A Short but Action-Packed Tour

When we decided to organise a trip to this destination ourselves, we had no doubts about how we wanted to explore the islands: for us, a catamaran would be ideal. After considering several companies offering this type of service, VPM seemed the best fit for us. As we only had a few days available, the VPM Cocktail Praslin allowed us to travel from Mahé to the other two main islands, Praslin and La Digue, while spending a few hours at some of the most spectacular and beautiful beaches in the world. With the help of SeyVillas, we therefore decided to book this itinerary from among the various options offered by VPM, and we were very pleased with our choice.

We departed from Malpensa at 16:00 on Thursday, 12 September, landed on Mahé on Friday morning and took a taxi to Eden Island.

From there, we took a water taxi to Round Island and the small JA Enchanted Island Resort, where we spent an unforgettable day. The island lies within Sainte Anne Marine Park, and from here it is also possible to reach other islands, such as Île Moyenne, by kayak. As well as being beautifully maintained down to the smallest detail, JA Enchanted Resort allows guests to immerse themselves in lush, unspoilt nature without sacrificing the comforts that only a property with such high standards can provide. The day ended with a dinner of traditional dishes, accompanied throughout the evening by live music and dancing in true Creole style.

On Saturday, after spending the morning at the resort, we returned to Eden Island at 15:00 to board the catamaran. Following introductions from the captain and crew, we set sail for Sainte Anne, where we dropped anchor.

The following day, we sailed towards Praslin and went ashore at Anse Lazio in the early afternoon. Despite a few spells of rain, the beach and the views were truly otherworldly, just like the pink sunset we watched from our catamaran. On Monday, we awoke to a double rainbow, and our route took us to Curieuse Island and its tortoise sanctuary, where you can meet giant tortoises with a particular fondness for bananas. Walking along a trail through the mangrove forests, we were captivated by the lush vegetation and biodiversity. In the afternoon, we set off for the Cocos Islands, where unfortunately a severe storm prevented us from enjoying our final few hours of afternoon snorkelling.

The penultimate day, however, rewarded us for all the waiting during the previous days. La Digue, with its wonderful beaches — our favourite was Anse Source d’Argent — moved us with the beauty of its scenery and colours. It is easily reached by bicycle, passing through a vanilla plantation and a small giant tortoise sanctuary. From there, you can begin a walk along small beaches interspersed with enormous dark boulders and short paths surrounded by greenery. In the late afternoon, we headed to Anse Severe for a short aperitif overlooking the sea. Once yet another downpour had passed, we returned to the catamaran.

On our final day, we took the first high-speed ferry from Praslin back to Mahé. At the harbour, you can leave your luggage in a small, secure storage facility, and from there it is easy to reach the centre of Victoria. We strolled along the main streets, visiting the market and the city’s small Hindu temple, before ending our trip by spending the final few hours before departure at the famous Beau Vallon. Although the weather could have been kinder to us, the Seychelles offer such beautiful scenery that they thoroughly deserve a place near the top of anyone’s list of destinations to visit. Who knows — perhaps the next time we return, as well as rediscovering these wonderful landscapes, we might also find a little more sunshine.