Discover Mahé, the main island of Seychelles and also the largest of the archipelago, home to the capital, Victoria. Mahé has almost 70 beaches of fine sand, framed by the emblematic granite rocks, and whose crystal clear waters are renowned for their rich underwater life. The island is also famous for its splendid mountain panoramas accessible on hikes, such as the Morne Seychellois, which is 905 meters high and overlooks the Indian Ocean. Mahé is also an island full of history where fine colonial properties rub shoulders with Creole houses - and don’t forget the marvelous Botanical Gardens in Victoria.

La Digue Island is a veritable concentration of all the beauty of the Seychelles. Located 6 km south-east of Praslin, this small piece of land that looks like paradise is the third-largest island in the Seychelles, despite its modest size (5 km by 3km)! Turquoise waters encourage everyone to swim in them, lush vegetation sheltering giant tortoises, beaches of fine sand fringed with coconut trees and surrounded with those emblematic large granite rocks with their pink highlights like at the famous Anse Source d’Argent: the perfect picture postcard… Authentic and preserved, the island follows a peaceful rhythm, with the only means of transport along its little roads being bikes or traditional oxcarts.

At some 200 km south-west of Mahé, discover Poivre Atoll, a small paradise that is part of the Amirantes archipelago, in the Outer Islands of the Seychelles. Consisting of two coral islands, Poivre Island and Ile du Sud, separated by a small lagoon, it owes its name to Pierre Poivre, the Mauritius intendant who introduced spices to the Seychelles in the late 18th century. Once used for coconut plantations, Poivre Island is now focused on tourism. Visitors come here for scuba diving or big-game fishing in waters that are particularly rich and clean, where the marine life includes sea turtles.

Alphonse Island is located off the Seychelles archipelago. Discovered in 1730 by the Knight Alphonse de Pontevez, this island, specialized in coconut processing in the past, is now a veritable natural reserve, home to different species of marine mammals, sea turtles and many birds. Alphonse Island is also renowned for its rich underwater life and coral, among the best preserved in the Indian Ocean. A marvelous spectacle that can be admired with just a mask!

During the day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Have a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call is an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the expert photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

 

Located in the very heart of this faraway archipelago, the Aldabra Atoll is considered to be one of the last virtually untouched sanctuaries on earth, where a large population of sea turtles has found refuge. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this vast tract of land is formed by 4 small coral reef islands separated by narrow passes and containing an emerald-water lagoon lined with mangrove and fine-sand beaches. As the ship slowly nears the clear, reflective waters along its shoreline, do not miss the chance to discover this natural wonder, which is considered to be the largest atoll in the world and once fired the imagination of many an explorer.

The Scattered Islands are like minuscule confetti sprinkled around Madagascar and form an archipelago of unrivaled beauty. Their geographical isolation and their very limited human settlement make them a true geological sanctuary, classed as a nature reserve since 1975. Regularly used as the “zero point” in scientific studies, they offer their rare visitors almost pristine vegetation composed mainly of mangrove, as well as long beaches of shimmering sand stretching out behind turquoise lagoons, and coral reefs that are home to the world’s highest concentration of sea turtles. 

During the day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Have a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call is an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the expert photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

After a walk of roughly 2 km/1.2 miles, the guide leads to the magnificent fourteenth-century palace of Husuni Kubwa. No structure of its size and complexity was built anywhere else on the coast. The palace was built when the price of gold was at its fourteenth-century peak and Kilwa’s prosperity was at its height.
The fortified enclosure of Husuni Ndogo has challenged historians in both date and function. The general belief is that the building was a place where traveling tradesmen and their servants could stay overnight and store their goods. This belief is mainly due to the likeness to buildings in Syria, Turkey, India, and the Persian Gulf, but there are no other buildings like it in the Swahili cities of the East African coast.

The United Nations declared the ruins a World Heritage Site and invested, both money and effort, in restoring the ruins with artisanal methods, excavating more, making the local villagers aware of the history, the ruins and its importance, and training guides to lead groups around the sites.

From the pier, board the air-conditioned coach for the one-and-a-half-hour drive (40 miles/65 km) to visit Pemba’s largest tropical forest, the Ngezi Forest Reserve. The route is very scenic, passing a lush countryside interspersed with several local villages.
 
Protected by a 3600-acre reserve, the forest has a veritable double canopy, with an upper layer of majestic trees towering up to 30 and 40 meters, complete with vines providing swings for raucous vervet monkeys. Below this is a second level of vegetation, mainly consisting of smaller immature trees and large shrubs.
 
Follow the guide on a one-hour trail which is good for spotting birds, red colobus monkeys and Pemba flying foxes. The Pemba Flying Fox is endemic to the island of Pemba. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests. The Pemba flying fox is very social and has been found in large colonies. During the early 1990s there were only a few hundred individuals remaining and the species was considered to be on the brink of extinction. Conservation measures implemented by the Forestry Department on Pemba, along with involvement from the local community, have helped the number of bats increase. By 2007 it was estimated that there were about 20,000 bats. During daylight hours the trees at this site are literally covered in these giant bats, hanging upside down and snoozing the daylight hours away.
 
Following the trek, enjoy a rest at the entrance near the park rangers post before boarding the vehicles to go to Chake Chake, which is the largest town on Pemba. The tour to the town starts at the Chake town market (opened in 1904) which is also known as the old fruit market. This is the place to buy tropical fruits and spices. Take a short drive past the old fort, the old port and also visit the nearby fish market. Then stop at the Archipelago/Hifadhi Hotel for a refreshing, fresh coconut juice or traditional tea served with locally made pancakes topped with honey and cloves.

Then, drive back to the Mkoani wharf, passing more small villages and lush green countryside.

Once a mythical post along the legendary Indian Ocean trade route, today a certain whiff of adventure still pervades in Zanzibar. Located off the coast of Tanzania, this place often referred to as “spice island” is brimming with natural treasures, such as Jozani Forest, the last remains of the huge primeval forest that once covered the island, home to a unique ecosystem. This port of call will also be the moment to discover ”Stone Town”, the historical centre of Zanzibar, a UNESCO World Heritage site. A veritable labyrinth of narrow streets lined with houses made from coral stone, it is home to sumptuous buildings in a multitude of architectural styles, the result of the blending of African, European and Indian cultures.