The trip of a lifetime: Praslin and La Digue

Our trip to the Seychelles, our first major holiday lasting 8 nights, began when we arrived on Tuesday, 14 May on the island of Mahé, followed by a ferry transfer to Praslin, where we stayed at the Castello Beach Hotel. It was an absolute gem by the sea, with a swimming pool. The period décor in the junior suite took us back in time. The food was generous and of excellent quality, and we received a very warm welcome. The day after our arrival, on Wednesday, we joined a boat trip with Angel Tours to St Pierre Island and Curieuse Island, an excursion selected through SeyVillas. We made several stops for snorkelling before discovering the giant tortoises on Curieuse Island, which we were able to stroke to our hearts’ content. We also saw hundreds of crabs in the mangroves and lemon sharks along the shore – a little taste of paradise. A barbecue was organised on the beach at lunchtime, with vegetables, rice, chicken and fish: traditional Creole food. We continued the afternoon with a visit to the mangroves. The boat trip back ended with a local dance involving all the guests and crew. On our 3rd day on the island, Thursday, we decided to visit Anse Sévère by local bus, which gave us the chance to meet local people and chat with them on several occasions. We spent the day exploring Côte d’Or, a magnificent place with a long white-sand beach where we enjoyed an extended walk. On the 4th day, Friday, we decided to continue exploring by bus and travelled to Anse Lazio, the most beautiful beach on the island, with breathtaking colours. We enjoyed coconuts on the beach and felt as though we were in paradise. We then went on a short hike to Anse Boudin. Along the way, we discovered homes surrounded by lush vegetation, including banana plants, coconut palms, hibiscus and breadfruit trees… Before we knew it, Saturday morning had arrived, and it was time to pack our bags and head to La Digue. Another ferry transfer took us to La Digue. This small island is even prettier than Praslin. Travelling around by bicycle is all part of its charm. On arriving at Guesthouse La Diguoise, we found a small, family-run property with an extraordinary garden. On Sunday, we set off on an excursion with Andreas from Sunny Trail Guide, selected through SeyVillas, hiking from Grand Anse beach to Anse Source d’Argent. It was an extraordinary hike with magnificent views and lush vegetation. At lunchtime, we sampled local fruit beside Anse Marron beach and its natural pools. We also discovered palm spiders, takamaka trees, baobabs and cinnamon trees… The day will remain etched in our memories. We saw the beaches of Grand Anse, Anse Songe, Grand l’Anse, Anse Marron, Anse Bonnet Carré and Anse aux Cèdres before arriving at Anse Pierrot. On Monday, we joined a half-day excursion in a transparent kayak, travelling from Anse Source d’Argent beach to Anse Pierrot. We made several stops to discover a nursery for tropical fish, the various rock formations and the island’s history. We paddled to Anse Pierrot, where the film Robinson Crusoe was shot in 1988. We then took a short hike through the mangroves before returning by boat to Anse Source d’Argent. We ended the afternoon with a visit to L’Union Estate Park, with its giant tortoises and traditional houses… On Tuesday, we hired bicycles from Guesthouse La Diguoise to explore the island. We stopped at every beach along the way to take dozens of photographs. The prettiest was Anse Patate, a tiny beach with azure-blue water. We went snorkelling at Anse Sévère and Anse Banane, as the beaches further along are unsuitable due to the strong currents. We saw Anse Grosse Roche, followed by Anse Banane and finally Anse Fourmi, where the road ends. We attempted to reach Anse Caïman by crossing the rocks, but the route was too difficult in the intense heat, so we turned back and cycled to our accommodation. For lunch on La Digue, we mainly ate takeaways. Our evening meals were prepared by Elodie at Guesthouse La Diguoise: truly traditional Creole food, delicious and very generous. Our adventure ended at midday on Wednesday after 8 nights across the 2 islands of Praslin and La Digue. We preferred La Digue, which is much smaller and wilder. This holiday was exactly what we had hoped for. We were extremely pleased with SeyVillas and the entire organisation of our tailor-made trip. The transfers were very well organised, and a local representative came to meet us each time we arrived on one of the 2 islands. We were also given contact details in case we needed any assistance. Everything was perfect. We recommend SeyVillas for their professionalism and responsiveness. We are considering returning to the Seychelles with our family in a few years, and we would book through SeyVillas again without hesitation.