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Madagascar and the SeychellesMadagascar and the Seychelles
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A 31-day adventure by Julie Read more
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  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 2

    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

  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 3

    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

  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 4

    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 sea    Read more

  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 7

    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

  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 11

    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

  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 12

    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

  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 13

    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

  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 14

    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

  • TravelerMadagascar and the Seychelles
    Day 18

    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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