It is perhaps one of the most special things I have done in all our travels. At sunrise I get up and cycle across the island. Slowly it awakens; shopkeepers open the shutters and display their merchandise on the street, market vendors sort fishes and clean them on the spot. The street is only partly paved and consists mainly of flattened sand; the temperature is still very pleasant. There is a light breeze, and I can smell the faint mist rising from the jungle on the steep slopes. Tonight, we experienced a huge tropical shower. I take it all in; trying hard to imprint the impressions in my memory forever.
La Digue!
Our trip to the Seychelles takes us to La Digue Island, the third largest island of the archipel. It is located six kilometres from the island of Praslin and about 43 kilometres from the capital Mahé. La Digue is named after a ship owned by explorer Marc Seph Marion du Fresne, who visited the island with his fleet in 1768. However, La Dique had been discovered as early as 1744 by the French explorer Lazare Picault. In 1798 the first settlers came to this previously uninhabited island. For a long time, La Digue's economy revolved around the production of vanilla and copra. For this reason, a few plantation houses can still be found here, including Grann Kaz and Château St. Cloud.
Today the island lives mostly off tourism. The beautiful sandy beaches with granite formations are the main attraction, with Anse Source d'Argent being the most spectacular. For this reason, the island is also a popular backdrop for movies. The reefs and lagoons offer a large amount of flora and fauna. Green sea turtles live on the very edges of the coral reefs, and they sometimes venture closer to the island. There are butterflyfish, eagle ray, moray eel and many other species of fish. Divers and snorkellers may be lucky enough to see blacktip reef sharks or even whale sharks, which come mainly in the winter but can be seen all year round. La Digue is very quiet; there are hardly any cars to be found, and few paved roads, which means that there is a lot of cycling.
Hello La Digue!
The hotels are set up on a small scale and there is also a school, a hospital and a church. Its surface is only 9.81 km². The highest point is Mont Belle Vue, also called the Crow's Nest, at 333 meters. The approximately 2450 inhabitants, called Diguois, mainly live in the villages on the west coast, such as La Passe and La Réunion. La Passe has a small harbour. There is also a helicopter landing site, but most visitors arrive by ferry.
And this very morning, cycling around I feel like the king of this paradise for a moment. My rental bike has a cute basket on the handlebars. I fill it with delicious fresh fruit and some freshly baked baguettes. Life is good and I just want to cycle on the whole day until the beautiful sunset. Was it not that the family would be ready for breakfast by now, so a little reluctant I return to our accommodation? Not that that's exactly a punishment. Anse Severe Beach villas where we move into one of the apartments, has a great view over the sea. We just need to cross the road to enjoy one of the best snorkelling spots on the island. For a small fee we were picked up a few days ago at the harbour and welcomed with something cool to drink.
The apartments at the Anse Severe Beach Villas are particularly imposing from the outside. Once you head inside, you will feel somewhat as if you are in a huge treehouse, thanks to the use of natural materials – wood is the dominant material in the living, dining, and sleeping areas – but also thanks to the incredible view of the garden and the ocean beyond. The rings of the tree can still be seen on the bar stools that were made from the wood. In fact, the use of wood for various elements such as lamp shades, bedside tables, and the beds themselves makes you think of the long history of the material itself. This creates a warm, homely atmosphere, as does the colour of the walls, which is a shining bright green colour, something that only adds to the atmosphere and lends it a degree of freshness and lightness. The bathroom meanwhile is home to natural stone showers and decoration made from shells for that holiday feeling.
The balcony that runs the entire width of the apartment is huge and equipped with two sun loungers, a dining table, and a comfortable hanging chair. Breakfast can be ordered separately on request - this too is delicious and brought by the room boy at an agreed time. Everything is there in the kitchen as well as in the bathroom: dishes, cutlery, microwave, glasses, etc. as well as hair dryer, shampoo, shower bath, beach towels and much more - we really don’t miss anything. In addition, there is a water dispenser - not pretty, but practical as the tap water is not recommended for consumption.
These giants own the grounds
This property is ideally located with amazing sea views. The road and roadside just in front are the grounds of two giant tortoises. Regularly other tourists stop to shoot the necessary photos for Instagram. We apparently have one of the main attractions of the island just in front of our apartment. Besides these gentle giants we see many birds flying around and flying foxes. And not to forget some amazing encounters with all sorts of fish at the reef. Just meters away from our apartment.
With this paradise we don't have to go anywhere. At the same time, there are several other beautiful beaches on La Dique to explore. For example Anse Source D'Argent, according to National Geographic, the most beautiful beach in the world. Waves rolling gently onto the white, sandy beach. Crystal-clear water, surrounded by granite boulders and lush green palm trees. Especially the special rock formations provide an almost surreal setting. And indeed, it is stunning, not particularly for swimming but the snorkeling is great. After a few steps a school of small and bigger fish surrounds us. So don’t forget your snorkelling gear. If you walk a little further along the high tide line past the huge granite rocks you will find small, temporary beach shacks where the locals sell fresh juices, coconuts, and delicious sandwiches. Don't forget to collect some nice shells and save some money because along the path back to the access road is a charming artist who processes your found treasures into a necklace or bracelet for a small amount. The perfect souvenir.
A visit is very worthwhile, a must do on La Digue if it’s up to us. There are lots of corrals, so water shoes are recommended. To reach the beach you first pay for access to the l'Union Estate Park. A former plantation where you can still view an old plantation house. Furthermore, dozens of turtles live in a large, fenced area. Most visitors mainly cycle on to quickly reach the famous beach. And yes, it can be crowdy. Still, it is worth looking around the park. There is an old, completely overgrown cemetery with a view of the sea. Very special to watch for those you like history.
Although we think Anse Source D'Argent is beautiful, we probably prefer another beach, namely Anse Coco. This is perhaps not only the most beautiful, but certainly the quietest beach in all of La Digue. To reach this treasure you must first visit another beach: Grand Anse. Certainly, no punishment either. All in all, it's still quite a bit of cycling, but it's worth it. Because it requires some effort, there is hardly anyone to be found on Anse Coco. A wonderful place to relax in peace. Of course, don't forget that you also must cycle the way back.
With all the beautiful beaches you would almost forget that the island has a beautiful mountainous interior. You might like to visit The Veuve Nature Reserve, home to the rare black paradise flycatcher, of which there are only about 100 in existence. La Digue's tallest peak, Belle Vue (Eagle's Nest Mountain), is in the central part of the island, with a summit more than 300 m (980 ft) above sea level. The Veuve Reserve offers tourists hiking trips with guides. La Digue is the home to this critically endangered paradise flycatcher. However, there are more rare and endangered animals that live on this island. Since the Seychelles are detached from the rest of Africa, many of the species are endemic to La Digue.
After a long day exploring the island, we return to Anse severe beach villas to relax in the garden, where exotic flowers grow alongside natural wooden furniture and small, winding paths can be found. On our balcony we have a local beer and enjoy the sunset in the evening as it disappears behind Praslin, lighting up the sky in a wonderful display of colour. Maybe we light the BBQ to prepare some fresh fish, we walk to the Takamaka Café on the beach to chill. Otherwise we head into 'town' to meet up with some of the locals and have a chat. One thing is for sure: we have an amazing time!
Just crossing the street
WOW
# The apartment with the huge balcony, which you really don't want to leave, is furnished tastefully and with attention to detail. Everything of high quality, very clean. It has a large bathroom with wonderful shower and kitchen with everything you need.
# The location is perfect. Meters from a gorgeous beach and perfect for swimming. Right next to Bikini Bottom. The best juice joint in the Seychelles.
# On La Digue, which is the smallest of the Seychelles' inhabited islands at around 10 square kilometres in size, cycling is the main means of transportation. This idyllic harbour town is ideal for just hanging around, discovering restaurants, cafes, and beautiful beaches. You can also take boat trips from here, allowing you to reach the second-largest Seychelles island of Praslin in around 15 minutes.
