As a first-time visitor to this picturesque Seychelles, I was completely blown away – it was INCREDIBLE! I’ve travelled a lot, but I think the Seychelles is by far and away one of the most breathtakingly beautiful destinations I’ve been to. I was lucky enough to go island-hopping for two weeks and I loved discovering its hidden coves and beaches and snorkelling with dolphins and turtles.
The Seychelles is a beautiful collection of islands, which we’d also recommend hopping between to discover each one’s individual character. Island hopping is easy in the Seychelles, as there’s regular domestic flights and boat transfers. The Seychelles gives you an authentic Indian Ocean experience, with jaw-dropping scenery of unspoilt soft white sandy beaches and a slow pace of life. You can explore the islands by bicycle, discovering secret coves or amazing views from the hilltops. To help you get started, here’ some of my highlights!
My favourite hideaway island – Denis Private Island
Denis is a stunning private island which is very understated with a real rustic, authentic Seychelles feel. The island itself is lush, green and a great place to explore. They provide bikes for you to get around and there are plenty of water sports such as big-game fishing, diving and snorkelling. You’re surrounded by beautiful pristine private beaches – it’s the perfect place to retreat.
Accommodation is made up of 25 individual villas, which don’t have any TVs – great for a digital detox! There is no phone reception on the island either and while they do have Wi-Fi, it’s only accessible if you’re sat outside the library. Although the hotel was quite full when we were there, you would never know it. You literally feel like you are on a deserted island, so it’s amazing for a hideaway. We cycled around the whole island, which was a great way to explore it, and I loved how the majority of everything you eat here is grown on the island’s farm. The food was so good!
Make sure you pay a visit to Toby, the 119-year-old resident tortoise, who weighs in at a massive 180kg!
My favourite luxury hotel on Praslin Island – Raffles Seychelles
This hotel really does have the ‘wow’ factor! The hotel has a very high-end finish and the views from the villas are incredible. There are lots of dining options, with a focus on locally sourced and grown products. The hotel hosts lots of activities, including early morning yoga on the beach, and you can even hire a ranger for the day to show you all the local flora and fauna.
Everything was amazing here – the beds, the food, the outdoor showers, the spa and the service. Even though we stayed in a Partial Ocean View Pool Villa, the view was still incredible. The higher up the hillside you go, the views just get more spectacular!
When staying on Praslin, please do visit Anse Lazio which is one of its most photogenic beaches! It has several restaurants which serve as great options for lunch.
My favourite spa on Mahé – Four Seasons Resort Seychelles
The Four Seasons in the Seychelles is located in Mahé and is an all-villa property, therefore it feels very private. Although it’s essentially contemporary modern in style and has a very polished feel, the rooms have the look of a rustic beach house, including a lovely large bathroom and pool area. The location is fantastic with a beautiful beach in front with a backdrop of jungle-clad hills. They also have the friendliest tortoise here!
There is a beautiful spa and lots of various water sports to keep you occupied, if you can tear yourself away from your sun lounger, that is! The panoramic views from the spa were absolutely incredible, so much so that the hotel now offers a glass of bubbles at sunset on its rooftop.
The Seychelles is made up of 115 islands and I only visited a small percentage of these. However, these idyllic islands have certainly made an impression on me and I can’t wait to return to discover more!
