Seychelles, being one of the founding members of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP), has been active in the promotion of different activities for the purpose of being able to enhance the tourism in the country. As a means of increasing the rate of...
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Bicentennial Monument Seychelles
The Bicentennial Monument was founded in 1978 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the town of Victoria, which was founded as L’Etablissement du Roi in 1778 by the Frenchman Charles Routier de Romainville. The king was of course Louis XVI (1754-1793). It was later renamed Victoria in 1841(after Queen Victoria of England).
Charles Routier of Romainville was born in Paris around 1739 and he died in Saint-Louis (Reunion) on February 16, 1808. He was a French engineer-cartographer, who joined the army in 1756. He was wounded in August 1762 in the Battle of Johannesburg.
In 1772, Charles Routier was sent to take possession of Seychelles, despite the role given to Charles Brayer du Barréin previously to establish the colony. At first he set up his residence and then a medical center, a prison, a shop, and another residential building.
The monument was created by the late Italian artist Lorenzo Appiani, who lived in Seychelles. It depicts three pairs of extended white wings. It is made of conglomerate gravel in a mortar matrix reinforced with steel. It is also known in Creole as the Moniman trwa lezel (three-winged monument) because of the three wings in the monument. The wings of the monument represent the origin of the Creole people, who derive from three continents: Asia, Africa and Europe. The wings also represent varieties of rare birds which were found in Victoria.
Location of Bicentennial Monument
The monument is on the busy roundabout at the busy junction 5th of June Avenue and Liberation Avenues. Therefore you will have to walk there to properly admire the monument.
From Victoria bus interchange you can take a bus that goes through Palm street which meets 5th June Avenue. Follow it until it reaches the roundabout. This is where you will have to alight.
When to visit Bicentennial Monument
Free parking is available in the parking lot between Flamboyant Avenue and 5th June Avenue. During the week between 08.00 – 16.00 it is always heavy traffic in this area.
Anse Source D’Argent
Anse Source d’Argent is located in the south-west of La Digue Island. It has dazzling white beaches lapped by shallow emerald waters, backed by some of La Digue’s most beautiful granite boulders and shaded by craning coconut palms.Other interesting things to see in the island are vanilla plantation, giant tortoises as well as the most dreamy coconut groves with hundreds of coconut trees.
Access to Anse Source d’Argent
Access to Anse Source d’Argent is via the Union Estate, which charges 115 Rupees (about US$8) per person each day for access. Despite it being the only beach requiring admission, recent visitors say that Anse Source d’Argent is well worth the trip. While here, you can also take advantage of Union Estate’s facilities, including the restaurant.
Don’t expect a minivan or air-conditioned bus to meet and greet guests at the ferry jetty. La Digue Island Lodge sends an ox cart to transport guests and their luggage from the ferry. Visitors may rent a bike to get around La Digue, or ride the traditional way — on an old-fashioned ox cart.
Anse Source D’Argent: The Beach
The picture perfect beach has shallow, clear water, as well as the coral reef protection, means the beach is a great spot for families, and is also perfect for swimming and snorkelling. At low tide it is difficult to swim because the water is too shallow. You can swim only when the tide is high.
The long beach is divided into many little coves and nooks, all with iconic granite boulders, lush tropical flora, white sands and turquoise waters which makes it so quintessentially Seychelles. This surreal landscape is what makes this beach so unique.
On the beach there are no eateries or hotels, so pack some snacks, towels etc if you plan to spend many hours here. Also bring cash as there are kiosks selling some souvenirs, fruits and coconut water on the beach.
Anse Source D’Argent: Accommodation
The largest hotel on the island, La Digue Island Lodge offers private chalets and bungalows as well as the many comforts of a small resort, including a swimming pool, restaurant and bars, and organized activities such as snorkeling, scuba and weekly boat excursions. Another island outpost is Choppy’s Beach Bungalows, a smaller hotel offering 10 rooms, a restaurant and planned day trips. Both hotels are walking distance from the legendary Anse Source d’Argent beach. There are other restaurants and fruit stalls nearby.
Anse Source D’Argent: Nearby restaurants
Lanboursir
This open beach-restaurant in the Union Estate offers traditional local cuisine, and is the ideal place to enjoy some delicious delicacies. Enjoy freshly-grilled fish, a salad, or one of many other culinary treats with the sand between your toes!
Le Relax Beach House Restaurant
This small hotel, located in the Beach House hotel, offers Creole cuisine, international dishes, and Indian food, as well as a beautiful view of the neighbouring island of Praslin.
Le Repaire (Le Repaire Boutique Hotel)
This Italian restaurant situated in a beautiful tropical garden next to the sea offers authentic Italian cuisine, pizza, pasta, risotto and fish & meat dishes. Don’t forget to leave space for dessert!
The currency on the island is the Seychelles rupee. But you should use foreign currency or a credit card to pay for hotels, transportation and organized tours. For other expenses, you can change money on the island to get local currency.
La Digue Island
La Digue Island
La Digue is a small island with an area of 10.08 sq.km, which makes it relatively easy to travel around by bike or on foot. It is the third most populated island of the Seychelles, and fourth largest by land area. It has a population of 3,000 people. There is no airport on La Digue, so to get there, one must fly to Victoria and continue by ferry, usually via Praslin. The island has plenty of activities for tourists, including a dive centre and diverse wildlife .
The bicycle is the primary mode of transport. It is possible to rent bicycles near the ferry pier. Most cars and buses belong to hotel companies. There are only 60 cars in the island. Digueois have managed to limit traffic in order to protect the pristine beauty of their 10 sq km territory. Another method of transport on La Digue is the ox-cart, which has a slow pace suited to the island. Tourists also generally follow the local tradition and rent bikes to explore the island.
However, the rise in tourism related construction has made it necessary to import vehicles that has set alarm bells ringing, especially with locals.
La Digue Island Amenities
La Digue has a post office which is closed on Sundays. There is a small police station that was mainly set up for tourists. There is a small hospital, although some inhabitants prefer to visit the hospitals in Praslin and Victoria. Women usually go to the hospital in Victoria to give birth.
La Digue Island Facilities
The , Veuve Reserve, a national park and conservation area, set up to protect the endemic Vev, is a crowning jewel of natural beauty for the Digueois. This island is the natural habitat of flycatcher, which is an endangered species. Since 2008, conservationists have transported a few dozen flycatchers to neighbouring islands through a breeding programme that would provide this rare bird species additional suitable habitats. Conservationists believe that construction of buildings is detrimental to the flycatcher. La Digue has now stopped approvals for new building new tourism establishments until 2023, in an effort to preserve the local natural resources.
La Digue Island Accommodation
La Passe offers many accommodation options including smaller hotels, guesthouses, and cottages. Réunion is the only major town on the island. It offers an eponymous beach, banks, shops, restaurants, takeaways, and bike rentals.
La Digue’s tallest peak, Belle Vue (Eagle’s Nest Mountain), is more than 300 m above sea level.
Bird watchers from all over come to witness the rare sighting of the Seychelles Black Paradise Flycatcher bird, an endangered species endemic to the Seychelles.
Anse Georgette
Anse Georgette Beach
Anse Georgette is one of the two most beautiful beaches on Praslin. with turquoise ocean water, pristine white sand, and incredible palm trees. Despite Seychelles’ growing popularity as a tourist destination, Anse Georgette has maintained its sense of seclusion, making it an ideal place for those seeking privacy. Both the resort and the beach can be found on Praslin’s northwest coast, about 3 miles north of the Praslin Airport.
Anse Georgette, Constance Lemuria Resort hotel
Anse Georgette is owned by Constance Lemuria Resort hotel near the beach, but Anse Georgette is open to all. Entry into this place is free of cost even if you’re not a guest at the resort, however, prior booking is recommended. The hotel offers golf-cart transfers to Anse Georgette on a frequent basis. Non-guests should inform the hotel of the visit, as only 30 non-guests are allowed on the beach at any given time, and then make the 30-minute walk down to the hotel yourself. Guests of the resort can rent snorkelling equipment from the hotel itself in order to fully enjoy the beautiful underwater world of the island. There is also a golf course in the hotel premises.
Anse Georgette, Residence Praslinoise
In the island there is also a far more affordable Residence Praslinoise, who will arrange entry for you into Constance Lemuria. This property is 2 minutes walk from the beach and is close to restaurants and shops. The self-catering accommodations here will provide you with air conditioning and a kitchenette. Barbecue facilities are also available. A damage deposit of EUR 100 is required on arrival. This will be collected by credit card. On check-out your deposit will be refunded in full via credit card, subject to an inspection of the property.
Alternatively, it is also possible to reach Anse Georgette by boat, with some sailing tours stopping in this beautiful bay to enjoy the scenery.
The water does get deep rather quickly, however, as there is no protection from an offshore coral reef, so children and unconfident swimmers should be supervised at all times in the water.
When to visit Anse Georgette
Northeastern monsoons dominate from December to April in the Seychelles. It is quite hot and humid, with heavy rains with air temperature reaching a maximum of 33 °C. Water in the ocean warms up to + 30 °C. From June to October, the southeast monsoons prevail with humidity lowering significantly, along with the temperature lowering to + 27-29 °C.
The best time for swimming, diving, snorkeling is October and November, as well as the period from February to May. For surfing and sailing, October to March would be the best time.
For more information, visit the Seychelles Tourism Board’s Anse Georgette page or the Constance Lemuria Resort’s website.
Anse Cocos Beach Seychelles
Anse Cocos in the east of La Digue, just along the coast from Petite Anse. The beach offers golden sand, shallow natural pool water, and shade from casuarina trees and craning palms. Swimming should be reserved for confident swimmers only but swimming is safe so long as you stick to the protected natural pools of water. Expert swimmers can swim anywhere in the sea. The sea is generally calm here, but during the trade winds, the waves can be large.
The beach is not normally crowded; there will be only about 10 visitors on a normal day. So you can easily find a spot for yourself away from others.
Anse Cocos Beach Facilities
As there are no shops on the beach you should take food, drinks and beach accessories along with you. The closest facilities are found in Grand Anse, which is about 30 minutes from the beach. The facilities in Grand Anse include hospitals which are open 24 hours, regional police station, post office etc.
The accommodation available in Grand Anse are:
La Digue Holiday Villa which is 3 minutes walk from the beach and within a 2-minute walk of Anse La Reunion Beach and 1 km of Anse Source d’Argent,
JMS Ventures Seychelles is about 15 minutes away from the beach of Anse La Reunion on La Digue. There are 4 double bed rooms which can accommodate 8 guests.
Calou Guest House is a 3-star guest house, located just off Inter Island Ferry, and 1.7 miles from Anse Cocos beach and is a short walk from Anse Reunion. The guest house offers on-site breakfast in the restaurant. Guests can enjoy dining at the a la carte restaurant.
Anse Cocos Beach Location
Calou Guest House is a 3-star guest house, located just off Inter Island Ferry, and 1.7 miles from Anse Cocos beach and is a short walk from Anse Reunion. The guest house offers on-site breakfast in the restaurant. Guests can enjoy dining at the a la carte restaurant.
Anse Cocos Beach Location
There is a 900m-long path from Grand Anse that leads straight to Anse Cocos through Petite Anse. In total, it’s a 1.3km walk from the restaurant on Grande Anse. The trail is not marked, so it will be difficult to find the way without a guide.
Despite its lack of facilities, Anse Cocos Beach is considered to be a worthy attraction. it is well-worth a visit.
The best time for swimming, diving, snorkeling is October and November, as well as the period from February to May. For surfing and sailing, it is advisable to set out from October to March. Swimming should be reserved for confident swimmers only, but if you stick to the protected natural pools of water, you should have no problems.
Anse Cocos Village
Anse Cocos was actually one of the very first settlements on La Digue. The island used to have a large copra production facility. It was then a small village. Just off the beach, you can still see the abandoned buildings, as well as the remains of the kiln they used to dry the coconuts.
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