Seychelles

Seychelles is made of an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. The Granitic Islands of the Seychelles cluster around the main island of Mahe, home to the Capital Victoria, and its satellite islands of Praslin and La Digue. These three islands contain the majority of Seychelles tourism as well as its most stunning beaches. And I was extremely fortunate to visit all three islands.

We started on the island of Mahe, home to the international airport and to 90% of the total population. Mahe is lush, green and mountainous with many spectacular viewing points. The port city of Victoria is home to beautiful colonial buildings, museums, Botanical Gardens, markets, bars and restaurants. I would recommend a city tour taking in a market.

Overall I found that the standard of accommodation is excellent as is the personal service and food. Whilst the majority of hotels are on a half board basis, the beverages are not as expensive as I had initially anticipated. Similar to Ireland a bottle of wine with dinner starts at €24.00, a cocktail at the bar €9.00 or a glass of beer €7.00. At all the hotels I stayed in they offered complimentary water and tea/coffee facilities in the room. So a honeymoon couple would need a budget of approximately €100 - €150 per day to cover all beverages and lunch.

In Mahe we stayed at the 5 Star Constance Ephelia Resort, a stunning resort, ideal for both couples and families. We then went onwards to the island of Praslin, a 1 hour fast ferry trip from Mahe or 15mins by sea plane and I was lucky to experience both. Praslin is the 2nd largest island in the Seychelles. A leisurely tour around the island will take about 2 hours. This island is the site of the fabulous Vallee De Mai, one of Seychelles two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The island is also home to exquisite beaches, two of which feature on the top 10 list of World's best beaches. We ate lunch at a local beachfront restaurant and the food was amazing as was the hospitality.

20 minutes fast ferry from Praslin brings you to the island of La Digue. WOW, my highlight...La Digue is an island where time stands still and time-honoured traditions such as travelling by ox-cart and bicycle are still king. There are no cars on the island and we explored mainly on foot. The friendly atmosphere of this intimate island is what I fell in love with. The hotels are intertwined with the local homes and villages so you are living amongst the locals who will greet you with warm smiles. So whether it is relaxing on a beach, pedalling to your local restaurant, or buying some local wares....as they say on the Island, "La Digue is more than just an island, it's a way of life".

My visit to Seychelles was a memorable experience and a country I will most certainly return to. I have uploaded more photos than usual as I could not stop taking snaps.

Please call me for best rates and to personally arrange your holiday here.

Enjoy!!