ARRIVAL

When we arrived at the dock around 7 a.m. today, it was silent, unlike in 2018, when it was alive with dancers and music. The HAL excursion buses were close by, but the taxis, private tours, and vendors were moved further away at the end of a 200-yard covered sidewalk.

The air was heavy with humidity and relatively cool, but you could tell that it would soon get much hotter as the sun rose in the sky.

SEYCHELLES – BRIEF HISTORY

The Seychelles were uninhabited until the French discovered them in 1770. The British gained possession in 1794, and they remained a British Colony until 1976. They are now part of the British Commonwealth. Indigenous people have never inhabited the Seychelles, but its islanders maintain their Creole heritage.

The Seychelles has a population of 100,000 and 115 islands. 90% of the population lives on the main island of Mahé. The next largest populations are on Praslin and La Digue, respectively. Eight of the Seychelles’ islands are permanently inhabited. Tourism and tuna fishing are the largest drivers of the economy. 80% of the tourists come from Europe.

HIGHLIGHTS

Pretty beaches and water sports are the main reasons people visit the Seychelles. There are a few nice view spots; every tour will take you to see them. The Mission Lodge viewpoint is the best, about a 30-minute drive from town. Check out my post from 2018 HERE, which includes a video of what it is like to drive in the Seychelles if you are considering renting a car. The roads are incredibly narrow, and the cars are right-hand-steer, with driving on the left.

There are a few other sights in town – the Clock Tower, the Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market, the National History Museum and the Botanical Gardens.

The Seychelles Botanical Garden is home to giant tortoises. Tickets cost 250Rs ($19), and you can buy them in advance HERE. Cash is not generally accepted at the Botanical Garden, but they may make an exception if you don’t have a working credit card.

My recommendation for your first visit to the Seychelles is to take an island tour and see all the view spots and highlights around the island. You can take a HAL tour or hire a private guide through Viator or Tours By Local. The company Ask Cindy advertises on the walkway out of the port—I don’t have any experience with this company.

Another option is to hire a local taxi driver who will take you to all the spots, but the value of their commentary will vary widely. I wouldn’t miss seeing the giant tortoises. You can enter the enclosure to see them up close and feed them with plants provided by the Garden laying on a table by the enclosure.

DAY 1 – GIANT TORTOISES AND INDIAN FOOD

We left the ship around 2 pm to head to the Seychelles Botanical Garden to see the giant tortoises and then go to Eden Island to enjoy Indian food at The Maharajas restaurant on the marina.

As you leave the ship, you will find a covered walkway about 200 yards long, leading to a large parking lot with taxis and some vendor stalls. You have to pass through a security screening station on your way out and as you return. A person from the tourist bureau is at a table passing out maps and other literature.

The taxi drivers will ask if you need a ride and try to persuade you for a minute but they will leave you alone after a few no thanks. They accept dollars or euros – I didn’t see any that would take credit cards. Long trips to the other side of the island or to resorts to the north or south will probably cost around $40 to $50. Tours of four hours can probably be negotiated to the $150 range.

We negotiated a multi-trip ride for €60 – Our Driver John Leon (WhatsApp +248 2570892) agreed to take us to the Botanical Garden, come back in an hour – then take us about 3 miles to Eden Island, come back in 2 hours, take us to the Grocery store for 20 minutes and then back to the ship. Six of us fit comfortably in his air-conditioned van. I was able to update him on our progress using WhatsApp. This worked out great for us, and I recommend setting up a multi-journey trip for your day.

SEYCHELLES BOTANICAL GARDEN

The Botanical Garden is less than a mile away if you want to walk. There is a small office at the entrance where you can buy your tickets or present a copy of the tickets you bought online ahead of time HERE. The park closes at 5 pm, with the last admission at 4:30 pm.

Our only interest in the garden today was the giant tortoises. Their enclosure is a short, clearly marked walk from the entrance. The viewing area is covered, and a small wooden gate leads to a feeding area with posts preventing the tortoises from escaping. At first, we weren’t sure if we were allowed inside the enclosure, but we didn’t see any signs or notices prohibiting entering, so we walked between the posts and into the enclosure.

The park provided some plant clippings that we feed to the tortoises. They enjoyed the food and would approach you once they saw that you had something for them to eat.

There were about 20 tortoises in the enclosure, with most of them cooling off in the small pond.

We learned later that sometimes, no food is available, so feeding the tortoises is not guaranteed. After about 30 minutes, we returned to the entrance, where our driver was waiting.

EDEN ISLAND

Eden Island is about 2.5 miles away. Here, you will find a Marina with several mega yachts, like the ELEMENTS, which rents for €800,000 a week HERE. There is also a modern multi-story mall with various shops and a casino. Next to the Marina are several restaurants, including The Maharajas Indian Restaurant, where we had a late lunch.

The Maharajas Restaurant has one large table for six inside and about ten smaller tables. There is more covered seating outside, which would be more pleasant in the evening when it is cooler. You can find the menu online HERE. We enjoyed the Butter Chicken and the Lamb Biryani with rice. Cold draft beer and soft drinks are available. The food and service were excellent. The hours are Tuesday to Sunday from noon until 10:45 pm and Mondays from 6:30 pm “onwards.”

Our driver was waiting for us as previously arranged, and we headed to the STC Hypermarket.

STC HYPERMARKET

The STC Hypermarket is a large, modern grocery store with various products. We spend about 20 minutes here picking up some snacks and soft drinks. This market is about 600 yards from the ship. After we finished shopping, our driver dropped us off at the entrance to the long-covered walkway that led to the ship. Once again, we passed our bags around the metal detector, walked through it, and returned to the ship. (We’re unsure what they were looking for as Judy set off the metal detector every time with her cane.)

DAY 2 – VICTORIA, SEYCHELLES WALKABOUT

We left the ship around 11:30 am and headed out to the main street, following it along the waterfront until we reached the Seychelles Yacht Club Entrance. The sign on the gate says MEMBERS ONLY, but there was a paper sign stating – “Welcoming Cruise Ship Passengers.”

SEYCHELLES YACHT CLUB

As you approach the Yacht Club entrance – slow down and look. The club building is not obvious from the street. Look for the sign. Walk back towards the water and you will see the Yacht Club Patio – you can enter directly to the patio or veer to the right and enter through the open door.

They have a menu featuring burgers, fish and chips, pizzas, and more. Draft beer and soft drinks are available. The seating is under a patio – so it’s still hot but comfortable in the shade. Credit cards are accepted.

SEYCHELLES NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM

After lunch, we walked over to the town center to the Clock Tower and the National History Museum. The museum covers two floors, and we spent about an hour exploring the exhibits on both floors. I didn’t know much about how Seychelles got started, and I found this museum very interesting and well worth our time and money. Plus, it’s air-conditioned!   Admission is 150 RS, about $11, and then take credit cards.   Check out their website HERE

We returned to the ship, walking down Francis Rachel St past a string of tourist stands and, finally, the National Archives and Library. I poked my head inside the library – it was air-conditioned and may have internet, but I couldn’t confirm.

DOCKLANDS

The Docklands retail complex is very close to the entrance to the covered walkway leading to the ship. A convenience store on the first floor has a selection similar to a 7-11. The Docklands building is also home to the Aloha Restaurant and Bar, which is upstairs. A Duty-Free gift shop is across the street.

SAIL AWAY

The Grand World Voyage Band played for our sail away.

Below is a short video created when you use the LIVE photo feature on an iPhone.   A small group of regulars will take a “BOUNCE” photo every day with everyone who happens to be in the area.    Fun!  – Let’s Bounce!   HERE is how to create a BOUNCE video on your iPhone

Here is a short video from our Sail Away

MAIN STAGE

Comedian Jim David was the headliner on the main stage this evening. He is pretty edgy for Holland America, and his jokes are definitely for adults. There is no foul language, but there are plenty of sexual innuendos and wordplay.

MAPS