A Dreamer's Journey in Seychelles

Each island in Seychelles has many stunning beaches. Photo: Dinh Tai

Seychelles, one of the smallest countries in the world with an area of 455km ² . Also located in the middle of the Indian Ocean like Maldives, but it seems that for Asians, the Republic of Seychelles is still not well known.

For Nguyen Dinh Tai (35 years old, Hanoi), although he has traveled to many countries, Seychelles is truly a new land that he has never read the name of. Therefore, this journey is full of "first time" experiences, interesting and very unforgettable.

New land

Seychelles is a country in East Africa, consisting of 115 islands. However, most of the islands are uninhabited or have been invested by private enterprises for tourism purposes. Seychelles has only 3 large inhabited islands.

Of these, Mahé is the largest island, with an area of over 150km ^2. The capital Victoria is located here. Mahé Island is known as the "heart" of Seychelles because it has the main international airport and is a vibrant cultural center for visitors to explore .

Mahé is famous for its beautiful beaches such as Beau Vallon, Anse Intendance and Anse Takamaka, with their fine white sand and clear blue waters. Several yacht harbors are located on the island, making it easy for visitors to enjoy activities such as windsurfing, diving and fishing.

Praslin Island, with an area of approximately 38 km², is the second largest island in the Seychelles archipelago. The island still retains its wild beauty and rich ecosystem of sea and tropical forest.

A must-see when visiting Praslin Island is the Vallée de Mai National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that preserves the Coco de Mer tree - a palm species endemic to the Seychelles archipelago, famous for its heart-shaped, largest and heaviest seed in the world.

La Digue Island, although only about ^10km2 in area , owns Anse Source d'Argent beach - one of the most beautiful beaches in the world with fine white sand, clear blue water and large granite blocks.

During his 6 days in Seychelles, Mr. Tai stayed on each island for 3 days. Initially, he had no intention of going to this country. However, while looking at Indian airfares, he accidentally discovered a direct flight to Seychelles with reasonable fares, so he immediately decided to buy the ticket.

At that time, the Vietnamese male tourist had not even considered the itinerary or booked a hotel. Because he was curious about the country’s strange name and many beaches, he told himself, “Just take the risk.”

Typical check-in corner in Seychelles. Photo: Dinh Tai

Island paradise

Anh Tai shared: “This country is surrounded by sea. In the middle of the vast Indian Ocean, Seychelles is like a green paradise. The sea water is clear, blue, the sand is white and what I like most is that every beach is very quiet with tourists, not crowded and bustling like beaches in the Philippines, Maldives or Bali”.

“I was able to dive alone all day in the sea without being disturbed. It seems that Seychelles is still a rather strange country for Vietnamese people and many local people here do not even know where Vietnam is because they have never met anyone here from Vietnam,” the male tourist added.

According to Mr. Tai, tourists here mainly come from Europe and often stay in luxury style on yachts and resorts. During his week-long stay in Seychelles, Mr. Tai met very few Asian tourists, mainly from Korea, Japan or China.

Taking the bus in Seychelles is an interesting experience that Mr. Tai suggests tourists should try. The public bus will pass through beautiful coastal roads, admire the mountains and pristine beaches; at that time, the life of the indigenous people appears more clearly and authentically. However, the public bus here mainly operates on Mahé Island.

Anh Tai revealed: “Mahe Island has many gentle trekking routes to explore the pristine natural forest or forest trails going from one beach to another. If I have the opportunity to return to this country, I will definitely spend time trekking.”

The Vietnamese male tourist highly appreciated the nature in the island nation of Seychelles. However, the cost of living here is quite expensive because this is the country with the highest per capita income in Africa. During a week here, he spent about 60 million VND, including a plane ticket of about 15 - 20 million VND, a round-trip boat ticket between the two islands of Mahé - Praslin for 5 million VND, and a phone sim card for 1 million VND.

The cheapest room rate is about 2.5 million VND/night, but if tourists rent a luxury resort, the room rate can be up to 30 - 100 million VND. If you choose to take a bus on the island, the price ranges from 100,000 VND/day, and if you rent a car to drive yourself, the cost can be up to millions per day. Regarding food, if tourists are frugal, they can choose to eat on the sidewalk, about 2.5 million VND/day. Among the above costs, not including the cost of a 1-day tour, entrance tickets, coffee...

“The cuisine in Seychelles is similar to Europe, easy to eat but expensive. Here, the locals are friendly and kind. However, one day, because of a problem with the last bus and not being able to get a ride along the way, I had to climb 5km to get back to my homestay on the hill. It’s okay, just go and feel it, that’s the goal of every trip of mine,” Tai confided.

Source: https://laodong.vn/du-lich/kham-pha/hanh-trinh-cua-ke-mong-mo-o-seychelles-1584977.html