A Holiday in Paradise

My boyfriend and I booked return flights with Qatar Airways, with a stopover in Doha both ways. The total flight time from Vienna to the Seychelles was around 10 hours. When we arrived at the tiny airport on Mahé, a shuttle was already waiting to take us to the harbour. We then left the main island of Mahé aboard the ‘Cat Cocos’ and arrived on the much smaller island of La Digue around an hour later. The ferry crossing is not for those with a weak stomach when the sea is rough – my recommendation is to bring plenty to drink, ideally a chilled Coke, as well as some chewing gum! As soon as you arrive on La Digue, hundreds of vendors approach you about hiring bicycles. We politely declined their offers at first and walked straight to our first accommodation, which was thankfully only a 5-minute walk from the harbour. We received a very warm welcome at the hotel and were simply glad to be able to rest for a while.

After a successful power nap, we walked to the nearest beach in the late afternoon and rewarded ourselves after the long journey with two freshly squeezed fruit juices, pineapple and mango. Absolutely delicious! Afterwards, we plunged into the waves – the seawater was the perfect temperature and shimmered in the slowly setting sun. The sky turned orange and pink, and we were simply delighted to finally be there.

The next day, we made our way to what is now considered the second most beautiful beach in the world, Anse Source d'Argent. Our accommodation provided us with bicycles for around €10 per person per day. It did not take long to reach the entrance gate, where you have to pay an admission fee of around €10 as well. In addition to enjoying the beach, however, you can also admire old coconut plantations, gardens and a giant tortoise enclosure. It is genuinely worth every cent! When we finally strolled barefoot along the beach through the soft sand, we could hardly believe our eyes. Crystal-clear turquoise water meeting powdery white sand and dark, rounded rock formations – simply breathtaking. We spent a wonderful day at the beach here, completely unwinding and enjoying a fresh coconut.

The following day, we cycled in the opposite direction across the island and left our bicycles at the end of the road by Anse Fourmis. In search of the next cove suitable for swimming, we had to negotiate a route across enormous rocks – the trail was certainly not for the faint-hearted, and it is best approached from the other side. After about an hour of ‘mountaineering’, we reached the deserted ‘Caiman Beach Bar’. The journey was worth it, though – we had an entire stretch of beach to ourselves. Beside it was a ‘natural rock pool’, which gradually filled with more water as the tide came in throughout the day. Sheltered by the rocks, the water was as calm as in a real swimming pool.

On the way home, we also came across two giant tortoises contentedly lingering in the road and eating greenery. What an exciting day!

On our final full day on La Digue, we cycled to Anse Cocos , where a fresh barbecue was being served right on the beach. We enjoyed grilled fish, vegetable curry, salad, rice and noodles, accompanied by fresh passion fruit juice – amazing!

The crossing from La Digue to Praslin was much more relaxing than the journey there. As there were not as many people on the boat, we were able to sit on the upper deck and enjoy the fresh air during the crossing. We then took a taxi from the harbour to our next accommodation, which was also really lovely and spacious, and even had a swimming pool. After picking up some lunch from a takeaway, we spent the rest of the day relaxing in the sunshine by the pool. The next morning, we set off early for the nearest bus stop and travelled to the famous Fond Ferdinand nature reserve, where we could admire the ‘Coco de Mer’ palm, the emblem of the Seychelles. The path led all the way up to the mountain summit, which offered breathtaking views across the ocean.

The following day, we moved on once again to our next accommodation, which was right by the sea. As it was very windy on this side of the island, we were able to watch several kitesurfers here. Dinner could be booked as an optional extra and was freshly prepared every day. Fish kebabs, prawns in garlic butter, chicken curry and much more were available – the best food we enjoyed in the Seychelles! Our accommodation made a reservation for us at the famous Anse Georgette for the following day. Since a large hotel complex was built there, you can only pass through the entrance gate with a reservation. From there, it is around a 20-minute walk to the beach alongside an enormous, beautifully maintained golf course. When you arrive, you can hardly believe your luck because it is so beautiful. The sea is calm, and there is not a single piece of seaweed in sight, either on the beach or in the water. We snorkelled along the rock faces and saw lots of wonderful colourful fish – a fantastic experience. The next day, we travelled one stop further to the terminus and visited Anse Lazio. This beach is also breathtakingly beautiful, with slightly more rocks than Anse Georgette. If you were lucky, you could even spot sea turtles while snorkelling.

Another highlight of this beach was the ‘Honesty Bar’. Here, you can help yourself to a cold drink, a strong Takamaka cocktail or a few snacks at genuinely fair prices. The owner has been looking after the bar for 30 years and has plenty of interesting stories to tell – in general, we can only recommend striking up a conversation with the locals. The Seychellois are very open and often have a great deal to share. Many can also tell you about pirates and their treasures, which are supposedly still buried underground to this day.

The final stop on our trip was Mahé, the largest island in the Seychelles. Our accommodation was only around 15 minutes from the airport, which was of course very convenient for our journey home. Directly in front of us was Anse Royale, but unfortunately it was very rough at the time, with lots of seaweed washing ashore. As it was cloudy on the day we arrived anyway, we decided to visit the nearby Takamaka Rum Distillery . Free tours are offered three times a day on weekdays. We arrived just in time for the final tour at 15:00. We were lucky to have a guide who was incredibly passionate about the subject – the whole experience was hugely entertaining and very interesting from start to finish. We learnt not only about rum distillation, but also about certain plants and animals for which the Seychelles are known. At the end of the tour, you could pay a little extra to take part in a small rum tasting – make sure you eat plenty beforehand! After a few varieties of rum had won us over, naturally a few bottles came home with us.

On our final day before leaving, we headed to Anse Takamaka. This beach also comes highly recommended. The water is crystal clear, and you can settle down comfortably beneath the palms and shrubs at the edge of the beach. There is also a small restaurant if you fancy a chilled drink or something to eat. However, as thefts apparently occur here fairly often, a few police officers occasionally walk through the ‘forest’ to make sure everything is in order. As a general rule, of course, you should leave important valuables at your accommodation.

As a final highlight of the trip, my boyfriend treated me to a horse ride along the beach. I had always wanted to do something like this, and at last the time had come. With ‘Turquoise Horse Trails’, we spent an hour exploring ‘Grand Anse’ on horseback while listening to fascinating stories from the owner, Damien. He and his wife have been looking after a horse farm for 8 years – it is clearly his top priority, which you notice immediately upon entering the ranch. I could not have imagined a more wonderful end to this holiday, and one thing is certain: this will definitely not be my last visit to the Seychelles!