By Jeremy Jowell
Gentle waves roll in from the turquoise ocean and swish softly on the powder white sand. A light breeze blows through the coconut palms, taking the edge off the afternoon heat. Lazy and relaxed, I recline on this strip of sun-drenched paradise.
Maybe I'll take a hike up the hill in a short while. But then again, maybe I won't. I smile and settle back to reading my book. Life doesn't get much better than a laid-back holiday in Seychelles.
Famous for some of the world's most beautiful beaches, Seychelles consists of 115 islands. The 43 inner islands include Mahé, Praslin and La Digue and are the world's only oceanic islands comprised of granite. Praslin contains Vallée de Mai, one of the country's World Heritage Sites, famous for the giant Coco-de-Mer seed.
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The outer islands are made up of coral or volcanic rocks and include Aldabra Atoll, also a World Heritage Site, which is home to an abundance of underwater life as well as 150 000 Aldabra tortoises.
Nature enthusiasts will be in their element when touring the islands as there are great opportunities to witness the wildlife and birds in their natural surroundings. With its natural beauty and protected reserves, Seychelles is the ultimate tropical holiday for the upmarket traveller. Hotel accommodation is generally expensive but the Seychelles Tourist Board has begun to actively market other less expensive guest houses and self-catering chalets.
After a night on Mahé, my first stop is North Island, a private island owned by Wilderness Safaris, which has won several international awards for its eco-friendly policies and approach to local communities.
North Island is a true paradise blessed with coral reefs and long white beaches. This is a place for the seriously rich and past guests have included Bono and Bill Gates.
There are just 11 luxury villas situated metres from the beach, each beautifully decorated and exquisitely handcrafted from wood, stone and thatch. Each unit has a luxurious bedroom, huge bathroom, massage area, private sundeck, pool, sala, lounge and a study that can be converted into a second bedroom.
Guests have total freedom to choose their daily schedule. There are no set menus or meal times and no organised activities. Leisure activities include scuba diving, mountain biking, gym, hiking, snorkelling, fishing, boating and kayaking. There is also a health spa with a range of holistic treatments.
After two days of living the tropical fantasy life, it's time to move on to other attractions. A small zodiac takes me to the boat anchored offshore for the journey to Mahé.
Mahé is just 27km in length and is the archipelago's largest island. It contains the capital, Victoria, the administrative and cultural centre of Seychelles. Just 15 minutes by air is Praslin, the second-largest and most visited island in Seychelles. After visiting the Vallée de Mai, I'm driven to Lémuria Resort, a luxurious five-star hotel on the sandy shores of Anse Kerlan.
Lémuria has 105 suites, including one Presidential villa that in peak season costs a staggering €14 000 per night. This is the most expensive hotel suite in Africa and VIP guests have included Jean-Paul Gaulthier and Gerard Depardieu.
Most tourists to Praslin take a day trip to visit some of the surroundings islands such as Cousin, Curieuse and St Pierre. Cousin is a protected reserve where some 300 000 birds live without the fear of predators. The reserve was originally established to nurture the critically endangered Seychelles magpie robin.
Cousin also has the highest density of lizards per hectare in the world and is an important nesting site for hawksbill turtles.
Another Seychelles highlight is undoubtedly La Digue. Life here is easy-paced and the traditional mode of transport is by bicycle or ox-cart. La Digue is famous for the spectacular beach of Anse Source d'Argent, with its secluded sandy coves lined by palm trees and dotted by huge granite boulders.
I check into Hotel l'Ocean, perfectly situated at the northern tip where one can see both the sunrise and sunset. Lunch is a delicious Creole buffet of chicken curry and grilled silver snapper, served with plates of lentils, star fruit, papaya, mango slices, banana cooked in coconut milk, steamed rice and vegetables. After the big meal I need to do some exercise, so I hire a bicycle and set off to explore the island. First I stop at a tranquil bay for a leisurely swim, then pedal on to Veuve Nature Reserve, home to the rare black paradise flycatcher. A few kilometres further, I reach l'Union Estate, a coconut plantation.
As the afternoon light colours the land a soft shade of orange, I arrive at Anse Source d'Argent. The sky turns purple and then briefly the sun breaks through the patchwork of clouds. There's no one else around and I revel in the quiet solitude.
The next day, back on Mahé, I have another treat in store. I'm spending the night at Banyan Tree Hotel and Spa, famous for its Eastern style of luxury and wide range of hand, hair and body treatments that draw on Asian traditions. All the therapists have undergone training at Banyan Tree Spa academies in Thailand and Indonesia.
My last day is spent at Cerf Island Marine Park Resort, a secluded sanctuary a few kilometres off Mahé.
After the 20-minute speedboat trip, I laze away the afternoon snorkelling and relaxing. A brief rainstorm buckets down, then clears just before sunset.
The past 10 days have flown by in a blur of beautiful beaches, soft sand, idyllic islands and fantastic food. Now the only thing I can think about is when will I be able to return to the paradise of Seychelles.
- This article was originally published on page 16 of Cape Times on September 01, 2006
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