and fish from roadside stalls. Everything else was available from the local minimarket.Mahé also has countless takeaway restaurants where you can enjoy delicious dishes at very reasonable prices. You will find a wide selection of them along Beau Vallon beach.
In conclusion
We had a completely mistaken impression of the Seychelles. We thought the islands were only suitable for honeymooners or people who enjoy spending all day lying on the beach. We could not have been more wrong! There is so much to discover in the Seychelles, both underwater and on land! Thanks to SeyVillas, we also learnt that a holiday in the Seychelles does not have to be a luxury. There are countless beautiful and affordable places to stay. Embrace the adventure and visit the Seychelles with SeyVillas! We will definitely return! Rarely has a country impressed us so much!
Many thanks to SeyVillas for an unforgettable dream holiday!
