Guide de voyage Seychelles

Below you`ll find the main information about Seychelles that`s sure to come in handy when travelling to the islands.

Where is the Seychelles?

The Republic of Seychelles is located in the western Indian Ocean, about 1,600 km from the eastern border of Africa, near the island of Madagascar. The Seychelles archipelago consists of 115 islands, and only 33 of them are inhabited. Islands are divided into granite and coral. The settlements are located mainly on the granite coast.

The most popular islands among tourists are:

– Mahe,
– Curieuse,
– La Digue,
– Praslin,
– Bird,
– Silhouette.

Each of them is unique and attractive in its own way.

Seychelles climate

The local climate can be divided into 2 seasons: dry (May to October) and humid (November to April). But seasonality is almost imperceptible due to the proximity of the equator. Throughout the year, the relative humidity of 80% remains stable. Comfortable for tanning and bathing temperature (27 degrees Celsius) is kept all year round, and the water temperature is below only one degree.

Visa for Seychelles

You don't need a visa to travel to the Seychelles. From the documents you will need a valid passport, confirmation of the reservation to the place of accommodation and the amount for daily expenses at the rate of $150 per day. Upon arrival, you will be issued the Visitors Permit which is valid for up to three months and can be extended for a fee for a period of up to three months.

Seychelles currency

The national currency of the islands is the Seychelles Rupee (SCR). One rupee equals 100 cents. There are no restrictions on the import of state currency to the Seychelles, but a maximum of 2000 SCR is allowed to take out. The most widely-accepted foreign currency is Euro. Prices for most tourist services are quoted and can be paid in Euros.

You can also pay in local rupees or US dollars which are acceptable but not as favored as Euro. Currency can be exchanged at the airport, any bank and exchange points.
Visa, MasterCard and American Express bank cards are accepted in restaurants, shops and hotels. ATMs are in all major branches of banks.

Tipping in Seychelles

Tipping is usually included in the bill, so you don't have to give them. But the local staff is always grateful and happy with the additional rupees (5-10 % of the service cost).

Victoria – Seychelles capital

Victoria is the only city and port of the state and one of the smallest capitals in the world. It is located on the Mahe Island and covers an area of 20.1 km2. In 4 hours you can get around the whole city!

The Seychelles capital is home to 1/3 of the archipelago's population.

Seychelles airport

Seychelles main airport, Pointe Larue, is located on Mahe Island, 10 km from Victoria. The remaining 9 airports in the country serve domestic and private flights. There are three terminals in Pointe Larue: international, home and cargo; it is also home to the Seychelles military base.

Seychelles transport

Locals move around mainly on buses or bicycles, tourists often rent a car. The car can be rented at the hotel or airport.
You can get to most of the archipelago only by water: on a private catamaran, sailing yacht or ferry. Water transport departs daily from the port of Victoria.

Seychelles people

Creole people, the natives of Seychelles, are calm and friendly, very polite and hospitable.

The colonial past of the republic had an impact on the current religious composition of the population (82.2% of Creoles - Catholics, the rest profess Buddhism and Islam) and the number of official languages in Seychelles: there are three (English, Seychelles (Creole) and French).

Time difference

The time difference with the Seychelles and London is +4 hours, Paris and Berlin – + 3 hours, Tel Aviv and Cape Town – +2 hours. Delhi is 1 hour and 30 minutes less than the Seychelles. There is no time difference between the Seychelles and Dubai.