Island hopping in paradise
The path to paradise
Our vacation started in rainy November from Munich airport. Since our flight didn't leave until just after midday, the relaxed holiday mood began on the way to the airport and the excitement increased with every kilometer we got closer to the Seychelles. We landed in Victoria on Mahé, which was already an impressive experience due to the airport's location right on the water.
After we picked up our suitcases, we were warmly welcomed by Creole Travel Service and escorted to our driving service. We were driven directly to the Mahé ferry port as our trip starts on Praslin. We had a short wait here, which we spent sitting in the sun in the nearby café. We had tickets for the upper deck of the ship and sat directly at the railing. The view of the sea during the crossing was unique. Soon Praslin came into view. When we entered the harbor we didn't know what to photograph first, as there are a number of small hotels and apartments picturesquely located along the coast.
We couldn't wait to get to our first accommodation and explore the island ourselves. When we arrived in Praslin, we were greeted again by an employee from Creole Travel Service and were able to go straight to our shuttle service. This took us directly to our apartment. The path through the jungle was a spectacular first impression of Praslin.
Arrived in Praslin (Or: Welcome to Paradise)
Arrived in the large courtyard of the Palm Holiday Apartments the owner came directly to greet us. He was very friendly and we immediately felt at home. The apartments looked like they were built just yesterday. Everything was super clean, modern and really nicely decorated. There was a large terrace, a spacious bedroom, a modern bathroom with a great shower and a small kitchenette to cook if necessary. After unpacking our suitcases, we set out to explore the surrounding area. On the way out we hurried to reception to ask about a trip to the turtle island of Curieuse. Without hesitation, the owner immediately called a tour guide friend and booked us the tour for the next day. Happy with how quickly it worked, we headed down the street directly to Fond de l'Anse (Grand Anse).
When we arrived at the beach we were overwhelmed. It was deserted and really beautiful. Although this beach didn't have the famous granite rocks, it was just right compared to rainy Germany. We ended the evening here. The next day our tour started straight away in the morning. It was one of the most beautiful tours we had ever done on vacation. The turtles were just incredibly cool and relaxed and the nature on the way to the island was breathtaking. We finally saw the granite rocks that we had seen countless times before in photos online. The photos don't even begin to do justice to the spectacular nature. The water was bright turquoise and you could see all the way to the bottom. The palm-fringed beaches we passed on the way to the island by boat were like something out of a postcard. Simply indescribable. There were even three snorkeling spots along the way on the island of St. Pierre and on the beaches Anse Georgette and Anse Lazio.
We spent the following days on Praslin exploring the beautiful beaches we had seen from We had seen it from the water, now we could explore it from the beach. We had a rental car for this, which was easy to rent at the accommodation.
Here one beach was more beautiful than the other. The Anse Lazio was easy to reach by car and you could (insider tip) drive past the front parking spaces to a bar at the end of the street and park there for a small fee. We got the fee back as a voucher that could be redeemed in the restaurant. Here we enjoyed a day at the beach and grabbed something to eat on the way back.
For Anse Georgette, which is located at a golf resort, you had to register in advance as only a certain number of people are allowed in each day. We had this information again from our accommodation and were immediately registered by phone. We had to park the car outside the resort and then had to walk a short distance to the beach. In hot temperatures this can be quite strenuous. Anse Georgette was our personal favorite beach on Praslin as it looked like it came out of a movie.
Simply picturesque: white sand, turquoise water, lined with palm trees and the great granite rocks. Before we left for the next island, we went on a day trip for diving. Now it was time to say goodbye to Praslin and head to La Digue.
Continue to La Digue
The transfer to La Digue worked perfectly again. We were picked up on time and taken to the ferry and driven straight to the accommodation upon arrival. Here we stayed in Villa Creole, which consists of four small villas and is close to the national park with the special beach Anse Source d'Argent. The accommodation itself was fine for us, but could do with some modernization. The bathroom in particular was in a much older condition. However, we were again welcomed very friendly and were given a small smoothie to welcome us. Since you can only get around La Digue by bike, it was very convenient for us that we could rent bikes directly at the accommodation. We changed and set off straight away to explore the island. Of course we started straight to what is probably the most famous beach in the Seychelles, Anse Source d'Argent. We weren't disappointed here. The beach is breathtakingly beautiful thanks to its extremely large number of granite rocks. However, we both agreed that it looked even more beautiful from the water than from the beach.
Unfortunately, the sand here wasn't quite as fine as on Praslin, which called for caution when swimming. The beaches were also not as wide as on Praslin and so you were a little more crowded with other visitors. For the next day we booked a tour with the famous glass kayaks. We had a Robinson Crusoe tour where we visited the beach where the movie was filmed. Unfortunately this was before our time and neither of us had seen it, but that didn't detract from the beauty of the beach. We had a lot of fun paddling in the kayak and it was incredibly beautiful to see the beaches from this perspective. When we arrived at Anse Pierrot, we learned how to open a coconut, just like Robinson Crusoe stranded on a deserted island.
We spent the remaining days on La Digue walking from the starting point Grand Anse through the jungle to the beaches Petite Anse, Anse Cocos,Anse Caïman and a lonely, nameless beach to open.
If you were careful, the hikes were easy to do in flip flops and the paths were quite easy to find. Since we left early, we had the beaches all to ourselves, which was a really cool feeling. We had a drone with us and were able to take lots of great shots. We also really enjoyed swimming on the beaches here. There were great waves and we had a lot of fun.
Here the sand was finer again, but there were few places in the shade. We spent a whole day at each beach and just enjoyed the relaxed feeling before moving on to our final stop, the main island of Mahé.
Last stop Mahé
Our final stop started from the ferry port where we arrived on the first day and consisted of an almost hour-long drive to our accommodation. On Mahé we stayed in the La Villa Therese Holiday Apartments. These consist of two building complexes with several apartments. We were on the third floor of what was probably a newer building and had a wonderful view of the sea from the balcony. The rooms were similar to our first accommodation on Praslin and were very modern. Anse Royale down the road was again a very nice beach and very quiet, so we spent our first day right there. The accommodation staff recommended a takeaway down the street called “Leo’s Food Bus”. We loved the food here so much that we actually came here every night.
Here again we had a rental car, which was organized for us by the accommodation, and we looked at various beaches. From secluded beaches with a hike through the jungle, the largest beaches on the island to the beach of what is probably the most expensive hotel in the Seychelles. The Four Seasons on Mahé. Here you can go to the beach for free, you just have to register beforehand like on Praslin. Our favorites here were the Anse Intendance and the Petite Anse. Apart from a short detour to the rum distillery, we just enjoyed the last few days on the beach on Mahé and just unwinded.
Conclusion
This vacation was definitely one of, if not THE, best ones we had ever had. The breathtaking nature, the beautiful beaches, the friendly people. We would come back to the Seychelles again at any time and I think I have already convinced everyone around me that everyone must have been here at least once. The successful itinerary definitely contributed greatly to us being able to enjoy such a lovely and relaxing holiday.
