A Holiday in Seychelles

 

Anse Gaulette Beach, west coast of Mahe, Seychelles as seen from Lazare Picault hotel, named after the mid 18th century explorer who was the first to explore the islands of Seychelles. Picault landed here in 1742 while exploring the Indian Ocean.

Some Facts:

The Republic of Seychelles in East Africa has 115 islands with about 90% of the total population of 100,000 people living on the main Island of Mahe which also has the capital city of Victoria. The favourite joke amongst the locals is at 150,000 there are more Aldabra Giant tortoises in Seychelles than people.   

Being located 1500 KMs from the eastern coast of mainland Africa has made these islands home to many species of life not found elsewhere and also to an absence of common animal life found elsewhere.

Some History:

Arab navigators and other sailors had known of these islands before the European colonists 'discovered' them. Though East India Company landed on the island in 1609, it was the French who claimed the islands in 1756 but it stayed uninhabited till 1770 when the first French ship arrived with 15 white men, 7 African 'slaves', 5 indentured Indian workers and 1 black woman. They were the first of the many slaves and indentured workers to come. They worked on the plantations of cotton, sugarcane, maize and rice. They went on to become the forebears of the present inhabitants of the country. The Seychellois Creole is a French-based language spoken by the majority ethnic group who have descended from people of African origin who were brought to the country and their French colonists. 

To me, the first thing that popped out in the country were the roofs of Aluminum sheets on the houses. A hot and humid country would normally have houses built of material that keeps the house cool in the peak of summer but in Seychelles the use of Aluminum sheets just didn't make sense until I read the history of the country itself. On a hot day, these houses despite the insulating layer below the sheets  feel like an oven.

Some Geology:

On the lovely beaches of Seychelles, once the eye has taken in the dazzling water and the pristine beach, the big granite boulders catches ones eyes. Unlike many islands Seychelles is not of volcanic origin. Once upon a time, Seychelles was a part of the supercontinent Gondwana, therein lies the explanation to the granites on the beaches and elsewhere. Seychelles was neighbours with the western coast of India and then, they drifted apart. 

About 145 million years ago in the Jurassic period this 'minicontinent' broke off from Gondwana and eventually came to rest isolated in its present day position in the Indian Ocean.  

If the Bats flying boldly during day light hours in the absence of any predators, especially the crows are testament to the fact of how isolated the country has been and for how long, the presence of other creatures common elsewhere are a testament to the adaptability of those species and the 'human-hand'.       

Places to see:

1. Beaches 

Sunset on Anse Gaulette Beach, West Coast of Mahe, Seychelles

Being a country of islands, the heart of Seychelles is its water. A beach a day is an excellent idea no matter how long your stay. The beaches on the islands of Mahe, Praslin, La Digue and a few other smaller islands with hotels on them host lovely uncrowded, stunningly brilliant beaches with granite boulders and meandering coastline with elevated landscape making for lovely photos.         

Another day, another Beach, another Sunset, West Coast, Mahe, Seychelles 

A bird's eyeview - View of the ocean, meandering western coastline, hills and other islands from a hill on West Coast Road, Mahe, Seychelles.  

Anse Forbans Beach, East Coast, Mahe, Seychelles

Anse Lazio Beach, Praslin island, Seychelles.

Sunset, Mahe, Seychelles

Same Sun but another day, another Sunset, Mahe, Seychelles

2. The Underwater

Even being so isolated hasn't made Seychelles immune to the effects of climate change. There was a great coral bleaching in 1998 and 2-3 times more since then. Being in the Indian Ocean which being open to only one pole (unlike the Atlantic and Pacific which open to both North and South Poles) tends to warm up faster and is bad news for the corals and the country. 

Coral reef in the Saint Anne Marine National Park, Seychelles. Created in 1973, the marine park comprising of 8 small islands was the first Marine park in the Indian Ocean.  

Undersea Life in the Saint Anne Marine National Park, Seychelles can be explored through scuba-diving, snorkeling, glass-bottom boat trips and a ride on a semi-submarine.

Lettuce Coral

Reef being given a helping hand. Metal cage on the reef to help the reef grow back

The Semi-submarine to explore the underwater life off the coast of Seychelles. Not exactly a submarine, it's a boat with its hull underwater. It has glass windows in the hull to watch the underwater life from. The 1 hour ride (about 20 minutes of underwater viewing) costs Euro 55 for ages 12+ and Euro 50 for ages 2 to 11. Operating on all days except Sundays from 10 AM to 4 PM. More details on www.semisub.sc

The Semi-sub making its way to the 'watching grounds' from its home in the Eden Island, Seychelles.

3. Praslin Island, Seychelles

Praslin island, Seychelles as seen aboard the Catcocos high-speed catamaran. 

 

The beaches on the second largest island in Seychelles are even more picturesque than the ones on Mahe. With multiple trips during a day to Praslin and the island of La Digue, high speed boats are the easiest and probably the least expensive way to reach these islands from Mahe.

Cat cocos Company ferries between the islands of Mahe, Praslin and La Digue multiple times a day. The high speed catamaran ferries can be booked online easily, run on time and depending on the sea can be comfortable or choppy. There are 3 classes to choose from - the air conditioned economy class, a business class on upper deck with wider seats and a covered seating on the deck which probably is the nicest of the three. For more, check www.catcocos.com       

 

Vallee de Mai is the heart of Praslin and has the ancient Coco de Mer (Coconut of the Sea) palm forest. A product of millions of years of isolation there are many species of flora and fauna here which are not found anywhere else on earth. Coco de Mer is one such.    

The palm trees of Coco de Mer bearing the heaviest nut in the world are found only on Praslin and one other island in the Seychelles. The natural palm forest in the heart of Praslin is preserved unchanged from prehistoric times. A mature seed is atleast 40 cms in diameter and weighs 15 to 30 Kilos.

The male flower of the Coco de Mer tree. A Gecko drinking the nectar from the flowers.

The Coco de Mer tree is a palm tree like the Coconut tree but unlike the Coconut tree has separate male and female trees. Geckos which feed on the nectar in the flowers on the male tree probably help in pollination. 

Found only in the Vallee de Mai Nature Park, Seychelles Black Parrot is the national bird of Seychelles.

Tender Coco de Mer seeds. The seeds take 6-8 years to mature and another 2 years to germinate. 

The Coco de Mer forest of Vellee de Mai Nature reserve, Praslin, Seychelles.  

The heaviest nut in the world - Coco de Mer. 

The kernel inside the Coco de Mer nut. This photo is courtesy of Mr. Marc of Kot Man-Ya Exotic Flower Garden, Seychelles.

 

Vallee de Mai is open on all days from 8:30AM to 4:30PM except on 25th Dec and 1st Jan. The entrance fee is SR450 per person. Hiring a guide whether for your own group or part of a bigger group will cost you SR150 per person. 

 

Hiring a guide didn't improve our chances of spotting wildlife as being part of a group was a noisy affair not conducive for bird-watching. Also, our guide was a little too fascinated with Coco de Mer being so similar to humans and refused to be distracted from it and thus hardly spoke about anything else except for a brief mention of how the Bulbuls are too aggressive and so constantly disturb the Black Parrots.  

4. La Misere Viewpoint, Mahe island

La Misere Viewpoint offers a panoramic view of Eden Island (a 'township' built on an artificial island), islands in the Saint Anne Marine National Park as well as the island of Praslin and La Digue are at the furthest end. Facing the east coast. It is best to avoid this viewpoint before noon as the 'sun-in-the-eye' does not make for good photos.    

5. Wildlife

Common Wildlife around Seychelles

There are lots of birds and reptiles around the country. From the nature reserves and gardens to the vegetation on the beach there's life everywhere. 

Numbering 150,000 the Aldabra Giant Tortoises seem to be everywhere too. Endemic to the Aldabra island these tortoises can be seen in private collections, on islands as tourist attraction to even in the Rum factory on Mahe. 

Aldabra Giant Tortoise, Seychelles

Morne Seychelles National Park

A drive through Sans Soucis Road which connects the East Coast Road with the West Coast Road is through Morne Seychelles National Park. Close to the entry from West Coast Road are cliffs where the beautiful and high-flying White-tailed Tropic birds reside. This road also has a few trek routes. The winding road passes through many a nice view point overlooking the sea but being on a narrow road there isn't any place to stop except at perhaps at the start of a few popular trek start point.    

5. Domaine de Val des Pres - Craft Village

Grann Kaz Plantation house of 1870, Craft Village, Seychelles. Apart from locals selling their art and crafts there is a well-preserved colonial era house with furniture and features of those times giving a peek into the then way of life.   

Inside the Grann Kaz Plantation house of 1870, Craft Village, Seychelles. I love the windows that can be kept open by a supporting stick. Rocking horse, sewing machine, a reclining chair - all part of a life gone by.

The Craft Village is open on all days except Sundays from 9AM to 5PM. There is no entrance fee. There is also a restaurant on site which serves delicious food. 

 

 

6. Kot Man-Ya Exotic Flower Garden

A lovely private garden owned by Mr Marc, who was the Seychelles Ambassador to UN. Since his retirement he's opened up his garden to visitors. He is a treasure trove of botanical knowledge and gardening wisdom.  He will regale his visitors with interesting tit-bits about the plants, how he came to acquire them and so on. 

Mr. Marc also has some caged animals like guinea pigs, rabbits and goats. I didn't much like the animals lying in their make-shift cages exposed to the elements. Also there were over 15 Aldabra Giant Tortoises in their enclosure within the garden. I am not sure of the natural habitat of these tortoises but I felt sorry for these gentle giants with a lifespan of 150 years to be enclosed in a small place turned all slushy by so many heavy feet trudging along over  the place small place.     

Mr. Marc also invites his visitors to step into his house where he has a lot of items on display. A shell of an Aldabra tortoise, a coco de mer nut, lots of photographs from his time as the Ambassador. 

The garden is open to visitors on all days from 8AM to 5PM, the entrance fees is SR 150 per adult and SR 75 per child. 

      

Exotic flowers and plants from the Kot Man-Ya flower garden, Seychelles

View from the Kot Man-Ya flower garden, Seychelles

7. Victoria

Victoria is the capital and the largest city of Seychelles situated on the island of Mahe. The French settled here in 1778 and called it L'Etablissment. In 1841 the then British occupiers gave it the present name in honour of Queen Victoria.     

There's a National Museum of History , Victoria Botanical Garden (set up in 1901 is home to many Aldabra Tortoises and Bats),  Sir Selwyn -Clarke Fruit and Fish Market, a Ganesha temple close to the market, Immaculate Conception Cathedral. The country's only cargo port, Port of Victoria is situated here. Eden island, the luxury township is just on the outskirts of Victoria on the way to the airport.

Apart from the above one can visit the Takamaka Rum factory on the Mahe island (Mon to Fri 10:30 to 16:30 with guided tours at 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00) The tour of the factory is cursory but it's still kind of them to throw open the gates of their factory to all. There are also a couple of Aldabra Gaint Tortoises here, one named Taka and another Maka. 

 

Takamaka Rum factory, Seychelles

Getting around:

1. Taxis : LinkUp is the taxi booking service. You can donwnload the app on your phone and book a taxi. In areas away from Victoria and on Sundays finding a taxi on this app can be difficult. 

 

Mr. Ridley Pierre was the taxi driver who picked us from the airport and then we used his services on another day to get to and back from Inter Island Quay in Mahe from where Cat Cocos ferry departs. He is a very nice person and I strongly recommend him. His phone No. is +248 2710051.

2. Renting a car is the best option. There are any no. of taxi hire service companies on Mahe. You can rent a car from the airport and drop it off at the airport while exiting the country. Any driving licence from any country is acceptable for driving in Seychelles. Seychelles drives on the left side of the road. Except the road connecting the Airport to Victoria, the roads are just wide enough for 2 cars passing in opposite directions but the driving is disciplined and does not feel taxing. Expect traffic jams during the morning office/school opening hour and in the evenings at office closing time. 

 

We hired a car from Bay Car hire at Euro 50 per day. As a starting point you can check the rates and availability via Whatsapp on +248 2813991 or +248 2814585.   

 

3. There are public buses (The Indian company TATA buses) are ubiquitous on the roads and run fixed routes. 

 

Connectivity: 

Airtel and cable wireless are the 2 telcom providers. Either a sim card can be bought at the airport or an eSim activated without visiting a store.

  

Food:

Needless to say seafood is the most prominent food. Seafood is usually accompanied by rice (shouldn't it be the other way around?)

 

The vegetarians have a lovely coconut based curry with lots of vegetables in it with rice and raw papaya chutney. Vegetarian samosas and spring rolls are pretty widely available in all restaurants.     

 

Water: The fact that the only option available to visitors was to buy bottled water. What an enormous waste when a water filter installed by the hotels would take care of the water needs of the guests and stop the use of all the single-use plastic bottles. 

 

Seychelles should do more at home to counter climate change and these simple steps should be the first ones to be implemented. I wonder what the country is doing with all the mountains of single-use plastic waste being generated every day. 

Visa: Though entry into Seychelles requires no visa, an online Travel Authorisation needs to be applied for and obtained before being allowed to embark the flight to Mahe. 

Apply for Travel Authorisation here.

Seychelles Electronic Border System (govtas.com)

A holiday in Yerevan

Yerevan does not have touristy 'old towns', it does not have a promenade along a river by which to sit by and watch the sun go down, it does not have impressive castles and forts that take us into its past but a short 5 day holiday showed how none of those are necessary to make for a good holiday destination. 

A quick look at its history - Armenia is an ancient land, with the first recorded kingdom dating back to 9th Century BC, was the first country to adopt Christianity, conquered and ruled by external forces for many centuries, been through the worst in the genocide during WWI when over 1.5 million Armenians were killed, gained independence in 1991 on dissolution of USSR of which it was a part. So, it's really a young nation trying to find its feet.

As for the present, to me the charm of Yerevan, its  capital was in the fact that it hasn't been designed to bring in tourists. So the best way to experience Armenia is to do as an Armenian would. In being one amongst the residents in the every day places of Armenia. And in Summer, that's when we visited, the Armenians like to get out and about making most of the long summer days before the cold winter comes calling again.

My favourite place in Yerevan - The Cascade, a 400 feet limestone staircase with statues of the Cafesjian Museum of Art lining the approach and the landings on the staircase. It's lovely to climb up the stairs and watch a long summer's day make way for the night. Mt Ararat is visible from the height but would need a clear weather to be able to really enjoy the magnificence of seeing a mountain from within a city.  Here is a statue of Alexander Tamanian, the architect who designed the city of Yerevan as well as the Opera house and the Republic square. View from mid way up the stairs in the below photo.

Yerevan Opera Theatre: Couldn't enjoy a concert but did enjoy the park and the adjoining swan lake with a very different looking statue of Arno Babajanyan, an Armenian composer. 

One of the many statues in Yerevan

The Musical fountain at the Republic square. Designed in 1924 by architect Alexander Tamanian, the 'square' is more of an oval and has buildings mostly completed by 1950s. Today the buildings house Government offices, Museums and a hotel. From late May to October the musical fountains here play every night from 9PM to 11PM 

Cathedral of St Gregory the Illuminator. Completed and consecrated in 2001 to mark the 1700th anniversary of adopting Christianity in the country, is 200 feet tall and accommodates over 1700 people. The cathedral is just across the the General Andranik Metro station and visiting the church would be an excellent reason to take the metro to marvel at the depth at which the metro has been built in the Soviet times. Republic square also has a metro station close by and one can use the metro to reach the church from Republic square. The metro ticket costs 100 dram for a ride. Luna park, a children's park with rides is next to the church. 

1959 built Statue of David of Sassoun, who drives Arab invaders from the country in the Armenian national epic poem,  'Daredevils of Sassoun' which dates back to 8th C. The statue is outside the 1956 Soviet built very grand looking Yerevan's main Railway Station. Get off at Sasuntsi Davit metro station to reach here. Also in the photo is the ubiquitous Soviet era apartments and a grandmother-granddaughter enjoying the evening.  

A closer look at the Soviet era 'Khrushchyovka' apartments that are tucked just beyond the main avenues.  

 167 feet tall, 1967 built 'Mother of Armenia' Monument in the Victory Park on a hill overlooking the city of Yerevan. This statue replaced Stalin's statue and houses a Military museum in its pedestal. Every year on May 9th, Armenians lay flowers at the statue in remembrance of the Armenian martyrs.

'Vernissage', the weekend open air market (9AM-6PM) in the park next to the Republic Square metro station. Jewelry, carpets, bags made of carpet, pottery, paintings to all kinds of knickknacks are available. It's an absolute 'Must visit'. The Northern Avenue close to the Swan Lake with its underground street with high end shops is also a nice shopping destination, if only to window shop.

Yerevan is a very well designed city which accounts for the many parks all around the city. Lovers' park is a nice green park. The only 'No Smoking' board I saw in the whole of the country was in the park in the children's play area. Marshal Baghramyan metro station is located inside the park. And if you happen to go to the park by walk you will pass by the National Assembly building. The installation of the horse drawn carriage and many more such installations and fountains are in Missak Manouchian park on Mashots Avenue, named after a French-Armenian poet, Armenian Genocide Survivor and a WWII war hero who was executed by the Nazis. A lovely park to spend an afternoon.   

The Blue gem and a medieval monastery: Sevanavank monastery with Lake Sevan in the background. The monastery was founded in the year 874 by a princess while the country was under Arab rule. Lake Sevan is a fresh water, Alpine lake, the largest in the Caucasus region situated at 6200 ft ASL. The lake fed by 28 rivers and streams is 1/6th of Armenia's territory and is of great economic importance to the land locked country. Can spend at least a couple of hours visiting the monastery, taking in the scenery, checking out the Armenian Gulls, boating and perhaps some souvenir shopping.  

The 13th C built Haghartsin Monastery is a nice complex but is so renovated that the sense of its being old is lost. Haghatsin, Goshavank monastery and the alpine spa town of Dilijan(4900 ft ASL) are all in the Dilijan National park. The old-town part of Dilijan was too 'curated' for my liking. Frankly, the only part of this extension to the Lake Sevan trip was the change of landscape after passing through the Sevan Mountain Pass(6988 ft ASL). Perhaps in the peak of summer as a casual tourist I didn't enjoy the trip much but the autumn photos, especially of lake Parz('clear' in Armenian) are stunning or I would have appreciated it better had I taken a hike in the Forest. Lake Sevan, Dilijan (with the monasteries) and Tsaghkadzor (a ski resort town and Kecharis monastery) make for a 9 hour trip.    

The lush Summer Alpine vegetation of the Dilijan National Park from the Haghartsin monastery

Zvartnots Cathedral - A 7th C cathedral now in ruins. Apart from the 'potential' photo of the reconstructed columns with Mt Ararat in the background, there's a museum on site. The cathedral was destroyed in 10th C by either invading forces or an earthquake, and was only discovered during excavations in the beginning of 20th C. Open from 10AM-5PM and has an entrance ticket of 800 dram per person.

The Eagle still stands proud: A carved Eagle in Zvartnots cathedral

Etchmiadzin Cathedral: The first church built in Armenia and considered the oldest cathedral in the world. Original building dates back to 301 AD by St Gregory the Illuminator on Christianity being adopted as the state religion. The present complex has buildings/additions through the time. The entire complex has been renovated through the times and it was closed for renovation during our visit but the beautiful entrance left me wondering how beautiful the interior must be. This cathedral with Zvartnots and St Hripsime church(with its gory history) makes for a half day trip from Yerevan or combine this with Garni and Geghard for an 8 hour trip. Unless you are religiously or architecturally inclined you will not make much of the Etchmiadzin, Zvartnots trip.  

Blessings from above: Geghard monastery, partially carved out of adjacent granite cliffs on the Azat river gorge was founded in 4th C by St Gregory the Illuminator at the site of a sacred spring inside a cave. People still bring bottles to collect the water from this spring and also seek blessings from the sun light that forms columns inside the church. An amazing place and also the place to buy Sujukh (stringed walnuts dipped in Pomegranate and Grape molasses), dry fruits and Gata(sweet bread) sold by villagers.

Caves in the mountain cliffs of Geghard monastery and also 'Khachkars', Armenian Cross stones set in outcrops. 

Sun temple: A pre-Christian Pagan temple built in 1st C by an Armenian king on returning from Rome, with the money and craftsmen from Rome as a temple to his patron God, Mihr, the Sun God. Survived destruction of pagan structures probably as it was considered a tomb rather than a temple but collapsed in an earthquake in 1679. Rebuilt from excavations in 20th C. The entrance ticket to the temple is 1000 dram per person.  

View for the Gods: Gegham Mountain and ravine of Azat river behind the Garni temple  

Water fountains are everywhere in Yerevan. Artistic ones to functional ones, quenching the thirst of those passing by. The tap water in Armenia is safe to drink and generates that much less plastic waste from the water bottles that would have otherwise been used. Polythene is used for every thing in the country. It's funny how fashion trends reach the place from elsewhere but environmentally sustainable living practices don't.    

One big bread: Gata, the Armenian sweet bread made of flour, sugar and butter. Sujukh, Lavash (like a Rumaali Roti), Khachapuri (Cheese Puff, very different from the Georgian Khachapuri). Zhengyalov ats (bread with multiple greens filling-'an absolute must have'), Matsnaprtosh (buttermilk), Mshosh (Cooked beans or lentils), and sweets like Paklava (like baklava but with walnut filling)are some of the Armenian Vegetarian food to relish.   
 

A few Pointers:

• Staying close to the centre definitely helps. It's a pedestrian friendly city and being able to walk to the main places saves the trouble of figuring out how to get to the place. For an overall tour of the city, the Yerevan double decker bus tour is an excellent option. The bus starts from France Square (Between the Opera and Cascade) at 11AM, 3PM and 6PM for the 2 hour city tour every day. The ticket costs 3000 dram per person and can be purchased on the bus. For more details see https://www.yerevan.am/en/tourist-route-program-of-yerevan/ 
• Passport holders of many countries get Visa on Arrival or one can opt to apply for an e-visa prior to going. VOA cost us 3000 dram per person with a processing fees of 200 dram(if I remember right). It was a completely hassle free experience. For more details on Visa check https://www.mfa.am/en/visa/
• In June 2019, 1 USD was about 480 Armenian Dram(AMD). Many shopkeepers accept USD but may not be able to return the change in USD.   
• There are many places to see other than the ones mentioned above, both in the city and in the country. There are many museums in the city including  Matenadaran, the museum of ancient manuscripts. Many one day or 2 day tour possibilities from the closer Khor Virap, Areni(wine region) to the farther ones of Jermuk and Tatev (with its famed ropeway.)