The Most Unforgettable Holiday

Our journey began with a flight from Dubai to the Seychelles. The flight went smoothly, and we landed on Mahé, the first island of our trip, at midday. Our shuttle collected us on time and took us to our accommodation, Summer Sand Holiday Apartments, in Beau Vallon. It was a beautiful apartment that we would happily book again. Accommodation on Mahé The manager, Christoph, was particularly attentive and took excellent care of his guests, even helping us arrange a hire car straight away. We spent the rest of the day relaxing on Beau Vallon Beach.

The following day, we were drawn back to the beach. We particularly liked being able to buy fresh coconuts everywhere. The small supermarkets nearby also proved very handy. Our favourite was ‘Mike’s Store’, whose owner stood out for his friendly manner.

The day after that, we decided to enjoy Beau Vallon Beach once again. In the morning, we bought three fresh fish directly on the beach and cooked them in the apartment that evening – one of the many culinary reasons why we loved the Seychelles so much.

Following our apartment manager’s recommendation, we eventually made our way to Port Launay North Beach. Port Launay, Mahé This gorgeous beach was perfect for snorkelling, and we also liked that kayaks and stand-up paddleboards were available to hire. Later, we stopped at a beach bar a few bays further along, where we tried a Creole pizza, among other things – highly recommended.

Soon afterwards, we set off to explore the southern coast of Mahé. In our hire car, we drove all the way south from Victoria, stopping at various beaches such as Anse Royale and Anse Intendance. We particularly loved the latter for its high waves. On Christoph’s recommendation, we ate at a traditional Creole restaurant and tried the famous octopus curry, among other dishes. We rounded off the day at Anse Boileau before returning to Beau Vallon Beach for sunset.

Another highlight was what is probably the best-known hike on Mahé. Although the trail was only around 1 kilometre long, it should not be underestimated, as it climbed quite steeply. Our efforts were rewarded with magnificent views, including across Eden Island. Along the way, we spotted plenty of wildlife, including chameleons and geckos. Chameleon Afterwards, we explored Eden Island and later strolled through Victoria. We particularly enjoyed the market with its fresh fruit, spices and other produce, as well as the Hindu temple, which was well worth visiting.

After our time on Mahé, we took the ferry to our next island, La Digue. A shuttle took us to our accommodation, Etoile Labrine, where we received a warm welcome. Accommodation on La Digue Bicycles were available for us to use, so we set off to explore the island as soon as we had unpacked. We picked up a snack at ‘Rey & Josh Café Takeaway’ before heading to Anse Severe. There, we spotted two giant tortoises, although the shallow water made the beach less suitable for swimming and snorkelling. That evening, the owner of our accommodation prepared a delicious dinner for us, freshly made with great care.

The following day, we visited the famous Anse Source d'Argent. The route there passed several attractions, including a large tortoise enclosure, vanilla plantations and a coconut mill. The beach itself impressed us with its unique setting and enormous granite boulders. These alone were worth the admission fee. However, the many jellyfish in the water rather spoiled the experience, as their stings were extremely painful and continued to burn for several hours. The next day, we first chose Anse Patates, where we went snorkelling. However, as the tide was already quite far in and the beach was becoming smaller, we later returned to Anse Severe and spent the rest of the day there.

Soon afterwards, we went on a tour of the beaches along Grand Anse, Petite Anse & Anse Cocos. We first enjoyed some time at Grande Anse, where we also found a relaxed beach restaurant serving delicious cocktails and good food. We then hiked on to the other two beaches. At Anse Coco, we were especially pleased to find the natural pool, where it was safe to swim – a welcome change from the otherwise rather dangerous waves.

After several eventful days on La Digue, we took the ferry to Praslin. There, our shuttle took us to Oasis Hotel, Restaurant & Spa. Accommodation on Praslin We spent a relaxing first evening at the hotel, with dinner in the hotel restaurant and cocktails at the bar. The next morning, we drove our hire car to Anse Volbert (Cote d'Or), where we visited a diving centre to ask about possible excursions and immediately booked one for two days later. Anse Volbert Towards evening, we also visited Anse Lazio. The high waves made it unsuitable for snorkelling, but it was all the more enjoyable for swimming.

Another highlight was our visit to Vallée de Mai. We joined a guided tour lasting around 1½ hours. We learnt a great deal about the famous Coco de Mer and spotted plenty of wildlife along the way, including native birds. Vallée de Mai Later, we returned to Anse Volbert before once again spending the evening at Anse Lazio until sunset.

On one of the following days, we split up: some of the family went on a diving excursion with the Octopus Dive Centre. A whale shark was spotted on the way to Booby Island, and the divers encountered numerous fish and starfish underwater. The others used the time to enjoy a relaxing massage at the hotel. In the afternoon, we all met again at Anse Volbert and spent the rest of the day there together. The Anse Georgette, which had to be booked through the hotel, was another particularly memorable experience.

The walk there took around 25 minutes through the golf course of the Constance Lemuria Hotel, but the effort was worthwhile – the beach was breathtakingly beautiful. From there, it was also possible to reach small coves and viewpoints, all of which were well worth seeing. In the evening, we enjoyed fresh fish and flavourful Indian curries at the hotel restaurant, which left a lasting impression on us.

After several days on Praslin, it was finally time to return to Mahé. We spent the morning by the hotel pool before taking the ferry across in the afternoon. Once there, our shuttle took us to our final accommodation, ‘Chez Coco’. The Takamaka rum distillery was very close by, so we visited it straight away. We explored the grounds over cocktails and lemonades before rounding off the evening at the weekly Friday celebration there.

The following morning, it was time to say goodbye. Our shuttle took us to the airport in good time, where everything went smoothly before we boarded our return flight to Dubai, taking with us countless unforgettable memories of this unique journey.