Seychelles...for a change!!!
I am a huge fan of the Maldives, which have been my go-to destination for years, and it is easy to see why: a small island lost in the Indian Ocean, far from traffic and noise, minimal luggage, a stunning and easily accessible coral reef, indescribable colours both above and below the water, and constant excitement at any time of day. I do not need anything else!
But curiosity sometimes leads you to try something different, and that is what happened to me. I temporarily set the Maldives aside and headed for the Seychelles.
After careful consideration and plenty of research, I chose SeyVillas, thanks in part to its excellent website, which is comprehensive, easy to navigate and, above all, able to offer tailor-made packages based on the length of the trip, choice of islands and available budget.
Having settled on a stay of around 2 weeks, I decided to visit just 2 islands: Silhouette and La Digue.
I chose the first because I was impressed by the information on the website and, above all, by the proposed accommodation, La Belle Tortue, which immediately caught my interest because of its maximum number of guests – just over 15! I chose the second because it is perhaps one of the most famous and popular islands.
The booking process, subsequent communication and delivery of the travel documents by SeyVillas were all entirely satisfactory, including a few requested changes that were promptly made.
Silhouette
At last, it was time to set off. We had a smooth flight with Emirates and arrived on time in Mahé, where a representative from Creole was waiting for us. Creole is the travel services agency entrusted by SeyVillas with logistics on the islands. After checking our documents, she introduced us to a driver for the transfer to Bel Ombre Jetty, where we would board our boat. After around 20 minutes, we arrived at a small harbour and, following a short wait, boarded the boat to Silhouette, reaching the island after a crossing of about 45 minutes.
From a distance, it looked mountainous, lush and seemingly devoid of beaches. But as the boat turned towards the harbour, the view changed: we immediately spotted a very long white beach on the right, a smaller one on the left and the little harbour in the centre. The colours of the sea were beautiful.
Emmanuel was waiting for us with a sign in his hand and a broad smile. We later discovered that he was the resort’s all-rounder, as well as its chef. He drove us in an electric buggy for the short distance between the harbour and the resort – I would say about 250 metres – and entrusted us to the care of Mariannick. After explaining the island’s secrets, she showed us to our room: beautiful, spacious, clean, facing the sea and suitably air-conditioned, as it was very hot. We had finally arrived, and we could not wait to explore.
The hotel, La Belle Tortue, is simple, directly on the seafront and set amid beautiful natural surroundings. It has a warm, family atmosphere, thanks in part to its small size and the friendly hosts. At our first dinner, there were only 4 of us – just 2 tables!
The menu is the same for everyone: a starter, a main course and a dessert. Emmanuel proved to be an excellent chef and, in his role as waiter, explained the composition of each dish in detail. The menu changed every evening and consisted mainly, if not exclusively, of fish.
We spent our days exploring the interior of the island, but above all the beautiful beaches around its shores. Presidential Beach and Anse Patates particularly impressed us and were also the easiest to reach. We deliberately skipped some of the other beaches because they were difficult to access, requiring hikes through the interior which, given the intense humidity and heat, were certainly no gentle strolls.
As expected, we also experienced a few sudden tropical downpours, and they do not always last just a few minutes, whatever you may read!
As for snorkelling, I cannot hide my disappointment with the seabed around the island: there was little coral, and what remained was dead and grey, with few fish. Access was also rather precarious because of the constant waves, some more manageable than others. I missed the Maldives enormously.
La Digue
The day of our transfer to La Digue arrived. We said goodbye to Emmanuel and Mariannick with a touch of sadness... we had enjoyed our stay so much.
The boat trip and subsequent transfer to Victoria Jetty, our departure point for La Digue, ran according to schedule. However, this involved a rather tedious wait of around 3 hours before boarding. As it was Sunday, there was little point in heading into the centre because many of the shops were closed.
It started to rain, so we took shelter in the Creole office. We exchanged a few words in Italian with the lovely Nadia and... it continued to rain!
At last, we boarded the boat to La Digue via Praslin, where the change of vessel was quick and efficient. We arrived in La Digue, and it was still raining. Our transfer to Domaine Les Rochers went smoothly, and Costas was waiting for us. He offered us a drink and told us about the island before showing us to our room. Given the weather that evening – it was still raining – we decided to reserve judgement until the following day.
It is a lovely property set within beautiful gardens. Our room was spacious and clean, with a basket of fresh fruit and a kitchen shared with the adjoining room. It was stocked with water, soft drinks, tea, coffee, bread, butter and eggs, just enough for breakfast the next morning.
After a good night’s sleep, we were fortunate to wake up to a little sunshine, and the scenery was completely transformed. We set off to explore La Digue, first on foot and then, like everyone else, by hiring bicycles for around €7–8 per day, hoping to end up with the... least rickety ones. There were so many Italians – so much for the economic crisis! Entire families... and you could certainly hear them, especially the Romans!
The days flew by as we explored the beautiful beaches, among which Grand Anse deserves a special mention: stunning, dazzlingly white, spotless and deserted... if you arrive early!
On the other hand, I cannot hide my disappointment with the famous Anse Source d'Argent. When I saw it, it was covered in seaweed and rather dirty, probably because of a storm during the night. Let us just say it was not the right day to appreciate it.
Thunderstorms and heavy downpours had become a regular occurrence, and we had to endure one every day. But we had expected this; it was all part of the setting and the time of year.
It was easy to come across giant tortoises or charming hermit crabs, and it was lovely to stop for a fresh fruit smoothie prepared right before our eyes. After demanding days spent cycling up and down the island, we returned to the paradise of Domaine Les Rochers, where various little birds, regular breakfast guests, were waiting for us.
For 3 evenings, we had dinner at Le Repaire, exchanging jokes in the Brescia dialect with the friendly pizza chef, Remo, and his wife, Nicoletta, who did a bit of everything in the dining room.
As far as snorkelling was concerned, the same applied as on Silhouette: a complete disappointment.
Just as we were beginning to feel at home and truly enjoy the beauty of the island, the sad day of departure arrived. We waited in vain for our transfer to the harbour, scheduled for 11.45 – the boat was due to leave at 12.30 – but when nobody had appeared by 12.05, the incredibly kind Costas drove us straight to the departure point himself, and we boarded right on time.
A special thank you to Costas and his wife, Paula, for their kindness, understanding and willingness to accommodate one of my requests. My heartfelt thanks once again.
The transfer ran perfectly on time, leaving us with a gap of around 7 hours – arriving at the airport at 14.00 and departing at 21.00 – which I managed by booking a room in Beau Vallon for a few hours.
We returned to Italy without any problems, knowing that we had enjoyed an unforgettable experience surrounded by exuberant, all-encompassing nature. As for snorkelling... I will do that in the Maldives!
