Denis Island... The island at the edge of the world.

Denis lies 95km north of Victoria, Mahé and 45km from Bird Island, making it one of the most northerly of all the Seychelles' islands.

Like many Seychelles islands, in the heyday of the coconut industry Denis was a coconut plantation, whose population of between 70 and 100 persons were engaged in collecting guano (decomposed bird droppings), producing coprah (refined coconut flesh) and fishing.

In 1975 the island was purchased by Pierre Burkhardt, a French paper magnate who ran the island as a successful lodge with the marketing slogan “the island at the edge of the world.” The island was sold to Mason's Travel, one of Seychelles’ first local ground handling operators, in the mid ‘90s.

Denis' 350 acres is home to a varied vegetation and populations of sea and land birds including frigates, white-tailed tropic birds, whimbrels, doves, wood pigeons, cardinals and mynahs. The island is the recent beneficiary of a successful project to introduce endangered species of birdlife.

For fishermen it is ideally situated for deep-sea fishing expeditions on the nearby edge of the Seychelles’ bank where marlin, sailfish, barracuda, wahoo, dorado and tuna will thrill novice and seasoned fisherman alike.

Denis offers excellent nature walks as well as the facilities of tennis, diving, windsurfing, canoeing and of course sunbathing on its gleaming white beaches and its 5-star 25-chalet lodge is the perfect honeymoon getaway offering seclusion in comfort and with excellent gourmet cuisine.

Photos from Denis...

 

 

Cerf Island...

Situated within the Ste Anne Marine National Park, Cerf is Mahé’s closest neighbour and offers excellent swimming and snorkelling as well as memorable sunbathing on several great beaches.

Cerf is a popular picnic venue with Mahé residents on account of its fine beaches and good swimming.

Cerf earned its name from the navy frigate that visited Seychelles in 1756 to take formal possession of the island in the name of France.

The island once had a thriving coconut industry, the remnants of which are still evident in the form of lush coconut groves. Many exotic shrubs adorn its 116 hectares that is also home to a population of giant land tortoises and flying foxes.

Cerf is the only island in the marine park to have a small local population who commute to Mahé for their daily business, making the 4km trip in a matter of minutes.

A high standard of accommodation is available in three hotel establishments currently on the island as is the opportunity to savour mouth-watering Seychellois Creole cuisine.

Photos from Cerf Island...

 

 

Bird Island...

Bird, Seychelles’ most northerly island is 100km or a 30-minute flight north of Mahé. The island was once known as Ile aux Vaches because of the dugongs (sea cows) that thrived there.

During the period of the southeast trade winds (May-September), Bird is colonised by more than a million sooty terns that each lay their eggs on their own exclusive square foot of territory. Bird also hosts populations of lesser noddies and fairy terns as well as white-tailed tropic birds, fodies, plovers and wimbrels.

Situated at the northern edge of the archipelago where the ocean floor plummets to 2000 metres, Bird has extraordinarily rich marine life in the form of hawksbill and green turtles, dolphins and even the occasional whale.

Once famous for its sizeable population of giant land tortoises, Bird now boasts 'Esmeralda,' the world’s heaviest giant land tortoise living in the wild, weighing in at over 300kg and reputed to be more than 200 years old. Incidentally, 'Esmeralda' is a male.

In the early 1970's, Bird turned to tourism, and with several conservation programmes in place, the Bird Island Lodge stands at the forefront of eco-tourism in Seychelles.

Twenty-four comfortable bungalows, excellent beaches, a reputation for good cuisine and a convivial atmosphere complement great opportunities for snorkelling, deep-sea fishing, and nature watching.

Photos from Bird Island...

 

 

Saint Anne Island

Sainte Anne Island is the largest island in the Marine National Park off Mahé, with a peak reaching 800 feet. Discovered on Sainte Anne's Day, it was the first place the early French settlers lived before colonising nearby Mahé. In its recent history the island has been used as a place of refuge for escaped prisoners and as a whaling base during the early 20th century. Up until 1992 it was used to house the National Youth Service where young people aged between 15 - 17 would spend some time living on the island as part of their state education. Now amidst the islands tropical unspoilt vegetation lie the 87 Villas of Sainte Anne Resort and Spa, Private Island.

Occupying nearly a mile of undulating coastline the only sounds are rustling palm trees and gentle waves lapping at white sandy beaches. Teeming with marine life the three beaches at Sainte Anne offer a unique experience of complete harmony and nature.

Sainte Anne Island is surrounded by a Marine National Park, home to more than 150 species of fish and magnificent underwater life. No motorized water sports are permitted to disturb this natural paradise where the treasures of the sea have thrived over thousands of years. Don a snorkel and flippers and discover the magic beneath the blue. Or venture deeper on specially organized scuba diving expeditions.

Exert your energy paddling a kayak and laze away the days under sail in the gentle breeze. Play a game of floodlit tennis in the cool of the evening or hire a bike to explore the island. Whether lazy strolls or enjoying the islands many nature trails, Sainte Anne provides a pure and authentic experience of the island's magnificence.

Images of Sainte Anne Island...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas in Seychelles

Christmas in Seychelles is the time for sumptuous feasts and family gatherings. On this festive occasion, every family member usually hosts a lavish dinner which is then followed by gift-giving and evening parties. With delicious food, games, and fun-filled activities, the celebrations in Seychelles are no less exciting than that in any other part of the world during this festival.


Christmas Celebrations

Beach parties:
Seychelles is known for its wonderful beach parties which are just ideal for adventure lovers. Whether it is sailing, diving, or fly fishing, you can actually indulge in a lot of activities while celebrating Christmas in this island country.

Colorful decorations:
The festive celebrations in Seychelles include decorating the interiors and exteriors of the malls, stores, homes, and commercial buildings with colorful lights. Even the pubs and restaurants are adorned with such lights. Homemade crafts and decorative items are widely used during Christmas celebrations in Seychelles.

Sight seeing:
On this festive occasion, people in Seychelles go sightseeing to catch a glimpse of the popular tourist locations in this island nation. Some of the places worth visiting here are Anse Lazio, Valle de Aldabra, and Valle de Mai where the coco palms grown in their natural state offer a spectacular sight to watch.

Anse Lazio is a crystal water lake with white sandy beaches and quiet waves. Aldabra is considered to be one of the largest coral reefs in the world, and it extends for 22 Km. Visiting these tourist attractions, especially during Christmas, will let you experience the joys and wonders of this festive season.

Shopping during Christmas: If you shop around, you will find unbelievable discounts and deals. Such deals will help you save more while you go shopping to celebrate Christmas in a very special way.

Should you wish to visit the Seychelles, at Christmas or any other time, contact us here, on Facebook, Twitter, or at www.seychellesyachtcharter.com

Season's greetings from all of us at Seychelles Yacht Charter!


Photos of Christmas time in Seychelles

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silhouette Island

Silhouette is Seychelles' third largest island, lying 30km off Mahé's western coast and in close proximity to North Island. Despite being Seychelles' largest island, it only a population of around 130 people. Silhouette’s verdant, mountainous profile dominates the view from Mahé’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 Mahé 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.

Things to do

Dauban Mausoleum

The Dauban Mausoleum is built in a serene and secluded spot of Silhouette amid luxuriant vegetation of mainly coconut trees.

This imposing architecture, a special landmark of the island ranks high among the work of its kind in Seychelles.

One of its most distinct features is a set of six proportionally massive columns which are aligned on the façade and on part of the lateral sides. Besides its appealing structure, the mausoleum gives an insight into a series of social and economic aspects highlighting both the status of the Dauban family and the level of economic prosperity of the island at that time.

Plantation House

The old plantation house at La Passe is a building of great dignity and grace typifying the Creole architectural style of always including a spacious verandah extending all around the building, and a flight of steps on all four sides, affording more than one entrance or exit.

The plantation house at Silhouette was probably constructed around 1861 as the family home of Mr Henri Dauban, Sr, owner of the island who employed around 250 labourers on his 2,000 acre estate. At that time, copra was the main source of revenue for Seychelles, along with cinnamon oil, vanilla and hawksbill turtle shell.

Silhouette Marine National Park

Standing at a height of 740m, Silhouette Island has managed to escape the ravages of deforestation, which has sadly affected some islands.

Silhouette was designated as a Marine Park on 26th October 1987. It is the only “paper park” left in Seychelles and efforts are being sought to establish funds to effectively protect and manage the area.

Silhouette National Park

The Silhouette National Park was opened on the 07th August 2010 by the President, Mr. James Michel.

Silhouette Island is the third largest island of the inner granitic group of the Seychelles’ archipelago of which the government has designated 93% of the island as protected area.

Silhouette Island is known for its dramatic mountain peaks, Mont Dauban (740m), Mont-Pot-a-Eau (621m), Gratte Fesse (515m) Mont Corgat (502m),Mont Cocos Marrons (500m) and for being one of the richest biodiversity hot-spots in the western Indian Ocean. It is home to many endemic and threatened plant and animal species and has large areas of primeval forest, mist forests as well as breathtaking viewpoints. It is also home to last known Seychelles sheath-tailed bats.

The declaration of the Silhouette National Park reflects the importance of the survival of this important domain and its critically endangered species.

Photos of Silhouette Island...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: www.seychelles.travel.sc

 

 

 

 

Praslin

Praslin, with a population of 6,500 people, is Seychelles’ second largest island. It lies 45km to the northeast of Mahé 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. The island features truly exquisite beaches such as Anse Lazio and Anse Georgette, both appearing on the top-10 list of world’s best beaches in recent years.

Prior to settlement of the islands by the French in the mid-18th century, Praslin's Côte d'Or was a favourite haunt of pirates.

The island was named Praslin after the Duc de Praslin, the French minister of marine in 1768 when the original 'Stone of Possession' was erected on the island in what is still known as Anse Possession.

Almost a century and a half later the visiting General Gordon (of Khartoum fame) became convinced that the Vallée de Mai was the original site of the Garden of Eden. This is where the legendary Coco-de-Mer, the world's heaviest nut, grows high on ancient palms in a primeval forest. The Vallée is host to six species of palm to be found only in Seychelles.

Praslin stands at the forefront of Seychelles’ tourism industry with a strong tradition of hospitality and wide range of accommodation facilities. It also provides a base for excursions to neighbouring islands, some of which are important sanctuaries nurturing rare species of endemic flora and fauna.

Things to do

Vallée de Mai

Praslin's World Heritage-listed Vallée de Mai is one of only two places in the world where you can see the rare coco de mer palms growing in their natural state (the other being nearby Curieuse Island). If the entry price seems steep, remember this is a unique chance to experience a slice of Eden.

Three trails lead through the park, of which the longest takes around three hours. Signs indicate some of the other endemic trees to look out for, including several varieties of pandanus (screw pine) and latanier palms.


Nature Seychelles

About 2km southwest of Praslin, Cousin Island is run as a nature reserve by Nature Seychelles . The bird population is estimated to exceed 300,000 on an island measuring just 1km in diameter. It's an amazing experience to walk through thick forest with birds seemingly nesting on every branch.


Jungle (Nightclub)

 Nightlife in Praslin? No, really? It usually comes as a surprise to many visitors that the island rocks (by Seychellois standards) on Friday and Saturday evenings. Shakers and movers head en masse to the Jungle .

George Camille Art Gallery

Camille's work is inspired by the beauty and nature around him, incorporating stylised fish, geckos and coco de mer palms in his works, as well as more conventional scenes of rural life.

Photos of Praslin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources: www.seychelles.travel.sc

            www.lonelyplanet.com