Explore The Unseen Beauty of Seychelles With These Hidden Gems That’ll Leave You Amazed

The tiny necklace of islands that is Seychelles is renowned as having powder-white beaches, turquoise lagoons and high-end resorts. However, behind the flashy postcards and honeymoon fantasy, there is another aspect of this heaven, which is more natural, more wild, more hidden, more unofficial, more undeveloped, more unsilent, more untamed, more beautiful still, under the secret coves, the forgotten paths, the deserted islands, where still the beauty of the land holds sovereign sway.

Finding the Backstory of the World

Seychelles is a patchwork of 115 islands, with their own characters, their own beat and their own tales to recount. Although Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue tend to be the new Mecca of travelers, the real heart of Seychelles resides behind the curtain. In this case, the cliffs are made of granite and the waters are jade colored, the trees in the forest are echoing with exotic birds cries and the palm-lined beaches are not crowded.

It is Seychelles but more than luxury, it is all about authenticity where all the corners seem a secret to be discovered. We can discuss some of the more secretive attractions in Seychelles that are going to leave your journey quite memorable.

1. Anse Marron 

Squeezed in at the end of the southern end of the La Digue Island, Anse Marron is the place that the adventurers would fantasize about. Access can only be by a guided walk through the deep tropical woods, through shallow lagoons, and bluffs of smooth granite rocks – but what one will find is nothing short of paradise.

The very beach is a transcendental blend of golden sand, green pools, and carved granite boulders that gleam in the sun. There are natural rock formations that form shallow lagoons where one can safely swim and take photographs. There are no resorts, no vendors, no vehicles, and Anse Marron is as serene an experience as one might ever imagine a vacation to be, like a trip back in time.

2. Curieuse Island

Curieuse Island is a living reserve just a few minutes away by boat and a short distance off Praslin, big Aldabra tortoises can be seen freely roaming around the island. It has been transformed into a conservation paradise after it was once put in use as a leper colony.

Tourists are able to venture into its distinct ecosystems from mangrove forests to coral gardens with marine life. Boardwalks cut through wetlands with growing tortoises as babies and nurseries. The pristine beaches such as the Anse St. Jose of the island provide the ideal picnic place after snorkeling around the colorful coral reefs. In this case, each moment provides a sense of getting back to the roots of nature, calming, clean and deeply humiliating.

3. Fond Ferdinand Nature Reserve

Fond Ferdinand is a hidden treasure that is often lost in a shadow of the famous Vallee des Mai and should be appreciated as much. The vast nature reserve covering more than 120 hectares is home to the rare Coco de Mer palm and whose iconic two lobed seeds are only found in Seychelles.

Visitors are led by guided tours through narrow paths through the thick tropical forest that is full of chirping birds, giant ferns, and fragrant vanilla orchids. The best part is the spectacular point of view at the peak which provides panoramic views of Praslin, La Digue and the dazzling Indian ocean. Fond Ferdinand is not a hike, it is a plunge into the emerald green center of Seychelles – a place where every breath is purer, every sound less loud and every scenery brighter.

4. Anse Major 

Anse Major rests on the northwestern coast of the Mahe, and is only accessible with a picturesque walk through the coastline or a brief boat ride by sea, which makes it one of the best kept secrets on the island. It is also a part of the adventure itself, as the trail traverses granite cliffs, hibiscus wild and ocean panoramic views.

You are all rewarded, once you finally reach there, with a crescent-shaped beach of golden sand with greenery and some calm turquoise water surrounding it. The reefs are also a great place to snorkel as they show brightly colored fish and coral gardens within just a few meters of the shore. Lack of commercial noise makes it an oasis to reflect on, practice yoga or even lying on warm sand and listening to the humming of waves.

5. Petite Anse

Located in the southwestern coast of the Island of Mahe, the Petite anse is one of the most photogenic and serene beaches in Seychelles. Visitors have to walk a winding path through tropical plants to get there, but it is well worth the strain, as one of the most breathtaking views of the archipelago is offered.

His bay is surrounded by massive granite rocks and waves crash on the unblemished white sand. The sea is depicted as a turquoise and sapphire-colored ocean, which makes an impressive contrast with the green hills around it depending on the tides. It can be swimming, sunbathing, or shooting the magic on camera, but whatever you want to do, Petite Anse will provide you with a sense of privacy and holiness that will be truly yours.

6. Silhouette Island

The third-largest and most mysterious place in Seychelles is Silhouette Island just 20 kilometers northwest of Mahe. Although the island is the home of the posh and opulent Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort and Spa, most parts of the island are un-developed with thick rainforest and rocky mountainous landscapes.

There are hiking trails through the old trees, hidden waterfalls and the views of coral reefs which shine as stained glass when it is sunny. There is also rare flora and fauna that there is the Seychelles sheath-tailed bat and endemic reptiles on the island. To those who want adventure and yet have time to relax, Silhouette is the ideal place – you can hike the wild trails in the mornings and dine under the starlit skies by the ocean in the evenings.

7. Moyenne Island- A Fairytale Getaway

A small known miracle in the area of Mahe is the Moyenne Island which reminds one of having entered a fairytale. The island has been the living testimony of passion and preservation since it was left to the late British conservationist Brendon Grimshaw, who had over 16,000 trees and converted the island into a secure nature reserve.

Visitors will have an opportunity to walk through shaded walks surrounded by ancient tombstones, meet giant tortoises and spend time on quiet beaches where one can enjoy panoramic scenery of Sainte Anne Marine Park. It is small enough to walk through it within two hours, but each and every spot is talking about the devotion to nature.

A Different Kind of Paradise

These are just a few of the secrets which make the Seychelles so much more than a honeymoon cliche or a luxury postcard. It is an alive breathing paradise, a place where time is slowed down, where the distinction between land and sea is blurred in a dream world of colour and serenity.

When you are hiking through the forests of Praslin, when you are diving in the reefs of Curie use, when you are walking barefoot on the golden sands of Ansa Marron, you will sense the same truth, Seychelles is not a destination, it is an emotion. It is a love letter of nature, which is written in waves and winds and whispers that haunt long beyond the journey is over.