La Digue Island

Wednesday, September 23, 2009 ·

By Jane Kieseker

If it were for sale, La Digue would attract keen competition from the world's billionaires. This is an enchanting tropical paradise. The fourth-largest island in the Seychelles, La Digue extends to an area of 10 sq km and lies to the east of Praslin Island.

La Digue is the fourth largest inhabited island of the Seychelles, lying east of Praslin and west of Felicite Island. It has a population of about 2,000 people, who mostly live in the west coast villages of La Passe (linked by ferry to Praslin and Mah) and La Runion.

It supports a population that used to survive on fishing, copra and vanilla production, but nowadays tourism is the name of the game and the whole island is geared to providing a memorable holiday experience. There are several hotels and guest-houses that offer simpler accommodation and it's also possible to see this magical place by making a day trip from nearby Praslin.

The beaches, especially Anse Source d'Argent and Anse Pierrot, are fabulous, often set off by tumbled rock formations that seem like dramatic granite sculptures. There are plenty of hidden coves to discover, too.

Getting around is a matter of foot or pedal power, as there are few vehicles and the locals use ox-drawn carts, which perfectly match the unchanging pace of island life.

Focal points are the harbour at La Passe on the west coast and L'Union Estate where traditional activities like copra production and boat building are still practised. A working vanilla plantation welcomes visitors.

La Digue's interior rises to Eagle's Nest Mountain (also known as Belle Vue), a peak that is 300 m (985 ft) above sea level and rewards the active visitor with wonderful views.

The densely forested Veuve Nature Reserve occupies much of the interior, and there are picturesque swamps, pools and inlets.

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