La Domaine de L’Orangeraie

This pretty boutique hotel is our pick of the accommodation options on the gorgeous island of La Digue.

As you approach the island on the ferry (the only way to get to La Digue, there is no airport!) you can see the hotel perched right by the sea. Upon arrival, a short walk or golf cart ride takes you to the hotel lobby.

There are hardly any motorised vehicles on La Digue, so everyone gets around by bike, or on foot. This gives the place a slow, other-wordly feel, and helps to slow down the pace of life on the island. Come and stay here if you want to escape the faster pace of the rest of the world.

La Domaine do L’Orangeraie offers a choice of restaurants and meal plan options, but they can also provide you with a packed lunch. All perfectly sized to fit into a bicycle basket, for you to take on trips around the island in search of the perfect picnic spot. So, take your buckets and spades and install yourselves under a shady tree for the day.

We spent our honeymoon here and found a new beach every day by bicycle. Highlights were snorkelling with turtles, visiting the giant tortoise reserve, and strolling through the Veuve nature reserve, spotting the endemic Seychelles flycatcher.

We also bought coconut oil direct from the refinery and ate out in the evenings at local restaurants, a short walk from the hotel. It’s hard to imagine a more relaxed family holiday, that lets you set your own pace quite so well.