Itinerary proposal South-east winds (May to October) 15 days / 14 nights Mahe - Mahe Day 1: Mahe - St Anne Marine Park (15min) Discover Victoria the capital of the Seychelles in the morning. A visit to Mahe’s busy and colourful market is the way to get a feel for the Seychellois and their way of life. Built in 1840 and renovated in 1999, it remains the bustling heart of the capital and definitely the best place to buy fresh fruits, fish, vegetables and spices. An attractive array of boutiques and shops selling a variety of souvenirs, clothing and local works of art further complement the lively atmosphere that is especially vibrant on Saturday mornings. Embark late morning and departure to the Saint Anne Marine Park. This Marine National Park has one of the largest areas of sea grass of the granitic islands where green and hawksbill turtles are often found. Bottlenose Dolphins also frequent the park. St Anne Island was the location of Seychelles’ first settlement in 1770, away from the once crocodile-infested swamps on Mahe. Once a whaling station, during the Second World War St Anne was also a base for the Royal Marines defending Victoria Harbour. It is alleged that there is a rich treasure buried on nearby Moyenne Island while Round Island was once a leper colony. The St Anne Marine National Park is an important part of the natural and cultural heritage of the Seychellois people. We ask that you leave behind nothing but your footsteps and take away no more than photographs and memories. Moor overnight at the St Anne Marine Park, Day 2: St Anne Marine Park – Mahe Beauvallon (1h) Morning sailing along the north coast of Mahe to Beauvallon Mahe’s most popular resort beach with both visitors and locals alike. This sweeping bay of white sand and clear waters on the north-western coast of Mahe offers a very safe swimming area. With hotels stretched out along its sand, together with water sport and diving centres, this is the beach for those wishing to do something a little more energetic than soaking up the sun. Beau Vallon is also very safe for children, as there are no strong currents, no rocks or corals underfoot and a lifeguard service is supplied. During the south-eastern trade winds, the sea is extremely calm and the beach is at its absolute best. Moor overnight at Beauvallon. Day 3: Mahe Beauvallon – Mahe Anse Major (30min) – Mahe Port Launay (15min) The secluded beach of Anse Major can only be reached by boat or by hiking a nature trail from Danzil on the most north-westerly point of Mahe. Anse Major has a large sandy beach and, to the rear, a small lagoon. Swimming here is safe and it is a good spot for snorkelling. The breathtaking beach of Port Launay, which is also a Marine National Park, is on the north- western coast of Mahe. Swimming and especially snorkelling here is excellent, with a wide variety of colourful fish that can be seen in and around the edges of the impressive bay. The beach itself is large and wide with white sand and plenty of shady trees. It is popular with picnickers at weekends but during the week tends to be much quieter. There are often beautiful shells and corals to be found along the shoreline, but please remember this is National Park property and it is strictly prohibited to take coral and shells away. Port Launay Marine National Park is also famous for its whale shark sightings. In their season, these huge gentle giants of the sea can be seen swimming lazily around feeding on the rich plankton that accumulates in the park. The reefs on both sides of the bay provide a wonderful opportunity to use your mask and snorkel, while the beautiful sandy beach is quiet and inviting to both sun worshippers wanting to work on their tan or those who simply want to relax and read a book under the large shady Takamaka trees. This park can be reached by land or sea providing great comfort after a morning of trawling in blue waters or hiking off the nearby Greater Morne Seychellois National Park. Moor overnight at Port Launay. Day 4: Mahe Port Launay – Silhouette (1h30min) Silhouette is Seychelles' third largest island, lying 30km off Mahe’s western coast and in close proximity to North Island. Silhouette’s verdant, mountainous profile dominates the view from Mahe’s Beau Vallon beach. The Arabs used Silhouette as a base for their dhows, probably as early as the 9th century, a fact attested to by the ruins of Arab tombs at Anse Lascars. Silhouette, together with North Island, was the very first Seychelles' island to be seen by the ships of the Sharpeigh expedition of 1609. It would have to wait until the early 19th century for a permanent settlement. Protected by the Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles, Silhouette remains an untouched, living museum of natural history featuring many unique species of plants and trees. Among these can be counted rare hardwoods, the amazing incense tree as well as the carnivorous pitcher plant. Silhouette is the only other island apart from Mahe to have a mist forest on its lofty 731m peak, Mont Dauban. Silhouette’s primitive beauty is the ideal backdrop for hikers and walkers wishing to penetrate the mysteries of an island once reputed to be the home of the notorious pirate, Hodoul, whose hidden treasure may well lie there still. A 116- room 5-star hotel – Labriz Silhouette – replaced the island’s original 12-room lodge. The sea here blends itself well for swimming and sunbathing and the beach itself is fringed with trees offering shade. Moor overnight at Silhouette. Day 5: Silhouette - Praslin Anse Lazio (4h) The most famous beach on Praslin, and rightly so. Anse Lazio can claim to be the perfect tropical paradise beach and is often listed among the world’s top ten beaches. Beautifully framed by granite rocks, this dream beach has soft white sands leading gently down to calm clear waters with a gentle gradient absolutely perfect for swimming and snorkelling. The Bon Bon Plume and Le Chevalier restaurants are nearby and can provide lunch and refreshments. Moor overnight at Anse Lazio. Day 6: Praslin Anse Lazio – Curieuse (30min) – St Pierre (30min) – Praslin Anse Volbert / Cote d’Or (15min) Curieuse lies just off the north-western coast of its close neighbour Praslin and is now a reserve managed by the Seychelles Centre for Marine Technology - Marine Parks Authority. Once known as Ile Rouge on account of its red earth, Curieuse was eventually named after one of explorer Marion Dufresne's vessels which explored the islands of the Praslin group in 1768. This rugged island was once home to a leper colony situated at Anse St. Joseph, and whose resident doctor's house dating back to the 1870's has recently been converted into an eco-museum and visitors centre. Aside from Praslin, Curieuse is the only other island where the Coco-der-mer grows naturally, and also boasts an endemic vine and eight different species of mangrove. Today Curieuse is home to an exciting giant land tortoise rearing project. The island is also an important nesting site for hawksbill turtles. Hues of red and green colour Curieuse Island, the result of the bare red earth of the hillsides intermingling with the unique green flora of an island peppered with coco-de-mer trees, one of the iconic symbols of Seychelles. Most visitors disembark at Baie Laraie to the sight of multitudes of giant hump head parrotfish and giant tortoises lazing near the rangers’ headquarters. The trail from Baie Laraie to Anse José passes through thick mangrove forest and is one of the most breathtaking sites on the island. On the way can be found the ruins of the leper colony, now well blended into the landscape. The Doctor’s House at Anse José, a wonder of Creole colonial architecture, has since been turned into a fascinating museum on whose beach sea turtles still arrive to lay their eggs. A dive at Coral Garden or Pointe Rouge is a MUST as is a snorkelling trip to St. Pierre. One of several islands in the bay of Côte d'Or on Praslin, this tiny islet with its granite profile interspersed with coconut palms has come, over the years, to represent the quintessential Seychelles island, appearing in numerous advertisement campaigns, posters and evocative photographs. Once home to a number of Coco-de-mer that grew naturally on the island, St. Pierre lies approximately 1.5km from Pointe Zanguilles on Praslin's fabulous Côte d'Or beach. St. Pierre is a firm favourite with swimmers, snorkelers and yachtsmen for whom the island provides the ideal backdrop to a spectacular Seychelles sunset. Sail towards Anse Volbert also called Cote d'Or that is Praslin’s main beach, with its many hotels and guesthouses lining the golden coastline is rarely crowded. Anse Volbert / Côte d'Or is a dazzlingly white stretch of beach and the crystal clear sea here is excellent for swimming and water sports. Further out in the bay, around Chauve Souris island and St Pierre islet, the snorkelling is superb. Moor overnight at Anse Volbert. Day 7: Praslin Anse Volbert - Praslin Baie St Anne (1h) Praslin, with a population of 6,500 people, is Seychelles’ second largest island. It lies 45km to the northeast of Mahe and measures 10km by 3.7km. A leisurely tour around the island by car will take approximately 2 hours. Praslin is the site of the fabulous Vallée de Mai, one of Seychelles’s two UNESCO World Heritage Sites.