Paradise Found in the Seychelles
There is so much to say about my recent trip to the Seychelles that I will have to write two newsletters! Let me start with my absolute favourite part of the trip: Alphonse Island, one of the coraline outer islands, and a true hidden gem. Landing on this island gave me the impression of landing in a pristine paradise. This sense of amazement, pure joy, and privilege at being here lasted until we departed.
As soon as we arrived, before even pausing to unpack, my husband and I put on our swimsuits and dived into the inviting, clear, tropical ocean water just outside our bungalow. Soon after, we saw turtles surfacing to breathe all around us. Brimming with excitement at being surrounded by turtles, we headed to the dive centre to pick up some snorkelling equipment. From that moment, we were enthralled by the wildlife under the ocean’s surface. It was a new discovery for me, having only recently obtained my scuba diving qualification. We were on safari, but in the ocean. It was spectacular!
Snorkelling here was truly like snorkelling in an aquarium. We were surrounded by brightly coloured schools of fish, like elegant fusiliers, as well as the less numerous but mesmerising coral reef fish. While I was snorkelling outside our bungalow, I encountered a hawksbill turtle. It was very curious and came close to my mask, looking me directly in the eye for quite some time, before diving down to feed on sponges in the seagrass beds below. I followed it for a long time, feeling a real connection to this beautiful animal, which is sadly on the critically endangered list. A night-time snorkel, with a blue light, revealed the secret bioluminescence of some coral species, which radiated a deep purple colour in the blue light. It was exciting to observe the coral reef after dark – a truly unique experience.
Scuba diving immersed me in another world. Instead of watching from above, I was part of the underwater realm, slowly moving through it, and observing the vibrant life all around us. Some of my favourite sightings were of the countless turtles, sharks, an octopus, stingrays and an enormous Napoleon wrasse. We did two dives on the outer reef, and both were stunning, and well guided by top dive masters.
I had never fly-fished before, and after meeting some French fishermen at the lodge bar, we became curious about this sport. Fishing is done only on a catch-and-release basis here, with barbless hooks. After an inspiring casting lesson with James, the lodge kindly arranged for a guide to take us bonefishing on the Saint Francois Atholl (bonefish cruise the shallows, making them perfect targets for fly fishing).
It was here that I learnt the importance of a fishing guide who performs a role similar to a safari tracker and a coach. Our guide, Bailey, patiently instructed me on how to cast and carefully tracked the bonefish by looking for stingrays disturbing the sea floor. It was the consensus of all the guests on Alphonse that this was the best location for saltwater fly fishing in the world, and that Alphonse had the best fishing guides by far!
We were also lucky to see a manta ray and a pod of hundreds of spinner dolphins that followed the boat for some time, enjoying the waves the boat made. I was captivated by the dolphins!
Not enough is said about the incredible conservation work that’s done on Alphonse, funded by donations, guest conservation levies and the lodge itself. Elle, a marine biologist and the Blue Safari conservation manager, described some of their conservation projects, like the manta ray study and shark study. For instance, baby manta rays are regularly seen in St Francois’s unique lagoon, which seems to be a manta ray nursery. But much more than this is being done. On the day of our departure, we witnessed a huge green turtle (a Seychelles conservation success story), which had finished nesting, returning to the ocean. She left behind the next generation of turtles for guests to encounter.
I have not yet described how beautiful this island is. Fringed by palm trees, with white beach sand and ultra-clear water, Alphonse is truly a paradise. There are no vehicles on the island, and so everyone gets around by bicycle. Cycling through the coconut forest feels like being on another planet. The dining experiences here were also top-notch. The fresh ingredients are supplied by a farm in the centre of the island, and fresh fish, which is sustainably caught with hook and line, from the ocean. While we were on the island, we enjoyed two standout dining experiences–lunch on a sandbar and dinner in the forest at the beach bar. The lunch, known as a ‘flats’ lunch, was set up on a sandy beach in the middle of the ocean, a 30-minute boat ride from Alphonse. The photos below describe it better than words can!
Getting to Alphonse involves some flight connection logistics, but if you are passionate about the natural world and would love to visit this paradise, drop me an email, and I will happily plan a dream trip to Alphonse for you and your travel companions. It is an experience not to be missed!
Happy travelling,
Diana