Boat trip to St. Pierre and Petit Anse Cour

Today we have another boat trip on the agenda; after breakfast we set off for the starting point at Grand Anse, just a few meters from our doorstep. We are a group of about 20 people on this tour, and there are also some German tourists joining us. It's really nice to exchange experiences with each other.

At 9:00 am, we board the boat and cruise along the coast for a while before the 'captain' switches to turbo mode and we ride the waves. The landscape looks even more impressive from the water than from land, and the local crew of 3 men is once again top-notch. We learn a lot about the different islands and beaches of the Seychelles from them, and it feels like only a few minutes have passed when we make our first stop. This is the island of St. Pierre... It's hard to even call it an 'island', it consists of a few rocks with some palm trees on top and it is one of the most photographed islands in the Seychelles.

We put on our snorkeling masks and dive into the water. Within seconds, we are already amazed. The water is crystal clear and the variety of fish is impressive. The 45 minutes we have here to explore the underwater world fly by, and we can't stop marveling at it (see for yourself in the photos).

We continue by boat to Anse Petit Cour, maybe you remember, that was the beach where we went snorkeling before and met the boastful German snorkeler. I have some respect going into the water here again, as there might be reef sharks around, but as soon as we are in the water, those worries are immediately forgotten. This snorkeling spot even surpasses the 'St. Anne Marine National Park' on Mahe, it feels like being in an aquarium surrounded by schools of small purple, yellow, and red fish. The photos only give you a glimpse of the underwater world, it was even 100 times better in real life...

Time passes too quickly here as well, and we get back on the boat to continue to Curieuse Island, located off the coast of Praslin and the fifth largest island in the Seychelles. Just like Moyenne in the 'St. Anne National Park', it is home to numerous giant tortoises that live in the wild. Even during our second encounter, these creatures don't fail to impress, and this time the guides on our tour provide us with interesting information about these very special residents of the island. We learn that the oldest of these tortoises is 113 years old and that their favorite food is the leftovers from the daily barbecues on boat tours.... :).

Now it's time for a delicious lunch for us, grilled red snapper (fish), mango salad, and more, typical Creole cuisine and very tasty. And the giant tortoises also benefit from the dessert, the mini bananas that are available everywhere here, as banana peels are part of their diet.

Afterwards, we take a short hike across the island, partly through mangrove forests, and learn a lot about the local flora and fauna. Jason, our guide, is very interested in sharing his knowledge about the islands with us, and he does it really well - finding exactly the right amount of information!

When we reach the other end of the island, it's time to refresh ourselves in the sea. After a 1.5-hour hike in 28-degree heat, this feels really good and rarely have we been so happy to cool off in the sea.

Then it's time to head back home, but on the way, we make one final stop at another dream beach, Anse Georgette. We anchor a few hundred meters from the beach, jump into the water from the bow of the boat, and those who want can swim to the beach. It couldn't be easier - I can only repeat myself, a dream!!!!

Here we chat with our guide Jason again, he volunteers to help heroin-addicted children in the Seychelles; unfortunately, this is one of the less beautiful sides of the island, about 10% of the population is addicted to heroin (the Seychelles sadly have the highest rate of heroin addicts in the world, something we were not aware of before)... That's why we are even more impressed with what Jason is doing to give the children a better future - simply wow, and we have the utmost respect for his efforts!

Finally, this impressive day comes to an end, which is just as unforgettable as our first boat trip on Mahe, as both Mama and I agree. We are simply amazed by the experiences and the crew on board, who have largely contributed to this unforgettable day for us. Packed with these impressions, we fall into bed in the evening and dream of schools of fish and giant tortoises.