The Seychelles: A Dream Destination

As we travelled with Kenya Airways and the airline had rescheduled the flight several times, we decided it would be safer to book the later connecting flight to Praslin. Our flight to the Seychelles ended up arriving on time, but thanks to spare capacity and the flexibility that seems to be common in the Seychelles, we were allowed to take the earlier flight to our first destination.

We took things very easy during our first few days on the Seychelles’ second-largest island, spending most of our time by the pool and on the beach, simply enjoying the warm weather and peaceful atmosphere. On the third day, we decided to spend half a day on an excursion and booked a snorkelling trip on the beach. We were lucky with the weather and saw a large group of stingrays, as well as turtles underwater.

On the fourth day, we visited the Vallée de Mai World Heritage Site. Anyone visiting Praslin during a trip to the Seychelles should definitely explore this nature reserve. With a little luck, you may catch a glimpse of the black parrot, which is found nowhere else in the world but Praslin. The following day, we visited what is probably the most beautiful beach on the island: Anse Lazio – simply fantastic!

The bus journey was rather bumpy and the walk over the final hill was a little sweaty, but it was absolutely worth it. The underwater world around the granite rocks is also colourful and teeming with fish.

The transfer to La Digue was simple and hassle-free. We were collected directly from the hotel and taken all the way to the ferry. In general, people in the Seychelles are very helpful and accommodating. This was also true of our transfer from the ferry to our accommodation on La Digue.

The island said to be the most beautiful in the Seychelles is best explored by bicycle. You can hire one for 100 Seychellois rupees per day. If you are staying longer, it is worth negotiating with the owner, as you can usually get a good discount. We therefore paid just 600 rupees for our bicycles instead of 800. The route to Grand Anse crosses a fairly large hill, but most cyclists should be able to manage it without getting off. This small effort is definitely worthwhile to see this wonderful beach.

The neighbouring beaches of Petite Anse and Anse Cocos, both of which can only be reached on foot, are also a delight. It may take some getting used to for Central Europeans, but here it is completely normal not to lock your bicycle – and no one would even think of stealing it. Another must-see on La Digue is Anse Source d'Argent. We paid the admission fee, although it would also have been possible to avoid it.

The giant tortoises are wonderful to watch, and there are also opportunities to go snorkelling and learn about the traditional processing of coconuts. There is also some lovely snorkelling in the north of the island at Anse Severe and Anse Patates.

After a few slightly more strenuous but equally wonderful days on La Digue, we had another pleasantly smooth transfer via Praslin to Mahé. From there, we set off for home with rather heavy hearts.