Our goal? To investigate whether the turquoise waters are, indeed, more turquoise on the other side of the sea. All three Indian Ocean isles share commonalities of postcard perfect beaches, rich marine life, gorgeous color palettes and cultural blends of African, Asian and European influences. But do they merit a visit? What we found might surprise you.
Seychelles
In this archipelago of 115 islands, we concentrated our time on Praslin Island, an hour’s ferry ride away from the principal island of Mahe. We made the right decision. Praslin, we found, is like that effortlessly cool friend who just naturally has it all - breathtaking beaches, lush jungles and an air of easygoing charm. As the second-largest island in the archipelago, Praslin is often considered the heart of the Seychelles.
Anse Lazio has a reputation as one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. We enjoyed Anse Lazio’s powdery white sand and crystal-clear waters, punctuated by perfectly positioned granite boulders. It is beautiful. But it is also busy.
In travel, when others zig, it often pays to zag.
The beach we most prefer - so much that we paid an encore visit - is Anse Boudin, located on the road toward Anse Lazio. We had the beach and its boulders, fine white sands and uninterrupted views of Curieuse Island to ourselves during our repeat visit.
Praslin is not just about the beaches; it’s also home to lush forest. Most travelers head to Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage Palm Forest. Again, we zagged. Upon the advice of our hotel, we explored the less frequented Fond Ferdinand Nature Reserve which has the same flora, including rare Coco de Mer palms. The indigenous Coco de Mer produces the world’s largest seed - think of it as nature’s version of a jaw-dropping, oversized coconut. Fond Ferdinand offers a bonus: the ability to hike to the top of a peak for stunning vistas of the island and surrounding waters. That panorama is worth the sweat to get there.
The verdict: Over the course of three days, we travelled by car along narrow and often scenic roads to every corner of laid-back Praslin. It’s unquestionably photogenic and we might return some day. But among the three islands it is not our favourite.
Mauritius
Paradise found; paradise lost. Mauritius is where the dodo met its end and five-star resorts took its place. Like its Indian Ocean neighbours, this mountainous volcanic island has its share of white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters– - plus air-conditioned shopping malls and well-paved four lane roads.
Coming from Seychelles, we had our fill of beautiful beaches, so we focused on Mauritius’ unique qualities. This included visiting the seven-colored earth of Chamarel, a unique geological formation where the earth appears in distinct stripes of different colours, a phenomenon found in very few places globally. It massively disappointed us.
Mauritius played a significant role in the international slave trade, and twice we attempted to visit the International Slave Route Monument at the base of La Morne mountain which served as a refuge for runaway slaves. This UNESCO-honored site has limited hours each day, and we were disappointed we could only pay our respects from outside the locked gate.
We hired a car to explore all corners of this compact island, which can be driven from top to bottom in roughly two hours on the primary roads. We meandered the backroads of eastern Mauritius, away from the tourist developments. Our most striking encounter happens to be the most ephemeral: a radiant, perfectly arced rainbow. This arch of dazzling colour created a spectrum that felt both ethereal and magical, especially against a lush green mountainous backdrop at dusk.
The verdict: Everything is relative. We enjoyed our time on the island but once is enough.
Maldives
With 26 atolls in this archipelago of coral reefs, we landed on Baa Atoll, a UNESCO biosphere reserve. This sanctuary is home to rich biodiversity and a globally significant reef system. Between June and November, when large populations of plankton bloom in the atoll’s waters, Baa Atoll is a hotspot for manta rays and whale sharks.
Getting to Baa Atoll takes some effort, but once you arrive you might ask the same question we promptly asked: can we stay longer?
After settling into our beachfront bungalow on the tiny island of Horubadhu, one of 75 in Baa Atoll, I grabbed my mask and snorkel and headed straight into the azure water. Within a few minutes I was immersed in thousands of frenetic fish in tropical technicolour. The coral is somewhat bleached (a global phenomenon, as I have also observed in the past year on reefs across the South Pacific) but the marine life was vibrant. I didn’t expect this house reef to be so good - and the snorkeling so effortless. On this reef I encountered at least one black tip reef shark every time I donned mask and snorkel and enjoyed serene moments with a pair of juvenile eagle rays and a hawksbill turtle.
Although our January visit was out of season for manta rays, the hotel surprised us with the possibility to visit neighbouring Raa atoll, about 35 minutes away by boat. There mantas thrive this time of year. We spent an unforgettable morning gliding in the waters with these friendly, gentle giants of the ocean.
The verdict: the playful moments with the manta rays made our trip to the Maldives. Although Baa Atoll was the most expensive and hard-to-get-to of the destinations we visited in the Indian Ocean, it is by far our favourite, with unforgettable marine life in addition to picturesque beaches and turquoise waters.
How We Travelled:
Emirates and Qatar connect Seychelles and Mauritius with Phuket via their respective Mid East hubs. For Maldives, we opted for Air Asia’s daylight service to Male via Kuala Lumpur with a total travel time of just over eight hours– - and no jet lag. All three countries require Electronic Travel Authorisations in advance of arrival.
Seychelles: On Praslin we eschewed the generic five-star resorts and used the Palm Beach Hotel, in Grand’Anse on the island’s west coast, as a base. The hotel is known for its iconic colonial-style architecture. We booked our ferry tickets through Cat Cacos and car rental from Kreol. Although we were travelling in November, which is not considered peak season, inventory was tight. Advance reservations are recommended for hotels, ferries, and car rentals.
Mauritius: We stayed at Le Beachclub serviced apartments in Grand Baie, in northern Mauritius. Le Beachclub offers good value on a small but picturesque beach. There are many restaurants, shops, and bars in Grand Baie. Our favourite was the Banana Beach Club, which features live music; the place rocks after 10pm under the canopy of a majestic Banyan Tree. We rented our car through Budget.
Maldives: Getting to our resort in Baa Atoll involved a 25-minute domestic flight and 15-minute boat transfer for US$400 per person round trip. There’s no standard schedule for the domestic flights; it depends on the number of arrivals and departures each day, and the flight schedule is confirmed a day in advance. On Baa Atoll we stayed at the all-inclusive Royal Island Resort and Spa, owned and operated by Villa Resorts. The well-run resortl coordinated all logistics to/and from the island, and offered highly personalised service with the quality of accommodation, service and food commensurate with the price.
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Adventurer and author Todd Miller has explored more than 115 countries. He authored the Amazon bestseller ENRICH: Create Wealth in Time, Money, and Meaning, His writing has featured in CNBC, Fast Company, and Newsweek. www.enrich101.com.