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Health
The Seychelles offers a healthy climate and malaria, yellow fever, cholera and other diseases common in tropical environments
are not a problem. Visitors entering Seychelles from countries where yellow fever is prevalent need an international certificate of vaccination. Although no
other vaccinations are mandatory, it is advisable to consult your physician before travel.
Visas
Visitors to Seychelles must have passports valid for at least 6 months beyond end of stay. Visas are not required for most
visitors. It is however advisable to check with Seychelles embassies and inbound airlines at least one month before travel. But you need an onward air
ticket/passage, pre-booked accommodation and sufficient funds to cater for your stay.
People &
Culture
The Seychellois have emerged from peoples with mainly French, African, Indian, Chinese and Arab roots. Creole is the language that
has resulted from the positive interaction of these people for the last 400 or so years. It is the language of the street though the official languages are
French and English and are both widely spoken.
The people are very friendly and you will notice it right from the time you set foot on the islands.
The food in the Seychelles reflects the islands mixed heritage. Fish together with a variety of exotic vegetables, herbs, spices and fruits form the basis of
Creole cuisine.
In this mainly Catholic country, the principal non-religious festival is Festival Kreol. The festival is held annually for a week
around the end of October with the intention of celebrating Creole cuisine, fashion, art music, puppetry, literature and dance. Masters of these arts hail
from the all over the world and bring along a welcome infusion of colour to this quiet corner of the globe. The dates for the festival for the current year
are 25-31 October.
Communications
Telephone, fax, telegram, post and Internet services are
available. Direct dialing to most countries is available at most hotels. The country code for the Seychelles is 248. Mobile phones are based on GSM 900
network. You can obtain a GSM card that will allow you to make international calls to any country.
Accommodation
The Seychelles can hardly be described as budget destination. There are no youth hostels and camping is not allowed. The
bigger hotels and resorts in Seychelles come equipped with air-conditioning, private bathrooms, swimming pools and a
variety of sporting facilities. Some smaller establishments may lack some of theses facilities but make up by way of privacy and seclusion.
You can
get reasonable rates (by Seychelles standards) for apartments, bed-sitters and bungalows. Most of the hotels sit on Mahe Island while some of the smaller
islands host only a single hotel. The Seychelles is deliberately not a mass-market destination. Accommodation can get very tight especially in the high
season. It is always advisable to book and if required confirm with a deposit.
Money
The local
currency is the Seychelles Rupee (SR). Foreign currency can be freely exchanged at hotels and banks. The currencies that will get you the most reasonable
rates are US dollar and Euro. Travelers cheques (i.e checks) enjoy wide acceptance especially at hotels, shops and restaurants frequented by
tourists.
Visa and American Express cards are widely accepted except at the very small establishments. Diners Club and Mastercard and other minor
cards are honored in fewer places.
Climate
The islands experience a sub tropical climate that is
generally warm and humid. The weather is stable and nearly perfect year round. Hurricanes, cyclones and similar disturbances are absent here.
The
mean temperature is 29ºC and is usually mitigated by a gentle breeze. July and August are the coolest months at 28°C and at which time sea
temperature drops to 27°C! Being so near the equator you can expect 12 hours of daylight.
Between May and September it is cooler, less rainy and
the humidity is also lower due the activity of trade winds. In the November – March period it rains more, humidity is higher and is also warmer. Mid
December to Mid January is the period with the highest rainfall. When it rains, it is rarely for more than a continuous hour or two. The rainy season need
not worry you, as there is still sufficient sunshine to sunbathe!
International Travel
Only a few
airlines offer direct flights to Seychelles. Air Seychelles offers direct flights from selected cities in Europe and
Africa. Connections to North America, Australia and the Far East are widely available.
Scheduled airlines flying to and from the Seychelles include:
Air Seychelles, Kenya Airways, Aeroflot, Air Austral, Air France, British Airways, Air Mauritius and Inter Air (South Africa). There is a departure tax of
USD 40 payable in foreign currency. This tax will however most likely be included in your air ticket.
Local
Travel
You can get from Mahe to Praslin, Fregate, Desroches, Bird and Denis Islands by using regular Air Seychelles flights. The same airline
runs charter services to some of the less visited locations such as Silhouette and Alphonse. Schooner ferries have a regular run between Mahe, Praslin and La
Digue. But you can also charter a boat to get you around the other islands.
The Seychelles is a small place with the main island Mahe being only 27
km long. The capital Victoria is reported to be the smallest in the world. Most visitors take this as a blessing and you can confirm at the airport that
there is a disproportionate number escaping from some infamously huge metropolis.
Walking is a quite a good way to get around. Bus services are only
available in Mahe and Praslin islands. Taxi service is to be found in these two islands and also in La Digue. Small rental cars (mainly open Jeeps and mini
mokes) are also available for hire in Mahe and Praslin.
Travel Insurance
The Seychelles islands are
far away for anywhere. For this reason make sure your travel insurance includes emergency evacuation. Evacuation in case of illness or injury even to a
hospital in Victoria can be quite expensive and means of payment may need to be ascertained in advance.
What to
Wear
Light comfortable casual clothing is advised. Except for those attending church you will find very few people in suits and neck ties.
Even on business, turning out in a safari suit and open neck shirt is perfectly acceptable. Light cotton dresses, slacks and shorts are sufficient for women
in this tropical climate. Sandals or light canvas shoes are usually adequate. The Seychellois are a modest people and you should avoid wearing swimwear
except on the beaches.
Contact us for Seychelles Travel Assistance
Are you planning for
your Seychelles holiday. Contact us through our Africa safari feedback form and let us help
you in picking the best hotel, and all your other travel arrangements.
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