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SEYCHELLES
TRAVEL GUIDE
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10
Best Beaches of Seychelles
Seychelles
What To Know Before You Go
Spectacular
Seychelles Boast World-Class Resorts & Attractions
Seychelles
What To Know Before You Go by Lucy Tucker
The Seychelles are truly
paradise, with extraordinary beaches on almost every island, and they
are virtually deserted. The forests are beautifully lush and green, and
the underwater sights are amazing with more fish than you could ever
dream of, whilst the colors of the sea will leave you spellbound.
Another wonderful and man made sight is the lack of high rise hotels,
as buildings have to be lower than the palm trees.
In
addition if you want to see Green and Hawksbill turtles, then at
certain times of the year you can do just that. So if it is nature
trails and hiking that fascinates you, then Silhouette Island with no
roads, and lots of trails would be perfect for you, especially because
the thick vegetation means lots of wildlife.
If
fishing, especially fly fishing is your thing, then get yourself to the
bonefish flats near Alphonse, where you will catch literally dozens of
fish. Add to this the historic and famous coco de mer on Praslin at the
Vallee de Mai, and the millions of sooty terns on Bird, and you can see
this is a paradise for nature lovers.
On
the other hand, if you love beaches, then some of the best beaches in
the world are to be found in the Seychelles, and for me it's a toss up
between Anse Lazio on Praslin, Bird Island beach which goes all the way
round and is almost deserted, and Anse Victorin on Fregate, which
probably wins the vote due to the exclusivity of Fregate, and the white
sand, turquoise sea, and the fact it is cut off by rocky headlands on
either side. These are just three, and you will realize it is difficult
to set them apart when you have been there.
Whilst
I personally don't dive, but I do snorkel, I am reliably informed that
the diving at Alphonse is just the best, but Desroches has the coral,
and La Digue has the colourful fish, but to be truthful from the moment
I walked into the water at Anse Lazio on Praslin and was immediately
surrounded in knee deep water by hundreds of brightly coloured fish,
I've never failed to be astounded by the snorkeling everywhere in the
Seychelles.
Where
you stay in the Seychelles is very dependent on your budget, and
probably the greatest luxury is to be found at the resort on Fregate, home
of the best beach too!! Here you stay in a villa with views to die for
with your own Jacuzzi overlooking the ocean, it is pure pampered
luxury, but it is not the only island with only one resort. Alphonse,
Bird, Desroches, and Silhouette are all like this, if you want crowds
go to Mahe!!
Praslin,
and La Digue are a half way house with affordable hotels, and not many
people.
People
often ask about the food in the Seychelles, and what it's like. It is a
real fusion of flavours, best described as Creole. It features lots of
coriander, chillies, ginger, lemongrass, pepper, and fresh herbs,
blended into curries. Fish is in profusion, and seafood, particularly
look out for Tuna, red snapper, kingfish, parrotfish, or octopus served
raw and thinly sliced.
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About the Author - Lucy Tucker loves the Seychelles, read more about
the Seychelles at www.worldwidevacationspots.com
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Spectacular
Seychelles Boast World-Class Resorts & Attractions by
Robert Scheer
The Seychelles is a group of
115 islands in the Indian Ocean, located near Madagascar, the Maldives
and Mauritius. The nation, a republic, boasts two UNESCO World Heritage
Sites, consisting of the island of Aldabra, the world's largest coral
atoll and Vallee de Mai on Praslin Island, which has been compared to
the Garden of Eden.
A
haven for divers -- both snorkel and SCUBA -- Seychelles has six
national marine parks, where coral islands are rich with more than
1,000 different species of fish. The turquoise water, clean white sand
beaches and exotic plant and animal life make Seychelles a popular
holiday destination for weddings and honeymoons as well as attractions
for sailors and divers.
One
of Seychelles' best-known beaches is Anse Lazio on Praslin Island.
Framed by huge rocks on both sides, Anse Lazio beach is shaded by
picturesque coconut palms leaning out toward the gently rolling waters
of Chevalier Bay.
Mahe
Island is the largest of the Seychelles, and location of the capital,
Victoria. The international airport as well as 90% of the population
can be found on Mahe Island.
Perhaps
the most renowned holiday resort in Seychelles is the Banyan Tree, a
family of romantic luxury resorts with locations also in the Maldives,
Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and China, although each location is
uniquely fitted to its culture and geography. Other highly recommended
resorts are operated by Constance (Lemuria Resort on Praslin Island),
Le Méridien, and Taj. In addition, you will soon see them joined by
Four Seasons, Southern Sun, the Crown and Champa Group, Universal
Enterprises and Per Aquum.
The
Banyan Tree, on Mahe Island, covers about 117 hectares of dramatic
coastline and its 800 meters of beach frontage overlooks what has been
called one of the world's ten most beautiful beaches.
Popular
land-based activities include hiking along well-marked nature trails
followed by pampering tired muscles in luxurious spas at five-star
resorts. The Lemuria Resort on Praslin Island sports a championship
18-hole golf course recognized by the PGA, providing challenges for
amateur and professional golfers.
Remarkable
animals formerly found but now nearly extinct on these holiday islands
include the giant tortoise and saltwater crocodile (caiman). Birders
will be happy to see a Seychelles Flycatcher, Kestrel, Blue pigeon,
Sunbird, Swiftlet, White Eye or Scops Owl. Seychelles are popular with
fisherman, eager to catch such magnificent trophies as sailfish and
marlin. Seychelles waters are also rich with shark, giant barracuda,
rainbow runners and wahoos.
All
residents of the Seychelles are immigrants, with the largest ethnic groups
composed of French, Africans, Indians and Chinese. The two official
languages are French and English. The islands were probably first
discovered by Portuguese sailors in the 16th century.
They
were colonized by France in 1756, who named the archipelago after a
government official, Jean Moreau de Sechelles. The Seychelles were
ceded by Britain in 1814 and became an independent republic and member
of the British Commonwealth in 1976.
Flying
time to the Seychelles from the USA is about 30 hours, making it more
popular with Europeans than North Americans. But its world-class
scenery, diving sites, as well as its luxurious holiday resorts and
cuisine, not to mention the friendly locals, make the Seychelles
Islands well worth considering as a holiday destination for anyone who
does not have to worry about budgets.
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About the Author - Robert
Scheer is a travel writer and consultant for
www.holidays-seychelles.info.
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10 Best Beaches of Seychelles
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Seychelles
is a group of about 115 islands, located northeast of Madagascar.
There are five main islands; Mahé, Praslin, La Digue, Frégate, and
North Island. Much of Seychelles is protected sanctuaries devoted
to preserving and amazing array of flora and fauna. The giant
Alabra Tortoises are fascinating and should not be missed when visiting
the islands, Birds huge bird colonies can be found on certain islands
While
tourism is absolutely their main industry, the Seychelle Islands are a
relatively unknown vacation hideaway. If you are looking for a
snappy nightlife you might be a little disappointing. One of the
charms of the Seychelles is that they are not commercial and
overdeveloped. The group of islands offer the perfect Honeymoon
getaway.
Beau
Vallon
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This beach is located on the
island of Mahé on the northern side, and is one of the more popular
beaches on Mahé. This long and sandy beach has magnificent
views of North Island and Silhouette. There are various diving
and water sport centers as well a Teddy's Glass Bottom Boat Tours.
Anse
Royale
This
beach is the longest on Mahé and it provides beaches that are
protected in most cases from choppy seas and provides a safe and
comfortable swimming experience. This makes for very favorable
conditions for swimming and beach fun from May to October.
Intendance
Beach
This
is a very wide beach, which provides huge swells that are favored by
surfers. Multi-directional currents make it a little
challenging at times to swim and the Banyan Tree Resort will notify
swimmers of dangerous conditions with flags. Anse Intendance is
one of the spots that turtles still nest.
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Photography by Dino Sassi
-
Marcel Fayon, Photo Eden
LTD
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Anse
Cimitiere
Cimitiere
is a very hidden beach and is quite hidden. Monsoon season is
from May to October and is a time of large waves and dangerous
surf. There are a few natural swimming pools created by
protecting rocks on the beach. If you are looking for a nice
change there is the inland forest that can be explored by horses from
the Riding Centre Utegangar.
Port
Launay
This
is one of the most beautiful beaches on Mahé and is located on the
west side of the island. This beach will have the largest
population of beach goers on weekends. Swimming is great here and
the beach is very well maintained.
Anse
Georgette
Rated
as one of the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world, Anse
Georgette is located on the island of Praslin. Only accessible by
boat the beach offers the luxury of the Lemuria Resort. This is a
favorite of Honeymooners because of the intimacy of the private beach.
Anse
Bois de Rose
This
beach is known for its fishing and there is a great spot for swimming
located next to the hotel Coco de Mer.
Anse
Source D'Argent
This
beach is one of the most popular beaches in the Seychelles. Huge
granite boulders separate it from Anse Lazio and make this a hotspot
for filming and photography. This beach is a favorite for
magazines as well as TV travel programs.
Anse
Bamboos
Located
on the island of Frégate, Anse Bamboos has the main hotel on the island.
It boasts of has some currents but they are not too dangerous to
swimmers and there is a lifeguard stationed here for your safety.
Sun chairs with large shade umbrellas line the beach for your comfort.
Anse
d'Est
Anse
d'Est is located on the east side of North Island and this is where
large coral beds are located just off the beach. The North Island
Lodge offers a swimming pool, restaurant, library and diving center.
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