GENERAL INFO

TRAVEL IDEAS

Seychelles Stopover, 4 days
North Island, 5 days

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ACCOMMODATIONS

Mahé Island

Victoria, Mahé Island

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Seychelles Country Quickfacts

Capital: Victoria (MAHÉ)

Population: 75,000

Independence: 1975

Languages are Creole, English and French.

Religion: 92% Roman Catholic with Anglican, Seventh Day Adventist, Muslim and other minorities.

Geography: The Seychelles Archipelago occupies 400,000 km² (150,000 sq miles) of the Indian Ocean northeast of Madagascar and contains 115 islands and islets.

Time: GMT + 4.

Climate: The islands lie outside the cyclone belt but receive monsoon rains from November to February with the northwest trade winds. This hot and humid season gives way to a period of cooler weather, though the temperature rarely falls below 23°C, and rougher seas when the trade winds blow from the southeast (May to September).

Greetings: The handshake is the usual form of greeting, accompanied sometimes by "ki Dir" (key dheer), meaning "how do you do?".

Drinking Water: Tap water on Mahé and Praslin is drinkable. However, it is recommended to drink mineral water on the other islands.

Driving: Driving is on the left-hand side of the road. Petrol Stations close at varied times during the evening so it is advisable to fill up before sunset.

Health: Seychelles is free from infectious disease such as Malaria, Yellow Fever and Cholera. No immunisation is required except for visitors arriving from affected areas.

Other Quick Facts:

Seychelles lies 4° south of the Equator, 1800 km east of Kenya

Seychelles boasts the only mid-ocean granitic islands in the world

40 granitic islands and 75 coralline islands form the archipelago

Seychelles enjoys an average temperature of 29°C daily

Seychelles lies beyond the cyclone belt. Seychelles is an archipelago occupying the western part of the Indian Ocean and spread out over an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of no less than 1.3 million square kilometres. The main part of this island group is situated between 4 and 5 degrees south of the equator at a longitude between 55 and 56 degrees east. The main island of Mahé lies some 1800 kilometres east of the east African coast of Kenya and to the north-east of Madagascar. There are over 100 named islands forming the Seychelles group. Most are coralline and are spread over a large area towards the south and south east. Some 40 of these islands, however, are granitic and are found within a radius of 50 kilometres from the main granitic island of Mahé.

Mahé is 27 kilometres long and 12 kilometres wide with a total land area of 154 square kilometres. This compares with a land area of 291 square kilometres for all the outer islands. Mahé is mountainous with a highest peak of 905 metres.

The vegetation remains green all year round, but suffers a little during the dry season. The most common Seychelles soil has a greyish brown colour and contains only 1% organic matter; the red coloured soil has even less organic matter. Fertilizers must be added to the soil to assist in the growing of high yield crops. The soil has a low retention capacity for water and is constantly washed down to the sea leaving sand granules or exposing bare granite rocks.

Seychelles has a mean maximum temperature of 29°C and 12 hours of daylight. Rainfall recorded during the two monsoons, the south east from May to October (the dry season) and the north west from November to April, has averaged 2013 mm annually over the last 6 years. The heaviest rainfall is usually during mid-December to mid-January. Seychelles archipelago lies outside the cyclone belt and enjoys stable weather year round.

In Seychelles, there are many species of birds, fish and other marine life together with a rich flora, some of which are unique. Two of the outstanding species of birds found only in Seychelles are the black parrot and the paradise fly-catcher.

46% of the land area is set aside for National Parks, Nature Reserves and Protected areas

Ten endemic species and seventeen endemic sub-species of bird can be found on the granitic islands of Seychelles

Three endemic species of birds can be found on the coraline islands

Seychelles has large breeding colonies of sea-birds

The flora of Seychelles is as unique as the islands themselves

There are 75 plants which are endemic to Seychelles

The Tropicbird Orchid is the national flower of Seychelles

Coco-de -Mer is the worlds largest nut

150,000 Giant Tortoise live on Aldabra, that's five times more than on Galapagos

The world's largest tortoise, Esmeralda, weighs 320kg and lives on Bird Island

The Tiger Chameleon is endemic to Seychelles

Four of the seven species of Turtle are found in Seychelles

There are three species of snake in Seychelles and they are all harmless

There are two types of lizards in Seychelles the Geckos and the Skinks

The Black Bellied Terrapin is so rare it may have become extinct

There are no dangerous spiders

Seychelles has seven species of Caecilians and five species of Frogs

There is no Malaria in Seychelles

The Tenebrionid Beetle can only be found on Fregate

There are five species of stick insect endemic to Seychelles

Seychelles Fruit Bats are a common sight in the sky at dusk

Tenerecs have the world record for the largest number of nipples…..24!

Whale shark numbers around Seychelles are increasing

The best months for spotting Whalesharks are August and November

Whale shark tagging programmes are available from selected diving centres