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First discovered by Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama in the early 16th century, this smattering of granite and coral lumps has been, in its time, home to everyone from Arab traders taking a breather on the spice route to pirates using the islands as a base for their raids. Nowadays, the indigenous population is swelled by wealthy long-haul travellers, looking for – and finding – a version of paradise that verges on caricature. Beaches of soft, white sand peter out into turquoise waters, where the sort of brightly coloured fish you would usually only see on The Blue Planet weave their way between strands of luminescent coral. Behind the sand lie forests of dense tropical foliage – in which you will see more greens than at a Friends of the Earth demonstration – where a wide variety of fauna, much of it unique to the region, makes its home.
When early sailors – who, admittedly, also used to confuse dugong with mermaids – saw coco de mer seeds floating in the sea, they thought they were a woman’s disembodied buttocks. Take into account all the homemade rum they would have been drinking, and you can see why they might have come to this conclusion. These enormous nuts, which traditionally only grew on two islands in the Seychelles, are an example of island giganticism – the same phenomenon that explains giant tortoises and Komodo dragons. See them growing in the wild in Praslin’s Vallee de Mai.
Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and romantic boutique hotels in Seychelles
The all-villa Maia Luxury Resort & Spa on the Seychelles’ sandy shores is the ideal beach hotel to drag your knotted back to for a spot of yogic spa serenity.
Frégate Island Private is a sensitively developed, verdant paradise, where 16 traditional-style, teak-and-mahogany villas overlook talcum-soft sand.
A tiny green dot with a white-sand outline, just a few minutes’ swim from Praslin, Round Island is the sort of tropical paradise that you used to draw at school.
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
April The Seychelles National Fishing Competition is an explosion of friendly rivalry, as fishermen – and tourists – from all over the islands compete to discover who can find the biggest fish to fry. 29 June Independence day sees a procession of floats, and celebrations aplenty, in the capital Victoria. The Festival Kreol, which takes place in the last week of October, is probably the biggest event in the islands’ calendar, celebrating, through food, art and performance, the ethnic diversity of the archipelago. November SUBIOS, the Indian Ocean Festival of Underwater Images, is when the world’s diving experts come to the hotels of Mahé and Praslin to give talks and screen sub-aquatic delights.
This cheap-and-cheerful stop on Praslin’s Côte d’Or rustles up everything from Creole specialities to chicken and chips.
Côte d’Or, Praslin
Wonderful Italian-style ice cream – ideal for when the soaring temperatures start to get too much.
Market Street, Victoria, Mahé
Delicious, light Cajun/Creole meals in artist George Camille’s Victoria gallery – a rickety wooden house dating from 1915.
Revolution Avenue, Victoria, Mahé
No, you won’t have to just eat cake. Marie-Antoinette, set in a beautiful old colonial house on the outskirts of Victoria, is named not after the guillotined French queen, but after the restaurant proprietor, who is something of a monarch in the spice world. Try her delicious, zingy chicken curry.
Serret Road, Victoria, Mahé
Situated on what many think is the most beautiful beach in the world, Bon Bon Plume, which specialises in grilled fresh fish and seafood, is one of the best places on Praslin for a relaxed lunch. Get there by boat as the roads down to the coast are terrible and the drive will take ages. Ask your hotel to organise it for you.
Anse Lazio, Praslin
It would be worth coming here for the sea views alone, but the restaurant is superfluously excellent, too. The day’s catch is usually the best dish, though Chez Batista also specialises in lobster. Ask for one of the picnic benches for the best views.
Anse Takamaka, Mahé
Part of a small hotel, Fairyland is built on a small jetty above the water – so it’s ideal for a romantic dinner. Delicious Creole and international cuisine.
Point aux Sel, Mahé
This relaxed restaurant is right on the beach, so you can wiggle your feet in the sand while you eat. Pizzas from the wood-fired oven are excellent, as are the fresh fish and traditional Italian dishes. Closed Mondays.
Anse Royale, Mahé
For the best Creole buffet – spicy octopus, crab soup, tuna cooked in saffron and coconut milk – on Praslin, head to this restaurant, part of an attractive guesthouse.
Anse Volbert, Praslin
If it’s exquisite Indian dishes that you’re after, then look no further than this restaurant, part of the Coral Strand Hotel. Watch chefs toil over sizzling pans through the glass wall of the kitchen.
Beau Vallon, Mahé
Part of the Banyan Tree Seychelles hotel, Saffron serves the best Thai and southeast Asian food on the island. The surroundings are authentically oriental, too.
Anse Intendance, Mahé
Set in a maginficent old plantation house in the craft village, this gourmands’ favourite, which serves up wonderful Creole cuisine, is where President Mitterand of France dined when he visited the Seychelles. Ask for a table on the veranda.
Anse aux Pins, Mahé
Chef Andre Madderaine’s daily changing Creole menu is what brings people to this romantic terrace in La Digue.
Anse La Reunion, La Digue
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