Paradise in the Indian Ocean: The Seychelles

2013_February_Seychelles1Okay, full disclosure: this is not a recent trip. I was in these tropical islands seven long years ago for a February get-away.

But since it’s February once again and it’s awfully cold and dark when I get up and out in the mornings, I decided to relive distant memories by posting about a long-ago vacation in this wonderful, sunny destination.

SyechellesThe Seychelles are an archipelago of 115 African islands in the west Indian Ocean. The islands are between four to ten degrees south of the equator and remarkably isolated at about 1500 kilometres (932 miles) off the shore of eastern Africa. The Seychelles’ relative isolation and fairly elevated prices mean that there are no floods of tourists in this tropical getaway.

SeychellesInternational flights will arrive to Victoria, the capital, on the island of Mahe, with connecting flights taking visitors to the other islands. Mahe and neighboring islands Praslin and La Digue are granite islands, filled with stunning beaches with their beautiful rock formations. We stayed on Praslin and took some nice boat trips to neighboring La Digue, which is a great island for biking.

The Seychelles have had both French and English colonial influences and both French and English are official languages here, with Creole widely spoken. The sea is warm and inviting and diving, snorkeling and kayaking are popular activities.

Seychelles giant sea turtlesYou’ll also be able to spot the Seychelles giant sea turtles. The nature is also stunning on these islands and Praslin boasts the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO Heritage site offering trails and the chance to view the famous coco de mer plants, and their giant fruits, that are indigenous to these islands.

I’m actually not a big beach holiday goer – I tend to get bored if there aren’t cultural destinations to see, too, which is probably why I enjoy Italian beaches so much. Still, I loved our week in the Seychelles and whiling away lazy days on deserted beaches and swimming in crystal-clear water.

Just looking at these photos and remembering my time there warms up this cold February day.

Sending some memories of white beaches and  tropical sunshine to you all to brighten up your February morning…

SeychellesSeychelles

11 Comments

  1. Catherine on February 5, 2013 at 7:33 am

    Thank you! I’m not a beach holidaymaker either but I’ve been converted in recent years by our Corsican camping holiday in August. I also spend frosty winter thinking about doing nothing but early morning swims, Pastis and reading endlessly, dinner under the stars and a spot of clubbing then sleep with no alarm!

    • kimberlysullivan on February 5, 2013 at 7:53 am

      An Australian who doesn’t like beach holidays? : ) I agree with you, although I generally tend to prefer more active holidays, sometimes the R&R and lazy pace of beach holidays is just what the doctor ordered. If someone handed me a ticket to the Seychelles now, I’d be back in a heartbeat. Lazing on the beach, reading, swimming…

  2. […] Okay, full disclosure: this is not a recent trip. I was in these tropical islands seven long years asource […]

  3. Africa far and wide on February 5, 2013 at 8:56 am

    This brings back fond memories of my honeymoon, what a spectacular destination. Thanks for sharing!

    • kimberlysullivan on February 5, 2013 at 5:27 pm

      Nice honeymoon! I agree – the place is so beautiful.

  4. ledrakenoir on February 5, 2013 at 9:53 am

    My “want to do list” including The Seychelles… 🙂

    Interesting post… 🙂

    • kimberlysullivan on February 5, 2013 at 5:29 pm

      Definitely worth it, Ledrakenoir. Will look forward to your photos!

  5. Julia on February 5, 2013 at 3:26 pm

    Ahhhh! Let’s keep dreaming. I can feel the gentle sand on my feet. This was a great idea: an imaginary getaway. It’s snowing here…

    • kimberlysullivan on February 5, 2013 at 5:31 pm

      Sure, Julia. It’s terribly hot out here. Pass the sunscreen, please! If you close your eyes, it’s almost the same, right? Hope my sunny holiday memories help you get through shoveling. : )

  6. Peri Kaymak on February 5, 2013 at 3:37 pm

    Looks beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

    • kimberlysullivan on February 5, 2013 at 5:32 pm

      Thanks, Peri! I was hit by tropical nostalgia. Guess that’s allowed in February. : )

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