Charlotte Hawkins finds a week in the Seychelles is a tonic for the soul – and a delight for her young daughter
The Seychelles are, of course, right up there on many people’s list of holiday hotspots to visit. It’s the honeymoon destination of choice (the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge went there for theirs back in 2011). And on visiting, you can certainly see why.
Turquoise clear-blue seas, stunning white beaches adorned with palm trees and giant volcanic boulders remind you of the hands of time that moulded the islands. Rainforests stretch up the mountains as far as the eye can see, providing a lush backdrop.
But how is it as a family destination? We chose Silhouette Island as it is one of the largest of the islands, at seven square miles, but is also one of the most secluded, as it’s a national park and so largely undisturbed. It also contains the hotel resort Hilton Labriz. All in all, it means there is a huge area to explore, you can borrow bikes and cycle across the island, go on a family-friendly rainforest trek, or for the more adventurous there is a four-hour hike to the other side of the island.
There are 111 villas at the resort and despite the fact it was fully booked the week we were there, it never felt busy. As to its accessibility as a destination, if you time it right you can get a direct 10-hour flight to the Seychelles, then the resort itself is a 40-minute boat trip from Mahé, the main island.
The crew of the English East India Company are thought to have been the first humans to have stepped ashore on Silhouette Island back in 1609, one sailor on board describing it as an “earthly paradise”, and “a very good refreshing place for wood, water, coker nutts, fish and fowle”.
The Hilton Labriz
Credit: Hilton Labriz
As 21st-century parents, we wanted our four-year-old daughter, Ella-Rose, to get a bit of sunshine, have some relaxation, but still have an adventure, with plenty of flora and fauna to explore. We love going on safaris, but there are more risks with a little one, so we wanted to be able to take a first step to introducing her to seeing nature and wildlife up close on a smaller scale.
There is certainly plenty of nature to see. As soon as you arrive, you spot “land-crab crossing” signs dotted around the resort, and Ella-Rose was thrilled to be able to undertake the responsibilities of a daily crab-watch to see how many we could find peeping out of their holes.
There was also an abundance of fruit bats, and the island is one of only three to have a colony of the critically endangered sheath-tailed bats (rather more shy than their fruit-loving cousins). Our favourite creature to spot was the green gecko, vibrant in colour, which could usually be seen clambering on high beams. (I had a rather personal encounter with one when it lost its footing and landed on my lap in a restaurant, much to Ella-Rose’s delight.) The Seychelles blue pigeon roused us with its throaty call, and the Seychelles sunbird greeted guests with its cheery chirping.
Silhouette Island as it is one of the largest of the islands, at seven square miles
Credit: Hilton Labriz
The iconic giant tortoises roam the island, and if you fail to spot them in the wild, you can still see them up close as the resort has a programme that rescues and cares for baby tortoises to protect them from predators until they’re old enough to fend for themselves. The Island Conservation Society also organises turtle patrols and sheath-tailed bat nights, to help you spot some of the rarer inhabitants of the island. It’s a biodiversity hotspot… and that’s even before you venture into the sea to gaze upon the underwater marine life.
The beach is perfect for youngsters who want to try snorkelling for the first time, as the island is encircled by a coral reef, which acts as a natural barrier and means the waters directly off the beach are shallow and calm. Ella-Rose loved paddling and swimming while having a look with her snorkel and mask to see what sea creatures she could discover without feeling out of her depth.
The resort is also keen to assert its eco credentials. It strives to be plastic-free, with all holidaymakers given metal water bottles on arrival, with hydration stations dotted around the place. Filtered water is also supplied to two sister hotels, which has apparently saved more than 370,000 plastic bottles in the past 20 months, and about 11.4 million cubic metres of water. Sourcing food locally is also important around here, and we were given a guided tour of the organic garden, where they grow as much as they can for use in the restaurants.
The communal dining area
Credit: Hilton Labriz
Making sure there is plenty for children to do is at the heart of what they do here. There’s a “Little Islander” programme, where children learn about life at the hotel. Each child is given a passport on arrival to help them find out more about the island, and they have a mission to collect stamps from all the areas, with a reward at the end.
They discover what it’s like to be a chef, with pizza and cookie-making classes, learn how to make “towel art”, fashioning a swan or an elephant just like they find in their room each day. The kids’ club was a hit with Ella-Rose, with a miniature train trip around the resort, as well as fish feeding, hair braiding and T-shirt painting.
There are also some special experiences you can share with your child. We had a beach picnic (including a very welcome bottle of bubbly). There was also a “mummy and me” spa treatment, which was heaven for Ella-Rose. I have never seen her so quiet as she lay there, happy to be massaged before having her fingernails painted.
Another memorable experience was our creole cookery lesson at the Grann Kaz restaurant with Mama. She’s been there for a decade, and is famous for her octopus curry. She’s happy to share her recipes with you, and taught us how to make a smoked marlin salad as a starter, as well as ladob banan with the all-important addition of a good slug of rum for the adult version.
Ella-Rose was transfixed, and then loved being able to try some of the food we’d cooked. (We’d have never got her to try octopus curry otherwise.) Grann Kaz is the former home of the Dauban family, who used to own the island and created plantations there back in the mid-19th century. It’s now also a museum where you can look around and discover more about the history of the island, with copies of ancient maps and early navigation logs.
There is a good selection of restaurants at the resort, with the usual themed nights at the buffet restaurant, plus a bistro, fine-dining Mediterranean, Japanese fusion and a teppanyaki live show kitchen. However, for me it was the seafood that proved the most appetising. The tuna I had at Grann Kaz was the best I’ve ever eaten. And the grilled fish and giant prawns at the 4th Degree beach bar were divine. There is nothing like eating fresh, locally caught seafood just metres from the sea where it came from, with your toes in the sand and a glass of chilled white wine in your hand.
‘One particularly memorable experience was our creole cookery lesson’
Credit: Hilton Labriz
When we visited, in October half term, there was some rain to contend with, but that was the payoff for being surrounded by such verdant foliage. Even in bad weather, however, there are lots of activities available – from diving to dance classes, to films to watch in the cinema area. And of course good old-fashioned board games.
Nature is at the heart here, and there is nothing like waking up to the sound of waves, opening your curtains, and seeing the sea stretch out before you. Being able to fling open the villa doors and walk a few feet down to your own stretch of beach is magical: a superb tonic for the soul.
Charlotte Hawkins is a television and radio presenter for ITV and Classic FM.
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Publish date : 2020-01-17 08:00:00
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