The Magical Seychelles
The Seychelles archipelago is made up of 115 islands. Located just beneath the equator and to the north-east of Madagascar, the islands are divided into two categories: the “Inner Islands’ and the “Outer Islands”. The inner islands are located to the north and are scattered around the main island of Mahé. These are the granitic islands, characterised by their beaches featuring large granite boulders. Mahe, Praslin, La Digue, Curieuse, Cousin, Cousine, Fregate, Felicite, North and Silhouette are some of the islands that belong to this group. We visited Mahe, Praslin, La Digue and Silhouette.
The main Island of Mahé is the largest island in the archipelago and the gateway to the Seychelles. It is also the economic and political hub of the Seychelles and hosts the international airport, the port, and the capital ‘village’, Victoria. Our first pot of call was The Savoy Resort & Spa situated on Beau Vallon beach (the only beach to allow motorised water sports). This was followed by a stay in The Hilton Northolme Resort and Spa, The Banyan Tree (both stunningly beautiful) and my favourites the Constance Ephelia, offer great family accommodation and facilities and Carana Beach hotel.
A 45-minute private ferry crossing took us to the unspoilt Silhouette Island, where we stayed at The Hilton Labriz Resort. Our villa was right on the beach, perfect for couples or families.There are no cars or roads on the 25km spanning island; only a handful of people live there. This was a perfect island for eco-tourists who will marvel at its unspoilt nature.
The second largest granatic island of the Seychelles, Praslin is the perfect base for an island hopping adventure. L’ile de Palmes, as it was previously known, is only a 15-minute flight or 60 minute ferry journey away from Mahe. Praslin is home to the Vallee de Mai, a UNESCO World heritage site featuring the famous Coco de Mer trees. We took a guided tour of the Vallee, a fascinating and worthwhile departure from the beach.
Praslin has a good variety for all tastes. We visited the 3-star Indian Ocean Lodge; a private 32 room hotel with small villa style rooms facing the ocean. My favourite hotel on the Island was the Constance Lemuria. The staff were fantastic and the location perfect, alongside beautiful rooms and suites - recently renovated to the highest standard. Kids clubs and villas are available for families plus an 18-hole golf course for the golfers.
From Praslin, we took a short ferry ride to La Digue. Attractions on La-Digue include the Union Estate, a park full of history, culture and adventure, and of course, the famous Anse Source d’Argent: the most photographed beach in the world. This beach has provided the perfect backdrop for famous films such as Roman Polanski’s 'Pirates', Robinson Crusoe and Cast Away. Adverts such as that for Bounty, Bacardi and Carling have also been filmed on this famous spot.
If you're thinking of visiting The Seychelles, consider visiting two or three of the islands, and experience the beauty of the beaches and the warmth of the people. I can't recommend it enough!