ADVERTORIAL • January 2018

The Seychelles: What you need to know

Unspoilt white beaches, fantastic cuisine, luxury resorts and activities to suit everyone: we uncover the mysteries of the Seychelles, one of the best kept secrets of the Indian Ocean

The Seychelles are renowned for diving

The Seychelles are home to some of the best dive sites in the world and there is something for everyone, from an absolute beginner to an experienced pro. Off Mahé island lies the Aldebaran, a sunk fishing vessel which is home to plenty of marine life including grouper, stingray and guitar sharks. Fisherman’s Cove Reef is perfect for beginners and a favourite spot for hawksbill turtles, while Shark Bank’s granite boulders are a great area to see whale sharks.
Club tip: Water temperatures are perfect for diving year-round, but for optimum visibility try to visit between March and May, or October to November.

La Digue is perfect for pedestrians

With just a handful of vehicles and no airport, the island of La Digue is a favourite with cyclists and walkers. Only a short hop by ferry from the second-largest island, Praslin, many of the best beaches require a bit of effort to reach – but it’s worth it. Bike over the hills to Grand Anse and you’ll be rewarded with a long, golden beach, framed by a fantastically mountainous backdrop.
Club tip: Hire a guide and hike to Anse Marron. You’ll learn plenty about the wildlife of the Seychelles as you go.

Home to the world’s largest nut

The Coco de Mer nut – sometimes known as the ‘love nut’ because of its shape – is officially the largest and heaviest seed in the world. The palm trees which they grow on are found only in the Seychelles, and the seeds can weigh over 20kg; the same weight as a five-year-old child.
Club tip: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were presented with one of the rare nuts as a honeymoon gift, but to see them in their true habitat, visit the prehistoric paradise of the Vallée de Mai National Park.

Sundowners, surfing and sandy beaches

The 115 islands of the Seychelles are encircled by stunning sandy beaches. Anse Source D’Argent on La Digue is picture perfect, with turquoise water, pink rocks and bleached white sand. Anse Intendance on Mahé is a surfer’s paradise, with excellent waves and a beach bar for sundowners, while Beau Vallon is probably the most famous beach in the Seychelles, with a vast range of water sports on offer.
Club tip: With only a three-hour time difference between the UK and the Seychelles, there’s no excuse for jet lag – so you can head straight to the beach on arrival.

Extraordinary biodiversity at two Unesco sites

One is the Vallee de Mai nature reserve – home to the Coco de Mer palms. The other is Aldabra, the world’s second largest coral atoll. Almost untouched by humans, Aldabra is home to 307 species of animals and plants and has been described by Sir David Attenborough as “one of the wonders of the world”.
Club tip: Located 1,120 km south of the capital of the Seychelles, Aldabra is tricky to visit. However, you can get a taste of the natural biodiversity of the islands in the rainforests of Mahé, the Sainte Anne Marine National Park, or Bird Island, where you'll also find the oldest land Tortoises on the Seychelles.

Words by Camilla Swift

From March 2018, British Airways will be the only airline to fly direct from the UK to the Seychelles. For more information, visit ba.com/seychelles

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