Review of an expedition cruise to the Seychelles with Ponant from January 25 to February 2, 2026 (page 5 of 11)

Hey Catherine,

After the hell of the Seychelles, paradise begins here... We're going to be blown away.

Wow, you're really going all out! 😄 Everyone has their own definition of hell and paradise. Let’s see this Seychellois discovery from a cruise perspective! 🚢

Wowwwww, you’re going all out! 😄 To each their own definition of heaven and hell 😄 Let’s see this Seychellois discovery from a cruise 🚢

Hi Jérôme,

Don’t get me wrong—it’s just a bit exaggerated to spice things up. ;) But also because Mahé has nothing to do with the picture of the Seychelles painted by the tourism industry. I’ll come back to that in my conclusion.

Monday, January 26, Praslin in the morning

Breakfast on the terrace with a lovely view of a small islet facing Praslin Island. By 9 AM, it's already 29°C.

Praslin Island is the second-largest granitic island in the Seychelles, after Mahé, in this archipelago of 115 islands and islets. This morning, we disembark on a coast lined with small, secluded beaches accessible only by sea for a morning of sunbathing and swimming. The temperature is pleasant, and the light breeze is just right.



This is our first zodiac landing via the marina at the rear of the ship.





These beaches are so small that passengers are dropped off at two different spots—one for French speakers and one for English speakers. To get from one to the other, you have to swim through the sea; the vegetation is impenetrable, and the massive rocks are dangerous to climb.





Here, paradise begins under the sun: white sand, crystal-clear water in shades of turquoise, ultramarine, or emerald, trees swaying gently and providing light shade, a delightful sea temperature, and... no trash or litter in sight. 😎



We spend a very pleasant morning with perfect temperatures. On the anchored ship, without the sea breeze while sailing, it’s much hotter.

At noon, a lovely buffet awaits us on the terrace by the pool. Prawns, green Pacific mussels, snails, and king crab are served, in addition to the daily buffet and the main course at the table. It’s a fresh and delicious meal.

Monday, January 26, Cousin Island in the afternoon

While we’re seated, the ship sets sail again for a short trip to Cousin Island.

Before disembarking on Cousin Island, we have to follow a few recommendations. Long pants and long sleeves are sprayed with mosquito repellent, just like we are. It’s also a wet landing, followed by a hike where closed hiking shoes are required. That makes things a bit more complicated.

To ensure that the visit to this island is reserved for Ponant passengers in the afternoon, the negotiated condition was to use local boats for disembarkation. And that’s quite an adventure—far less comfortable than the zodiacs.

The young guys piloting these small, rather uncomfortable boats act like they’re driving sports cars or playing a video game, and they’re having a blast. We’re a little less amused.



On the island, we have a space to change shoes and leave our bags safely so we can set off hands-free for the hike.



This island once housed a coconut plantation. In 1968, it was purchased to become a nature reserve. The palm trees were uprooted, and the land was left to allow natural recolonization.

Today, this small granite island of 29 hectares is entirely dedicated to nature conservation and has become one of the most important bird sanctuaries in the Seychelles. It welcomes over 300,000 birds each year. The island is completely free of predators—no rats, no cats, no dogs—providing a perfectly safe environment for local wildlife. That’s why it allows bird species to reproduce and thrive without disturbance.

Off we go into the forest, ready to face the mosquitoes... which we never see, not even from a distance.

Monday, January 26, Cousin Island in the afternoon (continued)

We venture deeper into the forest to discover the local wildlife, including small endemic lizards and our first tortoises.





Because this island is free of predators, the tropicbirds that glide so gracefully in the sky can nest on the ground, often in a hollow at the base of a tree.



Meanwhile, the white terns, with their pretty blue beaks, lay just one egg in the crook of a branch without building a nest and incubate it for 50 to 60 days.



It’s on a completely wild beach on the other side of the island that sea turtles come to lay their eggs. Their nests are marked and monitored to be protected.



We return to our starting point by walking along the beach.

The tropicbirds are flying in large numbers, circling and gliding above our heads. They’re stunning but very hard to photograph. The one I managed to capture is in the top right quarter of the photo.



Around 4 PM, we head back to the boat with a better pilot than on the way over—he’s part of the crew and knows how to handle the waves.



Pool time, sunbathing, and reading with a nice cold drink make us happy. At 5 PM, we set sail for Rémire Island.

The gala evening brings us together with two other couples we met during the day, around a table for a very pleasant evening. The table of six is a choice—there are plenty of tables for two people.

So Jérôme, isn't it paradise? 😉

With this damp Sunday, this warms the heart and makes you want to cheer! 👍

Hello Catherine, This is a nice change from your previous reports on this cruise. You can immediately feel the sun, the beaches, and the beautiful discoveries. Thanks for sharing. Have a great Sunday! Guylène

Perfect, the dream is definitely here 😎

- - - And we get to enjoy your amazing photos *and* the pleasure of your beautiful writing. . . . Thank you.

Hi Catherine,

I see things are starting to clear up for you, so hopefully everything’s going well.

For me, this is a real discovery—I don’t know Cousin Island at all. I’ve been to the Seychelles several times, but I’ve never had the chance to go there. So this is perfect for me.

And what about Ponant’s services? From what I’ve heard, they seem to be top-notch.

Looking forward to the rest of the story.

Thanks Guylène, thanks Catherine, thanks Christian for your kind messages. These are the Seychelles just as I dreamed of them. 😎

For my part, it's a discovery—I don’t know Cousin Island. I’ve been to the Seychelles several times but never had the chance to go there. So it’s perfect for me. And what about Ponant’s services? From what I’ve heard, they seem top-notch.

Hi Alfred,

We’re diving right into the heart of the matter with the discovery of these small islands that escape overtourism.

On this cruise, the quality of the services and dining was excellent. I have no reason to complain, even though I did notice, as usual, that the general trend is a decline in quality to cut costs.

I didn’t go into too much detail about the cruise itself—service, meals—in this review because it’s already been discussed a lot in other recent reviews. And the destination is so beautiful that I’d rather give it all the spotlight. Still, I’m happy to answer any questions about life on board.

We found the Seychelles straight out of a postcard! 😎 In the end, it wasn’t so bad starting with Mahé—it could only get better after that!

Hi Muriel, Things did actually go in the right order, like the weather, which cleared up just as we boarded. We were really lucky. 😎

Tuesday, January 27, Rémire Island

Rémire Island, located southwest of Mahé, is the most distant island from Mahé that we’ll visit during our trip. The Seychelles archipelago consists of 42 granitic islands and 93 coral islands. Rémire is the only coral island on our itinerary—all the others are granitic.





We’re the first group to disembark at 9 a.m., and it’s already quite warm—28°C, not a breath of wind, and a beautiful calm sea with just a gentle swell.



The island is only inhabited by rangers who maintain it. Rémire is subject to environmental protection measures to safeguard its ecosystem. Its unique feature is hosting massive bird colonies.

As soon as we arrive, we notice the incredible number of birds. The sky is filled with different species flying in every direction.



Nests in the trees are as plentiful as apartments in a high-rise building.

Tuesday, January 27, Rémire Island (continued)

After unloading our belongings, we left the beach to follow a trail across the island, accompanied by a naturalist.





She gave us an incredible amount of information about the different bird species we encountered along the way. But they were too difficult to photograph, so I’ll just share some images of land creatures instead.







We were lucky—apparently, during the previous two years, it rained a lot on this cruise. On top of the rain being unpleasant, there were also a lot of mosquitoes as a result.

The island is split in two by a runway, which was meant to serve as a presidential refuge in case of a coup. It had to accommodate the presidential plane, and this was the case until 2010.

Tuesday, January 27, Rémire Island (continued)

Not far from the beach, there are a few houses where the twelve people who live on and look after the island stay. A project to welcome tourists is under consideration.





At the end of the walk, we’re offered a coconut to drink or a soda. We have enough time to enjoy the beach and the colors of the sea before heading back on board.







In the early afternoon, the ship was supposed to set sail, but the captain announces that departure is delayed. He suggests we enjoy the "pool in the ocean" experience.

At the back of the boat, the marina is secured, and a swimming area is marked out so passengers can take a dip. Everything is done to ensure maximum safety. Three zodiacs are on standby, the ship’s doctor is present, foam noodles are available, and a few crew members are in the water with the passengers just in case...

The air and water temperatures are perfect; this moment of swimming in the open sea is delightful...



The day continues with some reading time on a deck chair until the Seychelles information meeting at 4:30 PM, followed by a recap and briefing for tomorrow, with a presentation of the site where we’ll disembark and spend the day.

Dinner on the terrace—we hadn’t reserved, but there’s a free table, which works out great for us.

The musical evening takes place in the Grand Salon. The piano is brought to the center of the room, candles are scattered around to create a soft atmosphere, and dancers accompany the singer-pianist.

Hi Catherine, What amazing discoveries with a top-notch naturalist guide! You enjoyed the walk, thousands of birds, and a gorgeous turtle, among other things. It’s quite a change from your previous reports over the past few days with gloomy weather and not-so-great spots. Keep up the good work! Guylène

Hello Guylène,

Yes, after the worst, we’re now experiencing the best the Seychelles have to offer. These days have been wonderful.