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This March I had the great fortune of visiting the tropical paradise of the Seychelles. This sun-drenched archipelago was my home for a week as I hopped from island to island and explored the numerous hotels Seychelles has to offer. Throughout my stay I was able to discover its amazing resorts and beaches and the ease with which it can be combined with an African safari or city break.
I was able to spend time visiting Mahe Island, Denis Private Island and Praslin and received a good overview of the areas from doing so. One of the first things that struck me was how green everywhere was. Nearly all of my transfers included a drive through dense green forests, which lent to a real tropical feel and acted as a constant reminder that I had entered a place lost from the world at large and somewhere immediately special.
With easy connections to UAE, East Africaand Southern Africa the combinations are endless and with the Seychelles possessing 115 islands, it is not somewhere you would get easily bored of. Though Mahe and Praslin were remarkable nothing compared to my time on Denis Private Island. Only a 25 minute flight from Mahe and you are suddenly in a different world all together. With no mobile and wifi connection you are completely cut off but once you see the beaches you no longer care.
These sandy white shores are bordered by a clear, sky blue sea, surrounded by a natural reef which is perfect for snorkelling or diving. It was a welcome break after spending hours travelling by car and visiting various hotels over a four day stint. Standing in the powdery sand, glass of wine in hand, I found myself without a care in the world and yet with a great many questions playing on my mind: Do I snorkel? Do I get a massage? Or do I just go for a sleep on my deck chair? Its a hard life. I only had 24 hours in my schedule so I tried to fit in as much as possible but on Denis nothing seemed rushed.
I decided to start my time with some snorkelling which was no hard task; after a two minute stroll through my personal garden I was at the beach and there was only another two minutes between my feet touching sand to floating around the reef. Absolutely perfect. Don't worry if you have never dived before as the snorkelling is great from only a few meters out, with an abundance of sea life including turtles! This was a first for me. After a nice relaxing splash in the sea I decided to explore other activities to ensure continued relaxation. They have two masseuses on the island who will gladly come visit you in your ample villa. I chose to have my massage on my outside day bed. The sound of sea and my oil massage equalled maximum relaxation; I think I even fell asleep at one point!
With white powder sand, blue sea and an on-site reef, I began to wonder if it could get any better. The answer, to my delight, came in the form of the island's delicious cuisine. As very much a foodie I was not disappointed. A buffet selection was presented for the majority of meals but far exceeded the like you'd find in a large island resort in the Caribbean. To give you an idea of how incredible the foodie experience was I hit the sushi area 3 times, then moved on to a course of fish before enjoying a helping of steak and then finally finishing up with a gorgeous dessert. Plus it was all-inclusive, so leave the diet at home as this is not the place for it. Perhaps one of the most impressive aspects of Denis was that 90% of food was grown, raised or produced on the island giving it top marks for responsible travel!
Denis was the perfect end to my trip for relaxation and reflection but I can't say enough for the beauty and level of service of the Seychelles as a whole. This should be on everyone's bucket list at least once!
