SEYCHELLES

After some time on Praslin island and La Digue, our final stop in Seychelles was to the big island of Mahe. At 61 square miles and home to 77,000 residents, Mahe is by far the largest and most populated island in the archipelago. Mahe is also home to the international airport making it a great island to either start or end your time in the Seychelles. Great beaches, full scale resorts, hiking, island hopping—Mahe has something for everyone.

— BEAU VALLON —

We spent only two nights on Mahe which was just enough to get a small taste of the island. Home base was a lovely little AirBnb in Beau Vallon on the north-west side of the island. After successfully driving ourselves from the airport to our rental house, we made our way to the beach just a few minutes walk away. Beau Vallon is a long stretch of sand with several restaurants, hotels and water sports rentals lining the beach. The water is shallow and calm, perfect for swimming. There’s a nice pedestrian-only street just off the beach with vendors selling food and souvenirs. As one of the more busy beaches on the island, it’s important not to leave your things unattended as you may return to find them missing.

Stripe Pants | Faithfull the brand (similar here)

White Tee | Madewell

Tan Slides | H&M (similar)

Straw Hat | Lack of Color (similar)

Sunglasses | Ray-ban

Gold Necklace | Missoma London

Beach Bag | Abaca (smaller version)

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After a few days on Praslin island, we made our way via Inter Island Ferry to the island of La Digue. The smallest of the inhabited islands, La Digue is home to 3,000 full time residents. Because of its small size (3 km across) there are very few cars on the island and everyone gets around via bike. If this sounds incredibly quaint and picturesque, you’re absolutely right. La Digue was by far my favorite island for its relaxed atmosphere and sheer beauty. Even though the island is small, I would recommend spending at least three days here, but if you have more time, that would be even better. We never wanted to leave! The most famous beach, Anse Source D’Argent, is truly spectacular and worth at least one full day of your time. Continue Reading…

Now that it’s sufficiently cold and gloomy outside, I’m feeling extra sentimental about the sunshine, salty air and tan lines that come standard with a visit to the Seychelles. After our time on safari in the Masai Mara, we made our way to this little known grouping of islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean—touted for magnificent white sand beaches lined with granite boulders and crystal clear turquoise waters. Located about 1000 miles due East of Kenya, the Seychelles consists of 115 islands, mostly uninhibited, with exception to the three main islands: Mahe (the capitol), Praslin and La Digue. These three islands provide the majority of tourism, but a handful of other private islands containing no permanent residents also offer very luxurious and secluded accommodations including North Island (the honeymoon destination of Prince William + Kate as well as George + Amal Clooney), Fretgate, Felicite and Silhouette to name a few.  Once under the rule of France, the culture in the Seychelles is a mix of African, Indian and Creole. French and Creole are the main languages spoken in addition to English. Continue Reading…

I remember the first picture I saw of the Seychelles, in disbelief at the site of volcanic boulders jetting up from the white sands and turquoise sea, like nothing I had ever seen before. A chain of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles look almost surreal—reminiscent of Jurassic Park meets Robinson Crusoe. In addition to the many beaches, Seychelles has countless activities to offer, including boating excursions to more remote islands, snorkeling the coral reefs, hiking trails, biking, quaint villages, rainforest exploration, vanilla plantations, tea farms, a local rum distillery, and so much more. Continue Reading…