Home to giant tortoises and some of the best beaches in the world, Alannah Eames discovers the Seychelles is not just a playground for the rich and honeymooners.
We start our descent towards a small network of islands, before touching down at one of the prettiest – if not smallest – international airports in the world.
What I didn’t expect was its Jurassic Park-like forested hills and massive granitic boulders that slope gracefully down to charming bays- Alannah Eames
The runway is bordered on one side by the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean; on the other side lie steep forested hills. Add to this a handful of palm trees, a cute colonial airport building, and some smiling happy faces. Welcome to the Seychelles.
When you tell people back home you are going to the Seychelles on holiday, they either think you’re taking a second honeymoon or that you have won the lottery, so strong is the country’s reputation as a romantic, exclusive and expensive destination.
When it comes to tourists, the Seychelles has traditionally gone for quality not quantity; just 200,000 tourists enjoyed this slice of “paradise”, as the locals lovingly call their homeland, in 2011.
Around 90 per cent of the population lives on the main island Mahé which is 28 kilometres long and eight wide with 65 beaches.
The Seychelles boasts some of the best beaches in the world, but what I didn’t expect was its Jurassic Park-like forested hills and massive granitic boulders that slope gracefully down to charming bays and sandy beaches sheltered by takamaka and palm trees.
Driving from the airport, we notice that all man-made infrastructure and buildings snuggle into its stunning landscape.
According to Bernadette Dogley from the Seychelles Tourist Board, the planning is very strict. “There used to be a law that each building should not be taller than a palm tree,” she explains.
The islands have a distinctly eco-friendly vibe about them and all the top-end resorts we visited had a firm commitment to reinvesting part of their profits back into the local community and sustainable development.
Located 1,600 kilometres off the African coast and with their distinctive Creole vibe and rich European colonial heritage, you almost forget that these granitic islands are officially part of Africa.
Home to the world’s sexiest fruit – the coco de mer – and one of the largest populations of giant tortoises in the world, the Seychelles is free from diseases like malaria and has no poisonous insects or animals.
Besides, a freak – and almost unprecedented – attack on two tourists last year by a lone bull shark, which had apparently taken a wrong turn and landed within Praslin Island’s coral reef, places don’t come much safer or friendlier than the Seychelles.
Whether you love or loathe the thought of being stuck in a resort or on one island for 10 days, the beauty of the Seychelles is that they cater for everyone. It’s up to you whether you want to ‘flip and flop’ or island hop.
First stop should be the island of Mahé where you can pay a visit to the sleepy capital, Victoria. The town has a handful of colonial buildings and gives a good glimpse into local life and culture.
From Mahé, it’s also worth a day trip to the third largest island, Silhouette, where you can hike through its national park. This is the perfect ‘insect safari’ where even the most unenthusiastic creepy crawly person, like me, can become fascinated by the 35-cm long giant millipede, indigenous grey slug and tiny frog.
If this doesn’t bowl you over, the resident giant tortoises and unique sheath-tailed bats might do the trick.
If you’re starting to get itchy feet, hop on the ferry or plane across to Praslin, the country’s second largest island and home to the Unesco World Heritage site Vallée de Mai.
Besides its eerie rainforest-like interior and great walking trails, this is the place to see the intriguing coco de mer tree. What makes it unique is that it comes in a male and female version – while the nut from the female tree looks like a woman’s buttocks, the male tree produces a flower stem which can grow up to one metre, adding to the coco de mer’s steamy reputation. Some historians have suggested that Praslin – where the tree originated – was actually the Biblical Garden of Eden.
Praslin has some of the best beaches in the world and boasts the country’s only 18-hole golf course at the Constance Lémuria Resort.
It’s also the perfect base to explore neighbouring islands like the laid-back hippy hangout La Digue where transport is via bike or donkey and cart; Curieuse Island with its giant Aldabra tortoise population; and Cousin Island, famous for its birdlife.
Richard Simon, general manager of the Indian Ocean Lodge in Praslin, tells us that the Seychelles are the “Malta of the Indian Ocean” referring to the fact that everyone from Vasco da Gama and Madagascar-based pirates to the French and British have been there at some stage during their history. With his Dutch, African and French roots, he is a perfect specimen of this melting pot of culture.
Fishing is the backbone of the Seychelles economy and if you like fish, you will love the local cuisine. Fresh local catch – red snapper, jobfish, massive tiger prawns, juicy calamari, chunky barracuda and tuna steaks – are served up barbecued, grilled or in a delicious coconut milk curry.
Some restaurants are a bit more adventurous offering a local delicacy – fruit bat, tequila-flavoured tuna steaks or vanilla-infused red snapper with cinnamon rice.
The seas around the Seychelles are overflowing with marine life from colourful tropical fish to mantra rays, the elusive bus-sized whaleshark and harmless reef sharks.
Despite its upmarket image, the Seychelles is more affordable than you think. It’s up to you if you want to splash out €4,000 per night at a luxury resort, or go for a cosy guesthouse.
The resorts can be horrifically expensive – expect to pay around €5 for a cup of coffee and then a hefty 25 per cent extra to cover taxes and service charges, while dinner for two can set you back up to €200. But, renting a car in Praslin or Mahé gives you the freedom to explore local beaches and restaurants instead.
Another misconception is you have to book a package holiday. Most resorts do not offer all-inclusive or full board so you won’t save much. It’s quite easy for independent travellers to put their own programme together.
The Seychelles are not purely a honeymoon destination or a playground for the rich and famous. Everyone who goes to the Seychelles goes for the same reason: to unwind in this tropical paradise.
In a nutshell
When to go: November to April is the ‘rainy’ season; May to October is drier but the sea gets pretty choppy due to the southeast trade winds.
How to get there: Emirates and Etihad fly daily from Dubai and Abu Dhabi; Condor once a week from Frankfurt; Blue Panorama from Milan and Rome; Air Seychelles no longer flies to and from Europe.
Where to stay: Mah Kempinski Seychelles Resort; Silhouette: Hilton Labriz Resort; Praslin: Constance Lémuria Resort or Indian Ocean Lodge.
More information: Seychelles Tourism Board (www.seychelles.com) or ‘Out and About with Alannah Eames’ blog ( http://alannaheames.wordpress.com ).
Not to be missed
Coco de mer at the Vallée de Mai; Praslin giant tortoises on Curieuse Island; hiking on Silhouette Island; cook your own shrimp and fish on hot plates at Maria Rock Café Mahé; swim at Anse Lazio beach, Praslin; picnic on Anse Georgette beach, Praslin; bicycle ride on La Digue; dive with reef sharks at Shark Bank, Mahé; get up close with birds and lizards, Cousin Island; spend at least one night on a tiny remote island for that Robinson Crusoe ‘castaway’ feeling.