Sunny Seychelles

Jennifer O'Brien 02 December 2016
Seychelles has always been on the top of my wish list of places to visit and it did not disappoint. If you are looking for natural beauty, incredible beaches and basically paradise then you must visit the Seychelles too. Swimming in the clear blue waters and looking back at the beautiful sandy beach with dense tropical foliage it is hard to make out the fabulous five-star resort hidden behind this beautifully preserved coastline. Then to my delight a Hawksbill turtle makes its way up on the beach I have just walked on to lay its eggs. There are not many places on earth where nature and a luxury resort can co-exist and this is just part of the reason I found the Seychelles such a special place.

I flew with Turkish Airlines to the main island of Mahe where we stayed at the Constance Ephelia a great resort for both couples and families. I went zip lining through the tropical gorge in the resort an experience I was not expecting to find and enjoyed sushi, alfresco looking over yet another gorgeous beach. A one hour ferry ride then brings you to the next biggest island Praslin. You can take a short plane ride if you prefer to fly.

Praslin is home to the UNESCO World Heritage site, Vallee de Mai where you can see the unique Coco de Mer palms. Its seeds are the largest and heaviest in the world. Considered one of the world’s best beaches, Anse Lazio is also worth a visit. I would recommend going for lunch at Bonbon Plume right on Anse Lazio beach. Enjoy a beer or a swim in the sea while your seafood lunch is cooking. A main course here starts at around €20 and a local beer approx. €6.

On Praslin we stayed at Coco de Mer hotel and the Constance Lemuria resort. The Coco de Mer has a lovely personal feel to it and a great base to stay to explore the area. If you love your golf you will particularly love the Constance Lemuria resort.

I highly recommend a day trip we did from Praslin to the nearby island of La Digue. Arriving on the island by the short 15-minute ferry ride from Praslin, bikes would be a popular way to get around the island for the day. We had an open truck to tour around in and after a quick tour of the island went to Grand Anse beach for a swim. This was pure magic and one of my favorite beaches of all time. I love to swim and this is a perfect beach for that. Small waves, clear water, sandy bottom and a shack selling a few drinking coconuts. We then went onto L’Union estate where you can see the Aldabra giant tortoise and then enjoy the most famous and photographed beach in the Seychelles Anse Source D’Argent. La Digue is a laid-back island and well worth a visit to mix among the locals. Back on Mahe we finished at a lovely boutique hotel Carana Beach. Within about 30mins of Mahe airport this is a perfect spot to either start or finish your trip to the Seychelles.

Seychelles is one of those places that not only lived up to but exceeded my expectations. I would endeavor to visit it once again.