What to expect
The old plantation house in La Passe on Silhouette is a building of great dignity and grace, typical of Creole architecture. This style always includes a generous veranda running around the whole building, with a staircase on each side, so there is more than one way in or out.
On the island the house is known as Grann Kaz, the "big house". The spelling Gran Kaz is also common. Today it is a local heritage museum run by the island's resort. Upstairs it displays mementoes of the Dauban family, newspaper cuttings about the treasure hunters of the 1950s and old ships' logbooks. The museum is small. It is worth visiting mainly for the house itself and the stories about the island.
History and construction
The Plantation House on Silhouette was probably built around 1861 as a private home for Henri Dauban, who as owner of the island employed 250 workers on his 2,000 acres. At that time copra, together with cinnamon oil, vanilla and hawksbill turtle shell, was one of the main sources of income in the Seychelles.
Accounts of the construction differ: one source gives 1860 as the year of building and names another family member as the builder. According to this, Henri Dauban and his brother later altered the house extensively, until it reached the form we see today. The Dauban family shaped the island well into the 20th century. Their mausoleum is also on Silhouette: Dauban Mausoleum.
Getting there
By boat from Mahé
This pretty timber house stands on the island of Silhouette, about 45 minutes by boat from Mahé. The crossing starts from the resort's landing stage at Bel Ombre. The resort, formerly the Hilton Labriz, is now called Niva Labriz Seychelles and is the only hotel on the island. It operates the boats.
According to the resort, two boats run each day. Guests are asked to be at the jetty 30 minutes before departure to check in. The timetable can change without notice.
| Trip | Departure from Bel Ombre (Mahé) | Departure from La Passe (Silhouette) |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | 10:00 AM | 08:30 AM |
| Afternoon | 4:00 PM | 3:00 PM |
Day trip
You can arrange a day trip through the resort. It used to cost about €100 per person, including the boat and lunch. We could not confirm whether that price still applies, so ask the resort for the current rate. Alternatively, excursions can be booked as part of boat tours. Whether and where you land at La Passe on these depends on the operator.
If you come with the resort boat, you have around four hours on the island between arriving in the late morning and the return trip at 15:00.
On site
The Gran Kaz stands directly opposite the harbour of La Passe. It is about five minutes' walk from the resort.
Opening hours, admission and time needed
The museum is open during the day. We could not confirm fixed opening hours or an entrance fee. Ask the resort, especially if you only have a few hours on the island.
According to the resort, the restaurant in the house opens in the evening from 18:30 to 22:00, though not every day of the week. The menu is Creole, with fish, curry and crab soup. Book early, as tables are usually filled by resort guests. If you have seen the museum by day, the house feels different in the evening, when the restaurant takes centre stage.
One to two hours is enough for the museum. The east coast catches the morning sun, which is the best time for photos of the veranda and the garden.
Tips
- Combine your visit with a walk along the beach at Anse La Passe. A few minutes north of the resort you will usually find quiet stretches.
- If you have more time, you can hike in Silhouette National Park, for example towards Anse Mondon. More routes are listed under hiking.
- The sea around the island is part of the Silhouette Marine National Park. Snorkelling and diving are possible there.
- You will find more about the island, its beaches and places to stay on the Silhouette page.
