La Digue Leisure in the Seychelles
Overview
La Digue Island is the relaxed little sibling of the Seychelles islands as far as its habitable islands are concerned. It’s got a vibe of its own: life is slow, fruit is fresh, people are earnest, bicycles are rife and seafood is a staple.
Don’t arrive expecting grand scale parties, resorts or expensive living. The life here is simple, and while there are a few resorts, the reality is on a much smaller scale: boutique hotels or serviced apartments, cosy restaurants and days spent walking or cycling from place to place. There’s also no airport on La Digue Island, with travellers in the Seychelles coming by ferry from Praslin and Mahé.
We spent an entire day on a ‘pub crawl’ which consisted of riding our bikes between small beach shacks drinking local beer and Takamaka rum cocktails. Total bliss. Downgrade your thoughts to the simple life and you will honestly have the time of your life. Fun, Fun, Fun! With great people. That’s a promise.
For a more structured approach to travel in the Seychelles in general, see my post Seychelles Survival Kit. Likewise, click the links to Mahé and Praslin if your journey is lucky enough to include these beautiful islands!
Below: The incredible sandbars and shallow waters of Anse Source d’Argent, with storm approaching
Itinerary
Ride a bike through the heart of La Digue
Visit the Marina memorial
Enjoy a swim at Le Domaine de L’Orangeraie Resort & Spa
Walk through the cemetery
Have a Takamaka coconut iced smoothie at Bikini Bottom Bar
Try the prawn kebab at Fish Trap Restaurant
Enjoy sunset dinner and drinks at Belle Vue Snack Restaurant
Cycle to L’Union Estate
Explore the world famous rock formations at Anse Source D’Argent
Hike the Anse Caiman Nature Trail: Grand Anse, Petite Anse & Anse Cocos
Have a cocktail at Cocos Beach Bar
Spend the day at a beach
Cycle to Chez Jules and the northern tip of La Digue
Enjoy authentic Italian food at Les Repaire Restaurant
Swim at Le Nautique at sunset with poolside G&Ts
Stop at a beach shack for a dark rum during a rainstorm
La Digue Map & Information
Whilst La Digue Island is little, it’s worth knowing a few things about where you can and can not go.
The majority of the population (approximately 3000 people) live on the western coast in the areas La Passe and La Réunion. Visitors can cycle from these areas southward until reaching L’Union Estate. Entry is via a small fee and allows one to cycle onwards to the most photographed beach, Anse Source d’Argent. From here, the road backtracks until a path cuts east across the island towards Grand Anse, which is where a brilliant trek to Petite Anse and Anse Cocos commences. Beware though, this cycling journey is a rollercoaster of blood, sweat and tears! There’s some definite challenging uphill moments, shall I say. The trifecta beach hike along the Anse Caiman Nature Trail is well worth it though!
Likewise, a northward trajectory from the west coast hotels will take you past the lighthouse, the beautiful cemetery and Bikini Bottoms Bar to the very northern tip and around to the north eastern edge, culminating in Chez Jules, where a cold pint of Seybrew is a must. NB: the track actually continues a few hundred metres however it was never completed and abruptly stops. However, if you have stamina and a spirit of adventure then you can continue on foot to some beautiful beaches.
Accessible with a paid guide
The very southern tip of La Digue Island, Anse Marron, is only accessible by boat or with a paid guide on foot. Sadly there have been ambitious visitors who have been stranded and perished in these rocks, thinking it was possible to negotiate them alone.
Accommodation Suggestion:
Le Nautique Luxury Waterfront Hotel
One step inside its white picket fence and your head will be turning from side to side to take in the white colonial style buildings that comprise Le Nautique. We were greeted by our friendly contact and hotel manager, Natasha, at the ferry terminal (a few minutes walk from the hotel) who assisted with our luggage into the hotel buggy and then again by co-manager Stuart who helped us unload at the other end, in his true affable and relaxed Australian style.
Le Nautique Hotel Room Facilities
This pristine boutique hotel is laden with special features: Nespresso pods replenished daily, fresh beach towels, decking from the room to the pool, bicycle hire, island maps with suggestions and recommendations and a pool bar which has the largest repertoire of gin I have ever seen. During our stay we sampled many on offer: The Botanist, Inverroche, Hope, Bombay Sapphire and Woodstock. Combined with Fitch & Leedes pink tonic, you’ll be transported to some kind of paradise fantasy when you ascend the steps to the fluorescent glowing blue pool at sunset.
At the bar end of the pool are steps descending to the ocean where you can experience the gloriously warm ocean tides.
Le Nautique also offers an exquisite New Year’s Eve Degustation Menu: a 7 course set menu of local seafood and curry with arrival drinks and champagne at midnight.
New Year’s Eve at Le Nautique
If you’re lucky enough to be in the Seychelles for New Year’s Eve, there’s no bypassing Le Nautique on La Digue Island. We had the night of our lives being spoilt with dish after dish of Creole delights, great music, an ocean backdrop and French champagne toasters at midnight! Capped off with a gin and tonic from their extensive collection at the pool bar, we were completely transported from the crises of Covid-19 during the past year and instead became abundantly buoyant with the prospect of 2021.
The staff at Le Nautique are grinning from ear to ear, entirely helpful and absolutely charming. I stepped onto my balcony one afternoon because I could hear laughter from the restaurant behind: it was one of the staff who was chuckling away in a blissful state of being. I walked across to her: she was just enjoying her afternoon! What a reminder to take stock of what we have and simply be grateful!
Breakfasts at Le Nautique
Breakfasts were another lavish affair: coffee and tea, a fruit medley, yoghurt, crepes, banana bread, eggs of your choice (omelette, scrambled, poached or fried), hash browns, sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes. Each morning at breakfast, the staff would clean our room so as not to interfere with our time.
Of all my experiences in Seychelles, I must admit that the boutique hotel option at Le Nautique on La Digue Island was one of my favourites. Whilst some might say it stands in the shadow of the large resort-style accommodation that is Le Domaine de L’Orangeraie Resort & Spa, there’s no doubt that it’s a much more personal alternative with exceptional attention to detail, more secluded and more intimate.
Other Luxury Stays on Praslin Island
- Domaine de L’Orangeraie Resort & Spa
- Le Repaire Boutique Hôtel & Restaurant
- La Digue Island Lodge
Ride a bike through the heart of La Digue
The most common form of transportation in La Digue is the bicycle! Most hotels and accommodations will hire these out to guests at a nominal charge. Make sure to hire one with a basket to carry your belongings.
Hop aboard to visit the destinations below. You’ll work your quads excessively with some of the tracks but it’s really the only way to explore La Digue Island and take in the beauty and fresh air of this Seychelles paradise.
Visit the Marina memorial
A little outcrop of land near the Marina provides a stunning spot for photography, as well as showcasing the La Digue coat of arms at the base of the island flagpole.
Enjoy a swim at Le Domaine de L’Orangeraie Resort & Spa
This deluxe accommodation venue has a beautiful outdoor pool overlooking its own beach, as well as Praslin Island. With a beautiful decking area and pool bar, it’s a scenic spot in the Seychelles to relax and assimilate with La Digue Island life.
For the photographers amongst us, the beach in the foreground of the hotel makes for a stunning panorama with Praslin Island in the background.
Walk through the cemetery
Visitors will pass the cemetery once heading north up the western coast. It’s truly a beautiful and serene setting, with graves set amongst a green hill and adorned in silk flowers.
Have a Takamaka coconut iced smoothie at Bikini Bottom Bar
What can I say? We came here most mornings / midday for some much loved interactions with the local pooch and Aldabra tortoise populations. The staff are super friendly and the small hut is run by an American girl and her brother. There are a range of juices and smoothies on offer but I highly recommend the iced coconut smoothie (with a hint of rum if you’re feeling cheeky)! Behind the hut is direct access to Anse Severe, another beach worthy of a snap or two.
Top R: Mango and his football
Bottom: Anse Severe, access behind Bikini Bottom Bar
Try the prawn kebab at Fish Trap Restaurant
Fish Trap doesn’t have much to differentiate it from the road view but take a step inside and walk to the back and you’ll soon be transported to a life beyond: ocean breeze, white sand and cosy table settings.
The food itself was completely mesmerising: the prawn kebab is a must! I also couldn’t go past their fresh octopus salad.
Enjoy sunset dinner and drinks at Belle Vue Snack Restaurant
One of the most acclaimed experiences on the island is also one of the most challenging to get to. Information was scarce prior to our departure. All we were told was that if we wanted to attend we must prebook and be ready for the taxi pick up at 5.00pm. The taxi was a van full of other tourists (and a few locals) who were also on prearranged pick up schedules en route to Belle Vue. Don’t get me wrong, most people had done a Google search and found that it was a great destination for views but had little idea other than this!
After winding our way through part of the island and ascending a steep hill, we came to a halt along a dirt track. The tourists on board exchanged a couple of uncertain glances as we were led outside of the taxi and directed towards an upwards track. Which leads me to my next point:
Ladies. Do not wear heels.
There is a 5 – 10 minute climb up a stepped pathway to the Belle View restaurant, which is an open air wooden establishment at the top. Arriving at the restaurant, we were largely left to find a seat with minimal instruction of what to expect.
The views were impeccable and provided the most unobstructed image of Praslin Island I saw anywhere in the Seychelles.
The Menu
The lack of information was a little unusual although the food was delicious. I did eventually ask if it was an a la carte or a set menu and we were then informed that food would arrive at our table. Drinks were limited to a few choices of wine or beer but this was understandable given the heights at which they would have had to be carted!
It’s a simple set up however it truly has one of the best views across the island and a great menu. I definitely wouldn’t hesitate to recommend! There is room for improvement with service and expectations however.
Cycle to L’Union Estate
This former Seychelles coconut and vanilla plantation provides a fascinating insight into the colonial history of La Digue Island. Prior to the mass production of palm oil, the dried flesh from coconuts (copra) was used to produce coconut oil. The old coconut fields can still be seen in the estate today.
R: Bicycle parked during a rainstorm; having a fresh Seybrew to pass the time!
Other notable places to visit within the Estate include: the vanilla plantation, the Aldabra enclosure (sadly they do not roam free like they do on Curieuse Island), Plantation House and the Giant Union Rock.
Explore the world famous rock formations at Anse Source d’Argent
Access is beyond the Aldabra tortoise enclosure at L’Union Estate, mentioned above. This stunning beach combines azure waters with tongues of white sand winding their way into curious sand banks near the shore, as well as the piece de resistance: their infamous stark craggy rock formations.
Take your camera and be mesmerised for hours! We found ourselves trapped in a 30 minute rain storm and took the opportunity to enjoy fresh coconut water and some fruit from one of the beach hut bars!
Hike Grand Anse, Petite Anse & Anse Cocos, along the Anse Caiman Nature Trail
Cycling on from Anse Source d’Argent, visitors can cut across to the south east side side of the island, albeit with some decent grunt on their bicycles up and down the steep slopes in the rainforest! I’d highly recommend it however, as the hike starting at Grand Anse is a true delight.
This trio of beaches will stun with blazing white sand, pure blue sea and the most preserved natural surroundings that will have you second guessing what planet you are on.
Grand Anse
We found Grand Anse to be populated with locals and tourists as it is the most accessible. From here, you’ll have to leave our bikes and hike onwards!
Petit Anse
It’s a comfortable 15 – 20 minutes to reach the second beach, Petite Anse. Petite is Creole (and French) for ‘small’ but there ain’t nothing small about this stretch of coast! It was completely empty but for one bare chested man who was having a grand time snapping selfies when we arrived. He departed about 15 minutes later and then it was just us, the waves and the smell of salt. I do believe traveling in the time of Covid served us well in this instance as it is usually a hive of activity as we were told later.
It’s worth a slow leisurely walk to the end of Petite Anse to view the rock formations but you’ll need to backtrack to rejoin the path onwards to Anse Cocos.
Anse Cocos
The next section between Petite Anse and Anse Cocos is slightly more arduous in terms of its hills however can be accomplished in around 30 minutes. You can’t miss Anse Cocos!
Below: Onwards journey to Anse Coco Beach
Have a cocktail at Cocos Beach Bar
Plan to spend at least an hour at Anse Cocos! The beach bar is a sight for thirsty eyes after traversing the hills and troughs of the preceding trek. With a variety of juices and cocktails, deck chairs overlooking the ocean and fresh coconut servings, you won’t want to rush it! The bar tenders carry all drinks to the hut on a daily basis which will put your walk into perspective! We also found a cheeky crab who was digging a hole in the sand with one claw while clutching a piece of coconut with the other! That was a moment I’ll not forget.
Spend the day at a beach
You honestly need to reserve at least one beach day on your itinerary in La Digue. The most beautiful in my opinion was along the Anse Caiman Nature Trail hike mentioned above (with 3 beaches to choose from!) but there are multiple little coves and bays around the island where you can cycle and sit and whittle the day away.
Cycle to Chez Jules and the northern tip of La Digue
True to form in December, we had a day when the rain decided to come in buckets. Mid morning, we had set out on our bikes as usual, with the intention of traversing the northern tip and around the east to the notorious Chez Jules. No sooner than we arrived at this quirky and fun restaurant, than the rain descended. Fortunately we had emptied our bike baskets before the downpour but what followed was one of the most fun afternoons! Other tourists had also found shelter within the warm walls of Chez Jules, named after a man who came to personally introduce himself with claims of keeping hundreds of patrons happy and their meals served within 10 minutes. He was not wrong.
After a couple of Seybrews and Eku’s, the rain was continuing to provide a blanket on the ground outside and it was time to satiate our grumbling stomachs. Chez Jules whipped up some fresh octopus and fries for us in the quickest of jiffies. This was all to the tune of the latest top music hits mixed into various Christmas songs whilst we viewed the surroundings outside through the open air windows.
Eventually the rain succumbed and we set off on our bikes again, only to return to Chez Jules when my handlebar screws came loose. Not to worry, the friendly staff at CJ can fix this too!
Stop for a ‘Dark & Stormy’ when it’s dark and stormy
When a beach shack presents itself in the middle of a rainstorm and you happen to be cycling past, all I am saying is that most would probably stop to wet their whistle too! Particularly when the lilting sounds of a happy lady singing with the utmost of joy come cascading from within its walls. We were on the way back to our lodgings at La Nautique Boutique Hotel when we were compelled to park our bikes, walk inside and meet the lovely ladies within Takamaka Bar who served us a delicious dark rum and bitter lemon concoction, on the rocks. We sat on the beachfront wondering if the threat of rain would interfere but it did not. There was not much that could spoil this moment anyway! It’s raw and rustic and true Seychellois style.
Enjoy authentic Italian food at Les Repaire Restaurant
Our journeys had frequently taken us past Les Repaires Boutique Hôtel & Restaurant and the Italian food had come with high recommendation. The ambience here is lovely: yellow festoon lighting, water features along the entrance walkway, a hum of happy patrons and intimate seating for couples or small groups.
Proceedings began with some warm home made breads and olive tapenade and continued with the Antipasti Chef’s Marinated Seafood (Red snapper, tuna and tiger prawns). Following this, I had a delectable Fish Mugnaia: fish in lemon and white wine sauce with capers and fresh tomato. The Diavola pizza is also a local favourite: mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce and hot salami. To complete the evening, we savoured a passionfruit mousse and an apertif, followed by a walk around the quaint hotel grounds, green and lush next to the multiple pools.
Swim at La Nautique at sunset with poolside G&Ts
I’ve already sung the praises of this luxurious boutique hotel but if you do stay elsewhere, it’s really worthwhile stopping in to La Nautique for a drink here at sunset. With arguably one of the best views on the island and the most extensive gin collection I’ve seen at a poolside bar, this is your go to for a drink and dazzling view as the sun begins its late afternoon downward trajectory. With poolside sunbeds overlooking the ocean across to Praslin Island, this gem was one of my favourite finds on La Digue Island.
Below: Casual Pink G&T’s just before sunset
