The Perfect Blend of Adventure, Activity and Relaxation: 10 Days on Praslin, La Digue and Mahé

Part 1 – Praslin: If you are looking for the perfect balance of activity and relaxation in the Seychelles, I warmly recommend reading my account. Before our trip, SeyVillas provided excellent assistance with booking our accommodation and hire cars.

After arriving on Mahé, we immediately took the Cat Coco ferry to Praslin, where our hire car was already waiting for us at the harbour. The handover was completely straightforward, and we were even able to arrange at short notice to return it somewhere other than originally planned. This gave us plenty of flexibility to explore the island independently, which worked wonderfully. Naturally, we could not miss a visit to the Vallée de Mai, and our lovely host at L’Hirondelle arranged a free permit for us at the gate to Residence Lemuria. This opened the door to the dream beach of Anse Georgette, which we reached after a 20-minute walk. Delicious fruit platters and juices are available there – simply wonderful!

After returning our car at the gate to Lemuria, we took the local bus back to the guesthouse – an adventure not to be missed! Travelling by bus on Praslin is very straightforward and also extremely inexpensive. Simply download the SPTC app; there is no need to register, and you only need to add credit using a credit card (each journey costs just 10 rupees, regardless of its duration). You then scan the QR code from the app on the bus. Be warned, however: you may not be allowed aboard with luggage that is too large, depending on how full the bus is. A medium-sized rucksack is fine.

Part 2 – La Digue: After three days on Praslin, we continued by ferry to La Digue, where we hired bicycles at short notice for the next four days. Following a brief exchange on WhatsApp, someone was already waiting for us at the harbour, and we were able to head straight to our guesthouse, Bois d'Amour , which is wonderfully situated amid lush greenery. We then set off on our first explorations by bicycle. In my opinion, a hike with Robert from Sunnytrail is an absolute must. His brother guided us professionally and with plenty of humour along hidden paths through the jungle to a secluded bay. There, he prepared a magnificent fruit platter for us while we snorkelled in a natural pool. The hike continued over and beneath huge granite boulders, and we learnt how to open coconuts, along with many other things. It was certainly money well spent.

Afterwards, we even managed to fit in a glass-kayak tour before ending the afternoon at the breathtakingly beautiful Anse Source d'Argent , with a touch of Bacardi, Castaway and Robinson Crusoe spirit. We devoted the following day to Grand Anse and a short hike to Anse Cocos. At the latter, there was a simple but delicious beach buffet offering fresh fish and curry – you should definitely try it. A snorkelling trip to the Sister Islands and Félicité is also an absolute must. The underwater world here is second to none! We even managed to fit in a hike to Belle Vue.

Part 3 – Mahé: We spent our final three days at our beautiful Villa Roscia on Mahé, enjoying the vividly coloured sunsets from its terrace. I recommend two hikes on this island: the romantic Anse Major Trail along the coast and the mystical Morne Blanc. Also not to be missed are Victoria Market and the Takamaka rum tasting – the tour itself is free and very well organised. After our hike, we relaxed at Baie Lazare. One helpful tip from SeyVillas was that there is a shower at the airport – very useful if your flight does not depart until the evening and you would like to spend the day at the beach. All in all, we look back on an exceptionally successful holiday in the Seychelles! Best wishes Sandra