L’Union Estate Farm — Attraction in La Digue

We arrived at the beach of L’Union Estate Farm as part of a guided hiking tour on September 18, 2024. The beach was the endpoint of the tour and also the basecamp of the tour operator. The tour was overall very beautiful and eventful, but the end of the tour resulted in an extremely unfortunate and problematic situation. We were now at the beach of the farm, and the only way to reach our accommodation was to cross the grounds of L’Union Estate Farm. When we tried to leave the property, we were stopped by a security guard who demanded €10 per person because we had walked approximately 200 meters through the property. It should be noted that we did not visit the farm itself; it was already too late for that, and we were simply tired. The fact that the farm charges a €10 fee to leave was only communicated to us during the tour, and by that time, we had no money with us. The security guard, a woman in her early 60s with a distinctive physical appearance (short, overweight), was extremely uncooperative. Despite explaining multiple times that we had no money on us and offering to pay the fee the next day when we would also have time to visit the farm, she insisted that we had to pay. She then offered an alternative: we could leave the property via the beach. We proceeded to the beach, only to find that leaving was impossible. It was high tide, and a concrete wall ran along the beach. The water level was over 1.5 meters high. This route was not only inappropriate but also posed a serious threat to life and limb. The security guard was fully aware of this. When we returned to the main exit, she closed the gate (a 4-meter-high gate). Her refusal to give us her name (no name tag on her uniform) further aggravated the situation. I also asked her to call the police to clarify the matter, which she refused to do. My repeated suggestion that we return the next day, when we would actually have time to visit the farm, was also rejected by the woman. This procedure was not only a form of harassment but a deliberate and completely inappropriate endangerment of our safety and freedom. A long and frustrating discussion, including a phone call with our tour operator, was necessary before she finally let us go. I call on L’Union Estate Farm and those responsible to publicly address these incidents and ensure that such dangerous and unprofessional behavior is avoided in the future. However, the main problem is not the unprofessional security guard. The real issue is that the farm has the audacity to charge tourists, who land on the farm's beach and are forced to cross the property, a fee. This is nothing short of modern highway robbery. You simply do not treat guests of the island this way. Tourism is a major source of income for the Seychelles, and it is essential that visitors are treated with kindness and respect. I believe that making such issues public is the only way to bring about change. I can only hope that there will be more reviews like this in the future. In closing, I want to add something positive. The Seychelles are a wonderful country. The vast majority of people here are very friendly, open-minded, and helpful. I want to sincerely thank...

We visited L’Union Estate Farm as part of our day on La Digue, and it was a great experience. The entrance fee is 150 SCR per person, and the best part is that the ticket is valid for the entire day—you can enter and exit multiple times, which is super convenient.

We had to enter the estate because we had booked a Crystal Water Kayak tour, which starts from within the farm. Getting to the kayak launch point itself was a scenic ride—we rented bicycles (which we highly recommend for exploring La Digue in general) and cycled through the estate.

Once inside, the roads are well-maintained and shaded by tall trees, making it a peaceful and relaxing ride. The estate is home to a vanilla plantation, some giant tortoises, and you can access several stunning beaches, including the famous Anse Source d’Argent. There are also a few small eateries and restaurants scattered within or nearby, which is handy if you’re spending a few hours here.

Overall, it’s a lovely stop whether you’re here for a tour or just exploring on your own. Definitely worth the visit if you’re...

A sad experience seeing a large collection wonderful tortoises in a terrible and cramped walled enclosure, surrounded by hundreds of acres of farmland, some of which could be given over to them without impacting upon the crop yield from the farmed areas. The owners, farm managers, La Digue and Seychelles government should be ashamed of themselves for allowing such cruelty to the tortoises. Sadly about 30-40 giant Aldabra tortoises are imprisoned in a tiny area that has no vegetable or grass for them to graze. All they have is mud to sit on. outside their enclosure are a few trestle tables with old withered weeds strewn over them. This is the only food available for the tortoise. Sadly the tables are out of reach from the tortoises, relying upon visitors to pass the weeds over the...