january-2019

28 / TRAVEL / Seychelles
TRAVEL / 29
Left: Bleached coral reef
(top); People walking
along Market Street in
Victoria, Mahé (bottom
left); Tropical fruit at the
market, Mahé (bottom
right).
“The beaches here truly
trump anything I’ve ever
encountered”
or in my Jacuzzi.
The cherry on top, though, is the series of seven beaches,
one of which, Anse Victorin, has been named the world’s best.
Its combination of soft white sand, coconut palms and granite
stones are all to be admired, but for me, the real beauty is how
easy it is to have everything to yourself.
“Even as an experienced traveller,
I found myself in awe of the natural
surroundings here”
Where to eat
La Grande Maison
The home kitchen of chef Christelle
Verheyden serves delights like Creole
bouillabaisse, tapas for lunch and has
a tropical garden and live music too.
La Plaine St. André, East Coast Road,
Au Cap. @lgmsey
Chez Jules Cafe
Hidden on the east coast of La Digue with
sea views, expect grilled fish fillet, octopus
salad and more fine fare. Anse Banane, La
Digue. @ChezJulescafe
La Plaine St. Andre
Located in a former Plantation House founded
in 1792 along with a rum distillery, this
restaurant offers traditional food and some
modern Creole cuisine too. La Plaine, East
Coast Road, Anse Royale. takamakarum.com
Marie Antoinette
Dine in this century-old house from a menu
unchanged in 46 years, including bat curry.
Serret Road, Mahé. marieantoinette.sc
RUSTIC CHARM
I leave La Digue – named after a French ship – until last,
dropping in by helicopter to the island’s west coast, where the
only town is located. Consisting of a few rustic and romantic
lanes leading to guesthouses, cafés and small stores, it’s clear
that La Digue offers another alternative to the islands I’ve
already explored: a chilled and easy-going location where the
younger travellers can mingle.
Here, I swap four wheels for two, and I quickly find myself
saying “hello” to fellow cyclists while riding around town.
Better still, it’s here where I have the chance to try the local
Creole cuisine, including rougay, a dish of salted fish in tomato
and onion sauce, fried up with garlic, chilli and ginger and
served on rice. The smoother coconut curry, however, quickly
becomes my daily favourite.
Cycling south, most visitors head for Anse Source d’Argent,
where massive granite rocks tumble into the ocean in a scene
that’s reminiscent of a lost world. The reality is, though, that
you’ll need to come early to find tranquillity here. You’ll also
need to pick the right season since the waters are sometimes
thickly carpeted in seaweed. I advise pedalling the hilly roads
south, getting in some exercise en-route to the three giant
coves that face southeast: Pointe Grand Anse, Pointe Petite
Anse, and Pointe Anse Cocos.
The beaches here truly trump anything I’ve ever encountered.
Fringed with rocks that are deceivingly shiny and metallic,
the beaches’ soft sands have a pink hue when the clear waters
wash over them, and the sea itself is like a pristine warm bath:
the waves creating a natural Jacuzzi effect. It’s fitting, then,
that my last stop is the place I’d be most keen to return to
next time, ready to explore so many more of the islands the
Seychelles has to offer.
➔
Plan your trip
Book your flight to the Seychelles
on kenya-airways.com
Robert Harding, Alamy, Robert Michael Poole
Lagoon surrounded
by typical granite
rocks on La Digue.