MAHÉ
MARINE PARK CAP TERNAY & PORT LAUNAY
Beginning at the beach Beau Vallon one leaves for this unforgettable excursion to the Cap Ternay Bay, Anse du Riz and Anse Major, which can also be reached on foot from Bel Ombre-Danzille. The boat is, however, the most appropriate means so that you can also explore other bays along the way and as a platform for diving among the sea turtles and the tropical fish. We suggest taking the afternoon tour as you then can watch the marvellous sight of the setting sun on your way back. At Anse du Riz, where there is a small, crystalline, fresh-water lagoon, one can try the tasty sea-urchins with a slice of lemon and coconut juice. Afterwards – and why not? – you can close out the day with a final dive amongst the fish and turtles.
VICTORIA – THE CAPITAL CITY
Victoria is the smallest capital city in the world. The downtown is centred around the main street, Independence Avenue, and the market. The National Museum and the National Library, where local artists often display their works, are interesting and well worth a visit. The Botanical Garden, with its wide variety of plants, also is deserving of a visit. Victoria is the economic and administrative centre of the country. Promptly at the break of dawn the city streets are busy; yet, after 5 p.m., when the shops and offices close, they gradually empty. We recommend a luncheon visit to the restaurant Marie Antoinette which is located in the Creole house Trianon. The famed explorer Henry Stanley temporarily lived here upon returning from his adventurous travels through equatorial Africa; travels which inspired his famous books “Searching for Livingstone” and “Through the Black Continent”.
SANS SOUCI
Sans Souci is one of four roads which cut across Mahé connecting Victoria and Port Glaud. The road trip traverses through dense and lush vegetation and, after many tight bends, one eventually reaches an altitude of 800 metres where the major tea plantations are to be found. Farther on, where a sign indicates “The Mission”, a footpath begins which leads to a small clearing where, admittedly, there is little left of the old mission to be seen. Nonetheless, it is a very pleasant walk through the shaded alley of the “Sandragon” (Drake’s Blood) trees; trees which exude a blood-red sap. After another five minutes of walking one reaches the highest lookout point. From here you can enjoy a splendid view of the western coast. Upon arriving in Port Glaud, turn right and continue towards Port Launay and you will discover a series of small beaches and the main Port Launay Beach.
LA MISERE
La Misere is the name of another of the roads which cuts across Mahé. It is the speediest and least treacherous route and it offers a compelling view of the five small islands comprising the Marine Park of St. Anne.
MARINE PARK OF ST. ANNE
Marine Park of St. Anne consists of the five small islands Ile aux Cerfs, Ile Ronde, Ile Moyenne, Ile Longue and the namesake isle, St. Anne. A pleasant and fascinating excursion, available daily, is a tour in a glass-bottom boat, which permits one to leisurely inspect the marine depths and the abundant underwater flora and fauna.
CERF ISLAND – Ile au Cerfs
A perfect day out for amazing snorkelling. A rejuvenating Spa experience. Savour mouth watering Creole and International cuisine or simply relax with nature.
PETITE ANSE
This beach is located on the southern end of the island near Baie Lazare, but it is not so easy to find unless you follow our instructions. You need a car and must be prepared for a twenty minute walk, yet the charm of Petite Anse will compensate you for your exertions. The village of Baie Lazare is your starting point. In front of the police station you will find a paved road, named Chemin Anse Soleil, going uphill. Continue straight-on along this road until you come to a downhill bend where you turn right (should you miss the turn and go straight-on, you will get to Anse Gouvernment, also a lovely beach, but not our goal). Here you will find the entrance of the FOUR SEASONS HOTEL where you just have to ask permission to reach the beach through the hotel, there are no private beaches in the Seychelles. Petite Anse is one of the most beautiful beaches of Mahé. The turquoise and crystal clear water is an open invitation for snorkelling, especially among the rocks on the left hand side of the beach. We suggest making your excursion in the morning, since in the afternoon there is little or no beach (nor any shade) because of the high tide.
ANSE TAKAMAKA
Anse Takamaka lies to the south and is one of the most impressive beaches on the island. Shoes with rubber soles, or flip-flops, are advised because of the rocks and coral. Then take a rest and enjoy a meal at “Chez Batista’s”. The grilled fish with rice, vegetables and a special sauce – the chef’s speciality – is so good.
ANSE INTENDANCE
Anse Intendance, a beautiful kilometre-long beach with white sand, also lies in the south. Remember that between March and November the sea here is always rough with high waves, while from December to February the ocean appears as calm as a huge swimming pool. Be careful nonetheless, as there can be treacherous undercurrents.
HIKING
For those fond of hiking, the splendid nature of the Seychelles has very much to offer. And don’t forget: comfortable walking shoes and a sunhat are musts.
We recommend:
1) Trois Frères Path. Distance: 800 metres. Height variation: 200 metres. Average time required to go and return: about 1 hour. Difficulty: easy. It is reached by following the Sans Souci Road. At the Forestry station, on the right, a track is marked with a wooden signpost, “Trois Frères.” This is a walk among endemic plants, some of them carnivorous. Splendid views.
2) Dans Gallas Path. Distance: 2 km. Height variation: 320 metres. Average time required to go and return: 2.5 hours. Difficulty: medium to difficult. This path leads off from Le Niol and gives an excellent view of the capital, Victoria.
Other walks: Mission Lodge, Mare aux Cochons, Anse Major, Morne Blanc, Copolia, Casse-dent, Salazie-Fairview. Further information is available at the entrance to the Botanic Gardens at Mont Fleuri, Victoria, Mahé.
PRASLIN
VALLÉE DE MAI
The Vallée de Mai is a UNESCO protected nature reserve. It is the only place in the world where the Coco de Mer grows and can be seen. The rare nuts have a shape reminiscent of the female form. It is advisable to make a trip here during the morning hours.
FOND FERDINAND
A valid alternative to the Vallée de Mai. The excursion in the park recognized by the UNESCO as World Heritage Site last about 2 hours full of plants (Coco de Mer and other species), rare birds and a magnificent panorama on the hilltop. Before you go inquire whether it is open or not. From Baie St. Anne, just before the Jetty to La Digue, follow the road uphill on your right, overcome the Chateau des Feuilles Hotel and go down until you find a small panel indicating the entrance.
CURIEUSE – COUSIN – ST. PIERRE
Excursions to these islands are organized by all hotels; enquire at the reception desk. A wonderful day-trip can be enjoyed on these islands and especially worthwhile is a stop-off at the islet of St. Pierre, because of the variety of the fish and the crystaline nature of the water.
ANSE KERIAN
Anse Kerlan beach offers a splendid view of the sun setting behind the islands of Cousin and Cousine.
ANSE LAZIO
Anse Lazio is the most beautiful beach on Praslin. Every view is worthy of a postcard, but one must watch out for the strong undercurrents.
ANSE GEORGETTE
This beach is like a small jewel. One can get there from Anse Boudin and Anse Volbert by water-taxi in very short order.
LA DIGUE
GRAND SOEUR – PETITE SOEUR – FELICITÉ – ILE COCO
This excursion is dedicated to diving and to discovering new beaches. The most beautiful beach is that of Grand Soeur where a break for a luncheon of grilled fish is usually taken. The diving at Felicité is very good, and, if one is lucky, one can see devilfish swimming past. Ile Coco is also well-known for the quality of its diving, where one can observe not only the fish, but also encounter a wide variety of corals – it is forbidden to touch them, by the way – in blue, red, and the so-called fire-coral, the contact with which can be harmful.
SOURCE D’ARGENT
This beach is world-renowned for its gigantic blocks of granite rock in shades of colours ranging from grey to pink, depending on how they catch the angle of the sun’s rays. The water here is shallow (rubber soles or flip-flops are recommended) even out on the coral reef, thus making it an ideal habitat for the large octopuses who live among the rocks. Before arriving at Source d’Argent one can visit the Union Estate where giant turtles, plantations of vanilla and cinnamon, and a demonstration showing how coconut oil is manufactured can be seen.
GRAND ANSE
Grand Anse is a very beautiful beach, but the sea here is almost always rough, except in the months of January and February. From here one can proceed on foot to Petite Anse and then further on to Anse Coco; the latter is the most beautiful beach of La Digue and well worth the effort. You may have noted that it is not always easy to reach some beaches on foot, yet it is nonetheless our intent to encourage you to trek to the more remote locations of our small paradise. We trust in your willingness to make such an effort. It is but a small price to pay, we believe, and it will be amply compensated by the serenity and purity of the natural environments you discover, where you will feel more like an explorer than a tourist.
ALDABRA
This is the largest coralline atoll in the world, stretching 40 kilometres in length and 35 kilometres in width. Aldabra is situated about a thousand kilometres to the southwest of Mahé and is composed of four main islands – Picard, Polymnie, Malabar and Grande Terre – as well as about ten other tiny islands encompassing an area of about 96 square kilometres. The atoll also encloses a borderless lagoon; a small sea which fills and empties through four natural vents with each high and low tide. In 1982 the atoll was declared to be a global natural protectorate by the UNESCO and it is now maintained under the auspices of the Seychelles Islands Foundation. Aldabra is inhabited by 150,000 giant tortoises who live in an intact ecosystem, the only one if its kind in the world, aside from the Galapagos islands. Moreover, coconut crabs reside here who use their strong claws to cut open coconuts and feed on the milk. Furthermore, the atoll is home to the most important colony of frigates in the Indian Ocean – about 10,000 mating-pairs of the birds live on the coral formations in the northern part of the lagoon.
ARIDE
Aride is an uninhabited island. Day excursions are possible from April to October. Once on Aride, one can enjoy a spectacular view which encompasses the islands from Mahé to La Digue, all in a straight line. This island lies about eight kilometres north of Praslin and is 1.6 kilometres long and 600 metres wide. In spite of its name, it is not at all dry and arid, and the beaches and nature are in no way inferior to those of the other islands. A hike to the summit of “Grose la Tete” allows one to see a wide variety of sea-birds in their natural habitat, but the most exciting sight is the view down to the ocean. Aride is a private island and it is a nature preserve. Shell-collecting and picnicking are forbidden here. It it possible to visit the island from November thru May. Excursions depart from Praslin
BIRD ISLAND
This island lies about 90 kilometres north of Mahé, is 1.5 kilometres long and 650 metres wide. It takes half an hour by plane. Bird is a flat sandy coral island which has the name “Bird” because, from April to October, over two million birds – for the most part, sooty terns – nest here. The immense carpet of winged creatures makes for a truly unique sight. Bird is surrounded by 5 km of white sandy beaches and an one side a coral reef which drops off to a depth of 1800 metres. The area is considered ideal for snorkeling and beach fishing. In addition, Esmeralda lives here, a giant (male) Tortoise who is almost 200 years old and is one of the biggest and the oldest in the world. The only hotel is Bird Island Lodge with 24 bungalows.
COUSIN
This small island encompasses an area of 27 hectares and was declared a nature reserve in 1968 and is managed by the International Council for Bird Preservation and by the WWF. A bird population comprising about one hundred different species nests here. On the beaches of Cousin most normal activities are forbidden; this includes no swimming, shell-collecting, picnicing, or even smoking. Upon arriving by boat, one anchors on the far side of the island and is then ferried by a smaller craft across the final few hundred metres of water. The guided tour begins on the beach. With a little bit of luck it is possible, from the top of a small promontory with a height of 58 metres, to witness the large fregate birds taking flight. The best time for visiting Cousin is in April and May.
CURIEUSE
About two kilometres to the north of Praslin, with a length of 3.5 kilometres and a width of 1.7 kilometres, lies the island of Curieuse. One can make a day excursion to the island through daily departures from Praslin. Curieuse is home to a colony of about 250 giant turtles who were originally brought over from Aldabra so that they might reproduce in a more hospitable environment. The beaches here are fantastic.
DENIS
Denis is about 30 minutes by plane from Mahé. This is a coral island, 1,8 km long and 1,3 km wide. Denis is ideal for deep-sea fishing and scuba diving. Inland one finds a dense tropical forest. Beaches literally surround this 375-acre private island and with beach front cottages there’s no problem to find one of your own in ultimate privacy. Time on Denis Island will make your previously familiar world feel strange, rushed and unreal. The resort trends lightly on its pristine home, it connects you with the elements and your inner self. The accommodation is luxuriously simple and the food is fresh from the island and the reef.
DESROCHES
This coral island is part of the archipelago group Amirantes and is about 40 minutes by plane from Mahé. Desroches is 6.2 kilometres in length and, at its most narrow point, 500 metres wide. It is surroundeded by a coral reef covering 80 square kilometres. The island is thus ideal for scuba-diving, especially from September to May when the sea is calm and the winds are light.
FREGATE
This private island is about 56 kilometres from Mahé and is just two kilometres in length and 1.25 kilometres wide. It can be reached in only a quarter of an hour by airplane. There are breadfruit trees, palms, takamaka, casuarines, giant bamboos and citrus groves all alongside the only road, which leads to Anse Victorin, the most beautiful of the beaches. For passionate bird-watchers and ornithologists the variety of birds, such as frigates (who lend the island its’ name), hummingbirds and fairy terns will be of interest. Moreover, the rare Magpie Robin lives here, a species of magpie exclusive to these beaches. The only hotel is the Fregate Island Private which offers luxurious villas and The Rock Spa.
NORTH ISLAND
This private island lies north-east of Mahé, it takes only 15 minutes flight by helicopter or by boat. North Island is a sanctuary, in harmony with nature, surrounded by warm tropical waters in colours of blue and aquamarine, the underwater landscapes are the most fantastical and the beaches are spectacular.
SILHOUETTE
The third largest island is about 19 kilometers from Mahé has a lightly curved form, and is, at its widest point, about 5.5 kilometres in diameter. In the interior of Silhouette lies the most beautiful virgin forest in the Indian Ocean. Apparently somewhere on this island the treasure of the Pirate Hodoul is still buried. Near the harbour of La Passe, the only landing point on the island, there is an ancient colonial-style plantation homestead, named “Grand Kaz”.