Seychelles (La Digue, Praslin and Mahé)

La Digue preserves the slow rhythm of another age, where people travel by bicycle or traditional ox-cart and cars are almost absent. The island's emblem is Anse Source d'Argent, perhaps the most photographed beach in the world, its huge pink-granite boulders rising from powder-fine sand and shallow lagoons, set within the historic L'Union Estate where a vanilla plantation and ancient giant tortoises endure. Cycling the tracks leads to other lovely bays such as Grand Anse and Petite Anse, wilder and washed by stronger surf. The waters offer superb snorkelling and diving, while small Creole restaurants serve the freshest fish. La Digue delivers the purest, most authentic essence of the Seychelles, suspended between granite, palms and ocean.

Praslin, the archipelago's second island, guards one of the Seychelles' most extraordinary natural treasures: the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage forest reserve where the endemic coco de mer palms grow and the rare black parrot survives. Among its beaches, Anse Lazio is regularly ranked among the world's finest, with pale sand, sculpted granite boulders and crystalline water ideal for snorkelling; nearby Anse Georgette enchants with its secluded perfection. The calmer eastern coast holds resorts and fishing villages, while reefs teeming with fish and turtles make the island a prime diving destination. Praslin is also the springboard for boat excursions to La Digue, Curieuse and the islet of Saint Pierre. Praslin blends primeval forest with dream beaches, a rare balance of wild nature and tropical ease.

Mahé is the largest of the Seychelles islands and the beating heart of the archipelago, home to the international airport, the tiny capital Victoria and more than sixty beaches framed by forest-clad granite hills. Victoria, one of the world's smallest capitals, is easily explored on foot: the Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke market with its stalls of fish, spices and tropical fruit, the clock tower modelled on London's, the colourful Hindu temple and the botanical gardens where giant tortoises roam and the famous coco de mer grows. The coast strings together postcard sands: broad and lively Beau Vallon, perfect for swimming and evening dining; dramatic, surf-pounded Anse Intendance; and the quieter coves of the south, sheltered by the reef. The mountainous interior is crowned by Morne Seychellois National Park, laced with trails climbing through ferns, palms and endemic plants to ocean viewpoints. Creole cuisine — grilled fish, curries, chutneys and local rum — rounds off days of snorkelling, diving and boat trips to the neighbouring islands. Mahé brings lush nature, turquoise sea and authentic island life together in one place, the ideal gateway to the whole archipelago.