Travelling to Seychelles, the green oasis of the Indian Ocean

A haven for Arab traders and a hideout for pirates, the Seychelles, in East Africa, emerge before the visitor's eyes like a great explosion of wild vegetation in the Indian Ocean. Often described as the original Garden of Eden, this picture-postcard archipelago is made up of 115 islands, thirty of which are inhabited. The rest are wild islets, many of which are restricted access because they are privately owned or because they are protected as nature reserves.

A good option to get to know this archipelago in depth is to embark on a week-long cruise, such as the Pegasus from Variety Cruises. The adventure begins upon arrival in Mahé, the largest of the islands in the archipelago. Before embarking, it is essential to visit the most emblematic sites of Victoria, its capital. Highlights include, among others, the market, the Hindu temple, the Anglican cathedral of St. Pau and the Clock Tower, built in 1903 in honour of Queen Victoria.

Although they have been independent from Great Britain since the mid-1970s, there are still inherited customs that mix with the Arab, Indian and African traditions of a population that does not reach 100,000 inhabitants. The majority speak Seselwa Creole, a language derived from French. French and English are also official languages, the latter due to the influence of the British, who governed the islands from 1814 until their constitution as an independent republic in 1976.

From St. Anne in Cousin

After Victoria, our next stop on our ship is St. Anne Island, where we spend the night. This enclave was the first marine national park in the Indian Ocean. The next day we set off for Curieuse Island. It was once a leper colony, but today it is home to some three hundred Aldabra giant tortoises. They are one of the largest reptiles in the world, with adult animals weighing up to 200 kilograms, although exceptional specimens have been known to weigh over 400.

The beaches of Curieuse are also a haven for other species of sea turtle, such as the leatherback turtle that comes to lay its eggs. There is a 1.5-kilometre path along the beach that leads to Anse Badamier, where you can return to the research centre of the turtle conservation project, close to the landing point.

The neighbouring island of Cousin, the next stop, is a real refuge for millions of birds. It is owned by the Royal Society for Nature Conservation, and has been listed as a nature reserve since 1968. The Seychelles toque-toque, the common tortoise, the roseate terns (one of the symbols of Seychelles)...

All these birds find their paradise on the island, which is also a refuge for reptiles and giant tortoises. To preserve the delicate balance of this exceptional natural heritage, the Seychelles authorities limit access – only in the mornings from Monday to Friday – to a certain number of tourists.

A natural paradise

We arrived at Praslin, home of the black parrot, on the third day of sailing. With a length of 12 kilometres, it is the second largest island in the archipelago, and only has about 5,000 registered inhabitants. Its main attraction is the natural reserve of the Vallée de Mai, a prehistoric forest declared a world heritage site, which can be accessed by paying an entrance fee. The tour of the reserve, which houses ancient trees of complex shapes, takes one hour. The sun hardly shines on the ground. On its palm trees grows the coco-de-mer, an unusual fruit shaped like female genitals and synonymous with the Seychelles. Not in vain, its shape is the one stamped on the passport as soon as you arrive in the country.

In Praslin there is the beach of Anse Lazio, listed as one of the most beautiful in the world. Its rock formations make it unique and spectacular. You have to walk along it until you reach the end, where the most beautiful cove is located. It begins with a wide sandy area that narrows until it becomes a natural pool perfect for snorkeling.

The next day we landed on Aride Island, another nature reserve that is home to a large number of birds and which is particularly notable for its cliffs. Some of them reach 150 metres in height. A path runs along the island, which is completely uninhabited. The Wright's gardenia, endemic to the island, grows here. On the fifth day of sailing we reached Felicidad Island. That alone is a good sign of a start. Its waters are crystal clear and the surrounding nature is unspoilt. Many sea turtles roam the coast, so there are many opportunities to go snorkelling with them.

The island is also the location chosen by the Six Senses hotel chain to establish its hotel designed by the award-winning architect Richard Hywel Evans, from the RHE studio in London.

The day before returning to Victoria we spent in La Digue. Here time seems to have stopped. There are no cars, only bicycles and the occasional golf cart. This island is protected by coral reefs and giant rocks that line the coast. There is the beach of Anse Source de Plata, one of the most beautiful in the world. Crossing a field of vanilla crops where coconut is baked to turn it into copra and extract the oil, you reach this beach, where the polished granite rocks seem to have fallen from some sequence of the film. 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Practical guide

The German airline Condor offers up to two weekly flights to the Seychelles from Barcelona, ​​Madrid, Bilbao, Valencia and Palma with a stopover in Frankfurt. Once in Mahé, there are flights to Praslin, the second largest island in the archipelago. As for the weather, the best months to travel to Seychelles are April, May, October and November, although it starts to rain more during these two months. June, July, August and September are also good months to visit Seychelles, as it practically does not rain. December and January, in addition to being the rainiest months, are when the islands are most saturated and prices are highest.

The country's tourism office offers the following recommendations for considering the date of your trip to Seychelles based on your interests.

• Bird shelter: between April and October.
• Scuba Diving: from March to May and from September to November.
• Fishing:The best months for fishing in Seychelles are from October to April.
• Hiking: Although any time is good for hiking in the archipelago, if you have the chance to choose, the best months are from May to September.
• Candle: This sport can be practiced without any problems in Seychelles throughout the year.
• Snorkel:The warm waters surrounding Seychelles make snorkelling a real pleasure all year round.
• Surfing and windsurfing: If you are planning to travel to Seychelles for surfing and windsurfing, the best months are from May to September.