A Holiday in Paradise – Snorkelling, Beaches and More!
A dream come true. In June this year, we not only celebrated our wedding but also went on our honeymoon to the Seychelles. With the help of SeyVillas, we planned our island-hopping trip and spent one week each on Mahé and Praslin. Most of the holidaymakers we met visited Praslin first and then Mahé, but for us this order was exactly right. In addition to Mahé and Praslin, we also visited four more of the Seychelles’ 115 islands: La Digue, Moyenne, Grand Soeur and Curieuse, each on a day trip.
Accommodation – The Bliss Hotels: On both islands, we stayed at the Bliss Hotel. The Bliss Hotel on Mahé stands out for its location right by the sea and its beautiful sunsets [Image 1]. The Bliss Hotel Praslin is situated directly on Grand Anse, offers fantastic sea views and is perfect for wonderful walks along the beach.
Excursions: The Seychelles are known for their white sandy beaches and crystal-clear blue water. That is certainly true, but the Seychelles have much more to offer than relaxation and sunbathing. It is worth mentioning, however, that virtually all beaches in the Seychelles are beautiful, whether they are famous (Anse Lazio, Anse Source d'Argent) or completely unknown. Every beach is worth visiting, and you will usually have it almost entirely to yourselves, although this does not apply to Anse Lazio or La Digue. On Mahé, we visited not only the capital, Victoria, including the Buddhist temple and market, but also enjoyed a Takamaka rum tasting at the distillery of the same name – it is advisable to have lunch beforehand – sampled coco de mer at the perfume factory, drank fresh coconut at Beau Vallon and went on an exciting hike along a nature trail to a deserted beach.
On Praslin, we visited Vallée de Mai National Park and unfortunately did not spot any black parrots, of which there are only around 900 on the island, but we did see countless coco de mer palms. Our absolute highlights, however, were the day trips by boat – either catamaran or speedboat – which gave us the chance to visit other islands and, above all, to go snorkelling. During the change of seasons, the sea is often rough and not all excursions can always go ahead. Nevertheless, we were able to visit breathtaking beaches on Grand Soeur and see sea turtles and reef sharks off Felicité, mangrove forests on Curieuse, giant tortoises in the wild on Moyenne, rays at Anse Lazio and an incredible variety of colourful fish everywhere.
Culinary delights: Anyone who takes at least one excursion by boat or bus in the Seychelles will inevitably get to enjoy a Creole barbecue: grilled fish, grilled chicken, rice, salad and caramelised banana. This is essentially what Seychellois cuisine has to offer. Particular highlights include fresh coconut to drink on the beach, cocktails made with local Takamaka rum – be sure to try the coconut one – Seybrew, the local Seychellois beer, and breadfruit crisps, which are available in supermarkets or at the market in Victoria. There is also a local saying that anyone who eats breadfruit in the Seychelles will return.
Travelling around the Seychelles by bus: The Seychelles are a former British colony, so traffic drives on the left, and travelling by road can sometimes be quite frightening. Narrow roads running alongside steep drops, a lack of pavements and buses being driven at breakneck speed are all characteristic of the roads here. We therefore decided not to hire a car and instead travelled on foot, by boat, ferry or bus. The most pleasant option is definitely the catamaran. On the ferry, it is well worth paying for the more expensive ticket, as in Economy Class you generally sit inside and the boat can rock considerably. Travelling around the entire island by bus is relatively easy and inexpensive, although you will need a bus card – preferably the white rechargeable one.
Conclusion: Our island-hopping trip in the Seychelles was truly a dream holiday. White beaches, blue sea, swimming with sea turtles, bathing alongside reef sharks, snorkelling, rum cocktails, sunsets, hiking and nature. Everything we could have wished for.
And one final secret: we ate breadfruit – so we will be back!
