A day in the Seychelles

Seychelles

Golden Hour - granite cove

Warm light lies across the wet sand, and the grains feel cool under my feet. I move slowly along the shoreline as the water pulls back. April to May and October to November are the months when the winds ease and the sea is usually calmer for boat trips.

Golden Hour - granite cove

A smooth boulder sits cool against my hand while small waves lap at my ankles. I pause here and let the water move around my feet. On weekends a hot-rock barbecue near the coast needs booking ahead, and you cook fish or seafood on heated stones at the table.

Golden Hour - rock outcrop

The flat rock is warm under my sandals as the light fades over the water. I step out and watch the colour leave the water. Beau Vallon is the island's most popular bay, and swimming is easy in calm conditions, though I check the sea before I go in.

Golden Hour - tidal pool

Ripples spread across the shallow pool, and the surface catches the last gold light. I stay beside the pool and follow each ring as it widens. Six small islands of Ste Anne Marine National Park sit about five kilometres off the northeast coast, and glass-bottomed boats from Victoria take around twenty minutes.

Night - coastal path

Above the sloping path the sky turns a deep indigo as the last light goes. I climb the path with the sea still in view beside me. June to August brings stronger south-east winds and some rough seas, so the calmer months suit diving and boat trips better.

Night - tree line

Moonlight lies on the waves beyond the dark trees at the edge of the path. I wait here and look back over the water. Morne Seychellois National Park covers about a fifth of Mahé, and a drive from Victoria to Port Glaud shows the forest from the road.