Thursday, October 18th...Opting for a touch of terra firma, we sail from the spectacular cove of Anse Lazio to Curieuse, a small island situated approximately one kilometre off the Praslin shore. A former leper colony and once a haunt for gargantuan crocodiles, it is now home to a population of giant land tortoises. Originally from the coral island of Aldabra, these prehistoric creatures set about their grazing in a slow and deliberate way, sharing the rocky outcrops and mangrove swamps with a selection of burly land crabs and seabirds. Friday, October 19th...Back on Mahé, I head for the Morne Seychellois National Park along a tarmac switchback snaking through organic tea plantations, aromatic fields of citronella and indigenous rainforest. My intention is to summit Morne Blanc, a peak rising to approximately 700m alongside Morne Seychellois, the highest point on the Seychelles. Within the pristine mist forests the tropical vegetation runs riot - tree ferns and palms claw skywards, bearded moss and lianas trail from low branches and orchids and epiphytes cling to gigantic limbs. Step high along the calf-numbing climb until you burst forth from this realm of verdant shadow and occasional sunbeams to gaze upon a panorama that is truly breathtaking. Far below, the billowing green of forest crowns tumble down to where island beaches sparkle. Black-brown cliffs lurch vertiginously skywards, staggering away through the melee of tropical greenery to topple into the turquoise ocean shimmer. All around me, white-tailed tropic birds swirl like delicate Oriental kites set free on the breeze and for a few moments I believe I feel like the first man to have set foot on this little sliver of paradise. Seychelles Central Islands :
- Best time of Year: Dry season stretches from April to October
- Currency: Seychelles rupee (Sr5.2 = US$1)
- Don't Forget: Sun block, snorkeling gear, beach hat
- Don't miss: Snorkeling at St Pierre Island; a climb to the top of Morne Blanc
- Getting there: Return flights from SA with Air Seychelles fly once a week
- Languages: Creole, but English and French is widely spoken
- Main city: Victoria (the capital, situated on the island Mahé)
- Public Transport: Private and water taxis; a good bus service
- Remember: Explore beyond beaches; mountains & mist forests will enchant you
- Visa: None required for South African citizens
Copyright © 2002 Jacques Marais. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of the author is prohibited. | 
