Kicking back on La Digue and Mahé, Seychelles – March & April 2016

You know life is treating you well when you get to spend an entire month with your family, enjoying the postcard-perfect beaches and azure seas of the idyllic Seychelles.

As our Kenya Airways flight touched down at the quaint Mahé International Airport, I realised – with some surprise – that it had been 23 years since my last visit to these captivating islands!

The island nation of the Seychelles is spread of an enormous oceanic expanse. There are three main islands – Mahé, Praslin and La Digue – with the latter being the least developed and most alluring of the trio. The large and populous island of Mahé is the commercial and political capital of the Seychelles, but we had our hearts set on escaping to something smaller and quieter, so we boarded a ferry and set sail for La Digue.

Until recently there weren’t even any cars on La Digue and all transport was done courtesy of bicycles and ox carts. Sadly, this has all started to change and – in the name of development – the government has authorised 55 vehicles to operate on the island.

These buses, taxis, canter trucks and private vehicles have inevitably begun to change laid back La Digue from a sleepy island backwater into a more developed and mainstream tourist destination. And there is no mistaking that the number of small hotels, guesthouses and self-catering cottages has exploded on the island.

Despite these changes and the increased development, the island of La Digue remains an unbelievable family holiday destination. The island is small enough that it can be explored by bicycle with ‘pedal power’ enduring as the primary means of island transport. Every morning we would load our beach bags, along with our two little boys, onto the back of our bikes and head for the beach. Whether you are looking for a picture-perfect beach, such as Source d’Argent, or a quiet little cove of powdery white-sand, such as Anse Caiman, there is a beach to suit all tastes.

Can there be a better place for a one-year-old and a three-year-old to spend a month hanging out with mom and dad; I doubt it. The fact that some of our extended family joined us for the first and last weeks meant the boys had grandparents, aunties and cousins to add to their idyllic beach holiday mix. Charlie and Ollie thought they had died and gone to heaven.

Spending the first half of our vacation at the self-catering Villa Verte on the much more tranquil eastern side of the island was an amazing experience. Bimal and his lovely wife ensured that the house was always clean and that we had everything we needed. The ocean view from the front veranda was nothing short of sensational.

When our extended family departed, it was with some reluctance that we relocated to Ylang Ylang (www.selfcateringylangylang.sc) on the western edge of La Passe. This move gave us easy access to a host of new beaches, such as Source d’Argent and the postcard bay of Garand Anse in the south. Although this part of the island was busier, we enjoyed the change of scenery, close proximity to restaurants and shops, and time together with just our family. I have many treasured memories and photos from this special time.

It wouldn’t be right to blog about La Digue without making mention of Chez Jules: a restaurant beyond compare. Tucked away towards the end of the road at Anse Banine on the far eastern side of the island, gregarious Jules serves fresh line-fish, a ‘to-die-for’ calamari salad and ice-cold Eku beers.

Mahé is not for everyone. It is the biggest and busiest Seychelles island by far, especially around the commercial hub of Victoria, but it does have some exquisite stretches of sand. My dad and stepmom, along with two of my sisters, flew out to join us for the final week at world-renowned Beau Vallon Bay on Mahé. We were accommodated in fine style, staying at the luxurious apartments of Sables d’Or (www.sables-dor.sc). Not only were the spacious apartments fully kitted out and tastefully decorated, but they also enjoyed an enviable location right on the beach.

Beau Vallon Bay is a busy beach, but it is one of the most idyllic beaches for young children: no rocks, no corral, just sand and a warm Indian ocean. Perfect for swimming, lounging about on a lilo, or paddling a sea kayak at sunset. A nearby marine park – easily reachable by boat – provides an opportunity to snorkel with an abundance of marine life hidden just below the surface.

Seychelles, rest assured, we will be back again soon!