There are over 100 islands that make up the Seychelles arcipelago, the vast majority of which are completely uninhabited. Nature takes priority in the Seychelles. If you’re looking for white beaches and crystalline, blue sea but above all silence, peace and respect for nature, this is the place for you. The islands of Mahè, Praslin and La Digue offer the chance to escape the real world and get back to nature. Seychelles is a living museum of natural history and a sanctuary for some of the rarest species of flora & fauna on earth. With almost 50% of its limited landmass set aside as national parks and reserves, Seychelles prides itself on its record for far sighted conservation policies. Infact, these islands home two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the legendary Valleè de Mai on Praslin where the wondrously shaped Coco-de-Mer nut grows high on ancient palms and the fabled Aldabra, the world’s largest raised coral atoll, first seen by early Arab seafarers of the 9th century A.D.
Tips and Infos:
Capital
Victoria, Mahè Island
Climate
The Seychelles’ climate is one which is always warm and does not reach extremes of heat or cold. The temperature rarely drops below 24°C or rises above 32°C. It is generally cooler when the north-west trade winds blow during the months of November to March. The sea is generally calm and the weather warm and humid. A larger amount of the annual rainfall falls during the months of December to February. It is also fairly cloudy at times during those months and therefore less sunshine. The weather is hottest from December to April, and the humidity is high – often 80% or higher. The months of May to October bring drier, cooler weather, and livelier seas – particularly on south-eastern coasts.
Religion
Roman Catholicism remains the dominant religion of Seychelles but there are also Anglican and Protestant churches and the places of worship of other denominations. These live in harmony alongside, Muslim, Hindu and Bahaï communities.
Language
The official language is English and most of the white population speaks Afrikaans and German.
Currency
The local currency is the Seychelles Rupee (SCR) which is divided into 100 cents. Banking hours are generally Monday-Friday 08.30hrs-14.30hrs, and Saturday 08.30hrs-11.30hrs. All banks process traveller’s cheques and foreign exchange transactions. Passports are required for visitors’ transactions and nominal commissions may be charged. ATM facilities exist at major banks on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue and at the airport on Mahé and Praslin. Please note that these provide cash in local currency. Exchanging foreign currency into Seychelles Rupees must only be done at banks: it’s a criminal offence to change money with any person or business other than those authorised.
Credit Card
Major credit cards, including Visa and MasterCard, are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and tourist shops. Many guesthouses will still expect payment in cash. A few places add on an extra fee (typically 3%) to the bill to cover ‘bank charges’. When acquiring rupees by credit card, it is advisable to exchange only what is needed on a daily basis.
Time zone
Seychelles Standard Time is 4 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time ( GMT+4 ). Seychelles does not operate Daylight Saving Time. The time difference between Italy and the Seychelles during the summer is two hours while in winter three. In the Seychelles there are 12 hours of sunlight per day, all year round. The sun rises just after 6am and sets shortly after 6pm.
Documents
The following documents must be shown in order to obtain immigration clearance at the Seychelles International Airport:
. A passport valid on the date of entry to and exit from Seychelles
. Return or onward ticket
. Proof of accommodation; including contact details
. Sufficient funds for the duration of the stay (150$ per day)
Presentation of all documents will grant you a Visitor’s Permit that will be issued upon arrival by the Seychelles Department of Immigration. This Permit is initially valid for the period of visit of up to one month. It can be extended for a period of up to three months from the date of issue.
Phone service
The telephone system is efficient and reliable. Telephone cards are available from Cable & Wireless. Local calls within and between the main islands, as well as international calls, cost around Rs 4 per minute. When phoning the Seychelles from abroad, you need to dial the international code for the Seychelles (248), followed by the seven-digit local number. There are no area codes. Calling abroad from the Seychelles, dial 00 for international access, then the country code, area code and local number.
Electricity
Throughout Seychelles the voltage is 220-240 volts AC 50 Hz. Seychelles uses the British standard square three-pin, 13 amp sharp electric plug. Visitors from countries other than the United Kingdom are advised to bring their own adaptors.
Vaccinations and medical advice
Vaccinations are not required before the trip. There is no yellow fever in Seychelles and as a precaution, a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travelers over 1 year of age who come from or who have passed through an infected area within the preceding 6 days. There is NO risk of contracting malaria: the anopheles mosquito does not exist in Seychelles. Medical facilities and call-out doctors are available to visitors on request from accommodation establishments and island resorts. For emergency situations please call 999. Below are important telephone numbers for any health matters:
Seychelles hospital: (248) 4 38 80 00
Emergency toll free number for accident and emergency unit: 1517
Accomodations
The rapidly changing face of Seychelles’ accommodation scene, in which new and renovated establishments are coming on line regularly, is providing visitors with wider choice and options in their selection of holiday accommodation. A large range of affordable, new and refurbished hotels, self-caterings and charming Creole guesthouses are joining the ranks of existing 5-star hotels and exclusive island retreats to offer nice stays among. 16 of Seychelles’ 115 islands currently offer accommodation with more comfort and are expected to develop hotel facilities in the near future.
Traditional Food
The kitchen of the Seychelles, also called Creole cuisine , is an exotic cuisine, simple, a little spicy, fresh and young. Its dishes are mixed around the Meelting pot of races, traditions, cultures, Asian, African and European. A Full Fusion where it is possible to find French cuisine, Indian, Chinese, English and Italian.
The fish is served by all means, raw, stewed, grilled, spiced, cooked with coconut milk and you can eat also parrot fish, mackerel, sharks but even turtles are prohibited. The fruits can be found anywhere and at very low prices. As in Indian cuisine, spices and hot peppers are used almost everywhere: in the Seychelles there are more than 10 types of chillies, while the local spices you can find are ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper. However, the main ingredient used is the rice: Rice with Curry is found everywhere. If you love the extreme food, Seychelles offer 2 spectacular options: Stew Bat and Shark Chutney, a recipe with shark meat.
Visas
Seychelles is a visa-free country which means that there are no visa requirements for any persons wishing to travel. An individual document is also required for children. Upon entering the country, a stamp is affixed to the passport indicating the length of stay that never exceeds thirty days. In the case of extension of the stay, you can only contact the competent immigration offices. The visitor’s permit is issued free of charge for the first three months after which there is a fee of SCR5,000 for extension covering each period of three months or any part thereof. Failure to comply with the expiration date may result in expulsion from the country. For all visa exemptions and extensions and other enquiries regarding immigration issues please contact:
Department of Immigration
Independence House
PO Box 430, Victoria
Mahé, Seychelles
Tel: +248 4 29 36 36
Fax: +248 4 22 50 35
Email: info@immigration.gov.sc
OUR Tours:
We can build for you tailored tours following your requirements according to the available time, the period of year, the desire to travel in group, family, couple or alone, the presence of young children (aged between 5 and 12 years)
- ” In order to take part in our travel you have to take out a personal health insurance. Remember that we ask you to show the insurance policy at the start of the selected tour. Without the policy you cannot begin your trip. In order to better organize the trip in that period of the year, we ask you to book well in advance, as well as for any other tour “
