On land in Mahe (23 - 28)

Mahe the Seychelles’ main island is small, very spectacular tropical paradise. Uninhabited until discovered by the Portuguese, Arabs, French and then English. The local language is Creole, with French and English.
We stay five nights at the Constance Ephelia in a large room with balcony and fan overlooking gardens. The place to sit in the afternoon.

With a car and driver we explore the island, seeing most of the southern part stopping for the views. We stop in Victoria the Seychelles capital, visiting a market. Always fascinating to see where people shop. Fish is the staple food, so there are many small stallholders selling fish. Small white herons know this is the place for an easy meal. They sit pecking fish undeterred by stall holders waving them on.

We visit the gardens, tranquil, and extensive. Wherever we go there are Aldabra tortoises. Hearing grunting noises we go inside their enclosure and see a male doing his best to engage with a female. Tortoises are voracious feeders and kept in enclosures lest they eat everything. One of the World’s largest coconut palms is a feature, twice the size of any other palm. We walk around the gardens finishing at the café for ice cream and something to drink.

The hotel covers 2 ha with five restaurants, despite this they are all booked the first night so we must eat at the buffet, not great quality. The other restaurants are much better. Wine and food are expensive. Small electric vehicles take us around. The picturesque beach is close, there are two swimming pools, a tortoise enclosure and an ecological walk through the mangroves is possible.Read more