From Madagascar, I made a roundtrip journey to the Seychelles to sample what I thought would be a Maldives kind of resort island. I was very wrong. The Seychelles has a lot more to offer than just fancy resorts (though their resorts are amazing as well).

Arriving in the evening, I met with Pamela from the tourism board. She gave me an introduction to the island and presented a complete itinerary to maximize my visit on the way to Constance Ephelia, my extravagant home for three nights.

At the resort I enjoyed a meal while watching a local dance performance and then had an early night.

The next morning I was up bright and early to meet Marlon, my guide. He took me to the port to start my island hopping tour and I boarded the 3 hour ferry to my first destination.

Praslin

Praslin is the second largest island the country with a population of around 6,500. With several luxury resorts and hotels, the island is a popular tourist destination.

At the dock a guy picked me up and transferred me to another car and guide. Dennis, a local, was very friendly and gave me the in and outs of the island. I admired the great scenery and the slower pace of the island. We passed by the Vallée de Mai Nature Preserve, a main attraction, where I spotted the unique coco de mer palms. This distinct nut has become a symbol of the Seychelles and is even used in the immigration stamp design. I was told that the Seychelles Black Parrot, an endemic species, is known to crowd the trees of the forest.

Dennis pointed out the airport of the island as we drove across the runway on the main road. That section of the road is closed when planes are landing, like a rail crossing.

We drove to the end of the main road, then returned to the church where an adjacent school was just getting in session. I walked by a giant white cross to the empty beach across the road.

Further down the road was the town center where a National Monument was dedicated to the independence of the country in 1976.

We continued passed some luxury resorts where fishermen would lay out their daily catch to sell.

On the way the guide told me about daily life on the island and seemed uninterested in the many beautiful beaches we drove by, which he must have become accustom to. I was still mesmerized.

We returned to the port of Praline and I hopped onto the 15 minute ferry to La Digue.

La Digue

The third largest island from a population standpoint with about 2,000 inhabitants and the fourth largest in terms of size, La Digue has no airport and is only accessible by ferry.

Though the main industry is tourism, La Digue is very conservative with its expansion and careful in reviewing each new development. They seem to operate according to a sustainable approach in order to maintain the natural beauty of the island.

On arrival I was met by Dania from the Tourism Authority. She prepared a bicycle tour of the island for me, so I could experience the primary mode of transportation for locals and tourists alike. The island has very few cars and vehicles.

We started by cycling toward the famous beaches and stopped on the way at points of interest. Once the main export, vanilla plantations were still important. Dania explained the farming process to me. Nearby was also a tortoise enclosure where massive reptiles wandered about a fenced in area.

In the park before the beach, we visited a copra factory, where whole coconuts are turned into oil through a process of heating and grinding the coconut meat with a traditional cow driven mill. The coconut shells are kept and recycled as fuel for the fire.

There was also a historic cemetery facing the ocean.

We arrived at Anse Source d’argent and I explored the coastline. A path ran alongside the main beaches passed small bars and cafes nestled between the rocky formations. The large granite rocks shaped by the sea and wind seemed like art pieces placed on the beach to accentuate the beauty of the environment. With a low tide I was able to walk quite far out for some great photo ops.

I met Dania for lunch at a beachside restaurant serving local specialities like grilled fresh fish.

From there I headed off on my own for a bicycle tour of the rest of the island starting with an uphill climb to see the other famous beach, Grand Anse.

On route I passed through a residential area with small houses, shops, and cafes. Cycling by a swamp I arrived at a bicycle parking lot with a path to the beach. The white sandy beach was protected by the mountains on each side and featured a small restaurant.

Determined to see the north of the island, I continued back inland. This route took me by a school where children were walking or cycling home. I passed the port and town center, a luxury resort, and the modern cemetery before finding the northern stretch of beaches. I cycled to I was completely alone on a private stretch of beach and went for a cooling swim. I even managed to spot the rare Black Paradise Flycatcher singing in the trees.

Then I had to catch my transfer back to Praslin and then Mahe. I watched sea birds and flying fish floating just a foot above the water, though not at the same time. On approach to Mahe, I could see a storm was well underway.

Marlon was waiting for me at the port and took by back to the hotel. The downpour was worse than expected with several sections of the island starting to flood. Many told me they never saw this extreme flooding in all the years that they have lived here.

Another extraordinary experience!

Back at Constance Ephelia, the mangroves were flooded so our electric carts had to go the long way around. I stepped into my villa and found the swimming pool had expanded to the walls of the courtyard. Fortunately the rooms were elevated.

I went out for a dinner and then rested after a long day of exploring.

I found Praslin to be more relaxed than Mahe and La Digue to be even calmer! Praslin and La Digue were very unique and each had an individual character. I was excited for a tour of Mahe!