Seychelle Islands - Stop #8

---

---

Of the 115 Seychelle Islands, we visited 3: Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. Each of these islands has a distinctive character all its own. We toured Mahe by rental car, Praslin by public bus and La Digue by foot. All were beautiful, just some more than others.

Mahe, with one of the world's smallest capitals, Victoria, was more commercial and the people were more aloof. The island is a beautiful combination of small villages, steep granite mountains, thick jungles, and beautiful beaches. We explored most of the island by car which led us over some precarious roads. One in particular was the road to Anse Soleil. After driving down several miles of steep dirt road the drop offs got steeper and the rugged condition of the road convinced us that this was one beach we could bypass. There were many other beautiful and more accessible beaches to enjoy.

After 2 days on Mahe, we took the 15 minute flight to Praslin. What a difference!! The locals were so friendly and the atmosphere was so relaxed and pleasant, except for the speed demon drivers. The granite boulder-strewn beaches were beautiful. All our trips around the island were made by local bus. Our last bus trip was a real hoot! The bus driver gave us a private ride to the top of the highest peak and then continued to entertain us with his humor and astound us with his driving skills. The roads are very steep, windy, and extremely narrow. Encounters with trucks or other buses makes it necessary for someone to back up and maneuver the vehicle out of the way with out dropping off the edge of the raised highway. Shoulders are non-existent. All this was even more interesting in a heavy rain in a leaky bus. It was a bus trip we'll never forget.

An hour ferry ride took us to La Digue. This very small island (3 miles/2 miles) was a real gem. We covered most of the island on our hike enjoying the giant turtles, the old architecture, and the amazingly beautiful beaches. The stop at their most photographed beach, Anse Source D'Argent, was wonderful. The water was incredibly beautiful, warm, and clear. The granite boulders that border the powdery white sand truly make this a magnificent beach. It was a great place to fullfill our island chores: swim, lay in the sun, nap, read, and be amazed by the beauty of the Seychelles.

---

Photos

Beach side pizza - Seychelle's style
Vegetarian pizza with salad on top - it was DELICIOUS!

Seychelle Independence Memorial
The famous "coco de mer" plant is at the top and their emerald gecko is shown on the sides of the memorial.

A Seychelle's Bus Stop
Is this a logical way to mark a bus stop, or what?

Ox cart on La Digue
This is one of the major forms of transportaion on the island of La Digue. Other choices are bikes or walk.