Madagascar and the Seychelles

A 31-day adventure by Julie Read more

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Trip start
March 6, 2023
Madagascar and the Seychelles Traveler
First stop Mauritius
March 7, 2023 in Mauritius ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
Nothing quite went right unable to check our luggage through, creating stress of connecting with our flight. 14.5 hours later Dubai lounge. Transported from the airport to our hotel in a small car, uncomfortable for four. Our luggage barely fitted, in fact it didn't and my hand luggage remained in the carpark. When you pay a fortune per night ($1300) you learn quickly what that means. The hotel found my bag and organised it into a taxi to the hotel.

'The One and Only' hotel is beautiful on a beautiful island. The hotel entrance is spectacular, look carefully and you can see part of the orb reflected in the marble floor. Up early to a sumptuous breakfast spread over three rooms. Our table on the lawn overlooks the ocean. We had a long, luxurious breakfast.

The views from everywhere are quite fantastic. Swimming is available in the ocean or the hotel pool. Everything about this place says luxury. There are carefully sculpted gardens as if created by nature with viewing points and wild life, sadly not native. We walk along the beach and enjoy the sunshine. Great to have a day to recover in such a beautiful place.Read more
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Madagascar and the Seychelles Traveler
Exploring Mauritius
March 8, 2023 in Mauritius ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
Mauritius is tiny with an interesting history. The French brought slaves. The British freed the slaves. English and French are both spoken. There is a large Indian presence as well.

Heading to the port we see more of the island. We go north along the coast road spending time in the botanic gardens established by the British few plants however are native to Mauritius. We stop at a northern beach, just off shore was a table under an umbrella. A woman catches fish nearby, preparing and selling them close to shore.

Next the museum of tea. Mauritius produces tea. Our ‘tour’ guide spent a 1/2 hour extolling the virtues of their tea. It could cure everything from cancer to arthritis. Bob appreciated the guide's efforts and bought a jug and ceramic container for preparing tea. No idea what we will do with it.

We board our ship in Port Louis an evening sail to Reunion island.Read more
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Madagascar and the Seychelles Traveler
Reunion Island a brief visit in France
March 9, 2023 in Réunion ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Docked very early because a general strike in France included Reunion Island which is part of France. Reunion is even smaller than Mauritius - approx 900,000 people . Geologically very young with active volcanoes. The cliffs have wire barriers to stop stones dropping on to the road. Our first excursion was across a bridge which built in the sea to avoid the rock problem. Our guide pointed out it was the most expensive road in France. They speak only French, use only euros, number plates are European. The population however comes from Africa, Europe and Asia.

We travel along the coast road through the mountains to a waterfall. Spectacular, mountainous subtropical terrain. We finish at a vanilla farm with delicious coffee. Reunion has of course, the best vanilla in the world. We buy two bottles of vanilla essence and vanilla powder. Back to the ship and set sail for two days at seaRead more
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Madagascar - from luxury to poverty
March 12, 2023, Mozambique Channel ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Nosy (Island) Ve a tiny sacred island about 1K long our first glimpse of Madagascar, the fifth poorest country made worse by a devastating cyclone. Music, outrigger canoes, colour and people greet us. People have come to to sell their wares but without currency we cannot buy anything.

Our guided walk, hot and humid on a rocky path with no shade. We came to see the nesting red tailed tropic birds. We can walk very close to the nests seeing parents and chicks.

Our next adventure the “Spiny forest“ Garden named for the Spiny cacti like plants used for many things such as fences. We see baobab trees several a hundred plus years old. The walk around the gardens was excellent, hot and humid but with shade, and flat paths. Wildlife included snakes, an iguana, lizards and many birds. The bus trip through the villages was fascinating we get a sense of everyday life. Bicycles/ pedal rickshaws are the main form of transport. Despite the poverty it was very clean, tidy and organised.

We walk through Tulear and market. An unfortunate altercation with a pedal rickshaw sees me taken back to the ship. Medical staff look after me.Read more
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Sarodrano
March 14, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
Bob has an excursion to another village. Children are invited on to the zodiac, turns out not such a good idea.
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Madagascar and the Seychelles Traveler
Life on a five star floating hotel
March 16, 2023 ⋅ ❄️ -1 °C
Travelling with Ponant on similar ships lessens travel stress. Medical support and guides accompany us everywhere. What we have seen is quite exhilarating and tiring by day’s end. Lectures included geology (volcanic), listening to the melodious sounds of the ocean, culture and language, wildlife (including the life of a sea cucumber). There are daily briefings and recaps of what we have seen. Opportunities to speak with experts, on deck watch and identify birds.

Time to enjoy life on board. We are always entertained with games or tempted with a chocolate afternoon tea with champagne, music and dancing. Then there are impromptu happenings. The captain bought himself an Outrigger Canoe and invited everyone outside by the pool where the canoe was displayed. He welcomed us and blessed the canoe of course with champagne. There is a formal white night dinner and we can arrange to have dinner with ship’s officers. We had the hotel manager and one of his staff.

We signed up for a tour of the bridge, saw the array of screens and navigation equipment and learned about stabilisers. To our surprise we were also invited to the bridge to view the sail away at sunset. Champagne with the captain which of course he couldn't have as he was driving.Read more
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Did someone say lemurs?
March 17, 2023 in Madagascar ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
We begin at a busy port greeted by locals dancing /busking. We see the local fishing vessels, the place is alive with activity. We drive through villages and countryside in the northern part of Madagascar, more fertile and wet but still very poor, hot and humid. We see schools, children are required to attend but not every village has a school and some children are not registered.

We stop at Majunga and the Sacred Lake (more like a pond). The lake is sacred to animists. A pretty place cool and shaded. We see a large baobab tree 140,000 L of water capacity.

One guest had a banana, lemurs like bananas. We see a crowd of people and a lemur eating a banana, not bothered by us at all. A spectacular white creature with a long fluffy tail. The female is dominant in the group determining where the troop goes and feeds first. This species of lemur are critically endangered. Locals are encouraged to protect lemurs rather than eat them thereby attracting tourists dollars. The trip highlight was a family of white lemurs, unperturbed by our presence making no attempt to run away or even move away from us. They were instead just curious.Read more
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Madagascar and the Seychelles Traveler
Nosey Tanikely / Nosey Komba and lemurs
March 18, 2023 in Madagascar ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
On these two small islands there are more lemurs and chameleons. Much to our surprise lemurs were everywhere. When they hear voices they know bananas are near. We are given banana to encourage them to jump on our shoulders they are light and gentle. So funny to watch as they peer down on us with curiosity. The males are less forthcoming knowing the females will chase them away.

A delightful walk albeit hot and humid to the top through a line of colourful shops and small stalls. On the beach we see chameleons, very brightly coloured, iridescent green ( male), the female is orange.

People are encouraged to support the lemurs resulting in a booming tourist trade. I have local currency with so few opportunities to spend the local Madagascan Ariary. I still have €12 worth, I buy a necklace and earrings. These islands were a trip highlight.Read more
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Nosy Hara
March 19, 2023 in Madagascar ⋅ 🌙 27 °C
Nosy Hara is at the northern tip of Madagascar. Bob snorkels, for me a zodiac ride seeing spectacular, massive limestone cliffs and coral in clear water.

In the afternoon we search for the world’s smallest chameleon no more than 1.5 cm, brown, colour of the leaf litter in which it lives. Our guide found both an adult and a baby .5cm in size. Hot, humid but worth the walk. Saw tiny frogs, geckos and a very vivid banana slug. Locals have arrived in boats. They greet us playing music, dancing and with goods to sell. The island is otherwise uninhabited.Read more
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On land in Mahe (23 - 28)
March 23, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ 🌧 29 °C
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
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Around the islands of the Seychelles
March 29, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C
Back on the Le Champlain and greeted warmly by crew who have had a torrid time with the charter. We found it quite moving and happy to reconnect with them.

Sainte Anne Marie island is a national park, hot and tropical. We walk up a steep path with no steps, boulders roots and in places an unmade path. The view is spectacular. We come back soaked from perspiration. Very large tortoises are everywhere wandering through the forest where we walk. We also see a tortoise nursery and a green gecko.

First nights are special wonderful food - steak with foie gras, lobster followed by crème brûlée and washed down with wonderful French red wine. I realise I have seriously under packed for formal dinners. Need to check out op shops more carefully.Read more
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Poivre Island south Mahe & my birthday
March 30, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Today we get an upgrade to a ‘junior suite’. A lovely surprise for my birthday. A larger cabin, walk in robe, larger table and couch, proper chair and a butler. He says he’s there to do whatever we would like including packing/ unpacking and drinks before bed. I did request no singing happy birthday at dinner.

Poivre (pepper) is our first stop. When our Zodiac lands two crew including excursion leader Giuliana, pull it onto the beach. I am greeted with happy birthday sung in French. Giuliana was at my side when I was injured in Madagascar.

We walk around this uninhabited island, a unique experience not a tourist destination. There are no paths, we walk through a coconut palm forest with mangroves. We see many large hermit crabs. Walking is challenging given the ground level vegetation.

Bob organised two bottles of fine French red wine for dinner. Two other Australians we dine with also contribute wine so we drink very well that night. A great birthday.Read more
TravelerWow what a fantastic birthday you had!
4/6/24Reply
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Remir island
March 31, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
We walk on a small remote island renowned for its biodiversity and rich underwater life. A pleasant walk and beautiful beach. We see more Aldabara tortoises watching one feed, nothing gets in the way when searching for food. We hear crashing and crunching of branches as the tortoise moves noisily through the vegetation.

We see a diverse range of birds: Noddies, Terns and Stone turners little brown birds which turn over stones. These protected birds see few people so don’t fly away. Bob is able to practice more bird photographyRead more
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Curieuse and Aride Islands
April 1, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Unfriendly waves prevent landing on Aride. The alternative is an excellent Zodiac ride around the island. Large granite cliffs to the beach, alive with birds roosting on rocks: white tailed Tropic birds, Terns, Noddies, Frigate birds. They fly around us sweeping down for fish. The aggressive Frigate birds harass smaller birds until their catch is dropped.

The second island was Curieuse. Another great walk, more encounters with the giant tortoises, curious and interacting with us in the hope of food or a scratch. We saw a breeding program with the baby tortoises. We walked through mangroves seeing very small grey crabs and red mangrove crab very large and very visible.

Tonight we were invited to the bridge to watch the sunset and ‘sail away’ followed by dinner with the captain. Just the six Australians and one staff person. We get very good service and excellent wine. It was a wonderful dinner with an exceptional captain. He seems to be very hands-on often on deck supervising and helping out with the disembarking and boarding.Read more
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Two visits to La Digue
April 2, 2023 on the Seychelles
First visit: La Digue Seychelles, a dry landing. As we walked through town the contrast with Madagascar is stark. There were shops, a bank and an ATM. I wanted local currency but had no idea of the exchange rate. I ended up with 500 rupees ($50). There were few banks in Madagascar as its too difficult for locals to open an account, mobile phones are used to exchange money.

Clearly prosperous, tourists everywhere, riding bicycles, guest houses, hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops. After two weeks in Madagascar it was just so different. A tropical paradise, blue seas, coconut palms and white beaches. The Seychelles are just 4° south of the equator so very hot and humid.

We visit a spectacular beach, extremely hot and humid. I couldn’t swim however the water was hot and not refreshing. The volcanic granite rock formations were amazing. Our first sighting of the Aldabara tortoise (the world’s largest) and endemic to Seychelles

Second visit: It’s Sunday so everything is closed (very catholic). We walk to the cemetery. A beautiful day in a tropical paradise. We see a grey heron and a few skinks. We have forgotten what day it is in Melbourne, when we arrive we see a large screen displaying Lap 58 of the Melbourne Grand Prix, very strange.Read more
Travelerlol - I didn’t know the Melbourne Grand Prix has come and gone either!
4/6/24Reply
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Praslin and Baie St Anne - coco fesse
April 3, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C
We have been told told about a large coconut Coco Fesse weighing up to 20 kg shaped like buttocks. Highly prized for its aphrodisiac properties, to me it looks more like a scrotum. The Coco Fesse jewellery is not for me.

Vallee De Mai park is where we learn more about these unusual palms. It’s a lovely walk. It takes 15 years before they produce fruit, 7 years after pollination usually by green geckos, a coconut forms. We see many geckos. The trees are enormous and grow to be 150 years old.

A gala dinner tonight. The captain introduces his management team, and we thank them. There is a magnificent sunset to end our day and our trip. We can dine with crew members, Giuliana my hero, dines with us a fitting end. Tomorrow will be a hard day saying farewell to this crew we have got to know so well.Read more
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Grand Soeur and the end
April 4, 2023 on the Seychelles ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
On our last day I can snorkel. Bob's morning snorkel is from the zodiac. We visit a small private island Grand Soeur, big sister, there are many like this. We walk encountering yet more tortoises.

We snorkel where the granite meets the ocean. Snorkelling in the Seychelles is around granite above and below the ocean. I relish the opportunity to be in the water. Coral bleaching is evident everywhere. Seychelles has only 20% of their coral left. The highlight is a sea turtle trying to extract food from a hole in the sand. Back for the last recap, thanking the naturalist team who have been wonderful and pack before dinner.

We have one more night on Mahe. A damp day so happy we have not gone on the island tour. A good end to a very special trip.Read more
TravelerGlad you managed to get the snorkelling in! What a wonderful trip with lots of fantastic photos to remember it by!
4/6/24Reply
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Trip end
April 5, 2023