The island of Praslin is a world unique for several reasons. Here you can see the Coco de Mer palms, which you won’t find anywhere else in the world, and their fruits are a rare aphrodisiac. Anse Lazio beach is one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world with a unique underwater world. Just pure beauty. Come read more.
Detailed Google map with attractions
Contents
Day 6 – Anse Volbert and Anse Lazio
Day 7 – Vallée de Mai and Anse Georgette
Day 6 – Anse Volbert and Anse Lazio
The boat from Mahé departs at 7:30, and beforehand, we return the car at the port. It seems that being at the location 15-30 minutes before departure is sufficient. Large luggage needs to be handed over to the office for tags, and prepare yourself for it to be tossed into a metal cage. As the weather is favorable and the ocean calm, boarding on the upper open deck is allowed. The journey across the Indian Ocean begins, and we can’t wait for the next paradise island to reveal itself.
After about an hour of sailing across the Indian Ocean, we start to approach the magnificent green island of Praslin. We disembark at a port with azure waters and arrange for a taxi for 6 people. At the same time, we buy tickets for the Praslin – La Digue route. Well, they can’t really be called tickets; it’s just a handwritten receipt that will later be exchanged for a blue plastic board. Chez May Paule accommodation is just a few minutes’ drive to the north, and we are pleasantly surprised by the luxury that awaits us. For €32/night, we have a private cottage with three bathrooms, air conditioning, a terrace, and a beautiful beach just 5 minutes away on foot.
So, without wasting time unpacking, let’s head to the beach. If we have seen the most amazing beaches on Mahé so far,Anse Volbert is in a league of its own. Smooth white sand, azure strips with a distinct transition to blue, a deserted island in the middle, and beautiful green scenery on both sides. We dove headfirst into the water, even though locals warned us about rays that may crawl along the bottom with their venomous tails. We didn’t see any on this beach, but later on another one, exactly as depicted to us in the sand drawing, so caution is advised. It’s round like a plate, with big eyes, a long tail, blending with the sand, and hopping along the bottom. We could easily spend a whole day on this beach, but since we’re only on Praslin for two days, we want to visit other top spots.
TIP: If you have enough time, they offered us snorkeling at St. Pierre Island, you pay for the boat ride + a fee for the nature reserve
In the afternoon, we are planning to visit one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world, Anse Lazio. The bus stop is right next to our accommodation, but it took us a while to find that faded yellow paint on the road. Waiting for the bus felt like waiting for death; you can’t rely on the timetables, so it’s better to be there early. The ride cost the usual 5SCR, and you need to get off at Anse Boudin stop; otherwise, you’ll end up at the top of Zimbabwe Island.
From there, it’s about a 10-minute walk, and the surrounding nature builds up the anticipation of a heavenly beach. And here we are, a beautiful bay with white sand, palm trees, granite rocks on the sides, and of course an island in the distance. A distinctive feature of this beach is the designated swimming area enclosed by an underwater net all the way to the seabed, where you can snorkel and see shoals of fish. If we were to look for a historical reason, in 2011 there were two shark attacks on people here. But to reassure you, such attacks are extremely rare in Seychelles and have not recurred since then.
TIP: Undoubtedly, our best snorkeling experience in all of Seychelles was right at Anse Lazio, by the rocks and the coast on the right side.
For the full experience, try to snorkel before 4 p.m., as the water starts to get murky after that. We’ve never seen such a variety of colorful fish, all kinds of coral, or a sea turtle on any other beach. Perhaps that’s why it’s among the world’s finest. We relax on the beach until almost dusk, and after today’s wait for the bus, we decided to head home only by taxi. We arranged a vehicle for six, complete with commentary and a stop at the taxi driver’s restaurant. However, we resisted and opted for dinner at our beach instead. This area also has plenty of ATMs and grocery stores, which is convenient for restocking supplies and water.
Quote of the Day: “I keep expecting him from the left, and he comes from the right.” – What is it? A Seychellois bus 🙂
Day 7 – Vallée de Mai and Anse Georgette
After yesterday’s experiences, we set off for the stop a bit earlier. This time the bus is more or less on time, and we board the bus heading to Vallée de Mai. In translation, the May Valley, which is under the protection of UNESCO, is one of the main points on today’s agenda. The entrance fee is €20 or 320SCR, which was more favorable in euros at the time of our visit. As you will read on the information boards, half of the entrance fee goes to the other UNESCO site – the Aldabra Atoll, home to an endangered species of giant tortoises.
TIP: You will definitely not regret the extra cost for a guide (we negotiated it for 100SCR)
Praslin is the home to several unique species such as the tiger chameleon, black parrot, and rare orchids that grow here. The endemic palms [Coco de Mer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lodoicea), which you won’t find anywhere else in the world, are one of the main attractions in the Seychelles. What makes these palms so special? The female palms have fruits, while the male palms have a fruit that looks like a “penis”, and they reproduce by rubbing against each other. One such palm takes 25 years to grow and then fruits for another 7 years, so imagine the rarity of this.
At the start of the tour, your guide will show you all the parts of these palms :). The fruit resembles a buttocks or a female womb and is further traded as an aphrodisiac to Asian countries. It’s no coincidence that Prince William and Kate received it as a gift on their honeymoon in the Seychelles. Exporting it is of course prohibited, and if you wanted to buy it legally, it costs around 200€ plus an extra fee for additional baggage :). The good news is that you receive this national symbol for free into your passport.
During the park tour, you should strictly stick to the paths, as there is a risk of being hit by a 20kg coconut if you stray off. Besides learning about the palms, you will also get information about other interesting plants and animals in this forest. The guide shows us vanilla, cinnamon, or lets us smell lemongrass. Moreover, it seems like he’s in cahoots with every lizard posing for us. The stories about the tsunami he experienced as a kid, myths about sharks, or the origin of the Seychelles were fascinating. Since the Seychelles are not volcanic islands, it is believed that they were part of the Earth’s supercontinent. When the sea level rose, only the island peaks remained, which is why the Seychelles have such similar pointed shapes. The end of the trail offers a viewpoint of La Digue, and the tour continues back on two paths.
TIP: Plan for a 2-hour walk through the forest and remember to pack some insect repellent.
We come out in front of the main entrance and wait for the bus to continue our journey to the northwest of Praslin. During the drive around the island, the endless ocean emerges, there is minimal residential construction, and a small airport. Everything without any signs of tourist activity. We get off at Anse Kerlan beach, which is a stop before the final station in the hills of Mont Plaisir. Then we have to walk through the entrance gate to the Lemuria resort. After about 10 minutes on the asphalt road, we reach a crossroads. On the left is the road to the resort villas and a smaller beach Petite Anse Kerlan, and on the right, a longer route to Anse Georgette. We chose a larger trail, veering right where the path slightly inclines. Here you’ll find the only golf course in all of Seychelles, which is impeccably maintained. Another 10-minute walk will take you to Anse Georgette Beach, but every drop of sweat is worth it.
Before us, a beautiful white beach with turquoise water begins to unfold. We are almost alone here, which only enhances the experience of this paradise-like environment. You can supplement your fruit regime from the diverse offer of locals hidden behind the bushes. If you also want to snorkel, a better choice would be Petite Anse Kerlan. There are several suggestions for ending today’s day, so to cater to everyone’s wishes, we split into three groups. The first group goes snorkeling at the aforementioned beach, the second group sets off on a trail to Anse Lazio, and the third group stays at Anse Georgette. As I am in the first group, we reach Petite Anse Kerlan by crossing through the resort villas on our way back.
TIP: Petite Anse Kerlan had the first and last free wifi of our entire holiday
The best snorkeling at this small cozy beach is by the rocks in the middle. Luckily, we discovered the wifi only after the little fish :). We agreed with group No. 3 to take the second-to-last bus at 5:45 p.m. During the ride, which went along the bottom of the island, we were treated to an unforgettable sunset. We meet group No. 2 at the accommodation at about the same time. They also praised it and besides the beautiful hike, they had a private bus ride with a drop-off right in front of their house. Hmm, I wonder how that happened. We head to town for dinner, more precisely to that one street by the beach. The first attempt at entering a restaurant failed due to our attire, so we try somewhere else. We succeeded, and I can say I had the best octopus curry of my life. Our stay on Praslin is slowly but surely coming to an end.
Quote of the day: “Whenever I have a life problem, I solve it with an app.” – deep thoughts while waiting for the bus
