The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
Happy families on a classic treasure island
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 familyfriendly 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”. 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.
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
Ella-Rose loved using her snorkel and mask to see what sea creatures she could discover
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