The Seychelles is a collection of 115 islands, situated in the Indian Ocean. If you’ve ever pictured an imaginary beach with long white sandy coastlines, minimal people and blue sparkling waters, then you’ve imagined the Seychelles!
In my opinion the islands are totally under estimated, and for some reason or another not as touristy as other long haul destinations, which of course is a good thing. Typically people that go to the Seychelles are young people, couples or people on their honeymoon. There those who are fortunate enough to go with their friends on holiday.
Most flights to and from the Seychelles are around 10/11 hours, making it a stopover flight. You can fly Victoria bound (the capital) from Heathrow airport with either Air Seychelles or Etihad, stopping over in Abu Dhabi; the perfect chance to soak up some of the culture on the UAE.
The Seychelles Summery
The capital is Victoria, situated on the north eastern Side of Mahe , the largest island out of 115.
The main language is Seychellois Creole, but other languages spoken include French and English.
The currency is the Seychellois Rupees, but certain places will accept euros or even US dollars.
It is around 9-11 hours depending on which island, Mahe the main island is 11 ¼ hours from Heathrow.
If you visit for less than 30 days you don’t need to a Visa.
Peak times to travel to the Seychelles are March and April, temperatures are around 30 degrees, however January can have heavy rainfall.
When In Seychelles
I’ve spent now many years first studying, and then working in travel. I spent a lot of my professional life working, or hardly “working”, by spending my time trying the finest foods there are to offer a man or women, and spending my nights in in 5* Hotels. I’ve spent much of my time talking about travel to other people, sharing stories and hearing their opinions on different places, but no matter how amazing a place is, the one term I hate using is paradise.
It’s a term that I don’t use, because in fact it is so over used by travel writers, and it’s also a word that you read in almost any travel brochure to any Island or warm weathered resort. But for a place like the Seychelles, after spending my first night there, looking out onto the blue tide gently climbing the shore line, the green rainforest in the far distance, there really isn’t another word to use. It is a paradise!
The Seychelles is what’s known as an archipelago. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it’s a large collection of islands. So then there isn’t a better description of the Seychelles, with 115 islands in total, paradise and archipelago. It’s really rare these days to find a resort that hasn’t given in to much to tourists, and lost it’s culture, Somehow the Seychelles have managed to keep the perfect balance of Luxury without it being overly touristy. No wonder it’s a favorite holiday destination for celebrities.
Another reason why I love it so much is, it has such a vast and extensive amount of sea life on the island. You can find turtles, manta rays and supposedly hammerhead sharks too! Not to mention the gigantic Land tortoises too, something the Seychelles is famous for.
Praslin Island & Indian Ocean Lodge
The first little hotel we stayed was Praslin Island, just a short Journey from the airport. The Indian Ocean Lodge was reasonably priced considering we were in the Seychelles, which surprised me. It’s in such a tranquil setting, perfectly placed on the Grande Anse beach, with a lush rainforest in walking distance for the backdrop. The hotel was decorated with soft pastel palettes, giving an even more relaxing feel , if even possible.
I’m also someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy seafood, but the hotels Blue Marlin Bar and Restaurant had so many beautiful dishes to choose from, it’s given seafood a whole new meaning to seafood for me. If you are like me, there was still a very wide selection of dishes that didn’t include seafood. But you know, when in Rome, (or the Seychelles!)
I suppose for almost everyone, there becomes a point when there is only so much lying on a beach you can take, before you feel the need to do something. In when that occurs, there is a free shuttle bus service provided by the hotel which takes you on a tour of the island, you can see where the locals go during the day, the shops and café’s, before bringing you back to the Anse Volbert Beach. There are plenty of daily excursions that you can enjoy, and the hotel are more than willing to assist the guests with the car rental, there are hills and scenery to be seen around the island and it would be just insane to go to Praslin and not want to soak it all in!
Any nature lovers reading this, then I highly recommend the Vallee De Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Only a 5 minute journey from the lodges, it’s a stunning hillside spot of nature filled with the islands rare flowers, Praslin and it’s neighbour island Curieuse are the only places left which you can find the Islands illusive black parrot , which feeds on the rare flowers. The hotel staff were more than happy to help us arrange an island hopping day trip, there’s so many cultural sites and scenery that you don’t want to miss, it’s hard to know where to start.
Absolutes favorite parts
The indian ocean lodge is located on Praslin, which is the 2nd largest island in the Seychelles As a guest staying at the hotel, you will stay in one of only 32 lodges on the Grand Anse ,one of the longest beaches on the Seychelles, The retreat prides itself on being ‘relaxing haven to unwind’ it’s the perfect setting for a dream holiday, and one of the most amazing factors is that children under 11 stay for free.
It’s a completely tranquil destination of natural beauty that’s only a short journey from the Airport. 20 minutes drive to the diving excursions at Cote D’Ore beach, and just 35 minutes drive from Anse Lazio beach. The Indian ocean lodge is a B&B board basis, prices range from 72 euros to 101 euros depending on which season you stay in, very affordable to a high end destinations.
Indian Ocean Lodge
www.indianoceanlodge.com
Grand Anse, Praslin, Seychelles
+248 428 3838
reservations@indianoceanlodge.com
Silhouette Island & Hilton Seychelles Labriz
Does anyone else get the sad feeling inside when they have to leave a holiday destination? …Just me? It’s hard to imagine that there is ever going to be anywhere else that can match up to the Indian Ocean Lodge on Praslin, but you can NEVER go wrong with a Hilton in my eyes, and we were still on the Seychelles after all. My Indian Ocean Lodge blues didn’t last too long.
The Hilton Labriz is situated on silhouette island, and from a distance when you approach the island, it’s truly striking ,the first thing you see is the tropical rainforest and mountain tops that touch the clouds, the resort is on a 2.5km beach.
The Hilton offers first class accommodation, fine dining and Spa’s, local activities include trekking through one the nation’s largest national parks or taking a trip to a nearby national marine park.
In true James Bond style, to arrive on the island it’s a short 20 minute helicopter ride or a 45 minute boat ride from the main airport. The Hilton Seychelles Labriz Reosrt & Spa offers guests five private and luxurious villa categories; the highest being the presidential villa, Deluxe Hillside Poll Villas, Deluxe Beach front Pool Villas and then elegant Beach Villas which are casually dotted along the seafront, literally steps away from the sea, last but never least were the Garden Villas, set in the lush greenery of the island, but with extra amenities courtesy of the Hilton.
Whilst your villa may be peaceful and secluded, in the heart of the resort you’ll find good selection of bars and restaurants for when you want to spend the night out. You can find The Beach Side Sakura which serves sushi, The Italian Portobello Restaurant and Café Dauban which serves local and international delicacies. The most popular restaurant in the resort is the Grann Kaz, recently restored, a traditional Seychellois plantation house that serves local Croele dishes, perfect for those who are eager to taste the local food specialties.
The Silhouette Spa
The spa was designed with elements on nature in mind, to bring you closer to the island. The silhouette spa has indoor and outdoor couples’ therapy suites with stunning views of the Indian Ocean and Mount Dauban. There is a range of treatments available, including yoga classes and rituals to leave you feeling cleansed. For anyone who likes to be kept busy whilst enjoying their time abroad, you should head yourselves over to the Eco centre, the only five star national Geographic PADI diving centre in the Seychelles. An opportunity to discover the marine life on the island that you’ll never forget.
Absolutes Favorite Parts
The most amazing part of the resort is where it’s situated on Silhouette island. Breath taking views of the Mount Dauban, tranquil ocean at an arms reach and the 2.5km coastline. There’s nothing to not love about it. There is seven different restaurants onsite in the centre of the resort, you’ll be spoilt for choice come evening time. There’s a huge array of excursions available, there is also diving , hiking through the rainforest and of course the spa has a selections of treatments for days when you need a rest.
You can either travel to the island by a 20 minute helicopter ride, or alternatively there is a 45 minute shuttle boat from the main airport.
A truly perfect resort and spa for couples or honeymooners, the Hilton can offer bespoke wedding services and a couple’s spa too.
Hilton Seychelles Labriz Restort & Spa
www.hiltonseychelleslabriz.com
Silhouette Island, PO Box 69, Mahé, Seychelles
Tel: 248-429-3949
Mahe Island And The Carana Hilltop Villa
It’s that time again, when you have to leave the beloved hotel,what if the next one’s not as nice as the last?!
Well the only way is literally up when it comes to The Carana Hilltop Villa.
Perched between the mountainsides of north east Mahe and the crystal clear ocean, the villa’s unique setting is perfect for deep relaxation, private swimming pools, gardens filled with tropical flowers and fruit trees.
Offering a true Seychelles experience, it’s the perfect establishment that promises a true Seychelles experience, explore the islands bays and lagoons as well as it’s radiant cultures and cuisines. You can stay at the Carana Hilltop Villa for as little as 90 euros a night, or for a larger occasion the entire villa can be booked out. The accommodation we stayed in was fully air conditioned and anyone on the ground floor had almost instant access to the swimming pool.
Just a five minute walk away is the Carana Beach,the definition of unspoilt natural beauty. The obvious pass time is just soaking in the sun rays but there are plenty of other activities at hand such as snorkelling, fishing and to top it off, beauty therapists and in-room masseuses can be called out as well. As with our previous accommodations, the menu is seafood lead, which isn’t suprising being on an island after all, however they do cater to Asian and European holiday makers too at The Carana Hilltop Villa.
Absolutes Favorite Parts
The villa is only a small destination, just ten rooms ranging from doubles to suites up in the Mahe mountainside. It has Beautiful views of the islands scenery and also neighbouring islands close by.
The villa is also just a five minute walk from Carana Beach, The style of food served is not pretentious, and is local cuisine which we loved. There were plenty of activities at hand as previously mentioned such as fishing and sunset cruises. This unique, private and secluded villa is only 20 minutes’ drive from the airport and 15 minutes’ drive from Victoria.
Carana Hill Top Villa
www.caranahilltopvilla.com
Carana, Glacis, Mahe, Seychelles
+248 4 241 990
reservation@caranahilltopvilla.com
Bird Island And Bird Island Lodge
Just a 20 minute drive from The Carana Hilltop , or a 30 minute flight from the Main airport, you’ll find yourself perched on Bird Island! The first thing you’ll notice is the beach, which seems to go on forever like a long golden streak for 5 km. You’ll find yourself at one of the world’s top eco holiday destinations, with a massively successful wild life reserve close by.
Instagram worthy to say the least, but I highly doubt you’ll find phone reception which is probably a shock to the system! You will also find that there is no modern technology on Bird Island, no TV and no phones. Something that takes time getting used to, but now I look back, I’m glad.
Bird Island Lodge is a wise choice to ease yourself back into reality, you’ll find yourself comfortable but not in luxury. There are 24 chalets available, more than the previous hotels This is Bird Islands only hotel, and it offers king size beds, large shower rooms and a separate toilet, all chalets have a veranda attached and an overhead fan to keep you cool.
The food at the lodges was served buffet style, organic and locally sourced, and thank god, there were cocktails available too. Not too bad at all..
The Bird Island itself is absolutely tiny, you can walk it in an hour so transportation is no issue at all. The West Beach is walking distance away, enjoy the beauty of the island in comfort and style, sun downer cocktail at the West Beach cannot be beaten!
Like the other hotels I experienced, there were water activities available here too. You can Kayak alongside a group of dolphins that are natives to the island, you can snorkel, and you can go whale watching from October to November time at the resort. There’s no shortage of activities to take place.
Absolutes Favorite Parts
The flight to bird Island is only 30 minutes from Mahe , the lodge is position on an almost untouched 5 km beach surrounded by the Indian ocean. Although there are 24 chalets available there is never more than 80 guests at a time, you’ll always feel peaceful and secluded.
The lodge only uses locally sourced, fresh and organic ingredients for it cuisines of the island too.
Rather than the pebbly beaches of Brighton you’ll find warm golden sand and instead of seagulls there is literally hundreds of tropical birds all over the island, I know where I’d rather be!
You can also book guided tours of the rainforest and snorkel through the coral reefs. You can find more information about Bird Island on the website listed below.
Bird Island Seychelles
www.birdislandseychelles.com
Bird Island Lodge, P.O. Box 1419, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles
Tel: (248) 422 49 25
reservations@birdislandseychelles.com
Why Choose The Seychelles?
We are aware that not everyone will have the time or the funds to fit in four hotels to their travel itinerary, but if have enjoyed what we have shared with you about, what e would truly call Paradise, then the Seychelles won’t let you down. No matter which Island or accommodation you choose, they’ll be memories you won’t forget.
Indian Ocean Lodge
www.indianoceanlodge.com
Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa
www.hiltonseychelleslabriz.com
The Carana Hilltop Villa
www.caranahilltopvilla.com
Bird Island Lodge
www.birdislandseychelles.com