I booked into Chez Batista with a slightly worried look on my face, greeted at the reception by someone holding a young baby, the place itself quite 'rustic' I did wonder what the experience would be like....

The room I was gievn sat back from the main reception, but was large, clean and beautifully laid out, if a little disjointed in its decor. The bathroom was sizeable and the a/c worked, which is always a bonus in Seychelles.

Once I'd unpacked, I ventured out to the restaurant for a quiet beer, armed only with my book. It was at this point when any cares or concerns I may have harboured, just ebbed away and I suddenly felt like I was truly at home. The views from the restaurant/bar area were stunning and the beer was nice and affordable, not words one usually associates with Seychelles. The sea lapped in front of me on a large and empty beach, with small white ghost crabs feeding on scraps found in the pure white sands.

The meal I had was a beautiful home made octopus curry which is an absolute must have in Seychelles, but done fantastically well here.

Takamaka is a stunning beach, shared amongst the 8 or so rooms of Chez Batista and the locals who come down to enjoy the afternoon sunshine. So essentially the space and sea is yours. It's nice swimming with some coral if you venture out and some inquisitive fish who followed me around as I took my afternoon dip.

To sum up then, it's a brilliant place to stay, great value for money, properly homely and warm in its welcome and stunning in location terms. The food is very good value and it's one of the most amazing places to enjoy a sundowner beer (£3.50) or cocktail.

Just a lovely lovely place to enjoy a few days r & r.