Article By: Contributor Wed, 15 Mar 2017 9:43 AM Signal Hill in The Seychelles. Credit: supplied
On your way to Paris, Mumbai or Dsseldorf? Why not tag two days in the Seychelles onto your trip?
Air Seychelles recently added a great number of destinations to its route network, accessible from both Johannesburg and Durban. The new flights allow for exciting stopovers in the beautiful archipelago of Seychelles.
We decided to look at what you could experience on a 48hrs stopover in Seychelles.
Day 1
Since you will only be spending two days in the Seychelles, opt to stay at one of the beautiful lodges on the main island, Mahe, as this will limit your travelling time.
Start your day at the market
On your first morning, get into the Seychellois spirit by breathing in the scents of local foods and spices amidst the vibrant colours of the Sir Selwyn Clarke street market.
Set at the bustling heart of the islands capital Victoria, this daily food market sells everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to spices, herbs and fish.
Admire the view at Mission Lodge
After breakfast at the market, head to the Seychelles most famous vantage point: Mission Lodge. The highest point travellers can reach by road on Mah, Mission Lodge offers unparalleled sea and mountain views. It is rumoured that even Queen Elizabeth II sipped tea in the small pavilion overlooking the sea.
Mission Lodge, which is the archipelagos first cultural World Heritage Site, also has a rich history. It is the place where the Anglican missionaries established a boarding school in the 1800s for slave children to offer them education and a better future.
Have lunch on the beach at Beau Vallon
Make your way to Beau Vallon for a delicious lunch on the beach at La Plage restaurant. The restaurant which received the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, lives up to its name with waterside tables overlooking the northern end of Beau Vallon. Expect excellent seafood and reasonable prices.
Spend the afternoon exploring an underwater wonderland
Beau Vallon has some of the greatest snorkeling sites on the island. Explore the beautiful Sunset Beach where snorkelers will find the most abundant and colourful marine life. The right side of the bay consists of rocky islets which are flush and reaching depths of about 3 metres. You can observe many butterfly fish, surgeon fish and parrot fish. When you swim to the sandy area of the bay, youll be able to see eagle rays as well as small white tip sharks.
Watch the sunset
Finish this perfect day on the beach of Beau Vallon where the sunsets are out of this world, with the smooth water reflecting the light beautifully.
Day 2
Explore Valle de Mai in Praslin
Hop onto one of the first ferries to Praslin Island to go and visit the beautiful nature reserve of Valle de Mai, also dubbed Valley of Eden.
This gorgeous World Heritage Site is one of only two places in the world where the rare coco de mer palm grows in its natural state. It is also a dream-come-true for avid birders who will be able to spot the endemic Seychelles bulbul, the Seychelles warbler or the endangered black parrot.
Take a leisurely 1- or 2-km hike through the forest and enjoy the endemic trees with a private guide, who will be able to give you the most interesting information about the plants and trees in this beautiful forest.
Cool off on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world
After hiking through the forest, go for a quick dip in the sea at one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Anse Lazio beach was recently graded as the 6th best beach in the world by TripAdvisor.
This white-sand beach is cradled by a large bay with two mountain peaks on each side, and is considered as a must on the list of to-dos for visitors to the Indian Ocean archipelago.
Have lunch at La Digue
After your swim, hop onto the midday ferry to the sleepy La Digue island. A lunch at Chez Jules is definitely a must. This secluded little restaurant offers excellent grilled fish fillet and tasty octopus salad alongside lovely sea views.
Cycle around La Digue or opt for an ox-cart ride
La Digue offers travellers a relaxed island vibe with beautiful beaches. This island has only a few surfaced roads and virtually no motorised cars (bar a few taxis). Instead, travellers can explore the island by bicycle. Its easy to ride around town and visit Anse Source DArgent, one of the most photographed beaches in the world.
For a more relaxing way of getting around the island, opt for an ox cart ride. Ox-carts were traditionally used on La Digue to transport anything too cumbersome to be balanced on a bicycle's cross bar. Today the island's ox-carts instead provide visitors to the island with a gentle relaxing trip around the La Digue coastal plateau and between the island's hotels and beaches.
Take the last ferry back to Mah and hop on your plane to Paris, Mumbai or Dsseldorf.
View original post here:
Quick trips: 48hrs in Seychelles - iAfrica.com
- Seychelles: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture ... [Last Updated On: June 10th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 10th, 2016]
- Seychelles Tourism Board [Last Updated On: June 10th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 10th, 2016]
- Seychelles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: June 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 12th, 2016]
- Discover - Seychelles - Seychelles Tourism Board [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2016]
- Seychelles - Republic of Seychelles - Country Profile ... [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2016]
- Seychelles Beach Resort - Wyndham Vacation Rentals [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2016]
- Seychelles Holidays - Luxury Breaks | Thomas Cook Signature [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2016]
- Seychelles Map / Geography of Seychelles / Map of Seychelles ... [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2016]
- Voyage aux Seychelles : rservez vos vacances aux ... [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2016]
- Seychelles - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: June 27th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 27th, 2016]
- Seychelles Holidays | Hotels & Island Hopping | Seyvillas.com [Last Updated On: June 27th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 27th, 2016]
- Seychelles - gilt.com [Last Updated On: August 27th, 2016] [Originally Added On: August 27th, 2016]
- Seychelles | history - geography | Britannica.com [Last Updated On: August 27th, 2016] [Originally Added On: August 27th, 2016]
- Seychelles police: Autopsies done for sisters found dead in ... [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2016] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2016]
- US sisters Robin and Annie Korkki found dead at Seychelles ... [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2016] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2016]
- Victoria, Seychelles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: October 15th, 2016] [Originally Added On: October 15th, 2016]
- Seychelles Mystery: No Illegal Drugs in Hotel Room of Sisters ... [Last Updated On: October 15th, 2016] [Originally Added On: October 15th, 2016]
- Seychelles - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: October 25th, 2016] [Originally Added On: October 25th, 2016]
- Seychelles national football team - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: November 27th, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 27th, 2016]
- Seychelles Tourism reaches out to Belgium visitors - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Getting to know the Seychelles - Alternatives Journal (blog) [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Four suspected foreign drug barons deported to Seychelles - The Star, Kenya [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- 33% increase in tourism arrivals in Seychelles: True! - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- SA, Seychelles nationals held in narcotics crackdown - The Standard (press release) [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Navy completes Seychelles ship refit - Times of India [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- SAA adds new codeshare route with Air Seychelles | Traveller24 - News24 [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- Crystal Esprit Performs Seychelles Rescue - Cruise Industry News ... - Cruise Industry News [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2017]
- South African Airways announces codeshare agreement with Air Seychelles - BizNis Africa [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- Seychelles - The New York Times [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- New Seychelles Diary blog enhancing tourism - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: February 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 22nd, 2017]
- Seychelles Tourism Minister works for daily flights with Mauritius - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: February 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 22nd, 2017]
- Enhancements and improvements: Seychelles resort gets upgrades - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: February 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 22nd, 2017]
- Destination Seychelles: Topping travel lists in the US - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- Seychelles Tourism is in Jeddah promoting tourism - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- Fourth Steber vessel for Seychelles resort - Manning River Times [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- Future is BRIGHT for Seychelles hospitality graduates - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2017]
- Seychelles' Dubai office welcomes visitors to Dubai travel and tourism event - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2017]
- Seychelles Footwear's President and Director of Product on Overseeing the Brand Together - Footwear News [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2017]
- French 'Memo Planet' supports Alain St.Ange - FTNnews.com (press release) [Last Updated On: February 28th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 28th, 2017]
- Seychelles Tourism on the road in South Africa - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: February 28th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 28th, 2017]
- Mohammed receives President of Seychelles - Gulf Today [Last Updated On: February 28th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 28th, 2017]
- #TravelGoals 2017: Rent a private island in Indonesia or the Seychelles - GQ India [Last Updated On: March 1st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 1st, 2017]
- Lanka and Seychelles to jointly fight drug menace - The Sunday Times Sri Lanka [Last Updated On: March 1st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 1st, 2017]
- St.Ange from Seychelles receives more support from the Mauritius - FTNnews.com (press release) [Last Updated On: March 1st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 1st, 2017]
- Seychelles vies for its fair share of the China market - eTurboNews ... - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: March 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 2nd, 2017]
- Seychelles reports 17% increase in South African visitors - Bizcommunity.com [Last Updated On: March 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 2nd, 2017]
- Breakout Role: Seychelles - Paste Magazine [Last Updated On: March 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 2nd, 2017]
- Moratorium update on large hotel projects in Seychelles - eTurboNews - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- Seychelles Tourism team on its way to ITB Berlin - eTurboNews.com - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- Get to Know the Seychelles - TravelPulse [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- Seychelles ensures tourists receive best possible service - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: March 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 7th, 2017]
- Tourism Minister of Seychelles goes door to door - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: March 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 7th, 2017]
- Seychelles Tourism brings paradise to Travel & Adventure Show in San Diego - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: March 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 9th, 2017]
- Seychelles holidays beneath the waves promoted in Italy - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2017]
- Abu Dhabi students fall in love with Seychelles - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2017]
- Behind the scenes of the Seychelles debt-for-nature deal ... - ImpactAlpha (registration) [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2017]
- Travel: Paradise found on Alphonse Island in the Seychelles - The Scotsman [Last Updated On: March 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 12th, 2017]
- Seychelles Tourism in the spotlight at ITB Berlin - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2017]
- Air Seychelles Receives New Aircraft - Footprint to Africa - Business and Financial News (press release) (registration) (blog) [Last Updated On: March 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 19th, 2017]
- Air Seychelles takes delivery of second Airbus A330 - Logistics Update Africa (registration) [Last Updated On: March 29th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 29th, 2017]
- From Seychelles to farming at Toko Mouth - Otago Daily Times [Last Updated On: March 31st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 31st, 2017]
- Six Senses Zil Pasyon Opens On The Seychelles' Most Dramatic Island - Forbes [Last Updated On: March 31st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 31st, 2017]
- Seychelles touchdown marks 11th international airline in Durban - Times LIVE [Last Updated On: April 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 2nd, 2017]
- Air Seychelles begins flights to Durban - North Coast Courier [Last Updated On: April 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 2nd, 2017]
- Kenya to host Seychelles President Danny Faure on Monday - The Star, Kenya [Last Updated On: April 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 2nd, 2017]
- Air Seychelles starts flights to Durban - Engineering News - Creamer Media's Engineering News [Last Updated On: April 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 3rd, 2017]
- Kenya, Seychelles link up to combat illegal fishing, piracy - Business Daily (press release) (blog) [Last Updated On: April 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 3rd, 2017]
- Seychelles part 1: Which island in Seychelles is right for you? - Independent Online [Last Updated On: April 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 3rd, 2017]
- Blackwater founder held secret Seychelles meeting to establish Trump-Putin back channel - Washington Post [Last Updated On: April 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 3rd, 2017]
- Seychelles opens doors for Kenyan teachers, farmers - K24 TV [Last Updated On: April 5th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 5th, 2017]
- MK weds in Seychelles, slams lack of civil marriage in Israel - The Times of Israel [Last Updated On: April 5th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 5th, 2017]
- IMF Staff Completes Visit to Seychelles - International Monetary Fund [Last Updated On: April 5th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 5th, 2017]
- KQ clinches open-sky deal with Seychelles - The Star, Kenya [Last Updated On: April 5th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 5th, 2017]
- Boost for KQ as open sky deal with Seychelles secured - The Star, Kenya [Last Updated On: April 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 7th, 2017]
- Let's take lessons from Seychelles and divesify economy - The Star, Kenya [Last Updated On: April 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 7th, 2017]
- Week in Pictures: Searcys' showcase and Seychelles: A Taste of Bliss - CIT Magazine [Last Updated On: April 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 7th, 2017]
- Seychelles part 2: How to spend 3 days in the country - Independent Online [Last Updated On: April 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 7th, 2017]
- Flag of Seychelles - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: April 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 10th, 2017]
- Seychelles showcased at fishing fair in Italy - eTurboNews [Last Updated On: April 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 12th, 2017]
- The Air Seychelles experience: we rate them - Independent Online [Last Updated On: April 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 12th, 2017]