BUDGET FOR TRIP: N700,000 ( 3 night stay)

This quote above pretty much sums up how I feel about Seychelles and because I strongly believe I belong there. You can’t tell me nothing! My parents must have come to this beautiful Island to adopt me from my birth parents. Seychelles is my HOME!!! (please lets not argue about this). My first knowledge and love for Seychelles goes as far back as my primary school days.  I had this friend in my class, a boy, with a Seychellios mum and every time she came to school, we all stared at her beautiful long hair and gorgeous brown skin. He always told us his mum was from a beautiful Island and when he described this, we imagined paradise.

My love for Seychelles lingered on and I hoped to get married there someday (Unfortunately, I didn’t so I’ve moved on to having my vow renewal there 

) .I ached for it more when the duke and duchess of Cambridge went there for their honeymoon. Fast forward X years later, I found myself on a flight and on my way to the land of my dreams! *insert’s lupita’s Oscar acceptance speech* . For my three short days, I literally jumped on the bed and screamed like a kid in a candy store “OMG I’m in Seychelles”. It is everything in the pictures and a lot more! It was definitely paradise.This is one country I can never get enough of and I plan to go again and again (I mean it is home so its only normal to visit all the time). Three days too damn short! You need time to soak everything in, minimum a week! WARNING: It is an expensive place and my pricing might not be very accurate.

VISAS: visitors permit/visa for the first three month in Seychelles is free of charge. YES! free!. You should also take your yellow fever card if you are flying an African Airline. We flew Emirates and our yellow fever cards were not required.

FLIGHTS: There are many routes to go from Lagos to Seychelles. Kenya Airways (most affordable), Emirates Airline and Ethiopian Airline all have flights (indirect) to Seychelles. Emirates Airline cost about N299,030 per person.

HOTELS: Here is a list of fabulous hotels/villas to stay in Seychelles. My body stayed at Villas De Jardin, Port Glaud but my mind was at Constance Ephelia. Take a look at their website and you will understand exactly what I mean.

• This was my favorite part of our room. I must have taken about 500 pictures here.

Villas de jardin is a self-catering villa and we were able to save money on restaurants. Price for the 3 night stay at Villas de jardin = 660 Euros. Others hotel options include:

• Coral Strand – Located at Beau Vallon Bay which is one of the hip beaches in Seychelles.
• Kempinsky Seychelles Resort 
• Banyan Tree Seychelles 

TRANSPORTATION: There are tons of car rental companies at the airport and its best to rent a car to get around the Island. You will be required to show your international driver’s license. Don’t forget to grab a map of the Island. WARNING: the roads are really narrow and mountainous so no fast and furious moves allowed here. COST: 32 Euros per day.

DO NOT GET THIS THING!!! PLEASE!!! Its called a buggy car. Avoid like a plague.
 

In my quest for adventure, I found this buggy car rental company online and I booked this for our transportation around the island. I had read seemingly “good” reviews online and I thought why not ( now I know all the good reviews were definitely written by the Company owner using various aliases). Arriving at our hotel, the manager asked if we had rented a car and I said to her “of course!! We got a cool buggy car”. She had a smirk on her face as she moved on to showing us our room for the night. Next day, I called the rental company furious that the car had not arrived. The owner told us he was already on his way and he was bringing it personally. Two hours later, the buggy car arrived and he parked it right beside the hotel manager’s car (a Fiat 500L). We got down to pick our car and couldn’t see it. The owner kept pointing at the managers car and we are wondering what road worthy vehicle could possibly be smaller than a Fiat 500L. We got closer and we saw our “scooter” LMAOOO!!!

I couldn’t stop laughing and crying at the same time. First, I had paid for this and they had a no refund policy (now I know why), secondly it was a stick shift car! Is a stick shift car in such a terrain not just sheer wickedness??? I wasn’t going to let this ruin my holiday. We decided to take our “whip” for a spin later at night and stopped by at a nearby bar. After drinks, we hopped into the car (yes the doors don’t work it had NO doors so you have to hop in and hop out, LOL) and tried to make our way back to the villa. We tried to start the “scooter” to no avail. The noise from all the kicking startled a mongrel and it decided to attack us! I screamed so hard and fortunately we were able to start the car and “zoom” off! Believe me when I say the dog was just as fast as the car. I have never been that terrified of a dog while sitting in a car! Without further ado, we returned it the next day and got a normal car.

ACTIVITIES: Seychelles has three man inhabited islands (Mahe, Praslin and La Digue) and I advice you visit at least two if not all three (see why you need more than three nights) of the Islands. It is pretty much about Island hopping, sipping coconuts and other water related activities.

• TAKE A DRIVE TO EDEN ISLAND: this is definitely the Monaco of Seychelles! Judging from the names on the yacht’s we saw, I think coolness is a big criteria for yacht owners.

• SNORKELING TRIP: *bucket list* you don’t need to know how to swim to snorkel. Just ensure your guide swims in the ocean without aid for at least 3 minutes to ensure he will save you if anything goes wrong (hahaha). I felt like a mermaid. You can snorkel anywhere in Seychelles and this was done around Moyenne Island. Cost = 100 Euros

• MOYENNE ISLAND NATIONAL PARK: Moyenne Island is home to about 120 giant tortoise and over 2,000 birds.  You can read about the island here.

• ZIP LINING:  * bucket list * !!! see why I love this country, I ticked off two things from my bucket list! This was done at the Constance Ephelia hotel. There are 8 zip lines in total and if you aren’t sure you will make all 8, do not even start. The only way back down is via the zip lines.

• This is the scariest thing I’ve ever done (till I go sky diving). I  am terrified of heights and I still don’t know how I did this.
• MAHE IN A DAY: On our last day, we decided to take a drive around the Island, visit the beaches and eat some local creole food (I think I need to start taking more pictures of my food). Coconut milk, breadfruit, seafood and Chillies are basically what creole food is all about. Budget for food 35 Euros per meal.

Octopus soup in breadfruit and coconut milk

I think i did this at every beach we stopped at

Jumping again

……and again

• ISLAND HOPPING : We didn’t get to do this, but if you have time please take a ferry or rent a boat to Praslin Island and visit the UNESCO world heritage center where the coco de mer palm grows.

source: http://www.cites.org/sites/default/files/i/news/2010/coco_de_mer_L.jp

• Read about the legends of the coco de mer here

Seychellios people are so proud of their cultural icon, even their visa stamp is shaped like it.

The coolest stamp on my passport, no contest!

What do you think the Nigerian Cultural icon is or should be?

“When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money”. – Susan Heller