Dive into paradise - A title could not describe this wonderful cruise much more aptly. The fascinating island world of the Maldives, the Seychelles with their world-famous beaches, the cuddly giant tortoises and the largest nut in the world, and at the end also the beautiful islands of La Réunion and Mauritius are on our exciting route through the magical world of the Indian Ocean.
I am standing at the railing of the luxurious MS Europa 2, right at the top on deck 10. The departure hymn sounds softly from the loudspeakers and sends goose bumps down my spine. Three long notes from the ship's typhon, with which we say goodbye to an island and at the same time say thank you for the wonderful hours we were allowed to spend there. The emotional melody and the waving with the people in the harbour, truly indescribable, this moment!
I sniff the warm, salty evening air as paradise truly passes me by. Small green islands, framed by dazzling white beaches, scattered in the endless expanse of the Indian Ocean. I am so happy to be on board that I can't even find the right words to describe this feeling of happiness. On a scale of 1 to 10, it would probably be somewhere around 100!
The Maldives: Fifty Shades of Blue ... at least!
After leaving Colombo, the bustling capital of Sri Lanka, in the middle of the night two days ago, we hit land again for the first time today: We have reached the Maldives! No matter which direction I look, the colour blue clearly dominates the picture. But it's no ordinary, unspectacular blue, rather several hundred different shades of this colour.
The crystal-clear water shines in a bright turquoise blue, the ocean behind the protective reefs in a rich dark blue and the sky today dresses itself in a beautiful cobalt blue. Depending on the position of the sun, the time of day and even if one of the small candyfloss clouds moves in front of the sun for a short moment, the whole picture changes again into a new, harmonious composition.
We are allowed to explore two very enchanting and, above all, very different islands during this cruise: the relatively large island of Lohifushi, where we can enjoy the amenities of an exclusive Maldives hotel, and the tiny uninhabited Kuda Finolhu in the South Malé Atoll with its paradisiacal lagoon.
Already when we are greeted with drum sounds and colourful cocktails on Lohifushi as we leave the tender boat, I am blown away. And again when, later in the day, I snorkel the island's beautiful reef and spot not only two turtles and all kinds of colourful fish, but also a blacktip reef shark and even a group of wild dolphins. For the latter, however, I am a bit too slow under water and unfortunately only see them from a distance.
While we spend our first day on Lohifushi rather quietly, snorkelling now and then and just enjoying the relaxed island life, the following day on the uninhabited islet of Kuda Finolhu turns out to be absolutely spectacular. Even during the crossing with the Zodiacs, I can see that the crew of the Europa 2 has really done a wonderful job.
A huge buffet, with everything a real foodie's heart could possibly desire, is laid out on the snow-white beach. The wonderful smell of grilled fish, meat and even bratwursts rises to my nose and makes my mouth water.
I love barbecues! Crisp salads, various vegetables, fruits, ice cream and sweet cocktails ... Together with the gorgeous backdrop of the island, everything is just perfect. Even the on-board band plays live and in the middle of the sand!
What's the best way to pass the time on an uninhabited Maldives dream island? Swim and snorkel for hours in the incredibly shallow and wonderfully warm lagoon! Small blacktip reef sharks, majestic manta rays, turtles and even wild dolphins can be spotted if you're lucky. Not to mention all the other colourful reef inhabitants!
Later, as I sit in the beautiful Yacht Club , my absolute favourite restaurant on the ship, and admire the pink evening sky, I ask myself several times why such perfect days always go by far too quickly. Do I really have to say goodbye to the Maldives again now?
Sea days: excitement, relaxation, workout and ... waffles!
We need three days to cover the 1,240 nautical miles from the paradisiacal Maldives to the equally beautiful islands of the Seychelles. Three relaxing days in which I devote myself entirely to the pleasant side of life: Waffles! These are almost legendary on the Europa 2 and are baked fresh every afternoon between 3 and 5 p.m. by the Executive Waffle Master himself.
The entire pool area smells of the sweet waffle batter during this time and there really is no escape, believe me. Unless you prophylactically lock yourself in your suite from 2pm onwards. Every day also has a different waffle theme. Today, for example, I'm having the banana split version, but mango, black forest cherry or egg liqueur are also outrageously delicious!
Of course I have to counteract the inevitable, and unfortunately also far too fast, consequences of high waffle consumption with something solid. How fitting that on this cruise Maria Höfl-Riesch, the three-time Olympic champion, is also on board with her fitness concept BE.YOU. developed especially for the Europa 2.
After a short, personal analysis of my general state of fitness, I train together with her and 7 other waffle athletes to keep the damage to a minimum. With Maria, the training is even really fun. While we are all sweating on the bike, she tells totally nice and entertaining little anecdotes from her life and career.
Sebastian Fitzek, currently Germany's most successful thriller author, provides the perfect counterbalance to the inevitable relaxation on sea days with his exciting readings in the theatre on deck 4. In dim lighting and with titles like "Fascination Violence", he takes me to the abysses of the human soul for a few hours.
But I discovered that he also has another, completely normal and really nice side when I was allowed to sit with him for a few hours at his favourite place on the ship, the cosy Sansibar, for an article for Europa 2 magazine. And yes, I now have a new favourite author!
I would have loved to stay much longer in the Seychelles!
La Digue, Praslin and Mahé - The three beautiful main islands of the Seychelles enchant me from the first minute. As soon as I spot the bright green silhouette of Praslin from the deck, still very early in the morning, a huge load of anticipation spreads through me: Wow, I'm really here in the Seychelles!
On Praslin, the second largest island of the so-called inner Seychelles, I take a leisurely morning walk through the wonderfully green Vallée de Mai. This valley, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, is home to the world-famous Coco de Mer (also known as the Seychelles palm), whose huge fruits you've probably seen on postcards or photos of the Seychelles.
Some of the rarest known bird species in the world, such as the vasa parrot, can also be seen here in the Vallée de Mai.
Unfortunately, the weather is not quite as good in the afternoon and I experience my first beach in the Seychelles in the rain. But even under these circumstances, Anse Georgette is really beautiful!
The next day belongs entirely to La Digue, the undisputed jewel of the main islands of the Seychelles. In the tiny harbour town of La Passe, I rent a bicycle, as this is the best way to discover the small island.
There are already cars on La Digue, but thankfully only very few. Everyone here really rides a bike, which is a good thing considering the island's small size of only about 10 km.2 it's the perfect way to get around. Or, of course, the ox cart!
The picturesque paths on La Digue wind either directly along the coast, practically from dream beach to dream beach, or through dense tropical forests in the island's interior. Both have their charm, and once again I am blown away!
I try to find the famous Anse Source d'Argent as early in the morning as possible and arrive at this truly spectacular beach before the crowds. The crystal-clear water, the impressive rock formations, the snow-white sand - no wonder this beach has been voted one of the most beautiful in the world several times!
Besides, the way there is already dreamlike. It leads me through the L'Union Estate, a beautifully designed nature reserve, where I cycle through shady palm groves and fragrant vanilla plantations.
Even more beautiful than Anse Source d'Argent, however, I find the Grande Anse with its vastness and the brilliant waves. This is exactly how I imagine a dream beach in the Seychelles!
The next day on Mahé, the weather is a bit ticklish again, so I make do with a leisurely stroll through Victoria, the lively capital of the Seychelles. There are only a handful of real sights to discover here.
For example, the shiny silver bell tower L'Horloge, a caricature of London's Big Ben and now one of Victoria's landmarks, the botanical gardens, a pretty Hindu temple or the lively Sir Selwin Clarke Market. But that's exactly what makes a walk through Victoria so cosy, the absence of too many highlights.
I spend my afternoon reading (the new book by Sebastian Fitzek, of course) in the Zanzibar. And gazing into the distance. Supposedly, an adult can see about 4.7 kilometres to the horizon. Hmm, it seems almost infinite to me today, perhaps because of the delicious cocktail?
The green island of La Réunion and the final stop Mauritius
Our last stop on this cruise is the incredibly green island of La Réunion. Logically, the nature here is only so lush and dense because it rains quite often. The many waterfalls for which this island is so famous are no coincidence either.
So it is not surprising that we also get quite a bit of water from above on this day. It rains almost the whole day. At least in the mountains, where we wanted to enjoy the fabulous view of one of the island's impressive basins. But instead, dense fog creates a mystical atmosphere.
Later in the afternoon, fortunately, the fog lifts a little and we can really enjoy the last few hours on La Réunion.
Why does time always go by so much faster when you really enjoy something? I have been looking forward to this cruise for such a long time, and far too quickly the Europa 2 docks in the port of Mauritius the next morning, where I have to leave my favourite ship again full of melancholy.
Without me, it's on to Dubai. For now, I'll stay here on Mauritius for a few more days. But hey, there are certainly worse places to reminisce about this wonderful cruise and to look at the 2,000 photos I took during the last two weeks, right?
Have you ever been to one of these beautiful islands in the Indian Ocean? Which one did you like best and what did you experience there? I look forward to your comments here on my travel blog!
More travel tips for the Indian Ocean
Mauritius sights: my 10 favourite places & travel tips
Bonjour Mauritius: from relaxed rainy days in paradise
Maldives Islands: turquoise lagoons & snow-white dream beaches
An untouched paradise awaits you on this Maldives trip
Maldives holidays: where the dream of paradise comes true
*This article was written as part of a research trip with Hapag Lloyd Cruises. However, I was completely free in the implementation of the journalistic content and my opinion is, as always, my own.
