Praslin, Curieuse, Tortoises, Buggies and Coconuts

Praslin, Seychelles

23–27 August

📍 Côte d’Or (Anse Volbert), Praslin · 004°17.562′S, 055°42.006′E · Inner Islands

After a couple of abortive attempts at getting any further round the corner than Praslin, we decided that stumping up some cash was the better part of valour. It wasn’t cheap, but neither is parking around La Digue. Those park fees soon mount up. Besides, the price of comfort alone outweighed the hefty sum. Nobody we spoke to said that the anchorages around there provided for a good night’s sleep.

So, after some quiet consolation and a dab of my eyes with a tissue, I agreed to spend 500 euros with Infinity Charters to take us around to Cureiuse, La Digue and some points in between. They picked us up from Jamala a healthy few minutes before our agreed time of 0900 on Wednesday 26th August. Douane, the skipper, and Carlos, the crew.

Anse Georgette

First stop was Anse Georgette. We had passed this so many times before on our way to the anchorage at Anse Lazio, but noticed nothing but a small beach and a few tourist boats. What we couldn’t see is that there’s a hotel and golf course here: the Constance Lemuria. Who knew? It’s home to the Seychelles’ only 18-hole championship golf course. But the only hint of anything is a few sunbeds arranged on the beach. That would be a nice place to anchor, too, if it weren’t for the swell. At least we got the photos, and we didn’t get the rolling anchorage.

Curieuse and the tortoises

Next, we crossed around the corner of Praslin to Curieuse, where the giant tortoises live.

Here are a few dates for your noggin: From 1829 until 1965, Curieuse Island was a leper colony. The ruins of the leprosarium remain, but little is left besides the old doctor’s house, now a museum at Anse St Joseph. In 1967, following a fire that destroyed more than 150 coco de mer palms, the government took over the island

Between 1978 and 1982, Aldabra giant tortoises were brought here from, well, Aldabra, as a conservation project. There are now more than 300 of them on the island. Curieuse and its surrounding waters became a marine national park in 1979.

The story goes that the tortoises all headed up toward the hills before the 2004 tsunami hit. That might sound the stuff of legend, but it isn’t as daft as it sounds. On nearby Cousin Island, the wardens noticed that none of the island’s 28 giant tortoises was on the beach that morning, where they would normally be. Apparently, they are very sensitive to seismic activity, and if they detect an earthquake, they literally head for the hills.

It was great to get up close and personal. Even better, we arrived before the hordes of tourists.

And I like to think the tortoises enjoyed the variation to their usual ground-based food. They would sprint towards anyone holding a bunch of leaves in their hand (it’s all relative).

St Pierre

On the way towards La Digue from Curieuse, we stopped at St Pierre for a photo.

St Pierre is a lump of granite and a few palm trees, about 100 metres across, sitting between Curieuse and Praslin. Nobody lives there. But over the years it has appeared on several posters and in advertising campaigns. Douane tried to recreate the image, but I’m not sure he captured it quite right. The stunned look on the subject’s faces probably doesn’t help, nor does the lighting.

Note the lumpy sea. This was a calm day.

La Digue by buggy

After a zippy ride over to La Digue, we motored into the harbour, from where we could gently step off the boat and onto dry land. There was no swimming ashore or dragging a dinghy and getting half drowned in the process on this trip.

No cars are allowed on the island. The transport choices available are bike, electric bike or golf cart – in ascending order of price. The golf buggy offered the lowest risk of injury, so we chose that option. It might have been pricey at 2,500 SCR, but at least we had a guide, Fred, and we could see most of the island in a day.

On the way to our first stop, Fred pointed out his local Catholic Church. Every Sunday without fail.

First stop: Grande Anse, where we met Andreas and his coconuts, each for sale at 75 rupees. But it was buy one, get one free. I was sold. Andreas told us he’s a footballer, surfer, pastry chef and coconut maestro. We only saw the coconut maestro, but he excelled at that.

I have no idea why this beach isn’t as popular as the next one we visited. Not only is coconut entertainment available, but the beach is also large enough to accommodate the large influx of tourists – perhaps it’s the surf.

Anse Source d’Argent

To get to Anse Source d’Argent, you pay to walk through L’Union Estate, an old copra and vanilla plantation (150 rupees each). It’s billed as the most photographed beach in the Seychelles. Maybe it is so photographed because so many people come here. It was packed. We couldn’t understand it. We have seen so many beaches that we were positively underwhelmed. And at high tide, the beach is so small that you’d have to stand up to sunbathe.

As we walked back to the bike park, we saw this woman on top of a rock. A local entrepreneur was shooting a photoshoot with a drone, directed by the subject’s friend. The friend looked well prepared for her turn: Botox done. Lips plumped. Perfect clone. Honestly.

Then, on the way to the restaurant for lunch, we passed by the local cemetery. I’m only including this because we were taken by how cared for it is – not for any morbid fascination.

Lunch at Chez Jules

We ate lunch at Chez Jules on Anse Banane. Good touristy food.

And that’s the thing about here. It is very much geared up for tourism. It does not have the relaxed vibe of, say, Ko Phayam in Thailand; this is very much the modern version for folks who do not want to stray too far from the familiar.

After that, Fred took us back to the marina where we met Carlos and Douane for the trip back.

The ride home

On the way back, Douane took us past a few of the large hotels at the posh end of Praslin. The photographs below are around Ande Volbert.

And if you want near-complete privacy, you can book in at the Chauve Souris Relais, built into the rocks at Chauve Souris for a bargain 400 – 600 Euro per night.

And that was that for our rapid tour of the islands. Douane carefully docked at the side of Jamala; we invited them on to have a look around. We exchanged whatsapp numbers and away they went.

Was it worth it? I think so. The only other options were either to suffer the anchorages and less-than-favourable weather, or to get a ferry from Mahé then stay overnight. Same cost, more discomfort.