oer renee Dette i is SIGHTINGS. An scder' + quidt Ee X= Ts IR ART MG Feeney ‘omany, the Seychelles is a fifaway paradise island ' eee ee gered See een at ea etd eee ee eee ee these dream islands without breaking the bank. For the ‘equivalent ofa week ata luxury lodge in SA, you can jet to Mahé, with only five-hour direct flight fom Joburg to Pere eas ea tem ct | | Meee | a | eeeAsthe main island of the * Seychelles, Mahe isthe heartbeat ofthe archipelago and, iis your firstvist, defintelythe place to holiday. Apart fom offering ‘numerous pristine beaches and lots of history and culture, itsaleoa mach cheaper alternative toisland-hopping, “specially if there ate more than one of you traveling Ifyo'e into nightie, market shopping and cultural sightseeing, then the north ofthe island i foryou,Ifyutreafera more lad-backadventre, aay from the crowds and surrounded by lite more than ocean and lsh, cote greenery head south Theisland offers great selection of affordable self-catering homes, vilasand small guesthouses, Located about o minutes by ca rom the Binport and 15 minutes from Mahé's CBD is Castaway Fishing Lodge Itsfar enough to beaway from the hustleand bustle ofthe noth, but close enough serve asa base from which to explore the rest of the island, offers accommodation in varius forms, fom aone- ‘Clockwise, FROM TOP LEF: * ‘OPPOSITE: Sawubona bedroomed studio to two-bedroomed apartments anda four-bedroomed vila with a pool. Owned and run by husbane-and-wife eam Bruce and Caroline Homer, it’ flly equipped for self-catering stays and iscleaned daly (except Sundays). Furnishings are minimalist and modern and ther’ free wif available fon the property Rates tart from about Ri 00 per night for two people sharing and Ri 600 a night fora family of four. Inthe north is athree- bedroomed, self-catering villain quiet area with exquisite ocean vistas. I's 1o-minute drive away fiom Beau Vallon, one ofthe jslands most popular beaches and is owned by the general ‘manager of an pmarket hotel ‘on Prasln, so you can be ure tha attention was paid to details, From around Ri 450. night, its definitely an affordable option, Also worth looking into are Nice View and Fine View, self-catering villas in Anse Royale and Maison Sole Guesthouse in Baie Lazare For fine dining witha focal Creole touch, head to Botanica in St Louis, where owner and chef Christelle Verheyden serves culinary delights. For something a litle more laid-back and beachy, Delplace Restaurant & Bar in Port Glaud is hard tobeat~ both in terms of location and cuisine. A great family dining option is Surfer's Beach Restaurant, right onthe shore, where you can sink our fet © int the sand while you wait for unfussy, but delicious fare like calamari, prawns an pizzasFor use by Ioulseganat ionalpositions. com only. Distribution pronibited] BESTTIMETO VISIT ‘The weather is warm all year round, even. during the rainy season in Jonvary/ February. However, showers never last more than a few “hours. April/May and October/November ‘ore the bee limes for snorkeling ond diving, with visibility extending for 30m in places, The best month for surfing are May-Seplember. CURRENCY The Seychelles rupee. However, euros and ‘American dollars are widely accepted, a: are MasterCard ond Visa, DON’T FORGET ‘Sun cream and mosquito repellent, your own adopiors (British thrae-pin plugs are standard), books and magazines [reading materials hard to come by), medication and batteries. Is best not fo drink he local water ~ botled water is sold everywhere,es ‘There'sa wide range of activities to enjoy. The warm Indian ‘Ocean offers some ofthe best diving and snorkelling in the ‘world and you'e guaranteed to seea myriad of fish during any swim out Ifyou're up for something that requiresa litle ‘more skill, learn to surf or stand-up paddleboard with iSurt Seychelles sa great day activity forthe whole family and Surf team pride themselves on getting nine out 19 newbies standing upand riding waves before the fist hour's lesson is up. The calm waters are also ideal for learning, Ifyou keen ‘on zip-lining throxgh palm fronds or rock-climbing to get your adrenaline pumping, SM1AC Adventures wil organise this for you, with activities suitable forall ages, For nature-lovers, there's na shortage of gardens to visit = from the National Botanical Garden in Mont Fleur, just ‘outside Victoria CRD, to La Misére Exotics Garden Centre (ith almost 300 plant varieties and a total of over 50 o0e flowers sgrowingon yaha of and) and Le Jardin du Roi Spice Garden in Anse Royale, the only place (other than the Vallée de Mai on Prastin and the National Botanical Garden) where you can see the protected male and female coco de mer palms growing in their nacural habitat In Vietoria youl find Paradis des Enfants, an park with a mulktude ‘of swing-sets, slides, climbing apparatus and jungle gyms forthe itsle ‘ones ~ and entrance is free. There are also catousel-type rides and an clectronic games room (fr those missing ther PlayStations), which ‘ean be enjoyed fora fee ‘Then, ofcourse, there are the beaches “amazing stretches of secluded coastline at every turn, Beach toys, log and swimming rings canbe bought at most stores and will ep litle ‘ones entertained for hours, while adults can lay down a toweland catch some rays, Always look above before setting up ‘amp for the day coconiat trees grow on almostall the beaches and nothing ruins the fun ikea coconut o ‘GETTING THERE: BEST FAMILY RESORTS IN dropping on you. This can also be quite dangerous, due to their weight Dont forget to pop by Eden Island, the man- ‘made marina known by ‘many loeals as “mini South Africa’ due tothe number of South Afiican expats living inthis reso like estate, Een Island Plazas the only mall on Mahéand offersa selection of retail stores an eateries, as wellasa play centre where you can leave the kids while you bavesome time out, ‘A ental car isa must to explore the island (which only takes about an hour to circumnavigate) and costs about R450-R60 per day. The longer you rent it, the better the rate youl beable to negotiate Prasln is the second-most popular (and second-largest) island and also offers several accommodation options forall budgets. It makes a great day trip, about 45 minutes by boat from Mahé, If yout like co spend afew nights there, consider the New Emerald Cove Hotel or the Cate d'Or Chalets. You can book a boat transfer via Cat Cocos. LEFE ONE OF THREE PRIVATE BEACHES LOCATED AT THE EDEN ISLAND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT. 'ABOVE: SARONGS A PLENTY CAN BE BOUGHT AT THE VICTORIA MARKET, MAHE AND ITS SURROUNDS The purpose of a holiday isto relax and recharge, so if you have little ones in tow and are willing to fork out a bit ‘more, a resort stay is worth every rupee - not least for the kids’ club and babysitting services tm Constance Epheia service, leious wih various sactons,reomsond greatfarily ate available io explore feertHie kif vewa;prec pools idbearcla poche’ drug eqtent fa sloek get ch legalipsinbelden | witerayedoerdon bee td oor Geen wihonecing) | cnzing bd cla WilecchcomberScinte tion Labi Sthovete i’ cb oe aso family villas, five Anne (a 10-minute Island (a 45-minute available. The views of restawroniscnd mary ‘The Savoy Hotel & ferry aways locied ferrytide away: The the neighbouring ends | 3 ielaa oa Spa Ouyersyeatcd, linfwSstigAre Nia aiiecifenSthoels crea ddght= rel : the Scvoy is helalest Pak hisresotclasan Lond, Hiton Labs has dont lnget he Rock | Mi Four Seasons Resort hotel onthe islnd ond onayfncse Ind ard pisine suroundings. Spal = Seychales:Unuipened Neatebigged pool cewiecivies pects Acult end bctier bas 2 SawubonaFor use by louiseganationalpositions.com only. Distribution prohibited. a 551! ES rar is SPEND A HOLIDAY ON EDEN ISLAND. AND YOU'LL WANT TO STAY FOREVER. Whether you ar ust visting on a family holiday or you choose to lve here, Eden Island has ' ‘sampling the local flavours and savouting the local cure, thi is paradise found Four private beaches Eden Plaza shopping cente with restaurants, shops & entertainment Clubhouse, ftnes centre, simming pool, tennis court Fully established Intemational Marna Froohald tie waterkont homes Proven capital appreciation lent rental elds ache No stamp duty transfer duty or VAT payable ‘Owners and ther families entitle to apply for rsidency of Seychelles 24 hour security Immediate occupation available 3 flights weey from South Ati For holiday makers the Eden Island Luxury Accommodation Portfolio has a selection of Apartments, Maisons and Vilas all offering a choice of lary selt-catering accommodation for shor holiday lets or longer-term rentals, With aver 490 homes aleady sld South Afican owners and the remaining homes sling out fas, make sute you claim your place in the sun before t's tao late. Ea 311 PAM GOLDING Holiday accommodation reservations +248 434 6000 ot eal servations @edenisland.se Property sales information » South Afric | Brian Gradner +27(0) 82361 4381 Seychelles - Christopher Nel +248 252 7575 | Sandra Colas +248 252 7715 a neratorl wavs pamgelding o.2a/eden island rite of Sls