Seychelles
The Seychelles are a group of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean that lie off the coast of East Africa, northeast of Madagascar.
Regions
Cities
- Victoria - is the Capital
Culture and History
The Seychelles were disputed between France and Great Britain during the age of colonialism, with Britain ending up in control in 1814. The islands achieved independence in 1976, however free elections did not occur until 1993. The politics of this island group remain in something of a state of flux, although this should not bother the tourist after a relaxing beach vacation.
Travel to Seychelles, visa requirements
Flights to Seychelles, airtickets
Air Seychelles flies to Singapore, London, Paris, Johannesburg and Rome via Boeing 767 aircraft. International service is also available from Nairobi (Kenya Airways), Dubai (Emirates), and Doha (Qatar Airways), London (British Airways), Paris (Air France) and regular charter services from Frankfurt (Condor) and Amsterdam (Martinair).
By boat
Get around
Flights to Seychelles, airtickets
Air Seychelles operates multiple daily flights between Mahe and Praslin. Over two dozen flights vary in frequency from 15 minute to 2 hour intervals, depending on time of day.
Air Seychelles also operates once daily or several times per week between Mahe and the islands of Bird, Denis, Fregate, Desroches and Alphonse.
By helicopter
Helicopter Seychelles provides shuttles between the main islands Mahe, Praslin and La Digue as well as charter flights to/from most of the inner islands. Helicopter Seychelles is the only scenic flight operator in the Seychelles. Depending on the timeframe, these scenic flights cover the main islands of Mahé, Praslin, La Digue and the surrounding smaller islands of Cousine, Félicité, Grande Seour, Curieuse and Cousin.
By Boat
Cat Cocos is a high speed catamaran operating twice or thrice daily roundtrips between Mahe and Praslin. The sailing normally takes one hour.
Five or 6 roundtrips daily are made by schooner ferry between Praslin and La Digue. The crossing is 30 minutes and the schedule is timed to interconnect with Cat Cocos.
It is also possible to take small boats from Mahe direct to La Digue, although departures can be unreliable, there is limited wet weather cover and the journey takes about 3 hours (but that's cheaper than an Indian Ocean Island cruise!)
Windward Islands - Windward Islands, one of the worlds largest yacht charter companies, can take care of all charter requirements, from bareboat to crewed in the Seychelles. Operating from 8 international offices (USA, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Caribbean, Monaco).
By car
Having a car is really a good idea. It is easier to find a good view point. You can only rent on Mahé and Praslin. You can find a car for only 45E per day.
Buses to Seychelles
Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (SPTC) runs daily bus services on the islands of Praslin and Mahe from morning to evening on nearly every available road on the island. the bus usually passes by every 15 minutes.
Talk
Languages spoken in the Seychelles are Creole (the official language), English and French.
Shopping, Seychelles souvenirs
Best place for shopping is Victoria, the capital. Best buy is the market at the city center. Seychelles Buy and Sell.
Good restaurants and cheap meals
The food culture of Seychelles is terrific. The main product of the country, fish, is cooked in a variety of ways. Especially the red snapper is very tasty and well known to visitors. Cheapest food: Collect coconuts on the beach and learn how to open their terrible cover (not the shell, that's easy; they have a thick cover of natural fibres; to open it: hit the coconut very strongly many times on the edges, sooner or later the fibres break up).
Mahe, anse du soleil. Can't remember the name of the place, but if you go to anse du soleil you can't miss it. Nice people, incredible fish (Red Snapper Filet in sauce was my favourite), acceptable prices.
Mahe, beau vallon bay. Can't remember the name of this place either (must return to the Seychelles soon...) but it was a buffet grill restaurant. Not as high quality as the first one, but very good prices. It must be the Boat House. The Boat House is currently the number one restaurant in the Seychelles. It provides friendly and excellent service. Open daily.
Cheaper: Baobab Pizzeria on the beach in beau vallon. The pizza was quite good and the prices really low. Try to reserve one of the two tables on the beach. Boabab is excellent if you are looking for a meal on a budget.
Seychelles nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.
If you enjoy a good beer you must try the local Seybrew beer, it tastes similar to a light Bavarian style beer and is a must to get you through those balmy days. You can save yourself a packet buying the beer from stores on the side of the road like the locals do rather than from hotels. A dark Takamaka Rum on the beach under the stars is the best way to end a day on the Seychelles.
Hotels, youth hostels, lodging
The Seychelles are not tolerant of backpackers turning up at the airport without accommodation booked. Most accommodations, however, are relatively expensive. Your best bet for a budget bed is renting an apartment.
City tours
Visit the beaches. Many of the beaches are untouched by man's influence. They offer clear blue skies and a tranquility you will rarely find. Visit the Vallee de Mai which is a world heritage site, and home to the world's largest seed: the coco de mer.
Learn
The University of the Seychelles has a medical degree for Americans.
Work
Working and doing business in the Seychelles can be difficult due to the the humidity and heat. Forget about wearing a suit or anything resembling one; rather, opt for a light cotton shirt and pants. The atmosphere in the Seychelles is relaxed and it can take a lot of effort to achieve very little. Foreign currency is very sought-after, but trading in it is illegal.
Stay safe
Seychelles is more or less safe. Just try to avoid any dark bylanes. Be careful not to leave your bag unattended on sparsely occupied beaches; most locals are poor and would love to get their hands on a wad of dollars or euros.
Stay healthy
Respect
Contact
Get out
- Try Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar
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