Seychelles: The Highlights

On a drive or bike ride in the Seychelles islands you will look right or left and be greeted with something like this: perfectly blue waters hitting large granite rocks, sunny skies, and soft white sand. You might see families at the beach or it might be completely deserted. Chances are, you’ll stop the car a time or two to take it in.

For so long, Seychelles was on my ‘list’ so going there was special. As the half-full plane began to descend, I eagerly craned my neck trying to see, but I was not sitting on the side with the best views. I needn’t have worried though as I’d have a front row seat to this country over the next 6 days. No craned necks necessary! 

After spending six sun-drenched days in the Seychelles last month, I’m sold on this country. I’m sharing 8 highlights from my Seychellian adventure. Here we go:

1. Getting the world sexiest immigration stamp

I mean, no other entry/exit stamp looks like a nicely shaped bum! I didn’t realize this until I arrived and got the entry stamp. While it may look like derriere, it is shaped after the female fruit of a very special plant. If anyone trying to put a stamp over it, there will be trouble! See 2 below for more details on this plant.

2. Seeing the coco de mer on praslin

Coco De What? I only found out about this plant when I was planning my trip. It has the largest nut on the planet, the ‘forbidden fruit’ and it is the most interesting plant I have ever come across. The female fruit looks like a perfectly shaped woman’s bottom and the male fruit.. well (seriously, Google it). Julia, our guide at Ford Ferdinand was THE best at introducing us to the plant and the reserve, she taught us so much in a short amount of time!

A coco de mer seed can weigh from 30 – 70 pounds and the plant can live up to 500 years. It’s gel-like content is an aphrodisiac but consumption is not allowed. This plant only grows on two islands in the Seychelles and no where else in the world. 

Once a nut is ‘born’, it can take 7-10 years for it to fully grow. You know it;s grown when it falls off the tree, and you better not be standing underneath that tree! After that, it’s dried for up to another ten years! Its NUTS (all pun intended)!! Want to take an erotic souvenir home? Limited quantities are available for sale for about 500 Euros (you must possess right documentation / export permit) or you’ll be in jail with your sexy souvenir! Did I get one? Yes, a magnet that cost me about one dollar!

3. a day tour of mahe

With less than 48 hours on the main island, I booked a full day tour with Cocotier tours. Nils was such a great time, I learned the most about Seychellois people and culture during this tour, stay tuned for deets in a separate Mahe post. Most interesting? That Seychellois are about the island life, they don’t’ work longer than they need to or work late hours in general or even on weekends. True enough, a good number of touristy stops were closed during the tour (which was on a Saturday afternoon). Interestingly, three other locals said the same thing to me; one even used the word ‘lazy.’ 

4. Running into a roaming tortoise on La Digue:

I’d seen confined Aldabara Tortoises mating on Mahe during a stop on the day tour, but seeing one roaming freely in the streets on our bike ride to Anse Severe (a beach) was such an unforgettable moment. We stopped for pictures; I didn’t even know how to act. I mean what would you do?

5. Anse patates and sunset on anse source d’argent

You likely won’t see Anse Patates on any lists because Seychelles has so many stunning beaches but it certainly was one of my favorites in the Seychelles and my friend felt the same way. We stumbled upon this beach while biking around La Digue, and what a stunner!!! 

The same day, we biked the other direction and watched the sunset on one of the most photographed beaches in the world, Anse Source D’Argent! Yes, we did a little photo shoot and learned the hard way that when wet, the beautiful granite rocks are very slippery. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

6. hanging out with 500 tortoises

• what’s better than seeing tortoises on Mahe and La digue? Going to an island where 500 tortoises roam freely! I took a day trip from Praslin and spent half a day on Curieuse Island, a former leper colony converted into a home for this vulnerable species to live in the wild.  I saw a tortoise nursery, fed roaming tortoises, and found a guide to answer my many questions. I learnt that they can weigh up to 550 pounds and live up to 150 years old.

7. getting called an erotic movie star

at the beginning of a tour, fellow tourists (a French couple) pointed at me saying ‘Emmanuelle.’ With the help of our guide as translator, we found out Emmanuelle is the name of the star of an erotic movie filmed in the Seychelles and I reminded them of her. Like,…what does that have to do with me???  It was hilarious at first, but thats the only name she called me the entire time. Now I’d like to think I try to well rounded but Erotic movie star in a movie with orgies is a bit of a stretch.  Thankfully we said our good byes at the end of the tour and thought that was it with our crazy French lady.

Homeward bound two days later, I stood at the Praslin airport waiting to board my 15-minute flight to Mahe. I heard someone shout ‘Emanuelle’ before I turned around I knew exactly who it was … my obnoxious middle-aged French ‘fans.’ I had to laugh! So ‘Emmanuelle’ is the last name I was called, I landed in Mahe, got my sexy exit stamp and strutted off to … my gate!

8. just being in the seychelles

Plain and simple, being there was and will always be a highlight on its own. I’m just happy to have been there, to have witnessed the Seychelles with my eyes wide open. It is such a beautiful little country and there’s so much more to it than its stunning beaches!

In pursuit of my ‘one new African country a year’ mission, I went to Seychelles this year. This is Africa, and there’s an extra pep in my step when I’m exploring the continent and this time I got to share it with my friend, Lexi! Seychelles is more than a romantic/honeymoon destination but it’s not as widely known as I’d thought. I hope that by sharing here and on the ‘gram I’ve put it on your radar and I can’t wait for you to visit and tell your own stories! If you want to keep up with all my travels around the African continent, read here to catch up!

What was your favourite highlight?

P.S. I will also be writing posts to share my itinerary, and  guides for Mahe, La Digue, and Praslin! If you’ve enjoyed this post, don’t forget to scroll down to subscribe and be first to be notified of weekly blog posts!

PPS. Let me know what you think of the new look. Suggestions welcome!

Till Next Week, 

Dee (Ms. Heels)