Memoir by Narelle
Club Med Seychelles had been firmly on my bucket list for some time. The destination itself has always fascinated me. But if I’m honest, I had always assumed it might be one of those dream destinations that was just a little too difficult to get to from Australia. How wrong I was! I was pleasantly surprised by just how easy Seychelles was to reach.
Getting to Club Med Seychelles
For Australians, Seychelles is actually much more accessible than you might think. There are direct flights from Perth to Mauritius with Air Mauritius then two and a half hours onto Seychelles. Once you arrive at Mahé, the main island of Seychelles, the journey to Club Med is seamless. The airport transfer takes you directly to the port, where Club Med has its own beautiful reception area. The port reception immediately sets the tone for the holiday: modern, comfortable and air-conditioned, with tea, coffee and Wi-Fi available. Then comes the fun part, a 10-minute speedboat ride to Sainte Anne Island, showcasing just how special the location is.
Your own island paradise
Club Med Seychelles occupies Sainte Anne Island, just off the coast of Mahé. It is a large resort and, most importantly, the only resort on the island. That gives it a wonderfully secluded feeling. Once you arrive, you really do feel as though you have escaped to your own private tropical island. The resort is incredibly spread out, which is part of its charm. There are beaches, pools, restaurants, activity areas, the spa and accommodation dotted throughout the island, surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. Fortunately, there is a continual buggy service to take guests around the resort, while this service is incredibly easy the resort is still completely walkable. Some of my favourite moments were simply wandering along the paths and discovering another beautiful corner of the island.
The rooms: from beautiful to spectacular
Even the Superior rooms are beautiful, spacious and stylish, with the tropical surroundings very much incorporated into the design. For those wanting something a little more luxurious, some of the Deluxe accommodation comes with private pools or upgrade to the top in the three-bedroom villa complete with its own butler!
There is so much to do
One of the things I loved most about Club Med Seychelles was that this is not simply a resort where you lie on a sun lounge for a week. Although you absolutely can! There is an incredible range of activities included, from hiking through the island to diving, glass-bottom kayaking, catamaran sailing and stand-up paddleboarding. Then there is tennis and padel, beach volleyball, yoga, archery, aqua gym and plenty more. For an active traveller, you could easily fill your entire holiday without repeating an activity.
Families are incredibly well catered for
Club Med Seychelles isn’t just a couples’ escape. Families are very well catered for, with the Kids Club available from two years of age. There are plenty of activities for children, while parents and grandparents can enjoy some much-needed downtime knowing that the kids are being entertained in the pool, beach and other water activities.
A spa day worth making time for
If relaxing is more your idea of a holiday, the Club Med Seychelles spa is somewhere you will want to spend some time. It is beautiful, tranquil and feels like a destination in itself. You can spend the day being completely spoilt with world-class treatments before enjoying the steam room, sauna and spa pool. It is the perfect antidote to an active morning exploring the island.
Exploring beyond Sainte Anne
Although there is plenty to keep you busy at Club Med, I highly recommend getting out and exploring some of the surrounding islands. We took a fabulous day trip to La Digue, which is around a two-hour boat ride from the resort. La Digue is one of those places that feels almost too beautiful to be real. The spectacular beaches, enormous granite boulders, crystal-clear water and relaxed island atmosphere make it a very special day out. For me, Seychelles had a real Caribbean feeling with the white sand beaches, incredible blue water and wonderful Creole culture.
The food is next level
There are two main dining experiences at Club Med Seychelles, and both offer something quite different. Turtle Cove is the main buffet restaurant in the resort centre. It is spacious, vibrant and offers a huge variety of food. The Reef Beach Lounge is on the other side of the resort and offers fabulous beach dining with the sand and ocean right beside you, as well as beach BBQs. Having different dining areas spread throughout such a large resort means you can change the atmosphere depending on your mood.
And then there were the tortoises…
But if I’m being completely honest, the seven resident tortoises were probably my favourite part of Club Med Seychelles. These magnificent creatures are mainly found around the Beach Club, happily eating the greenery or sleeping in the shade of a paddle board. And they have absolutely zero fear of guests. They wander around as though they own the place — which, truthfully, they probably do. They would casually make their way between the sun lounges, occasionally attempting to squeeze themselves into narrow spaces. I could have watched them all day. There was something so wonderful about seeing these incredible creatures simply going about their day while guests relaxed around them. It was one of those completely unexpected experiences that made the resort feel even more special.
My verdict
Club Med Seychelles is one of those resorts that is difficult to describe without using words like spectacular, stunning and incredible, because it genuinely is! The combination of the beautiful beaches, lush island setting, incredible food, luxurious accommodation and that unique Creole atmosphere makes it feel very different from many other Club Med resorts. As an Exclusive Collection resort, it combines everything guests love about Club Med with an elevated level of luxury.
If you’re looking for somewhere that combines adventure, luxury, incredible beaches and that unmistakable Club Med feeling, all on your own tropical island in the Indian Ocean, Club Med Seychelles deserves to be at the top of your travel list. And if you happen to see one of the tortoises wandering past your sun lounge, give them right of way, they were there first!
