Seychelles Holidays

Truly Unique

The word unique is used far too often about holiday destinations, but if it applies anywhere, it applies to the Seychelles, which are the planet's oldest oceanic islands, and have developed a biodiversity which can be found nowhere else on earth. The most northerly island, Bird Island, as well as being home to thousands of birds, is the only place in the world where hawksbill turtles lay eggs during the day, while the islands of Praslin and Curieuse are the only places on earth where the Coco de Mer Palm can be found. The Aldabra Atoll, the world's largest coral atoll, is famed as the original habitat of the giant land tortoise.

Thanks to its extraordinary wildlife, the Seychelles claims some of the world's best preserved tropical habitats, and hosts two UNESCO World Heritage sites. One is the Aldabra Atoll, largely untouched by humans, which, as well as being the home of the giant tortoise, has at its western end a huge tidal lagoon, inhabited by tiger sharks, manta rays, turtles, barracudas and thousands of seabirds. The other is the Vallée de Mai on Praslin, home to 8,000 different palms, including the Coco de Mer, where curiously shaped nuts grow high on ancient palms. If you hear a whistling sound here, it will be the call of the black parrot, found here and nowhere else in the world.

Mahé and the Capital

Mahé is the largest and most populated of the islands, and, along with Praslin and La Digue, attracts the lion's share of tourists. Mahé is home to Victoria, the world's smallest capital city, which can be explored in a delightful two-hour stroll. Away from the capital, Mahé has the highest mountain ranges in the Seychelles, as well as an abundance of secluded beaches, only accessible by boat or on foot. Most of the island is designated as the Morne Seychellois National Park, a mountainous area covered in dense Jurassic forest, patrolled by squadrons of brilliant tropical birds, and reaching to the summit of Morne Blanc, the tallest peak.

The Closer Islands

The closest islands to Mahé lie within the Sainte-Anne Marine Park, enclosing six small islands, and rich in marine life, with nearly 1,000 species of fish. A little further away is Praslin, the second largest island, with some of the Seychelles' most magnificent beaches, including the best-known, Anse Lazio. Praslin is best known for being home to the Vallée de Mai, one of the World Heritage Sites of the Seychelles.

From Praslin, it is just a short hop to La Digue, where the beaches are dominated by dramatic rock formations, dividing them into small secluded coves. This island is small enough to walk round, but most visitors hire bicycles, or take tours on ox-carts. The best-known beach, Anse Source d'Argent, is reachable only on foot or by bicycle, but here it is quite possible to find a deserted spot where you can bask in solitude. La Digue has a woodland bird sanctuary, where you could spot the rare black paradise flycatcher.

If you are in search of wildlife and real solitude, you may prefer to head for some of the more remote islands, such as Fregate, Bird Island and Aride. Aride is one of the finest tropical island reserves in the world, containing more birds of more species than all the other islands combined -- a million breeding seabirds, and land birds found nowhere else in the world, such as the magpie robin and blue pigeon. On Fregate, with most of the island given over to conservation, there are amazing walks through primeval forest and up massive granite outcrops.

The balmy climate of the Seychelles, never falling below 24 degrees or rising above 32 degrees, makes it perfect to visit at any time of year. No two islands are the same, so your biggest problem will be deciding which of these enchanting places to visit. Whether you are coming to dive, to watch the incredible bird and animal life, or simply to relax in one of the many luxury hotels, you will know that you are as close to heaven on earth as it is possible to be.