Today, we still turn to the ocean for a sense of calm and clarity, the luxury of open skies and calming views, this time as a family of 3, soon to be 4. Unlike last times on long travels, we chose the holiday destination having in mind few child friendly features to make our holiday easier. And so it was, the perfect family getaway.
In our desire to show our kids as much of this world, with its different cultures, wildlife and so diverse lifestyles and cuisines we try not to stay limited by distances and kids ages.
Since becoming parents, we see life through the new eyes and angles which makes it way more colorful despite being more complicated sometimes.
The Seychelles vacation was the last holiday before Adriana had to share her mom with her baby brother so it had to be a special one. As for me, I considered it a baby moon holiday with a twist!
Nestled just above the equator, the Seychelles archipelago is known for some of the greatest beaches in the Indian Ocean. On the west coast of Mahé – the main island, we found Silhouette Island, mostly a conservation area on land and in the ocean, with a lush tropical scenery, emerald waters and white powdery beaches … a place that gives the unplugged feel, a place you give yourself up from the first footsteps on the island.
For such an isolated country, the Seychelles has a unique creole culture that blends a wide range of influences. This area was settled by Arab sailors, British colonialists, French settlers, Tamil and Chinese traders, and African slaves, all of these created a dynamic cultural mix-up that is unlike what we found anywhere else.
Hilton Labriz Resort & Spa, in Silhouette Island, is the only resort on this tropical island kept really private and natural, a stylish retreat that beautifully integrates among the luxury vegetation of this island.
Andre Borg, the General Manager, is a wonderful person and together with his family and team did their best for us to have a perfect holiday and we had it.
After a warm welcome at the reception, we were taken to our beach villa with a golf buggy. On our right side were glimpses of the glittering ocean, on our left the mountains covered with abundant vegetation. There’s something absolutely magical about the endless coasts of the Seychelles: the exotic Takamaka trees line up along the beach framed by the granite peaks, washed by the water that changes color every day in nuances of blue-green-grey and turquoise. There’s a reason they call the Seychelles “Paradise on earth,” and we noticed it as soon as we arrived.
The time spent on the beach in front of our villa, few steps from the ocean offered us hours of meditation, praise and peacefulness. Awake to the sound of waves breaking on the shore and the panoramic ocean views, this is exactly what I had in mind when I pictured my dream tropical getaway. Our stunning colonial-inspired villa is built to view the water right from the bed with no curtains needed and it boasts an outdoor garden shower amid the luxurious vegetation. It is perfectly integrated into the local environment.

FOOD
From the 7 restaurants to choose from, to the beach front private dining experience and our outdoor breakfast with an ocean view, we enjoyed all the culinary experience. My favorite places to dine were Grann Kazz- the Creole resturant, Sakura- the Japanese restaurant and Teppanyaki.

Grann Katz, the Creole one, is set in a plantation house, the restored home of the Dauban family, the former owners of the island. The Creole cuisine is actually a fusion of flavors from African, French, Chinese, Indian and English cooking. The building is authentic and the atmosphere is really nice, think “Gone with the wind” or “North & South” style. We enjoyed dinner under the moonlight on their outdoor veranda, my favorite tamarind chutney, coconut fish curry and shredded green papaya salad. To finish with, the choice of Creole desserts tingled our buds.

At Sakura, we dined Al fresco under the moonlight. One of our last dinners here featured a full moon rise over the ocean like a star light on a movie set. Such a spectacle of the moon rise from the ocean, against an indigo sky, it was beautiful beyond belief. For the sunrise lovers I have a suggestion, try have a moon rise somewhere at the Equator, you will be swept away.. an unforgettable experience.
Along with a very good dining, this dramatic moon rise made it our unique souvenir.

In the mornings, the breakfast outdoors with an ocean view, in the shade of rustling palm trees and coconut grove and that hidden wish a week to last forever..

CHILDREN Activities
This exquisite place is as romantic- for couples, as it is comfortable for families. This time we’ve been looking for features we didn’t pay attention before and all of them related to a 3 year old toddler. Child-friendly amenities include a private beach, children pool, playground, children’s program, game room with people dedicated to comfort the little ones. A lizard in the sand, bats chasing, treasure hunting, experiencing the local marine life- embrace adventure. It enriches, expands, and enlightens.
The one-hotel, one-island model gives children an unrivalled sense of freedom, predictably, perhaps, it was simple pleasures that won the day: watching an eagle ray in the water and chasing the geckos, outdoor showers, hermit crabs, spending days without shoes and building sand castles. Children prefer tearing around the island on treasure hunts, embrace adventure and explore the new place.

ACTIVITIES
You find here a dive center, a spa, a fitness center, a tennis court, a Jacuzzi, a hammam, a freshwater lagoon, a kids’ club, and beach equipment rentals. Bikes rental to explore the island is a great choice.
My husband used to jog along the beach ending the 6 km run into the ocean in front of our villa. A perfect ending for any sports activity.
We all got spoiled during this vacation, especially this 6 months pregnant mama.

I can only give my warmest recommendations to go here.