A fairy-tale, magical, unforgettable, and we could look for more superlatives. The island of La Digue is indisputably the most beautiful of the three main islands of the Seychelles. The combination of virgin nature, heavenly beaches, ubiquitous bicycles, and incredible tranquility without traffic creates a perfect paradise on Earth. The cherry on the cake is the most photographed and, for me, the most beautiful beach in the world, Anse Source d’Argent.
Detailed Google map with attractions
Contents
Day 8 – Enchanting La Digue
Day 9 – Beaches of the east coast
Day 10 – Belle Vue viewpoint and Anse Source d’Argent
Day 8 – Fairy-tale La Digue
Praslin 8:30 am. We are waiting for the agreed taxi to take us to the port. The first boat to La Digue leaves at 9:00 and the journey is only 15 minutes. According to the progression of the trip in the order Mahé – Praslin – La Digue, the best part should come last. And indeed, without further ado, I can declare La Digue as unequivocally the most beautiful of the trio of main Seychelles islands. The perfection of this small cozy island is created by a combination of pristine nature, paradise beaches, ubiquitous bicycles, and incredible tranquility without traffic noise. Everything is close by, and meeting a tortoise in the wild is not uncommon. It’s probably no coincidence that even the president has a vacation home on La Digue. He used to be the only one allowed to drive a car on the island, but today you can also see taxis around.
We booked our accommodation Kot Babi through booking and it won due to its location. The villa is just a few hundred meters north of the port, so you don’t have to worry about a taxi. Upon arrival at the entrance hall, the friendly staff welcomes us and knows exactly what we need – ice-cold orange juice. While they prepare our private cottage, we go choose bicycles from a nearby garage. Make sure to check the brakes and gears, as maintenance isn’t their strong suit here. You won’t need a lock, after all, you’re not in Slovakia 🙂 Plus, you’ll definitely appreciate the rear basket for your backpack or purchases.
TIP: For a 3-day rental, they asked for 100SCR/day for a bike, which is probably a normal price – definitely don’t pay more.
The accommodation is great – a cottage with three rooms, a kitchen, a terrace, and a garden shower. Today’s goal is to take a round trip around the island or wherever the bikes take us. The distances are so short that suddenly we find ourselves at the northernmost point of the island. On the left, we pass by beautiful beaches and encounter tortoises here and there. We are starting to understand why this island is called fairy-tale-like. We will stop on the way back, so now we pedal as fast as we can. At the end of the concrete road, you will feel like you’re at the edge of the world. Our first stop is at a bar overlooking the endless azure ocean. In such heat, it’s impossible to resist a fresh fruit drink and a cold beer. Of course, a taste of coconut flesh couldn’t be missing. The beaches along the road are more for the camera lens, as the waves here are not suitable for swimming.
Our first planned swimming stop is at Anse Patates beach. We split into two groups because the other one still wants to ride around the island. I park my green Avalanche on the roadside amidst a tangle of bicycles, hoping I’ll find it there later. We descend the stairs and look for a spot where coconuts won’t hang over our heads. This beach is small and cozy, but we didn’t see many fish here. According to study materials, the north of the island should be the best for snorkeling.
We found the bike by the road, so there was no unpleasant surprise, and we can move on. The beach Anse Severe is just around the corner and rewards us with full snorkeling experience. The entry into the water is shallow with a stony-grassy bottom. If you start swimming, you can get scratched by sharp corals, as happened to me. If you walk, besides getting a foot peeling, you might step on a sea worm, which is not fatal, just an unpleasant sensation. Silently cursing why I didn’t pack water shoes.
TIP: The best snorkeling spot is by the rocks in the middle, true ocean depth starts behind them.
Apart from numerous colorful fish, I also saw a ray here. When it started lifting off the seabed and floating towards me, I swam probably the fastest hundred meters of my life. On the positive side, we didn’t see any jellyfish during our time in the Seychelles. Meanwhile, the second group is returning from biking and we aim them straight to the best spots for fish. Meanwhile, we’re catching some sun. By the way, Daylong 25 sunscreen was completely sufficient even for the Seychellois parallel.
For the sunset, we move further south to the beach Anse La Reunion. It’s located at the beginning of the paid area of L’Union Estate, so either you pay 100SCR or follow our tip. We save visiting the whole plantation along with the most photographed beach in the world, Anse Source d’Argent, for the last day.
TIP: You can get to Anse La Reunion for free if you bypass the heliport before the park entrance and wade through the water.
The sunset is fascinating. Clouds reflect on the calm water surface, in the background, Praslin’s silhouette emerges, and a small island with photogenic trees completes the perfect scenery. After dark, biking becomes great fun, as you hardly encounter anyone with lights. I took a detour through the center of the island.He got lost in a luxury resort among the cottages. La Digue Island Lodge with a price starting from 130€/night, in case you were curious about the exact amount. Subsequently, I preferred to be guided by the staff so as not to surprise anyone there 🙂 Besides, there was less than a month left until the presidential elections, and the current president James Michel had a pre-election rally on the beach today, so tipsy pedestrians were crossing our path. For dinner, we will try the chicken curry for 50SCR at the buffet on the main road. Excellent value for money. Before going to sleep, a Schlaftrunk in the form of dark rum Takamaka.
Quote of the day: “What kind of schedule is this, which day will I have without you?” – surrendering Peter, as the program is too packed for his taste (P.S.: he actually kept this promise the following day)
Day 9 – Beaches of the east coast
Throughout the trip, I had been threatening with a morning run, and today it finally happened. I convinced one crew member to join me on a 3.8km loop through the center of the island. After the running performance, a garden shower comes in handy.
TIP: It’s already very hot by 7:30, so it’s better to get up early for your run.
On the other hand, the second group didn’t miss the sunrise at 5:55 and the Sunday Mass, which was in French. In the morning, we still have to deal with shopping at Gregoire’s Store supermarket, or more precisely, a looted supermarket. I don’t know if it was because of Sunday, but the shelves were almost empty. We only got bread in another store. Today, we plan to hike along the beaches of the east coast. We reach the first beach, Grand Anse, in 15 minutes. Unlike the west coast, there are much bigger waves here and the beaches are more for wild fun than for swimming. We park our bikes against a tree and set off for a hike. The path is flooded at the beginning, so we had to find a side road to join it. The trail leads through the jungle on a rocky terrain, and very quickly we reach the second beach, Anse Petite. In translation, it means a small beach, but it was not any smaller than Grand Anse.
TIP: Hiking trails are best marked on OpenStreet maps, you can find them in apps like MapFactor Navigator
Transitioning to the third beach Anse Cocos is a bit more demanding. All three beaches are surrounded by large granite rocks, with white sand and few tourists. Besides the waves, one must be cautious of dangerous undercurrents, as indicated by warning signs.
TIP: At the left end of Anse Cocos beach, there is a small cove perfect for snorkeling.
We decided to also explore the fourth beach Anse Caiman. The uphill walk is still on a marked path, so there is no need to worry about getting lost. We find ourselves alone on this beach, as who would be drawn here in such heat? The waves are gentler here, allowing us to explore the underwater world. There are plenty of colorful fish, and the girls managed to spot a meter-long fish. We vowed not to leave until we, the guys, also saw it. The search begins, as it is said to be hiding under a rock at the bottom. There are many colorful fish everywhere, but no sign of the big one. We were about to give up when I spotted it under the rock. The beauty was at least a meter long and 30cm tall.
On land, we were accompanied by crabs. The return route to Grand Anse took us less than an hour. The sandy bottom of this beach is idyllic, so we waste no time and dive into the waves. As the sun sets, we move to the tried and tested Anse La Reunion beach. We make our way once again past the helipad and head to the tip of the beach, where there is a wooden pier. This should be the westernmost point of the island. We are already well-practiced in island cruising, and after yesterday, nothing should surprise us. As for nightlife, the only open establishment was the police station 🙂
Quote of the day: “I’m such a slow b*tch.” – another night with mixed drinks
Day 10 – Belle Vue Viewpoint and Anse Source d’Argent Beach
Saving the best for last. On our final day, we saved the most beautiful and most photographed beach in the world, Anse Source d’Argent.But before that, we have an island heart plan and a hike to the highest point Belle Vue with an altitude of 333m. Along the way, we stop at the port to buy tickets for the boat.
TIP: Tickets to Mahé are more expensive on-site, up to €10, so we recommend buying them in advance through the website seychellesbookings.com
After a short bike ride, we turn left off the main road and the real ascent begins. If you think you won’t have to push, you will. We lean our bikes and continue on footpath to the Belle Vue café. The first tourist we meet is a large tortoise. You need to bypass the café to the right, and from there the tourist trail begins. Once again, the OpenStreet maps app saved us from getting lost. The path goes straight and slightly to the left all the way to the summit of the hill, where there is a junction. All tourists advised us to go left, but you need to go right, the top is actually there 🙂 The path leads through overgrown jungle until it opens up to a view of the surrounding islands. It wasn’t a breathtaking view, but it’s worth experiencing. Praslin is at your fingertips. We run back without stopping, greet the tortoise, and hope our bike brakes will work.
We only stop at the gates of L’Union Estate, where we need to park our bikes and pay the entrance fee of 100SCR. There is much more to see on this former coconut plantation than meets the eye. We walk through the park past the old Creole cemetery. Next is the reconstructed colonial Plantation House, where the legendary Emanuella was filmed. In the basement of the adjacent house, there is a store where you can buy fresh vanilla tea or lemongrass. Another attraction is the enclosure with giant tortoises, a gigantic granite rock, the summer residence of the president, and vanilla plantations.
The cherry on top is marked by a sign Anse Source d’Argent (Silver Beach). The entrance gate to paradise is made of granite boulders, as expected. If we had set high expectations, which we did, this beach exceeded them. The rocks look like they are painted, the water is a beautiful azure color, white sand, and all around are palms and greenery. It is not a typical open beach where you can see from one end to the other, but you alternate between rocks, beach, rocks, beach. You move between the “boxes” via paths through the forest. There are, of course, many tourists, but it is still acceptable compared to European beaches. We find our spot under the palm trees and head into the water. Swimming and snorkeling here are average; this beach is simply made for postcards. The tide comes in around 2 p.m., so in the morning the water is shallower, and you can see more fish.
From a distance, we watch as large clouds slowly approach. Everyone runs home or to the nearest beach bar, Anse Union. The downpour lasted about an hour, and people, including our group, dispersed home. My strategy of waiting paid off; suddenly I had the whole beach to myself. I walked it end to end, took about a million photos, and waited for the sunset, which marked the end of my unforgettable time in the Seychelles. I still have the image in my mind of lying by the azure water, the sunset in the background, a gigantic granite rock behind me, white sand to my left and right, on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. After sunset, I join the rest of the group, who are already sitting in a beachside hut with a drink. We don’t want to pack up, but time is unforgiving. In the morning, we take a boat to Mahé with a transfer to Praslin, a quick visit to Victoria for lunch, and at 5:15 p.m., we depart from the Seychelles International Airport.
