Seychelles in East Africa is an archipelago Island nation which is mainly popular for its numerous serene and pristine beaches. Apart from beach holidaying there’s plenty of things to sightsee in this archipelago of 115 islands. International tourists flock to Seychelles for its tranquil beaches, wildlife, museums and the beautiful scenic views surrounding the islands. Seychelles has a pleasant weather round the year, it experiences warm and humid climate that is ideal for holidaying.
The sweetest thing about taking a holiday in Seychelles is there is no need to secure a visa to enter this country and this is applicable to all nations in the World! Pretty cool eh! However you need to present the following to the immigration officer apart from owning a valid passport upon arrival 1) your pre-booked return ticket 2) your pre-booked hotel voucher 3) proof that you can afford $150 a day during your stay (cash or credit card balance also works good and 4) a medical proof that you have sound health. Make sure you have all of these in hand before you land at Seychelles so that you will have a seamless transition from the airport to the city.
Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) near Victoria is your only gateway to reaching Seychelles from anywhere in the world, if you are flying out from the US I’d advise you to fly with Seychelles National carrier- Air Seychelles because they have some of the best international deals to this Island nation at affordable prices.
Getting around the Island nation
You can get around Seychelles by plane, helicopter, bus, boat and car, my advice is use a combination of all the available modes as the situation demands for maximum convenience and best utility. For instance you must take a flight instead of the more time consuming bus, boat and car modes if time is a constraint. A helicopter ride over the island nation is a must for getting panoramic views of the archipelago from atop. Beware that flight and helicopter rides can be thrilling but are not wallet friendly. Now here’s some useful information that will come in handy when you wanna get around the Republic of Seychelles- For flights look for the national carrier Air Seychelles which operates plenty of flights everyday between Mahe and Praslin Islands, for helicopter rides look for Zil Air charter services for charter helicopter rides in the Island nation and for ferrying across the islands I recommend Cat Cocos and Inter Island Ferry as operators which have ferry operations across routes between Mahe, Praslin and La Digue. Lastly getting around in a car is something you can’t stay away from when you are in Seychelles. Car rides are extremely useful for hitting the countryside of this Island nation, for just as much as 100 rupees you can be assured of exploring all the beaches in the Mahe Island. Beware the roads of Seychelles are narrow and have low walls instead of curbs on the sides and often the sidewalks are missing on them, so driving on these crammed roads is like cracking a tough nut! and for the pedestrians it’s gonna be a nightmare because of the missing sidewalks. The good news about driving a car here is parking is free at most places, for instance in the downtown Victoria of Mahe you’ll not find any paid parking areas. You can rent a car on Mahe and Praslin Islands only.
For your must-see attractions in Seychelles try these
- A visit to the Hindu temple The Arulmigu Navasakti Vinayagar Temple is something you cannot afford to miss when you get to this island nation. Taking a tour of the temple will give you access to the rare traditional Hindu ceremonies that will take you to another world, the good news is you can take photographs inside the temple premises for treasuring fond memories of it.
- Head to the Natural History Museum in Victoria to gain insightful knowledge on the nature and geology of the Island nation.
- A visit to the village of Cap Tarnay is a must for discovering the ruins of the village, my advice for you is for a good experience first get some good insight on this attraction by gathering prior information about it before you set your foot on it because you will not find any local guides in this area to understand the significance of the ruins.
- For wildlife I recommend visiting the national park on Praslin Island- Vallee de Mai which boasts of being home to some of the best flora and fauna of East Africa and the world’s largest seed the Coco de mer.
- For water sports, tanning and relaxation discover the serene beaches in Seychelles and you’ll surely appreciate your beach holidaying as most beaches are located in serene, untouched and less crowded areas which will give you a satisfying, one-of-a-kind, relaxed beach experience. Taking a stroll along the beach coastline Beau Vallon to Anse Major is the most remarkable thing for you to do, it’s a cool 1.5 hour long walk that will leave a lasting impression of the beach life of Seychelles. For water sports you can think of snorkeling, scuba diving, wind surfing and yachting using a powerboat.
- For your shopping head to Victoria, the capital of Seychelles where you’ll find plenty of shopping markets, you can also find small shopping outlets on the Praslin Islands. For fond remembrance of the Island nation I recommend you to buy a small Seychelles souvenir- the Coco de mer which is a nut native only to this Island nation but mind you this needs an export license to carry it back to your homeland!
- For your food and drink from this Island nation I recommend trying these 1) the Red Snapper is a popular sea food dish from Seychelles and 2) the dark Takamaka Rum is a must try in the night time before you hit the sack.
