Embark on the Crystal Esprit at Mahe, Victoria Harbor, Seychelles.

This capital city of Seychelles lies on Mahé, the largest of the 115 islands. It is not boastful about its importance to the island’s cultural and administrative center, as its mere two dozen avenues are cozy and inviting, backing up against steep mountains and bustling with cafés and colorful architecture. Visit the Botanical Gardens for a glimpse into the lush fauna that cloaks the island, and venture from Victoria in search of the Seychelles natural splendor.

Today, reach St. Anne Island as well.

Palm trees shade idyllic sandy beaches here, as cinnamon grows wild on verdant hillsides and sea turtles nose around their favorite nesting site. Once a commercial whaling outpost and later a World war II gun battery, St. Anne Island is today a place of peace and tranquility with abundant wildlife protected by the St. Anne Marine National Park.

With lush jungled hillsides rolling into pristine white sands lined with palm trees, the beaches of Praslin are exactly what you imagine when dreaming of a tropical paradise. With Crystal Esprit at anchor, a beach landing by Zodiac means time to swim, snorkel and kayak in gin-clear waters. Bird enthusiasts will thrill to the sounds – and hopefully, the sights – of the Seychelles magpie-robin and brush warbler, both endemic to the islands and highly protected.

Cousin Island is a green ink-dot in the Indian Ocean. Here, birds rule the roost. Declared a special reserve in 1975, the island is the last holdout for the Seychelles warbler, a bird drove nearly to extinction - today they number some 3,000, a tribute to conservation. As you might expect from a haven for winged creatures, Cousin Island also is a paradise for nature-loving humans, with dense woodland, rocky southern coast and sandy beaches encircling almost the entire isle.

Also sail towards Praslin, Seychelles on this day.

Praslin, the second-largest island of Seychelles and arguably tops in attractions, features stunning beaches, azure seas, tangles of the jungle and a trademark relaxed atmosphere. What makes Praslin unique is the Vallée de Mai, a protected forest of rare fauna, and most famously the coco de mer palm, a tree that produces the world’s largest seed and palm flower. The grove is one of Seychelles’ two UNESCO World Heritage Sites and has been aptly called the Garden of Eden.

This slice of heaven defines quintessential island life, nestled on the coast of Silhouette Island and beckoning visitors to its shores with turquoise-emerald waters. Days filled with beachside adventures and jungle trails give way to festive evenings along the sand. The tree-lined roads of La Passe are populated with more bicycles than motorized vehicles, accenting the unhurried pace of life here.

Head to Laraie Bay, Curieuse Island this day.

Hundreds of giant hump-head parrotfish swim the harbor’s waters while beyond native coco de Mer palms and low-slung branches of giant takamaka trees line sandy beaches. Curieuse Island is known for its giant tortoises, native to the Seychelles and once nearly extinct. Today, thanks to conservation efforts, tortoises roam freely in the lush forests.

Sail from Laraie Bay to Aride Island.

As one of the most important seabird habitats in the Indian Ocean, if not the world, Aride is home to more breeding species than on any other island in Seychelles: 18 native birds, including five, found only in the archipelago, reproduce on this tiny, eyelash of an isle. While its bird population is vast, Aride itself is petite, just a mile long and half a mile wide. Its human population is even smaller: only rangers, conservation officers and a few volunteers live here.

This capital city of Seychelles lies on Mahé, the largest of the 115 islands. It is not boastful about its importance to the island’s cultural and administrative center, as its mere two dozen avenues are cozy and inviting, backing up against steep mountains and bustling with cafés and colorful architecture. Visit the Botanical Gardens for a glimpse into the lush fauna that cloaks the island, and venture from Victoria in search of the Seychelles natural splendor.

After breakfast aboard the ship, disembark at the beautiful port.