We arrived in Port Victoria on the island of Mahé in the Seychelles in the early morning pass the wind turbines and there is a distinctive smell of fish in the air.

As we make our way out of the ship, we see why—a fish processing plant is across the bow of our ship. Later on, our guides explains that they process four types of tuna there, shipped to four different countries. Cinnamon, coconuts, vanilla and tourism are their other main exports.

Our tour starts with a walkabout in the central town of Victoria, the capital and largest city in the Republic of Seychelles. The Seychelles are made up of 115 islands. At the moment, we are in its wettest season and we can see the threatening grey clouds hovering above the mountains.

Christmas decorations still adorn some places. The pace in the downtown is quite busy with cars, trucks and locals trying to get to their destination. 

Our walk takes us to Market street where merchants are at the ready to sell dried fish, fruits and vegetables. The size of the avocados, mangoes and breadfruit are extraordinary! We enter the Sir Selwyn Selwin-Clarke Market and fresh fish from the morning’s catch are on display. A nearby bird keeps a watchful eye for a potential snack. More fruits and vegetables are available for purchase as are some local spices like cinnamon and Seychelles tea. Celisse explains that the majority of merchants in the Seychelles are either Indian or Chinese and expresses regret that in a few more decades, the native population of the Seychelles will be extinct.

When you take the stairs to the second floor, souvenirs of all kinds await us. A small wooden tortoise and swimsuit cover are bargained for to bring back home.

Then we are whisked to the opposite of the island to Beau Vallon Beach for a little beach time. Before we arrive, there is an Instagram-worthy stop to take photos of a beach with great granite boulders jutting out.

Beau Vallon Beach is 1.7 kilometres long and the sand is fine. Today, the waves slap you as you try to gain forward momentum but the water is deliciously warm. An obligatory try of the local beer is always a must.

Our last stop of the day is at the Botanical Gardens. Our guide Cellise takes us for a walk and grabs two props to explain to us about Coco de mer. It is the largest seed in the plant world. The female tree can produce a fruit between 40-50 centimetres and can weigh between 15-30 kilograms! The male tree produces flowers that are catkin-like (spike) up to 2 metres long. When you look at the photo below, you will no doubt laugh at the resemblance to human sexual organs.

The flowers are gorgeous to look at but the start of the show are the giant tortoises. As we enter their enclosure, we are surprised that we are allowed to touch them and feed them. Though they could still munch on your fingers should you put them directly near their mouth (only because they would confuse them with food), they love having their heads and throats rubbed.

Their average lifespan is 100 years old but Harriet who died in 2006 was 176 years old! Giant tortoises are on the threatened species list. They are slow and gentle creatures for sure and deserve all of our protection.

Our time in the Seychelles continues the next day as we anchor off the small island of La Digue. It is the fourth largest island of the Seychelles but third most populous. We tender in to the small port where we board our catamaran for the morning to explore the sea life.

After we anchor off the very small Coco Island, we don our snorkelling gear and jump into the clear blue water. The seas are a bit rough but it doesn’t deter us. Plenty of little fish swim around us. An angel type fish was very photogenic and kept posing for the cameras.

After the snorkelling, we head to a calm sandy beach called Petite Anse beach, where we can take a relaxing swim.

The best way to see La Digue is either by renting a bicycle or walking. We opt to walk the thirty minutes to the famous L’Anse Source D’Argent beach. Massive granite boulders are all over the countryside. We pay our $12USD per person entry fee and continue our walk towards the beach. Along the way, we see giant tortoises again and a vanilla plantation.

L’Anse Source D’Argent beach is unlike any other beach we have been on. Again, giant granite boulders jut out of the fine sand offering a vista unlike any other. Our energy is waning and we enquire about taking a taxi back, but the rates being charged are ridiculous so we make the trek back but stop at a local bar for a refreshing local beer. I grumble loudly at $10USD a beer we are being charged but relent to quench our thirst and give our feet a rest.

Thankfully, the lineup for the tenders are no longer huge and we hop on immediately for our return to the ship.

See you Mombasa!