In the Seychelles people have learned to preserve unique nature. Neither private beaches nor the building of artificial islands for tourism are tolerated. The example of a former banana plantation on Platte Island, which is now a luxury hotel, shows exactly what this can look like.
Suddenly the traveler sees in color again. No matter how severe your color blindness was before – coming from Berlin you've settled on shades of gray – when you get off the plane they're all there: iridescent green, shades of blue reaching for the sky on the horizon, and pink vying for attention. Where were they all on the other side of the world that calls itself home?
Anyone who lands in the Seychelles comes to get their fill of what nature only provides in small doses back home. The equatorial sun acts like a filter that makes everything glow from the inside out. The 115 granite and coral islands, with the largest islands of Mahé, Praslin and Silhouette, are mostly criss-crossed by small mountain formations that have to be climbed and hiked through. This is the first big difference to the Maldives, which, as a flat, scattered group of islands, primarily attracts bathers. In addition, the government and the 99,000 Seychellois see themselves as protectors of their habitat and therefore do not tolerate private beaches or the building of artificial islands for tourism. The construction of a new hotel is also rejected in most cases. Only sophisticated environmental concepts or the use of existing buildings occasionally allow the government to give in. So the Seychelles remain true to themselves and exciting for everyone who is allowed to set foot on the islands north of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.
The example of the artist Michael Adams suggests that the exploration process could take a little longer. The Brit came to Mahé with his wife Heather 52 years ago and stayed. His paintings tell the story of the jungle, the everyday life of the people and the secrets of the islands in small, brightly colored pieces. Initially viewed with suspicion by the locals – they thought he was painting maps – they asked who was supposed to buy it. Tourists gave the answer and encouraged other local artists to earn their money this way.
Today, Adam's paintings can be found in various restaurants and hotels. By the way, also in the Hilton LXR Hotel Mango House. Located in the quiet southwest on the beach of Anse Aux Poules Bleues, it is ideal for bridging the days until you move on to the next island in one of the 41 rooms, villas and suites. Even if you're just stopping by for the fabulous octopus curry, you should hear the history of the house, which once belonged to Gian Paolo Barbieri, a successful Italian fashion photographer, and was built as a private home with spectacular sea views. Leftover furniture and photographs in the lobby still bear witness to the fact that this was once the living room. During breakfast, the eye falls on a heavy wooden door, which, removed from its previous place of use, appears to float decoratively in front of a wall. Once the entrance door to the refuge that the photographer created for himself and his lover, it now has a new purpose. The hotel staff reports that anyone who presses the door knocker three times will be celebrating their wedding shortly afterwards. The Saturday pool parties that Gian Paolo Barbieri once hosted and whose tradition the Mango House maintains every week to this day are also legendary. It is unclear whether neighbor and colleague Michael Adams ever celebrated the night here. But his showroom and home are just a few steps down the street.
A photo from his time at university hangs in the 87-year-old's studio. It shows him next to fellow student David Hockney. A phase of life that, followed by a professorship in Uganda, moving into the small white settler's house on Mahé, the independence of the Seychelles from Great Britain in 1976 and two children who now also work as artists, seems very far away. “We have traveled a lot as a family, but this island is a magnet to me that I will always return to.”
An attraction that suddenly becomes very noticeable when you set foot on Platte Island. The 130 km from Mahé south can be covered in a propeller plane in 25 minutes. Previously used as an uninhabited coconut plantation, since February of this year the Hilton Group's Waldorf Astoria has been welcoming guests who long for untouched nature but also place great value on comfort. With 50 villas, six restaurants and accommodation for the staff, you are the sole resident of the island, which is only 54 hectares small. A runway cuts the length of the island, which is shaped like a leaf. Unlike in the Maldives, seaplanes are banned in the Seychelles – for the sake of the sea creatures. Seen from the air, Platte pancake flat lives up to its name. A reef of turquoise and white Monet polka dots hugs the island.
The luggage has just been put down, sneakers and socks have been put together in the closet for the next few days, when the nature-hungry guest is already hurrying through the garden of his villa, past the private pool and through a sparse hedge of palm trees, straight to the sandy beach. Hordes of crabs, startled, open the way as they walk sideways. What the eye now sees effectively satisfies the wanderlust with white sandy beaches and turquoise water under palm trees. Nature meant well.
Baby sharks, stingrays and schools of fish (all completely harmless) swim in the shallow water. They accompany beach walkers along the water's edge. The reef is a kind of nursery for them, which they leave for the ocean when they reach a certain size. Occasionally dolphins and whales appear behind the reef. The turtles, on the other hand, remain omnipresent and yet hidden. They should be understood as a kind of teaching from Mother Nature that this place is many things but not a zoo. There are around 200 active nests on Platte in April. Anyone who manages to take their eyes off the sea will often discover coconuts in the thicket that have been converted into signs, on which the species and the day the eggs were laid are written.
Currently all nests belong to the green sea turtle. In the previous months, the endangered Hawksbill turtle sent its offspring into the world. Six environmental managers from the Waldorf Astoria help clean the beach of washed-up trash in the morning and monitor breeding activity. They hatch at sunset or at night. The moon serves as a light source to find the way to the water. None of the villas are built directly on the beach, it belongs to the animals. Artificial lighting is also used carefully and from midnight onwards, emergency lighting is used, which is completely sufficient for guests and does not distract small turtles from their path. They hide from sharks, crabs and anything else that could be dangerous to them in the sea grass, which covers the seabed like a plush carpet. Even snorkelers don't seem to be at risk, they stay hidden. No matter whether directly behind your own villa or at any other point on the island, the remaining inhabitants of the reef do not allow themselves to be distracted from their daily work and swim around astonished land creatures as a matter of course.
A camera is positioned at the so-called shark point for a long-term recording of the water. It belongs to the film team around actor Hannes Jaenicke. The 64-year-old has been campaigning for climate and species protection as well as sustainable travel with his TV documentaries for over 20 years. Africa has often been the focus of his investigative work. In his new role as the resort's sustainability ambassador, he is currently looking behind the scenes. What he finds in the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles gives him hope for tourism in harmony with nature: “Anyone who travels here will find one of the last paradises in the world and at the same time support its preservation, its breathtaking nature and biodiversity.”
Back at the villa, Yogi, the personal concierge, kindly asks via WhatsApp whether a transfer to the pier would be desired for the sunset cruise at 5 p.m. Absolutely – until then you can cool off in the outdoor or indoor rainforest shower. The water is recycled or comes from a desalination plant, which, like around 95 percent of the resort's equipment, is powered by solar power. The traveler, who is now completely wrapped in Aesop (vegan), realizes that the carefree attitude that comes with a clear conscience is also a luxury. People will never not travel – the luck of being in a place like this is too great – but they can choose how they do it.
On the way to the boat, we cross paths with another group of travelers who, coming from the sea, sit down in the trees with loud chirping. Some of the birds that live on the plate fly out in the morning and then busily report to each other about their day when they return in the evening. Others use the island as a breather while passing through, where there is no land in sight anywhere else. Viewed from the boat, it looks like a tiny green oasis in the omnipresent blue. Many of the coconut palms have now been replaced by plants that were native to the area before cultivation. The sun rushes towards the horizon, and within minutes all that remains is an apricot-colored strip of light and a bit of rosé in the glass.
There are hardly any mosquitoes on the plate. In the evenings you can enjoy riding one of the white bicycles that are parked in front of every villa. Have a quick aperitif at Lalin. When chief mixologist Dimitrije Vasiljevic and his team are not tinkering with essences in the laboratory using the milk or fat washing process, the results of which are clear drinks with a full taste, he makes classics grow beyond their original. The elegant “La Piña” replaces rum with tequila with Greek yogurt and salty coconut foam. The spicy “Smoky Maria” with Lapsang Souchong smoked tea formally invites you to the table.
There are slight delays on the way to dinner. The journey on the airplane runway is abruptly interrupted and the gaze is directed towards the sky. The Milky Way winds its way across the firmament, visible to the naked eye. A shooting star conveys the wish to keep light pollution at a distance here in the future.
The Moulin is one of the three evening restaurants, and at the same time it is more than that. The aim here is to appeal to the soul with a “soil to soul” concept. In the near future, around 95 percent of the ingredients on the predominantly vegetarian menu will come from the hotel's own garden. He is the pride and joy of chef Mukhammed Gavi, who likes to give guests a tour during the day and encourages them to harvest the ingredients for their lunch salad themselves. In the evening he creates a seven-course menu in his open kitchen, the sophistication of which takes plant-based cuisine to a new level. Maybe even to the first star for the Moulin.
On the way back to the villa, we look again at the starry sky. Four days won't be enough to tame the displeasure of having to leave this corner of the world and the team we've grown so fond of. Is it possible to form a covenant with a place? It's good that you've already knocked at least three times.
