South of the Equator and Back Again

Three islands in three weeks: Praslin, La Digue and Mahé.

The Seychelles are truly worth a holiday. The tropical warmth, the friendliness of the people and everything there is to see, experience and enjoy make them very special. Beyond the weather, the scenery and the underwater world, the islands are fascinating for the different cultures, faiths and nationalities that coexist here or come to visit.

On Praslin, it quickly becomes clear that the Seychelles really do have dream beaches. We stayed in the self-catering accommodation Acquario Villa at Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or), from where it was easy to get around by public bus or by hitchhiking. The small village itself has supermarkets, hotel restaurants, street-food stalls and, of course, the wonderful beach, which is perfect for a daily stroll. From here, you can visit offshore islands such as Curieuse, where you can admire giant tortoises in the nature reserve. Depending on the tour, this may also include a barbecue and a snorkelling trip off the small island of St Pierre. The latter is definitely worth doing, as you can see a wide variety of fish.

Visiting Vallée de Mai National Park was another highlight. Multilingual guides can tell you all about the endemic flora and fauna.

The coco de mer palms, with their enormous nuts, are impressive, as is the variety of other palms, some with leaves so large you could comfortably wrap yourself in them. Tip: After your guided tour, take some time to let the tropical rainforest work its magic and simply follow the sounds of nature. Another excursion tip: Take the bus to Anse Lazio, which already has a beautiful beach. From there, walk along the coast through tropical scenery for around 1 hour and 15 minutes, and you will be rewarded with the dream beach of Anse Georgette. There is a small stall where you can treat yourself to fresh coconuts and local fruit. At the end of the day, you can easily take the bus back to where you are staying.

On the next island, La Digue, it is all about peace and quiet. There is no traffic noise, only the sound of the waves and the flying foxes circling overhead even during the day. On La Digue, you get around by bicycle and enjoy the wind in your hair. A trip to Anse Cocos with a break at the Caiman Bar makes for a perfect day out. Every beach here looks like a postcard. At L'Union Estate, you can also visit the vanilla plantations and a wonderful herb garden. From there, you can reach another magnificent beach: Anse Source d'Argent.

At the end of the day, one or two Takamaka cocktails with freshly squeezed fruit at sunset are a must. Our accommodation by Anse Grosse Roche, almost at the end of the road around the island, was even more peaceful. Only the occasional passing cyclist would stop for a photo shoot against the breathtaking backdrop.

The third island, Mahé, reveals yet another side of the Seychelles: it is busier and more touristy here. At weekends, locals and visitors gather on the beaches for picnics and to relax. If you can manage to leave your phone in your pocket, you may witness enormous shoals of flying fish and pods of dolphins. It is a spectacle that can be seen directly from the beach if you keep your eyes open.

If you wish, you can enjoy wonderful dives with one of the local diving schools, such as Atoll Divers, where sightings of turtles, 1,000s of tropical fish, moray eels and even whale sharks are commonplace. The transfers between the islands were very relaxed aboard the fast ferries. Thanks to SeyVillas’ excellent organisation, everything went smoothly and we were looked after with genuine hospitality.