Have you ever dreamed of soaking up the sun and sipping sangria on the beaches of the Seychelles? If you have, we have the perfect itinerary for you to get the most out of your trip there. If you have not had these visions before, no need to worry! Continue reading and you will soon discover that this is what your future dreams will be made of. And you may even find some inspiration to plan a trip yourself.
Leopard Sales Manager for the Americas, Isabelle Blainey, just had the pleasure of cruising this archipelago in a Leopard 51 PC, and she is dishing all the details of her itinerary and how you can make the most of your time there, whether you bring your own boat, or decide to charter with our sister company, The Moorings.
Day 1: Arrived at Eden Isle Marina in Victoria, Mahe
We were lucky enough to have a friend embarking on the trip pick us up in a car so that we could run errands to prepare for the adventure. The largest super market is on the north end of the island of Mahe and we were able to gather almost everything that we needed. The supply of fresh produce was not what you would find in the states, but we are on an island so resources can be limited.
We spent this evening in the marina and prepared for an adventurous week ahead.
Day 2: Kayaking around Baie Sainte Anne
Please note: baie ='s bay
We headed out from the marina and cruised up to Praslin Island which is about 27 miles northeast of Mahe . We anchored at Baie Sainte Anne for about $30 for the night. We paddle boarded and kayaked the day away and explored our beautiful surroundings of the baie. We enjoyed a delicious dinner on board and rested up for the following day.
Please note that while some establishments will accept USD and EURO, not all do. Be sure to exchange some of your cash for Seychellois Rupees.
Day 3: Go nuts for Vallée de Mai
Please note: vallée ='s valley
This day we took our dinghy ashore and hopped on a local bus to visit the Vallée de Mai. The bus was about We were able to hike up the hills around here and explore the lush vegetation. This was a unique site and home to the worlds largest nut-- the Coco de Mer. This set us back about $20.00 USD, so needless to say, it was well worth it! This same afternoon we cruised north to Baie des Chevaliers where we enjoy excellent snorkeling and a spectacular sunset.
Day 4: Very old tortoises
Today we aimed towards Ile de St. Pierre, or St. Pierre Island, a marine park, and saw quite a bit of marine life. The marine park includes the island of Curieuse, which is just north of St. Pierre. The entry fee to the marine park is $15 per person, and the fee for Curieuse Island is $20 per person.
Have you ever heard of the Aldabra Tortoise? There are about 95 of them living under the care of the marine park staff and they live to be 2.5 centuries old! Getting to see these reptiles in the wild was a once in a lifetime experience.
The rest of this afternoon was spent fishing near our overnight anchorage at Anse Patate which is on the north west side of La Digue Island.
Day 5: Fresh food, fresh fowels and a private island
Today we headed back to the large island of Mahe where we started our trip to get a few more provisions from Spar at Eden Marina Shopping Center, get clean towels, replenish on water and ice, as well as touch base with family back home. It was an extremely pleasant run with no wind and water like glass. From Mahe we headed to Silhouette Island, a private island, where we anchored for the evening. The island was only 8 nm from Victoria, Mahe.
Day 6 & 7: Biking, diving and exploring La Digue
Our original plan was to make our way to Bird Island, but the trip was 44 nm and with heavy rain and winds we opted to head to a protected harbor, Baie de Beau Vallon, Mahe for the day. Around mid-day we made our way back to La Digue and spent the next two nights in La Passe Harbour. Time moves at a slow pace on this island and it was ideal for relaxation and exploration. In this small harbor with limited space, you anchor and your boat is tied to the rock wall at the stern using an anchor line. Locals are happy to help tie your boat to shore for a tip. The same gentleman who helped us tie off also rented us some bikes for about $12 each. We rode around the entire island, including Grand and Petie Anse. Needless to say, we had a very active day, but the views were well worth it! The following day we went on a diving excursion and really enjoyed the colorful underwater life around the islands.
*Insider tip* La Digue has several supermarkets, but if you are anchored in La Passee Harbour, the Pizza Restaurant is the only place you can buy bags of ice.
Day 8: Trolling our way to Bird Island
The weather was perfect today to make the 65 nm journey to Bird Island. On the way there we caught several Bonitas, but released them all. Upon arrival, we anchored on the west side of the island. Bird Island sees a colony of 1.5 million of Sooty Sterns migrating in March/April each year. Because Bird Island is a private island, there is a $40 per person landing fee which you pay at the hotel. It was worth it, as we enjoyed walking around the island and catching up with the world's oldest tortoise, who is just 250 years young.
Day 9: Enough Yellow Fin Tuna to feed an army
We walked across the small island and the landing strip to the reef side for a good snorkel. We saw turtles, spotted a ray and enjoyed looking at a plethora of tropical fish. We left Bird Island at noon and trolled along the drop off of the Seychelles plateau where depths go from 200 ft to well over 3,300 ft. We caught a number of Yellow Fin Tunas, a Sailfish, and lost our lures to huge fish!
We were able to enjoy delicious sushi and grilled tuna the rest of the trip.
The group decision was to spend another evening on La Digue because we felt there was still more to discover.We anchored at La Passe Harbour once again so it goes without saying that we highly recommend this place! The day was spent shopping and hanging out at local bars.
Day 10: Les Roches Canales and a sunset to remember
Today we decided to cruise the powercat to the Les Roches Canales Reef and where we had some top notch snorkeling around the reef. From here we went to enjoy swimming, snorkeling, and paddle boarding in Baie des Chevaliers. We discovered a quaint little bar perched in the hill and enjoyed another sunset for for the books.
Day 11: Rainy goodbyes
With the trip coming to an end, we headed back to Eden Isle Marina for lunch before friends had to depart for the airport. The weather was a bit rainy and so we opted to relax and unwind in the marina for our last night aboard.
Day 12: Rental ride around the island
Our last day in paradise inspired us to snag a rental car and explore the stunning island of Mahe. We explored the most southern point all the way to the northwestern coast. We enjoyed one more dinner at the marina before heading to the airport at 9 pm to start the very long journey home.
If this trip sounds like something you might be interested in doing, we highly recommend cruising from the comfort of a Leopard 51 PC or sailing the islands in your Leopard 40. If you require any more information on this excursion, don't hesitate to contact us! Interested in owning a Leopard 51 PC in the Seychelles through a yacht charter management program? Discover more information here. Interested in owning a Leopard Powercat privately and cruising her to the Seychelles? Discover more here.
