A super classic trio: Praslin, La Digue, Mahé (Seychelles) (page 3 of 7)

Hi Lillie, I think people who knew La Digue some time ago might indeed be quite disappointed. I regret not having experienced the peaceful era of ox carts! Apparently, some voices are rising against this very (too?) rapid tourist development... let's hope they'll be heard! Our accommodation was indeed quiet and cozy, and our hostess was very friendly (just like all the Seychellois we met, actually).

for the Vallée de Mai in 2016 it was exactly the same price

I find it already expensive in 2025, so in 2016! 😮 It's even more surprising since prices tend to rise everywhere, sometimes even more than elsewhere (the entrance fee to the Victoria Botanical Garden recently went from 100 to 250 SCR 😮).

As for the forgotten swimsuit, it's just lack of practice for purely beach holidays! 😎

Can’t argue with that—it’s still absolutely stunning, especially under a shifting sky with colors changing every minute 🤩.

Is there still that "resto/barbecue (which disappears when evening comes)" on Muriel’s last beach?

That’s quite possible because there were a few tables on the beach, right by the forest, but we left Anse Coco around 11 AM and I didn’t really pay attention—anyway, it wasn’t open yet.

After the beaches in the south, we discovered the first beach to the north of La Passe (the island’s only village), Anse Sévère beach... which became our favorite snorkeling spot 🙂. At the start of the beach, near the rocks, it’s a real aquarium in clear, shallow water:



It’s also the only place where we saw two adorable little cuttlefish:

that change color



It’s also a pretty large beach, well-shaded, in short—really nice 🙂

(we definitely swapped our apéritifs for fresh fruit juices 😏)

Saturday 03/29: After the southern beaches, it's time for the northern ones! Well... maybe! After passing Anse Sévère, I realize while pushing my bike up a hill (yet another one 😏) that my front tire is flat. No pump on any bike here, so all I can do is turn back... on foot 😕 A bike rental shop at the entrance of La Passe tries to inflate my tire with a compressor... nothing. All I can do is head back to Méra. A few minutes later, his son brings me a new bike... well, another bike since this one isn’t exactly new 🤪. And right at the first gear change, the chain falls off... now my hands are covered in grease 😮. A few hundred meters later, the entire derailleur gets stuck between the spokes of the rear wheel (how is that even possible?! 🤪 😠). That’s when we get to appreciate the kindness of the Seychellois. While I’m staring skeptically at my rear wheel (I can already picture myself drenched in sweat, pushing the bike with one hand and lifting the completely jammed rear wheel with the other), a woman asks about my problem. She immediately calls over a bike rental guy from across the street (luckily we’re still in the village center), who comes with his toolkit and fixes the issue... though it might happen again 🏴‍☠️. The woman calls Méra, and 10 minutes later, Méra’s son brings me a third bike—this one in good condition... all without me even asking 🙂.

This time, we’re really off 😎



We pass Anse Sévère (view from the northern end of the beach)



And we arrive at the very photogenic (but small) Anse Patates





The road continues along beaches that aren’t great for swimming (dangerous at high tide and with very little water at low tide)



And it suddenly ends at Anse Fourmis 😮



All that’s left is to turn back, with a quick stop for snorkeling and fruit juice at Anse Sévère 🙂. Oh! A new sign!

... and it’s not there for nothing 😏

Well, I admit, the photos are stunning 😍

It's still so beautiful with these colors 😉

I actually think it’s one of my favorites (aesthetically speaking). Especially since our visit to Anse Lazio wasn’t very successful, nor was our stop at Source d'Argent, as we’ll see soon...

though, newbie question: Anse Patates, Anse Lazio... Why these names? Are they all ring-shaped?

Well... no idea. It's true that they're often lined on both sides by a rocky outcrop (but that's also the case in the Mediterranean and we don't call them "coves"). Creole vocabulary? I admit I never really thought about it Maybe a reader will have the answer...

What’s the best season to visit the Seychelles?

A thorny question in the age of climate upheaval... Theoretically, the rainiest months are during our winter. From mid-March onwards, rainfall drops sharply, and normally April is pretty dry (though that doesn’t rule out the occasional shower), Seychellois locals told us... but this year, the rainy season was delayed, and we had way more rain than expected 😕 As you move into the summer months, there’s little rain, but trade winds bring seaweed to some beaches. From what I recall, it’s the ones facing west and southwest, whereas in winter, the winds are mostly from the northeast. During the shoulder seasons, there’s hardly any wind, it’s hot, and the waters are usually clear (which was our experience).

In the late afternoon, we decide to head to Anse Source d'Argent (which vies for the title of "most beautiful beach in the Seychelles" with Anse Lazio). It's located within the Union Estate domain, which has a paid entrance (150 SCR, about 10 €). If you buy a ticket after 4 PM, it's dated for the next day, and you can enter for free on the same day. Besides the famous beach, there’s the oldest monolith in the Seychelles (a whopping 700 million years old), a plantation house (similar to those of Réunion’s planters), a copra mill (which wasn’t working when we visited), a vanilla plantation (which isn’t open for visits), and a few other bits and pieces. You can get around by bike (it’s quite large), except for the beach access, which is on foot. At the entrance, the old cemetery of La Digue (moving).



To compare with the new one (much more flowery), on the other side of La Passe.



Maybe we’ll get a beautiful sunset over the sea?

But the sky is getting darker and darker... Quick, let’s hurry to the end of the estate to see THE beach before the rain starts!

Another disappointment (the most beautiful beaches—or those reputed to be—are definitely not our thing!😏) First, the sky is overcast and the colors are meh, then it’s high tide and the beach is almost nonexistent (some beaches even disappear completely at high tide due to rising sea levels—thanks, climate change🏴‍☠️). I can’t imagine what it’s like when tourist boats arrive during the day at high tide!

Still, a few unexpected rays of sunshine will give us some beautiful surprises with the colors😮





Time to head back—we cover the last few meters in the rain.

Stormy atmospheres are pretty cool too! ;)

Oh wow that’s crazy

😕

Don’t you like romantic walks, Bruno? 😛

Better late than never—I’m off on this island-hopping trip!

Welcome aboard Régis :)

These rocks are amazing! 😮 It's really beautiful.