Seychelles

HEAD TO THE BEACH 
Ok, this was probably not a tremendous surprise. Seychelles has some of the finest beaches in the world. Palm tree sway in the breeze and white sands lead to a turquoise ocean. But even here, there are beaches that stand out. My two favourites are Anse (meaning bay in the local language, Kreole) Intendance, and Anse Lazio, which regularly features in surveys of the worlds best beaches.  

SCUBA DIVING 
Explore ancient shipwrecks and contemplate some quite remarkable marine fauna.

SWIMMING / SNORKELLING 
Explore the underwater scenery, including a vast range of tropical and reef fish in crystal clear waters. 

ISLAND HOPPING 
The Seychelles is made up of 115 islands, and whilst many of these are uninhabited, getting on a plane or a boat and taking some time to visit them is really worth doing. Each island has its own vibe, from the relative hustle and bustle of the main island, Mahe, to the peace and tranquility that you would find on the most Northerly island, Bird.  

EXPLORE THE VALLEE DE MAI 
A trip to the Vallee de Mai, a World Heritage Site on the island of Praslin, is an absolute must. This was thought to be the Garden of Eden when discovered by early explorers, and it’s not hard to see why. The main attraction is the endemic Coco de Mer (although five other endemic palm trees also exist in this tiny valley), a giant palm tree, famed for having the largest nut in the world. The nut, which only grows on the female of the plant, has a striking resemblance to a human females nether regions. They take seven years to germinate, and countless more to turn into the giants which line the valley, the only place in the world where they can be found. Wandering around these giant palms, with a side project of attempting to spot the Seychelles Black Parrot (another endemic species), is tonic for the soul.