We walk with beers and cans of Coke to our own secluded beach. We stay in a beautiful rental villa on Praslin in the Seychelles. We now know why the name of our villa is so appropriate: the sunset is magnificent on this side of the island. This island is not really on the map for many travellers, but the island is a true tropical paradise! It has everything to offer for a wonderful holiday; from dense jungle to stylish accommodations on the most beautiful beaches. Praslin was once known as a hideout for pirates. When you visit, you will quickly see why they liked to hide here. With white sandy beaches, swaying palm trees and a wonderful climate, everyone wants to be here: pirates as well as law abiding tourists.
Relax time at Sunset Cove
Sunset Cove Villa, our home for a few days, is located on the northwest coast, just three kilometres from the small airport. If you are not afraid of getting seasick, you can also make the crossing to and from one of the other islands by ferry. It’s is a peaceful place, only the noise of nature and some airplanes landing. It is an excellent destination for a family with a car as its tranquillity means you are quite far away from the best beaches and other sights. The accommodation is in Anse Kerlan, a quiet village on the beach of the same name, where houses on the coast are rented out to tourists. Residents live close by; it feels like you are part of the community which is quite nice.
We stay at the lovely two-bedroom bungalow and enjoy every minute of it. The place is private, we make full use of the deck and little garden with lying chairs during the day and watch the countless stars at night. Caretakers Ganga and her husband are very nice, accessible and helpful, they take such a diligent care of us. Welcoming us with fresh fruits and one evening spoiling us with some delicious meats and fish from their own barbeque. The bungalow is spacious and always super clean; no real luxury but relaxed. The whole is equipped with air conditioning, a sitting area with TV, a private entrance, tea and coffee making facilities, clean bathrooms, outdoor furniture and a view of the garden with its beautiful flowers and plants. The large kitchen has everything you need for cooking: an electric stove with an oven, a refrigerator, a toaster, a microwave and plenty of dishes. The bungalow is less than two minutes walk to the road, where you will find a couple of mini markets offering all the basics and more for a few days stay. Also handy if you want avoiding expensive restaurants. Cleaning service is provided every two days. Ganga can answer your questions and provides good suggestions, including arranging car rentals and tours. We did not meet the owner as she was visiting the main island during our stay, although she can be reached by phone if necessary.
Just a short walk for an afternoon drink at the private beach
This part of the island had substantial amounts of erosion from previous storms, so all the property owners on this side of Praslin were forced to have boulders put in place to prevent future loss. This caused the creation of smaller isolated beach alcoves. Subsequentially the area is not good for snorkelling as the waves are rough and the current to strong. You must be careful during high tide. During low tide, you can walk from beach area to several other beach areas including the restaurant at the resort nearby. Overall, something completely different from the more paradise like beaches you will find on the east and southern side of the island. Do not let this put you off visiting; it is the wilder and off the beaten track character of Sunset Cove Villa that makes it so special. And with a car at your disposal, it is easy to make trips to other places on the island. The bungalow itself does not have a swimming pool, however, if you report to the adjacent resort, you can use their lovely swimming pool if you also purchase some food and drinks. You can also order pizzas in the evening or enjoy an extensive dinner in the restaurant.
Besides leisure’s afternoons at the pool, we visit the two most beautiful beaches on Praslin: Anse Georgette and Anse Lazio. Anse Georgette has incredible mix of gorgeous turquoise ocean water, pristine white sand, and beautiful palm trees. Many visitors here are guests of the nearby Lemuria Resort. But each day a few non-guest may visit it is as well and caretaker Ganga was kind enough to arrange this. When you park your car, you must make the 30-minute walk down to the beach yourself. Alternatively, it is also possible to reach Anse Georgette by boat, with some sailing tours stopping in this beautiful bay to enjoy the scenery. The water does get deep rather quickly, however, as there is no protection from an offshore coral reef, so children and unconfident swimmers should be supervised at all times in the water.
Anse Lazio has a calm turquoise sea, snow-white sand and swaying palm trees. Traveling to Praslin without visiting this beach is therefore not an option.
Another beautiful beach can be found in the northeast of the island on the bay of Anse Volbert. Here lies the Cote dór. This beach also regularly appears in lists of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The difference between the Cote dór and Anse Lazio is that the former is slightly busier. On the Cote dór beach you can find more facilities such as diving schools, accommodations and dining options. So, if you are looking for a little more fun on the beach, Cote dór is the beach for you on Praslin!
From Anse Volbert you can also make day trips to Curieuse. This island is completely protected. Which means that there are no hotels or restaurants on the island. Curieuse can therefore only be reached by day tour or by private yacht. About five hundred Aldabra Giant Tortoises live on the island, which are found nowhere else in the world. You can walk among these prehistoric animals at the ranger station in Baie Laraie. The waters around the island are also a protected area, which makes it perfect for exceptionally beautiful diving and snorkelling in the Curieuse area.
And so, there are many more paradisiacal beaches on Praslin and the other islands. We go out by car ourselves to drive a bit and discover the lesser-known beaches. These are also often the places where you can get in touch with the locals. Especially on weekends, large numbers of people go to the beach to barbecue, play football and chat with family and friends. People are always up for a chat with a well-meaning visitor.
Furthermore, you cannot visit Praslin without seeing the Coco de Mer palm. This tree is only found on Praslin and Curieuse. On Praslin you will find this unique palm in Vallée de Mai, which incidentally has much more unique flora and fauna to offer. For example, the Praslin parrot and the Coco del Mer snail are just a few of the animal species that are unique to this island. It is possible to explore the park on your own along the clearly marked trails. We recommend taking a guide with you or using one of the free guided tours, because you can miss a lot in this unique part of Seychelles yourself.
If you find the immensely popular Vallee de Mai too busy, the Fond Ferdinand Nature Reserve is a viable alternative. It is about six times bigger than its popular counterpart to begin with; in this park it is also possible to see the Coco de Mer palms along with the special animal species that can also be found in Vallée de Mai. An advantage of this park is that tourists do not yet well know it. This makes it a lot quieter.
WOW
# Far from any disturbance and right on the ocean shore. We love seeing the sunset from our own isolated beach while the waves crashed onto the shore. A private paradise!
# The staff is completely non-intrusive. Wonderful place for spending some quiet time alone and unwind. It was an unforgettable and most relaxing vacation.
# A nice, clean and new accommodation with all necessary amenities. The bedrooms are large with comfortable beds.
