Thursday, March 17, 2022 – Photo of the Day – Mahe, Seychelles

THURSDAY, 17 MARCH 2022 MAHE, SEYCHELLES All Aboard: 5:30 PM Departure: 6:00 PM
TODAY’S WEATHER Partly Cloudy High: 80°F 27°C Low: 74°F 23°C
DRESS CODE: CASUAL
For Ladies: DRESSES OR BLOUSES AND PANTS
For Gentlemen: SPORT SHIRTS AND SLACKS
No shorts or flip flop type footwear after 6:00 PM in indoor venues

Today’s Schedule – On the Spice Route

This full-day tour provided an excellent introduction to the southern end of Mahe, Seychelles. Golden beaches stretch beneath spectacular granite peaks covered in dense tropical vegetation from which there are breathtaking views over turquoise seas. The tour began with a guided visit to Victoria the world’s smallest capital. From the antique clock tower and the modern National Library Building to the bustling market Victoria possesses a special charm. We explored the town with time for shopping before going to the Botanical Gardens.

Botanical Gardens

At the southern edge of Victoria lie some lovely gardens that are protected from development by their status as a national monument. Our guide showed you a delightful variety of rare and colorful plants including the endemic coco de mare. Next we drove up Bel Eau Road for an excellent panoramic view of Victoria, including the port, yacht basin, and the main buildings of the capital.

Mission Lodge Ruins

After driving up the spectacular Sans Souci Road where we saw some of the island’s cinnamon plantations and arrived at the Mission Lodge. Originally known as Venn’s Town the site was established as a school for children of freed slaves. Ruins blanketed with tropical greenery and a magnificent avenue of endemic trees are the only reminders of the school.

From here a short drive brought us to a local Tea Factory for refreshments. We continued the scenic drive along lower Sans Souci Road with views of mountain slopes covered with tea shrubs. Our sightseeing drive continued through picturesque fishing villages to the Hilton Allamanda Restaurant where we savored a delicious Creole lunch featuring local specialties served by the beach.

Eden Island
On our return we stopped by Eden Island which was entirely made from reclaimed sea beds. It reminded us of a small version of Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, UAE. The island was created artificially during the 2000s. It belongs to the Mahe Port Islands, which are mostly artificial islands created by funds from Dubai when the Dubai dredger was placed in Seychelles. It was invested and built by the King of the United Arab Emirates.The island is home to a group of wealthy villas and supporting business districts, restaurants and a shopping mall. The luxury marina is full of large yachts and is now a yacht club.