Seychelles was an impromptu destination that sprung to life, after two frustrating weeks of attempting to apply for a visa to Egypt. 2022 was crazy by itself and we certainly didn’t need the complication of a fussy embassy and visa process.
So, where should we go with no visa/visa on arrival for a Sri Lankan and Pakistani passport holder?
Cue sunny, stunning Seychelles!
When we were young, dumb and broke, the bestie and I had always wanted to meet at the airport and travel together – et voila! We manifested that into our bestiemoon in Seychelles. We boarded our Emirates flight from Dubai to Seychelles (I flew in from CMB to Dubai 3 hours prior). Sun hats in tow and a whole row to ourselves, we were off on an adventure.
Constance Ephelia, Mahe
Constance Ephelia is a stunning resort, with 5 restaurants, two beaches, a few swimming pools, its own hiking trails, a mangrove forest, a giant tortoise enclosure, tennis courts and everything you really want. There’s a whole list of complimentary activities that the resort offers every day and we tried almost everything from archery to a guided-mangrove walk. While I could go on, raving about the property, its delicious food and its friendly staff, I’ll not bore you with the details.
All in all, we were tres sad to leave our hearts back at the end of our holiday.
Our days were spent lounging under the palm trees with Pina Coladas, fresh king coconuts and delicious meals in tow. We soaked up the sun by the pool and in the sea, fully embraced resort life and got the much-needed rest, rejuvenation and relaxation our old souls craved. Constance Ephelia was the near-perfect resort for it. The staff even noted down little details about us in their system – like the fact that we were besties since high school and make it a point to meet up at least once a year in a new country, which was pretty cute.
Port Launay Beach
If you want a bit of action, live music and water sports, North Beach is the place to be! Constance Ephelia is so big that you have to take buggies from the south to the north. Emerald mountains shaded over a little bay known as Port Launay National Park with a stunning half-moon beach that offers clear, warm waters and soft, white sands and the best island vibes was a dream.
A Seychellois Birthday
And what a glorious birthday it was!
I woke up to a delicious cake (thanks to the bestie), a Bottega spA Rose (thanks to moi), pressies and the sounds of paradise. Constance was sweet enough to decorate our breakfast table and send over a cute birthday cupcake/pastry!
After a delicious breakfast, we set forth to hike the Ros Lepa trail. The trail was through the resort, passing the presidential suites, secret beaches and a coconut graveyard! The view from the summit was just *chefs kiss* beautiful.
We cooled off in the pool after the strenuous hike before heading to Port Launay (North beach) for some kayaking adventures – where a cute turtle surprised us a few metres from our kayak! Note: glass/transparent kayaks are the only way to kayak in Seychelles.
The rest of the afternoon/evening was spent at the beach bar sipping cocktails and submerging in the warm sea while watching the sunset. La Dolce Vita!
Diving in Seychelles
Blue Sea Divers in Beau Vallon was an hour away from the resort, and after arranging a taxi (through the resort), I set forth at 6am for my first dive in international waters! Oh, I was elated and nervous!
After the dive briefing and gathering our gear, we waded onto the boat and set sail! Ah! The water was warmer and clearer here, and so beautiful. I may have over-used the word beautiful in this post, only due to a lack of finding a more fitting word – stunning? Jaw-dropping, heart-stopping, is-this-even-real? I could go on.
So glad I chose Blue Sea Divers, who completely made me feel at ease during my first international dive. The team was friendly, warm and super easy to talk to – sharing their stories of diving with whale sharks and more. All gear and equipment were well maintained too! I was convinced I’ll visit again, but to dive in Praslin and La Digue!
Dive Sites in Seychelles
L’ilot – 20m
Making a loop around an islet, L’ilot dive site was teeming with colourful marine life. Visibility was almost 30m with very light currents which made for an easy swim. Spotted a group of rays at a distance gliding through the waters and it was incredible and saw a turtle at our safety stop! Check my Insta feed for videos!
Aquarium – 20m
Yep, the name says it all. It was a natural aquarium with tons of little blue fishes, and various other kinds just being pretty and living their life. Much like L’ilot, the dive was quite smooth too. Check my Insta feed for videos!
Since I had some time to spare after the dive until the bestie made her way to the restaurant for lunch, I wandered around the nearby streets for a glimpse of the local life! My, how fun and relaxed they all looked!
My favourite dive shirt, a special local rum cocktail and a blinding view of the white beach and blue waters was a glorious way to end my dive in Seychelles.
^My view vs hers. What a pair of happy clams^
After lunch, we explored a bit more of Beau Vallon, watching locals with their booze, banter and music as they settled into their weekend.
Will I dive in Seychelles again? Hell yes. But I’ll be heading to Digue and Praslin to spot whale sharks, turtles and rays!
Victoria Botanical Garden
The botanical gardens held out a palm of giant tortoises, a dizzying route that led us to acres of manicured lawns and some foresty bits. It’s worth a visit for a quiet stroll, and to look at the giant and famed Coco De Mer trees. By the time our cab driver picked us up from the Gardens, we were knackered and ready to wind down with a cocktail and the football semis!
Fun Fact about Seychelles
Mahe and Sri Lanka were once a part of the supercontinent Gondwana that were formed after the continental drift. This explained why the geography, terrain and flora (and some fauna) were quite similar to Sri Lanka. Another fun fact – islands like Mahe were formed from granite or continental crust, while islands like Praslin or Maldives are coralline islands which were formed from coral sediments.
Seychelles would have once-upon-a-time been rich in fauna too, that is, until the colonials came, saw, conquered and drained their natural resources.
All in all, Seychelles was an absolute dream. One that I fully intend on reliving in the near future.
A bien tot,
Imperfect Traveller