About Seychelles

The Seychelles is an unspoilt tropical paradise thousands of miles from anywhere. Here you will find magnificent palm-fringed beaches, superb snorkelling and diving, and plenty of forested wilderness filled with wildlife.

The Seychelles are made up of three parts, Mahé, Fregate and Praslin.

Victoria is on the island of Mahé and is one of the smallest capital cities in the world, and the only major port in the Seychelles. While in Victoria you should visit The Natural History Museum which contains the bones of the extinct Seychelles crocodile. The National History Museum, which displays the history of the country's people. Victoria's Botanical Gardens are a beautiful sight. Victoria is also great for it’s up-market restaurants.

About 3km west of Victoria is Beau Vallon Beach. It is one of the largest and most popular beaches in the Seychelles. The waves can sometimes be large, as there is a big break in the reef.

The nicest area for swimming and snorkelling is opposite tiny Île Souris, on the east coast. On the west coast, Anse Soleil and Anse Petite Police are also beautiful. Here you will see palm-fringed beaches, boulders to dive or snorkel from and an abundance of spectacular marine life.

Ste Anne Marine National Park is located a few km off Victoria. There are six islands lying within the park and snorkelling here is magnificent. You must visit Moyenne island, famous for its buried treasures and ghosts. There is also a great walking trail around the island. Round Island is another great island to visit here, the best place in the country for traditional Créole food.

On the island of Praslin, Vallée de Mai has largest amount of coco de mer palms in the Seychelles, 4000. This valley's prehistoric forest is World Heritage listed. Here you will also find the fascinating wild pineapple, wild coffee and the allspice bush. You may even spot the Seychelles black parrot, which is only found on Praslin.

Anse Lazio is the best beach on Praslin and one of the best in the country. It is located on the far north of the island. The beach has sparkling white, soft sand some rounded granite boulders and some good waves. The water is a spectacular turquoise colour. It is a great beach for snorkelling.

Cousin Island is about 2km off the south-west coast of Praslin. It is a nature reserve and home to several endangered species, as well as being a breeding ground for seabirds and turtles. The rarest birds are the brush warbler and magpie robin, and you might also get to see a white-tailed tropic bird, which is the emblem of Réunion and Mauritius. The island is also home to two very old tortoises, George and Georgina, who follow visitors around in the hope of having their necks stroked.

Culture

Most Seychellois are Catholic, but there is a widespread belief in the supernatural and in the old magic of spirits known as gris.There are a number of bonhommes and bonfemmes di bois practising their cures and curses and concocting potions for love, luck and revenge.

English and French are the official languages and both are spoken by most people.

The Seychelles is the best of all the Indian Ocean islands for Créole cuisine. Fish and rice are the staple foods, fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices are used also. The range of fish and seafood available is huge.

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You'll get a better rate for travellers cheques than for cash. No restrictions apply on taking rupees in or out of the country, but you'll get a much better rate in the Seychelles than you will anywhere else. Victoria is well endowed with banks, and in villages where they're further apart you can usually change money at the bigger hotels (though the rate probably won't be the best).

Tipping is welcomed but not obligatory. A 10% service charge is added to your bill in hotels and restaurants.

Transport

An extensive bus service operates throughout Mahé, and there's limited service on Praslin. Mini Mokes are the hire cars in the Seychelles. Taxis run on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, and fares are set by the government.

There are plenty of bicycles for hire on Praslin and La Digue.

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