La Digue

With perfect sandy beaches, tangled jungles and swaying palm trees, La Digue Island is the epitome of a tropical island getaway. A few minutes east of Praslin by boat, La Digue is the fourth largest of the Seychelles' inhabited islands with a population of about 2,000 people and an area of roughly four square miles (10 sq km).

Though it is a popular Seychelles holiday destination, La Digue Island has managed to avoid the enthusiastic tourist development that threatens some areas of Praslin and Mahé. La Passe is the only real settlement on the island, with a small casino and a quaint jetty where both rickety fishing boats and sleek yachts are moored.

Life on La Digue clings to Creole traditions more than other islands, and tourists can buy fresh fish direct from quayside fisherman, play dominoes late into the night at local bars, or accompany residents to Mass wearing their Sunday best. The laidback feel of the island is personified by the main mode of transportation, the slow-moving ox cart.

Urban life is only a small part of a holiday on La Digue Island; 40 percent of the island is devoted to nature reserves, enjoying the protection of National Park status. Most of the island's population lives on the low eastern plateau, with the rest given over to local flora and fauna like the Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher and the Aldabra Giant Tortoise.

As far as beaches on La Digue Island go, Anse Source d'Argent is by far the most popular. Voted among the top beaches in the world numerous times, Anse Source d'Argent is still only one of many beautiful beaches on La Digue.

Outdoor activities abound on La Digue, and visitors can enjoy climbing Eagle's Nest Mountain, taking bicycle tours of the jungle, or horseback riding on the L'Union Estate.