Earthly paradise, unique experience, unforgettable trip... When we talk about the Seychelles, the compliments are pouring in. And for good reason! Through the window of the plane, the show is already extraordinary. Lush green vegetation, immaculate white sand, turquoise water bordered by giant palm trees and heaps of rounded rocks... As soon as you land, you know that this archipelago of 115 islands will keep its promises. The Seychelles, a nature paradise? Here is the proof.
In the Seychelles, great beaches
Of the three main islands (Mahé, Praslin and La Digue), Mahé and Victoria, its pocket capital, are often shunned by visitors. Wrongly so! From its heights, the view of its little sisters is enchanting. Above all, the road that glides nonchalantly along the coast of the big island welcomes nearly seventy creeks with great spectacle. And, not to spoil anything, its tourist epicenter, Beau Vallon, offers one of the most beautiful sunsets on the planet. If this beach is certainly the most famous of the island, you should quickly head for the masterful Anse Intendance, of a primitive beauty. Wild and preserved, the sandbanks of Petite Anse, Anse Soleil, Anse Louis or Anse Royale are just as enchanting. In short, there is plenty to do before heading to Praslin and its well-named Golden Coast. On these few kilometers of virginal white sand, you will always find a quiet corner to put your towel and dive into this sea-aquarium. All that remains is to enjoy this brilliant bouquet of colors, between the turquoise blue of the sea, the azure blue of the sky, the emerald green of the hills, the pearly pink of the frangipani trees, the orange red of the flamboyant trees or the lemon yellow of the hibiscus... You will then have to go and sunbathe on the popular and incredible Anse Lazio, as well as on the very secret Anse Georgette, hidden behind the Constance Lemuria golf course (remember to contact the hotel 24 to 48 hours before coming), our favorite beach spot. This opinion is shared by the sea turtles that come to lay their eggs in December. Their eggs are then, for fifty-five days, under the protection of the hotel's turtle manager , always ready to share his knowledge about these visitors.
The last step of this trifecta is to land in La Digue. Tiny and cut off from the world, we walk or bike there. After having said hello to a few turtles, we discover the one that regularly takes the first place in the international hit parade of heavenly beaches, the poetic Anse Source d'Argent. How can you not stop there, bask in the sun, and be amazed by its beauty? Fairy-like! And, if you have the means, take off and see it all from up there, perched in the cockpit of a helicopter... Propellers in the land of wonders: this is a wonderful souvenir to bring back from the Seychelles. But La Digue has other secrets. The beaches of Anse Coco, Petite Anse and Grande Anse have nothing to be ashamed of with their white sand and crystal clear waters.
Underwater too, the big show!
In the Seychelles, the water is so clear in some places that you don't even need a mask to observe the fish twirling in their natural element. With the naked eye, you can observe their charming merry-go-round. Then, as soon as you venture a little deeper, what a show! With water temperatures ranging from 25 to 30°C, diving is possible all year round, with optimal visibility in April-May and October-November. From June to September, the suet wind complicates the discovery of the seabed in some areas, but you will always find what you are looking for (be careful though, visibility can vary a lot from one day to another). In Mahé, diving spots are legion. If you stay in Beau Vallon, the surrounding area offers beautiful dives and, just next door, the Baie Ternay National Marine Park allows you to discover the marine fauna and flora, whatever your level. In the north of the island, you can also opt for the islets of Dragon's Teeth or Brissare Rocks, or for Shark Bank, a site where, as the name suggests, you can swim with sharks. For divers with a pirate or explorer's soul, Mahé's seabed also contains wonders: the wreck ofEnnerdale, the Twin Barges and the Dredger. On the east coast of the island, the seabed is less impressive. Most of the spots are grouped around the Sainte-Anne National Marine Park, whose fauna and flora have globally decreased in recent years.
Around the many other islands of the Seychelles, the diving can also be quite extraordinary. If you have the opportunity to go to the Amirantes (200 km southwest of Mahé), do not hesitate! This myriad of coral atolls is surrounded by lagoons, each more sublime than the other. Poivre, Alphonse and Desroches are our favorites.
In any case, on Praslin, it is impossible to leave without having done at least one dive! The most popular site is the islet Saint-Pierre, 9 minutes by boat from Côte d'Or. A little further away you can choose Booby Islet for its sharks, turtles and soft corals or Whale Rock for its rays and octopuses.
Finally, on La Digue, Marianne is the most impressive spot, a real cathedral of rocks inhabited by an incalculable number of fish... As for Coco Island, many people describe its shores as "a natural aquarium".
A lot of hikes
On the Mahé side, you will quickly gain height by going to the Morne Seychellois National Park. On the program, a beautiful hike in a luxuriant jungle for an arrival at 905 meters of altitude. That is to say the highest point at... 1 600 km around!
And better not to have forgotten your camera, because the view is obviously breathtaking! Also worth seeing is the Botanical Garden at Mont Fleuri, for its large collection of palm trees, including the six endemic to the Seychelles: palm, latanier hauban, latanier latte, latanier fey, latanier mille-pattes and coco de mer. Many other species of exotic trees and plants, and many animals that feel at home, from the blue pigeon to the gecko to the unavoidable giant land turtles, have found refuge there. Finally, the King's Garden at Anse Royale offers tropical trees and shrubs with magical names: patchouli, cardamom, nutmeg...
But to admire the star of the Seychelles nature, the famous coco-fesse, it is in Praslin, in the Vallée de Mai, that it happens. Every botanist in the world knows this cathedral of palms where the coco de mer has had fun apeing the human being, or more exactly its attributes. Voluptuous callipygous nuts (fruits of the female tree) and giant phalluses (inflorescences of the male tree) constitute the major curiosity of this national park with a mysterious primitive atmosphere. Some seven thousand coconut trees and these cocos de mer have made their home here and have become part of the legend, justifying in themselves the classification of this exceptional forest as a Unesco World Heritage Site. Less touristic, the Fond Ferdinand allows to admire the coco-fesse along a walk which leads to the heights of the island.
Finally, in La Digue, you can go for a walk in the "widow's reserve", a small forest and one of the last four places in the world hosting the black flycatcher of paradise, a bird locally called "black widow". In short, beautiful days ahead! And the desire to come back, to further discover these pieces of land with their unaltered beauty...
Useful information
When is the best time to visit? From November to April, ideal period for diving and sailing. Drier and cooler weather from June to October, often overcast in July and August. The transitional months - April, May, October - are the most pleasant.
Getting there. To reach the archipelago, stopover in Dubai with Emirates, in Doha with Qatar Airways, in Istanbul with Turkish Airlines or in Abu Dhabi with Etihad. For inter-island connections, Cat Cocos offers ferries and Air Seychelles flights.
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