Seychelles – sailing in a paradise of islands

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The GALINI crew is heading to the Indian Ocean! Together we have already discovered many places and sailing areas in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Now we're going to the Seychelles. Our friend Jens has been sailing there for many years and knows fantastic spots. We'll be joining him with a boat. Although we won't be sailing with our GALINI (Hanse 575), we have a catamaran that also offers plenty of space.

Palm-fringed beaches, breathtakingly beautiful anchorages, warm water, corals, tropical fauna of all kinds, bizarre granite rock formations, snorkelling, fishing …and that water colour… All this is the Seychelles and so much more.

Highlights

Anse Lazio – on Praslin, voted the world's most beautiful beach in many surveys

Curieuse – giant tortoises

La Digue – hardly any cars; much is still transported by ox cart to this day

Bird Island – flat coral island on the northern edge of the Seychelles Plateau

Coco de Mer – the famous palms in the Vallée de Mai, UNESCO World Heritage Site

Sailing area

The many islands lie just 4° south of the equator in the Indian Ocean. The Seychelles offer a fantastic sailing area not overrun by mass tourism and are therefore ideal for nature lovers and guests who want to truly relax. However, one should not leave the island world of the Seychelles without having seen one of the legendary giant tortoises or Coco de Mer palms. After arrival and provisioning in Mahé, we'll first do some snorkelling. Then we sail with a stopover on the beautiful island of Silhouette to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Vallée de Mai Nature Park. This centrepiece of Praslin is home to a remnant of the original palm forests of the Seychelles and has often been described as the "Garden of Eden" because of its secluded and mystical nature.

Furthermore, on Praslin we'll see the long-standing leader of the Top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world, Anse Lazio. But the competition here in the Seychelles is fierce. We'll see for ourselves and vote. Due to the few marinas, we mostly anchor in bays and spend the night there too. We have the stunning starry sky and the bay frequently all to ourselves. Let our dangling souls decide! Before the return flight, some time should also be set aside for Victoria. The smallest capital city in the world invites leisurely strolling.

Trip

Our trip begins in the "Eden Island Marina". This new and modern harbour is nestled between Eden Island and the island of Mahé. Eden Island is developed in an ultra-modern style with apartments, shopping mall, shops, supermarket and diverse bars and restaurants.

After loading the boat and completing the shopping, we set off. First, we shall explore the main island of Mahé. South of Pointe Matoopa lies Port Launay, a peaceful and dreamlike anchorage. From here, the offshore islands of Ile Conception and Ile Thérèse are only a stone's throw away. On the latter, a paradisiacal island idyll awaits us, with a gorgeous beach and an offshore reef for snorkelling. From here, a detour to the neighbouring island of Silhouette is also possible. We then continue on to Praslin. The Vallée de Mai nature park is a botanical garden and is world-famous for its coco de mer palms and its immense biodiversity; it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In addition, Praslin boasts world-class beaches. For example, Anse Lazio has been voted the most beautiful beach in the world in many surveys. The island of La Digue is somewhat smaller than Praslin and has retained much of its original character. There are hardly any cars here and many things are still transported by ox-cart even today. The main attraction is the beach "Anse Source d'Argent". The gigantic rock formations combined with the white, fine sandy beach, lapped by turquoise water, have been used for one or two advertising spots and Hollywood films. Praslin and La Digue are barely 5 nautical miles apart. In the immediate vicinity of these two islands are many small, mostly uninhabited islands, which also invite a day stop. Most of these are part of the Marine Park. From here, one can undertake countless excursions by catamaran. For instance, a visit to the bird island of Aride, and much, much more. Everything is quite close together, so there are no long distances to cover. In recent years, the trip to Bird Island, which lies at the outer northern edge of the inner Seychelles plateau, has become an absolute highlight for everyone. The island, unlike most other Seychelles islands, is a flat coral island. Out here, millions of seabirds live, and the island with its icing-sugar beaches is a paradise of nature and birdlife. Esmeralda, the oldest and largest tortoise in the Seychelles, also lives here in complete freedom together with her kin. The island is home to a small bungalow resort, which is owned and run by a long-established Seychellois family. We have a long-standing, trusting relationship with the owners and our crews are always warmly welcomed. This gives us the privilege of being able to move freely on this magnificent island. In the small lobby there is the island's WiFi, showers, a bar and a restaurant.

Wind & climate

The climate in the Seychelles is tropical with high humidity. Air temperatures vary only slightly. Overall, the weather is quite pleasant at all times of the year – not too hot, not too cold. A light breeze always blows. The main islands lie outside the cyclone belt, so are virtually never hit by storms. When tropical rain falls somewhat more frequently in January and February, the sun may already be shining again on the opposite side of the island. From May to October, the wind usually blows from a south-easterly direction and brings drier and cooler air. From December to March, in the summer of the southern hemisphere, the air brought by the prevailing north-west monsoon is somewhat more humid.

Water temperature: avg. 27-29°C

Air temperature: avg. 28-32°C

The yacht

On our Seychelles sailing trip, we sail with a comfortable and modern cruising catamaran of the Lagoon 42 type – one of the most popular premium catamarans in its class. This elegant vessel combines confident sailing characteristics with thoughtful design, state-of-the-art technology and exceptional living comfort.

The Lagoon 42 has 4 double cabins, each with its own bathroom, 2 crew cabins (single) and thus offers space, comfort and privacy for up to 10 guests. Four of the cabins are particularly spacious, whilst two slightly smaller crew cabins are offered as standard cabins – ideal for solo travellers or guests with lower space requirements.

The light-flooded saloon with panoramic views, the expansive flybridge with lounge and helm area, as well as the spacious cockpit invite you to relax and enjoy – perfect for experiencing the Seychelles at their finest.

A powerful generator, air conditioning in all interior spaces and high-quality onboard equipment ensure the highest comfort even in tropical temperatures. Thanks to a watermaker, solar system and modern navigation technology, the catamaran is largely self-sufficient and ideally suited for extended stays in secluded bays.

The Lagoon 42 stands for comfort, safety and timeless elegance – a floating home under sail that leaves nothing to be desired.

Marine Infinite

We want to make sailing more sustainable and environmentally friendly. On GALINI we test different products that give you a great sailing experience whilst placing less strain on the environment. At the same time she is on a voyage to explore the world. Her base is on Poros, Greece. Usually, though, she is away on long voyages. Our small team of skippers looks forward to sharing a real sailing experience with you!

Services

Cabin charter with skipper

Berth on the yacht

Sailing instruction

Tour leadership

Additional costs

Onboard kitty (harbour fees, provisions, diesel, final cleaning etc.): approx. 300 EUR per week/person