Plan For A getaway This Holiday Season To Seychelles Islands
The world’s best beaches. Made up of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, Seychelles is a beach lover’s paradise. Regularly named the most beautiful beach in the world. Experience Seychelles!
Seychelles is one of the most popular destinations in the Indian Ocean. Seychelles lies northeast of Madagascar, an archipelago of 115 islands with roughly 98,000 citizens. Seychelles is a melting pot of many cultures which have commingled and coexisted since the first settlement of the islands in 1770. The three main inhabited islands are Mahé, Praslin and La Digue and the official languages are English, French and Seychellois Creole.
Travellers prefer to visit Seychelles with their family or as a honeymoon destination with their loved ones.
The Islands
Islands reflect Seychelles’ grand diversity, like a great family, both large and small, each one with its own distinct character and personality.
One hundred and fifteen islands scattered across 1,400,000 sq km. of the ocean. Every visitor to Seychelles will surely want to visit as many islands as possible during their stay.
The islands fall into two categories: 41 ‘inner’ granitic islands that form the backbone of Seychelles’ tourism offerings with their wide suite of services and amenities, most of which are readily accessible through a selection of day trips and excursions, and the remoter ‘outer ‘coral islands where at least an overnight stay is essential.
When in Seychelles you will definitely want to visit as many islands as possible. The 3 most popular Islands include:
Mahe Island
Mahé, Seychelles’ Main Island, is home to the capital, Victoria; the majority of the population; international airport and hub of the island’s tourism infrastructure. Mahé’s virgin forests cascade down lush mountainsides to more than 60 beaches where, often, the only footprints you will find will be your own. With its bustling port, Mahé is Seychelles’ commercial centre and home to most retail outlets and tourism facilities. Many are concentrated towards the north of the island while the south with its picturesque villages proposes a quieter pace of life. Victoria is full of history, Creole character and delightful nooks & crannies like the busy market, two cathedrals, Botanical Gardens and Esplanade where you are sure to find that local souvenir. Despite its timeless charm, Mahé possesses a modern yet discreet infrastructure such as Eden Island with its elegant marina and mall, casino, bars choice of restaurants and vibrant nightlife. Mahé offers a wide choice of accommodation options in luxurious, international 5-star resorts, bouquet hotels, well-appointed villas and attractive guesthouses and self-caterings offering great value for money… …your stepping stones to the holiday experience of a lifetime.
Praslin Island
Image courtesy of Paul Turcotte- Tourism SeychellesSeychelles’ second largest island, Praslin, lies 45 km northeast of Mahé and is accessible by Air Seychelles domestic flights in 15 minutes. It is ideally situated for holidaymakers wishing to island-hop to a handful of nearby exotic destinations such as Chauve Souris, Cousin, Curieuse, St. Pierre, La Digue and the Aride bird reserve. It is also a haven for nature lovers seeking rare endemic species such as the black parrot for which Praslin is the last habitat or wishing to explore the island’s network of footpaths. Praslin’s original name of ‘Isle de Palme’ bears eloquent testament to its reputation as home to the Vallée de Mai UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of only two places in the world where the famous Coco-de-mer grows wild on palms 40 meters tall and some 200 years old. So impressive is this forest, even today, that it once led General Gordon (of Khartoum) to state his conviction that this was the site of the original Garden of Eden. The island is divided by a ridge of hills running from east to west, intersected by a road that leads through the Vallée de Mai and possesses some of the most striking beaches of the archipelago such as Anse Lazio, widely acclaimed to be the most beautiful beach on earth. Praslin, the location of one of Seychelles’ most prestigious hotels, the five-star Lémuria Resort at Anse Kerlan with its 18-hole golf course, stands at the forefront of Praslin’s tourism industry with its rich assortment of hotels and guesthouses.
La Digue
La Digue, lying forty kilometres (25 miles) from Mahé and 7 km (3.5 miles) from Praslin is the fourth largest island in Seychelles after Silhouette. This granite island receives its visitors mainly by boat at the quaint jetty at La Passe and is a popular destination for holidaymakers wishing for a taste of the traditional. This is a place where the bicycle still holds sway and where hotels on La Digue are for the most part situated along its west coast while its east coast tends to have a wilder aspect. Anse la Source d’Argent is among the island’s most famous beaches, celebrated for its granite boulders that seem to have been sculpted by a divine hand to adorn a beach of breathtaking beauty. At the Union Estate, visitors will have the chance to view some of the traditional local industries of times past. Nature lovers will have the opportunity to seek out the rare black paradise flycatcher, once thought to be extinct but now protected in the La Digue Vev Special Reserve which is also home to two rare species of terrapin. La Digue is also an ideal stepping-stone for the nearby island attractions of Grande and Petit Soeur, Félicité, Coco and Marianne.
Food
It comes as no surprise that seafood plays a massive part in Seychellois cuisine. Usually served with rice, most restaurants offer fish dishes that use a variety of traditional cooking methods, whether steamed, grilled, salted, baked and even wrapped in banana leaves. The eclectic fusion of spices is what gives our exquisite Seychellois Creole cuisine its tantalizing array of salads, mouth-watering main courses and decadent desserts; a nod to the country’s rich colonial heritage that has merged Seychellois cuisine with African, British, French, Indian and Chinese influences. Signature delicacies to look out for include Fruit Bat Curry and the classic Ladobe pudding, a sweet dessert of breadfruit cooked in coconut milk and sugar.
People & Culture
The Seychellois are a colourful and harmonious blend of different nationalities from across the globe, all of whom have brought something of their own customs and cultures to create a well-integrated, harmonious and vibrant modern island state with a distinct culture enriched from many continents. Where other nations live in fear of their neighbours, Seychelles has successfully woven disparate influences into a live-and-let-live philosophy in which harmony has become a way of life.
In terms of religious orientation, French Catholicism has proved the most influential, even surviving British rule and popular Mass and other parish feasts are colourful occasions for Seychellois to dress up in their Sunday best and socialise.
The Creole Language, an adaptation of 17th Century French with other words and expressions coming from Africans and Malagasises, is the lingua franca and has been elevated to national language status, earning the same respect that English and French receive. Today, Creole is a written language as well as spoken, resulting in an outburst of creativity in plays, poetry and prose.
Things To Do and See
Attractions
No two islands are the same and every island has its own hidden gem, must-see attractions, beautiful beaches and not-to-miss experiences. The wild and rustic Seychelles is unapologetically raw in its natural charm and offers endless things to see.
From island to island, you will find both that perfect peace and the hint of mystery from eccentric houses and crumbling walls, draped with ferns and lianas, telling the story of man’s brief but eventful history there.
With bustling markets, colonial-style mansions, coastal mangrove forests, splendid parks, nature reserves and a reincarnated Eden that is home to the more than fifty endemic plants and trees, including the rare coco de mer palm, the Seychelles islands yearn to be explored. Some islands are walkable in just over an hour and others in much less, making it all too easy to discover castaway beaches and unspoilt marine national parks.
Activities
Seychelles is a haven for world-class activities. Its safe and pristine environment is just the place to treat your family to a once-in-a-lifetime holiday.
First and foremost, Seychelles is not only a playground for lovers of the ocean but also a treasure trove for every sailor, diver and fisherman. The spectacular Beau Vallon beach is home to a number of watersports which makes for a perfect activity-packed day by the sea; a wonderful way to enjoy the ocean and explore the hidden nooks and crannies of the coastline. Also, with the surroundings of tropical indigenous forests, the many nature sanctuaries offer experiences and activities that are once-in-a-lifetime dreams.
Being a melting pot of traditions from all over the world, from its national heritage monuments, museums and natural wonders, to the diversity of its arts and other cultural activities, Seychelles offers an Aladdin’s cave of rich experiences for visitors to enjoy.
Walks and Trails
Walks and trails is another activity to consider. There are many walks and trails to be explored, which serve not only as an attraction for a different clientele but to raise environmental awareness and exhibit the richness and wealth of our islands when it comes to their lush nature and exceptional biodiversity.
There is so much to Seychelles. Go Places brings you a series of interesting things to See and Do. Keep reading these features on Seychelles each week.
Here is some important information to consider when booking your trip:- Information in regards to entry and covid regulations in Seychelles CLICK HERE
- All passengers travelling to Seychelles need to apply for a Health Travel Authorization CLICK HERE
- Most major airlines fly to Seychelles, either via Africa, Europe and the Middle East
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