Seychelles cruise
An archipelago with a taste of paradise (8 days)

Welcome aboard your large catamaran.
Over cocktails, your captain and hostess will introduce you to the ship and brief you on life on board.
Once you've settled in, you'll leave the marina for a short sail to the marine park of Ste Anne, whose largest island was also the first to be colonized by the French, around 1750, before they left for Mahé.

More than 150 species of fish inhabit this fascinating underwater world, a veritable refuge placed under high protection, like almost half the land and sea territory of the Seychelles. Welcome to paradise on this first stopover: get out your fins, masks and snorkels right away.
Dinner and overnight at anchor in the marine park.

After breakfast and an early morning dip in the natural aquarium, we set sail for Praslin.
The second largest island in the Seychelles, located 45 km northeast of the main island of Mahé, is just 10 km long and 3.7 km wide!
Depending on the season and weather, you'll anchor at Anse Lazio or in Ste Anne Bay, on the other side of the island.
Ste Anne Bay has the restful charm of a village on the edge of the rainforest, with a wonderful view of Praslin Island and a large, welcoming beach.
Anse Lazio is reputed to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, as are many other Seychelles beaches...
But even if its flour-white sand has the effect of a magnet on you, it's essential that you take advantage of your stopover in Praslin to discover (not included) another of the island's jewels: the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
If the original Garden of Eden ever existed, it must have resembled the Vallée de Mai. A vast forest of primary palms, the valley is home to the legendary coco de mer, the world's largest seed, the evocatively-named coco-fesse, which rises to over 30 meters.
The forest is home to six species of palm found only in the Seychelles. The ambient humidity, the intoxicating fragrances, the rustling of the palms, the half-light where a few rays of sun filter through, will project you into another world, at the dawn of time.
Dinner and overnight at anchor facing the beach of Anse Lazio or Anse Ste Anne (not to be confused with the islet of Sainte Anne, your stopover on the previous day).
 

Early this morning, you'll set sail for your next port of call, the legendary island of La Digue.
It boasts one of the most photographed beaches in the world: Anse Source d'Argent. As enchanting in nature as it is on glossy paper, you could spend an eternity here, just wondering how a place can offer so much beauty.
La Digue is also a natural sanctuary, home to one of the rarest birds in the world, the Paradise black flycatcher, as well as a rich flora of orchids, vanilla, hibiscus and nepenthes, carnivorous plants known locally as "pot à eau" in reference to their curious cups.

Discover this idyllic island by bicycle or oxcart: the small traditional shipyard, the old-fashioned copra factory, the land tortoises that graze just a stone's throw away? Not forgetting the splendid colonial house known as "Emmanuelle's", where the famous "Good Bye Emmanuelle" was filmed.
Very sensual, the Seychelles, they say... !
Dinner and overnight at anchor in La Digue.

This morning, we set sail for Coco Island, 7km north of La Digue, close to neighboring Félicité and the Sisters Islands.

Classified as a marine park since 1996, the island is exceptional for both snorkeling and diving.

After this morning foray into the wonderful world of coral, you'll set sail for your third island of the day, Curieuse.
Once home to a leper colony at Anse Saint Joseph, this rugged island's doctor's house dating from 1870 has recently been converted into an eco-museum.
Today, Curieuse is part of an exciting project to breed giant tortoises. You can meet them all over the island. It is also an important breeding site for Hawksbill turtles.
Dinner and overnight at anchor in Curieuse.

Morning departure for the islet of St Pierre.
Saint Pierre is one of the islands in Praslin's Côte d'Or bay. It's a tiny islet of granite rocks interspersed with coconut palms, one of the archipelago's emblematic images.
This perfect spot for swimming and snorkeling will welcome you for a day of total relaxation, punctuated by a marvelous sunset.

Dinner and overnight at anchor in front of a Praslin beach.

After breakfast and a morning swim, departure for the island of Cousin, located a short distance from Praslin, right next to its neighbor Cousine.
Managed by Birdlife International since 1975, it has been classified as a nature reserve since 1968.
A veritable bird sanctuary, Cousin is home to 25,000 birds, including rare species such as the Seychelles warbler, saved from total extinction thanks to the reserve, the Seychelles song magpie and the red turtle dove.
A colony of Gecko turtles, imported from Aldabra atoll, also lives happily here. A guided tour of the Bird Paradise is available for a fee. You'll see the 5 species of birds that live only in this region.
You'll then set sail for Mahé Island, anchoring either opposite Beau Vallon beach, to the northwest, or at Anse Royale, to the southeast of the island, depending on the wind.
Dinner and overnight at anchor.

On this last day aboard your catamaran, you'll discover either Beau Vallon or Anse Royale, depending on the season.                                                                                                    
Beau Vallon is an immense bay that closes in on a three-kilometer arc of white sand and a blue lagoon, perfect for swimming, strolling and water sports.                                                                                                    
Very popular with visitors, Beau Vallon is also a favorite meeting place for Seychellois, who are particularly fond of the place: restaurants, small bars and friendly boutiques line the promenade along the beach.                                                                                                    
The wilder Anse Royale also offers a few kilometers of white sand, hemmed in by coconut palms.                                                                                                    
In mid-afternoon, you'll set sail for the islet of Sainte Anne for your last evening on board.                                                                                                    
The Sainte Anne Marine Park is home to an absolutely magical seabed, and has the particularity of offering visitors an abundance of multicolored coral gardens, sheltered from the currents. The park is a haven for many species of tropical fish and reef sharks, which are totally harmless. Sea turtles are not uncommon. An enchanting last swim! You'll find restaurants and stalls where you can sample the local cuisine and pick up a few souvenirs to take home.                                                                                                    
Farewell dinner and last night on board, at anchor or alongside.                                                                                                    

Before sunrise, we set sail for Eden Island Marina. 
Last breakfast on board, then early disembarkation to catch your return flight or continue your vacation in this paradise-like archipelago.