The Seychelles archipelago includes 115 large and small islands located in the Indian Ocean just south of the equator and north of the island of Madagascar. Occupies the territory of 405 square meters. km
The largest islands - Mahe, Praslin, La Digue, Silhouette - of granite origin; small islands, mostly coral. The largest island of the archipelago - Mahe: length - 27 km, width - 8 km. The capital of the state - Victoria and the international airport are located on this island.
The population is 78,000 people. "Seychelles women have enough French to have a good figure, English to be distinguished by good manners, Asian to be exotic, and African to harbor the charm of savagery." It's hard to say better about a Seychellois woman than Alec Waugh did. He gives credit both to the Creole language and to the union of different bloods in a people which, having existed for no more than two centuries, is one of the youngest in the world, the fruit of a strange mixture of French and English colonists - and the descendants of slaves taken from continental Africa and from Madagascar.
The time difference with Kyiv is +2 hours
Although this paradise is very close to the equator, the climate here is more tropical than equatorial. The regulating influence is provided by the ocean, and the Seychelles Islands are no stranger to the exhausting heat of continental regions located at the same latitude. It is customary to distinguish between two seasons: hot (December - May) with an average temperature of about 29 ° C and relatively cool (June - November) with an average temperature of about 24 ° C when monsoon winds blow. The rainy season lasts from the beginning of December to the middle of January. Heavy but short-lived rains are possible at this time.
The main religion on the islands is Christianity (90% of the population are Catholics), Buddhism, and Islam.
The official languages are Creole, French, English.
The national currency is the Seychellois Rupee (SCR).
1 rupee contains 100 cents. 5 rupees equals 1 $.
It is recommended to bring US dollars or traveler's checks in this currency to Seychelles, as rupiahs cannot be used by tourists to pay for accommodation, excursions, and restaurants. It is recommended to exchange a small amount of money immediately upon arrival at Victoria Airport, which is located on the island of Mahe.
Seychelles travel agencies ask tourists to pay in hotels of any level and in general in the field of service - only in foreign currency. As for payments in restaurants (except for hotels), in shops, in taxis, they accept payment in local rupees. Banknotes of 10, 25, 50 and 100 rupees, coins of 1 and 5 rupees, as well as 1, 5, 10 and 25 cents are in circulation. You can also sometimes find silver and gold coins in the course. Visa and American Express credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, except for very small settlements. Banks in Seychelles are open from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Saturdays.
Local airlines "AIR SEYCHELLES". The planes of this airline make regular flights between the islands of the Seychelles archipelago. Tel. 438 40 00 - information on airline flights.
Taxi - there are about 200 taxis on the island of Mahe. All cars are equipped with counters. The tariff is the same at any time of the day. The taxi stand is open 24 hours a day.
Bus - all hotels and boarding houses can be reached by bus. Buses run every quarter of an hour on main routes. Buses of the Indian TATA brand run from 5:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Ferries - from the port of Victoria there is a daily high-speed ferry "Cat Cocos" to Praslin Island, the journey time is 1 hour. Flights from Monday to Saturday - from 7:30 to 16:00. On Sunday - from 10:30 to 16:30. Booking a/tickets is a must!!!
The country has left-hand traffic and quite narrow roads. You can pick up a car at the hotel (as a rule, every hotel has a car rental office) or AVIS-tel.
422 45 11, Mahecars - tel. 437 35 27
400 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco, 2 liters of alcohol, 125 ml of perfume or 250 ml of eau de toilette and other goods worth no more than 3,000 Seychellois rupees ($ 550). It is forbidden to import easily handled materials, weapons, including for underwater hunting, narcotic substances and over-the-counter medicines.
A special permit is required to import pets.
It is forbidden to transport: vegetables, fruits, plants, meat and meat products, canned goods. A ban has been imposed on the export of coconuts, shells, corals, and turtle products. A maximum of 1,000 rupees or $200 can be taken out of the country, there are no restrictions on the import and export of foreign currency.
Of the 115 islands that make up the Seychelles archipelago, 41 are of granite origin, and 74 are flat coral islands.
The inner granite islands are located around the three main islands of Mahe, Praslin and La Digue and form the cultural, economic and tourist center of Seychelles. Almost all of us live here
elenia of the state, as well as where the main hotels are located. The inner islands have a total of 41 granite and 2 coral islands.
Mahé is the largest island of the archipelago (its dimensions are 32 km x 8 km) and the most densely populated - 90% of the total population lives here (about 80,000 people). Mahé is home to the capital of Seychelles - the city of Victoria, the smallest capital in the world, the main port and the international airport. The island is decorated with high mountains covered with dense tropical vegetation (the height of Mount Morne reaches 905 meters). The island has 75 beaches with snow-white fine sand, framed by picturesque granite rocks.
The small island of St. Anne (St. Anne) and its neighbors Cerf, Moyenne, and Round (Cerf, Moyenne, Round) are located close to Mahé and are easily explored on a full-day or half-day excursion. These islands are part of St. Ann's National Marine Park, one of the oldest marine parks in the Indian Ocean, established in 1973. Coral reefs in the reserve are perfect for diving and snorkeling.
All the islands are covered with beautiful tropical vegetation and rich in amazing beaches, while each island retains its own unique flavor.
Praslin is the second largest island of the Seychelles, where the unique coconut grove of Vallee de Mai is located. Thanks to General Gordon, this reserve, covering an area of 45 acres, became known as the Garden of Eden. The unique Coco de Mer palm grows here, the fruits of which have a whimsical erotic shape. The island is decorated with picturesque rocks and endless beaches.
You can get from Mahe to Praslin in 15 minutes by domestic airline, an hour by ferry and 2.5 hours by small schooner.
Amazing snow-white beaches and a relaxed laid-back atmosphere make La Digue, Seychelles' third most populous island, a much-anticipated escape from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. The main means of transport on the island are still ox carts and bicycles. The island can be reached in 15/30 minutes by ferry from Praslin.
The small island of Kurez, located 1 mile northeast of Praslin, is strictly protected by environmentalists. Giant turtles from the Aldabra atoll live here - the cubs are protected in a special farm, and adult turtles move freely around the island. During a walk you can explore an unusual mangrove forest.
Cousin Island is also a national reserve and is protected by the Seychelles Bird Protection Society. Cousin is known for its large colony of seabirds, including the Seychelles warbler and robin, two of the rarest birds in the world. Rare sea turtles also come here to lay their eggs on the island's beaches.
Arid Island is another of the many reserve islands, carefully protected by the state, but open to tourists. It has more bird species than the other 40 granite islands, including 5 endemic bird species, thousands of frigatebirds and the incredibly rare Wright's Gardenia.
This island is a real treasure among the Inland Islands - a tiny tropical island that is part of the Kurez National Park, it has excellent conditions for diving and snorkeling.
Silhouette is the third largest granite island, but it is practically uninhabited. Most of the island is covered by mountains, some of which reach 500 meters in height and are covered with rare tropical forests. Much of the island belongs to Silhouette National Park.
Anonyme, Bird Island, Cerf, Chauve Souris, Conception, Cousine, Denis Island, Félicité, Frégate, Grande Soeur, Ile Cocos, Long Island, Moyenne, North Island, Petite Soeur, Round Island.
Most of the islands outside the main inner group are of coral origin and lie south and south-west of the centre. These 74 outer islands are flat in shape due to their coral base and rise only a few meters above sea level. Due to the dryness of the soil, the territory of the islands is covered mainly with coconut groves and sandy beaches. Due to their remoteness, the outer islands are practically not visited by tourists, which allows preserving the natural environment for rare representatives of flora and fauna to live here.
The outer islands are divided into 4 groups: the Amirante Islands, the Southern Coral Group, the Farquhar Group and the Aldabra Group.
The only island that offers accommodation in an exclusive hotel is the island of Desroches from the Amirante group.
Alphonse, located 450 kilometers northwest of Mahé, is a typical coral island. Unspoiled and protected by a coral reef, it boasts one of the most beautiful turquoise lagoons. Alphonse is also a great place for fishing.
Aldabra, the world's largest coral atoll, is known for its unique and untouched nature. It is home to 80,000 giant tortoises and the last species of flightless bird in the Indian Ocean. Black
eras and large colonies of seabirds annually arrive here to reproduce. Of the 273 plant species that grow here, 26 are endemic. In 1982, Aldabra Atoll became the first place in Seychelles to be included in the UNESCO Foundation. A special permit is required to visit the islands, this allows the preservation of the local ecosystem.
Over millions of years of isolation from the outside world, a unique flora and fauna has formed in the Seychelles. From ancient times to our time, rare species of birds and plants have been preserved, which today are carefully protected by the state.
More than 50% of the country's territory has the status of national reserves, parks and nature reserves, including the Valle de Mai grove on Praslin, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the Seychelles live more than 100 endemic plants that are not found anywhere else - 75 were discovered on the granite islands and another 26 on the Aldabra atoll. It is also home to rare bird species, such as the Aldabra Rail, the last flightless bird species in the Indian Ocean, or the enigmatic Seychelles Jay, which is only found on the island of Mahe.
