Seychelles - Mahe Island part two - Mission Ruins Lodge, Port Launay Marine Park

Next morning, the boys were up early and went out to feed tortoises right in front of our chalets without waking us up:).   We had two interconnected chalets and it really worked out well. 

:: Our Marine Boys..........

After breakfast and some morning snorkeling, we ventured out to the Mission Ruins and some other attractions around Mahe.   The beach was just so beautiful in the morning and there was hardly anybody there..it was like our own private beach!  James and the boys went snorkeling pretty far out and took some great underwater pictures.

One the way we stopped and ate lunch at the Surfers Beach Restaurant located right on the beach at Anse Parnel not far from our chalets.    The boys played on the beach while we were eating and found big hermit crabs:).  Food was delicious and we really fell in love with Seychelles ginger ale drink.  It has a very unique taste of mild ginger and it was so good...we drank it almost at all the restaurant we ate.  It was so refreshing!

The Mission Ruins: History of Slavery in Seychelles

The "Mission Ruins" are actually the ruins of Venn's Town, an industrial institution and sanctuary that accommodated children of liberated African slaves between 1876 and 1889.

Situated in the hills of Sans Soucis on the East side of Mahe, (the main island 151 sq km) of the Seychelles archipelago, the institution was named after Henry Venn, an Anglican missionary, who in 1799, together with William Wilberforce, the English abolitionist, co-founded the Church Missionary Society to spread Christianity in Africa and Asia, as well as creating orphanages for children of slaves.

Driving up to the Mission Ruins through curvy road...Beautiful scenery..

:: View from the top

:: Remain mission lodge

::Port Launay Marine Park

Port Launay Marine National Park is famous for its whale shark sightings. In their season, these huge gentle giants of the sea can be seen swimming lazily around feeding on the rich plankton that accumulates in the park.  

:: Beautiful Corals.....

:: Sand fight!!!!

:: Never seen sunset spectrum like this...amazing!

:: Sunset Snorkeling