Life’s a breeze: Remote island adventures in the Seychelles

Embarking on the four-hour passage to La Digue, we threaded our way through the islands of Sainte Anne Marine National Park, drops of verdant green in an ocean of blue, some with sheer granite faces and hints of hotel villas within. We fished as we motored, the two rods hanging off the back of the boat occasionally tightening, our cue to reel in a catch of dorado or bonito that later appeared at dinner. Our mooring that first night was just off the quiet side of La Digue, by Grand Anse beach, a long stretch of sand with a smattering of tourists who had cycled from the other side of the island. We ignored them and took the tender boat to tiny Anse Marron, accessible only by sea. There, we circumnavigated a field of boulders to find a scenic but isolated sandy clearing. As soon as we flopped down in the shallows, we were surrounded – not by other tourists, but by curious zebrafish.

Tortoise crossing

The next morning, after a night of gently swaying sleep, there was just a single set of footprints on the sand as we upped anchor. “We leave the turquoise seawater to go to another place with turquoise seawater. It’s good, no?” said French captain Harold Antoine. We agreed, admiring a fecund headland whose greenery cascaded into water the colour of Bombay Sapphire, rocks almost perfectly placed amid the vegetation as in a Japanese rock garden. Around the headland, though, a surprise lay in store – the vast hull of a cruise ship. She had come, as we had, to the more touristy side of La Digue, lured by the Seychelles’ most photogenic beach, Anse Source d’Argent.

And what a beach, with its crenelated rocks backed by takamaka and palm trees and reached through the old vanilla and coconut L’Union Estate, where we spotted Madagascar fody birds flitting by in a blur of orange. It was so different from the deserted beach paradise we’d enjoyed the day before – bikini-clad tourists danced to Bob Marley music at one beach bar, while Phil Collins’ Just Another Day in Paradise pumped out from another. Away from the throng, we cycled to the north of the island, where the cinnamon and coconut oil trade began. It was a hot, sticky but scenic trip, in more ways than one – it’s not every day you see a ‘tortoise crossing’ road sign. Back on board, we had definitely earned a glass or two of champagne as well as some of the tasty food served up by chef John Rosette, who had previously worked at Six Senses and Four Seasons properties in the Seychelles. Every meal felt like an occasion, with dishes served family-style at the table, from pork-and-spinach ravioli to the freshest of fish, simply barbecued with salt or spiced up with cinnamon from La Digue. The wine flowed as freely as you wanted it to – everything is included on this itinerary. My favourite place for a glass of fizz was at the twin bow of the boat.

Here, you could sit – and sip – on bean bags on the netting, looking down as the waves whooshed below. A pod of dolphins sometimes even put in an appearance. The flybridge too was a gathering place before dinner, where hostess Murcianne Mondon served nibbles and cocktails before we descended a deck to eat in the open air. And so the day went by, sometimes under sail, sometimes motoring along, passing tiny islands and channels where whale sharks apparently venture.

Whenever we anchored, there was the chance to try our hand at watersports such as wakeboarding and waterskiing. One day, we took turns in the sailing boat, catching gusts of wind as we went. Another, we launched the paddleboards, laughing as waves caught us unawares, and spending most of the time on our knees. “It’s called stand-up paddleboarding, in case you’d forgotten,” Shanyl joked as he circled in the tender boat in case anyone needed assistance. He was also there every time we went snorkelling, escorting us to the best places and waiting should anyone need help returning to the catamaran, its movable platform at the back designed to make getting in and out of the water easier.

Wildlife wonders

Our final day took us to Curieuse Island, previously named Ile Rouge because of its unusual red soil. Boats lined the beach when we arrived – day-trippers had come from the larger island of Praslin to see the 114 resident giant tortoises. It turns out the Seychelles has almost as many giant tortoises as it does humans, with more than 100,000 on the remote Aldabra atoll alone. They’re everywhere on Curieuse, with babies in a nursery, some ‘parked’ in a row beneath a bush and others on the beach, where many have become accustomed to posing for selfies with tourists. We found wildlife in the water too, with baby sharks and rays basking in the shallows. By 5pm the dayboats had disappeared and we had the beach and the bay to ourselves, save for a ray splashing and a turtle raising its head from the water. Back on Spirit of Ponant, I sat alone at the bow, appreciating the solitude that a sailing trip offers. Like the rest of the Seychelles, this island will always be special – but it’s extra special when you have it all to yourself.

Sailing on a catamaran: Key tips

If your clients have ever dreamed of owning a superyacht, Spirit of Ponant will introduce them to the lifestyle. But they will need to bear in mind that a yacht is very different from a cruise ship. And seasickness is the first thing to think about. Speeds of 12 knots under sail feel a lot faster than on a cruise ship, because you’re closer to the water. Our trip wasn’t particularly rough, but you could feel yourself being rolled on the waves; one of our party fell very ill, unable to keep anything down for a couple of days.

As well as initially clambering aboard the catamaran using a wooden ladder, you need to be able to get back into the tender boat from the water, which may involve an inelegant belly flop, or standing gingerly on the motor at the back. On board, though, it’s super-swanky, with plenty of French chic. Cabins, reached via the central galley/indoor sitting area, have plenty of space and are nicely kitted out, with plugs by the bedside, lots of storage and modern bathrooms with seemingly endless hot water through the powerful showers. Not only is the food excellent, but the chef, John, caters to individual tastes and allergies – guests are sent a questionnaire before embarkation on likes and dislikes for both food and drink. And as for all those Instagram moments, the Wi-Fi is strong – and complimentary.

Book it: Ponant offers a seven-night all-inclusive sailing in the Seychelles from £6,192. Qatar Airways offers return flights from London from £973.
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