Seychelles

Victoria

The smallest capital in the world, and you can walk the whole of it in a couple of hours. Come for the colourful Sir Selwyn Clarke market and the miniature copy of Big Ben. It is the best place to buy spices and get a feel for how Seychellois life actually runs.

Beau Vallon

The main tourist hub on Mahé, with the longest and gentlest beach on the island. Worth a trip for the Wednesday evening market, where fish is grilled in front of you. The strip stays lively after dark, with dive centres and plenty of cafes aimed at independent travellers.

Grand Anse

On the west coast of Mahé, this stretch draws people who want wild scenery and quiet. If you are looking for heavy surf and superb sunsets, this is the side of the island to head for. Few people, a great deal of space, and long walks along the ocean.

La Passe

The heart of La Digue, where the ferry docks and all the infrastructure sits. Rent a bicycle here and ride out to the best beaches on the island. The village keeps the atmosphere of the old Seychelles, with wooden houses and an unhurried pace.

Baie Sainte Anne

The gateway to Praslin, where the ferries from Mahé arrive. If you want to see the palm forest in a day, this makes a practical base. The main shops, banks and cheaper guesthouses are all concentrated here.

Anse Réunion

The district on La Digue where most visitors stay in inexpensive apartments. It is an easy cycle to Union Estate park from here, and the evenings are made for a slow dinner at a local restaurant with the surf in the background.

Vallée de Mai: This ancient forest on Praslin is what to see first in the Seychelles. It is the only place where the coco de mer palm grows wild, producing those enormous and unmistakably shaped nuts.

Anse Lazio: Regularly named among the best beaches on earth, and for once the reputation holds up. The white sand and turquoise water look exactly like the posters, and access is completely free.

Anse Source d'Argent: The most photographed beach on the planet, on La Digue. Giant granite boulders create a landscape that looks engineered rather than natural, and you reach it through the Union Estate park for a fee.

Union Estate: Where to go for the giant tortoises and the old vanilla plantation. The tortoises live well over a century and will pose happily, though climbing onto a shell is strictly forbidden.

Morne Seychellois: Free trails on Mahé climb through rainforest to summits with panoramic views. It is the best way to see the island from above in a single day and costs nothing but effort.

Sainte Anne Marine Park: Ideal for snorkelling among coral and reef fish. The boat tours are genuinely worth the money if you want the underwater side of the islands.

Aldabra: The atoll is a natural wonder, but expedition costs make it wildly overrated for most travellers. Independent visitors are better off concentrating on what Mahé and Praslin already offer.

Currency: The Seychellois rupee (SCR) covers small shop purchases and bus fares, trading around 13 to 14 to the US dollar. Larger transactions are frequently quoted in euros.

Cash: Euros are the most useful hard currency here and are accepted readily for car hire and private rentals. Older-series dollar notes may be refused or exchanged at a poor rate.

Cards: Visa and Mastercard are accepted in restaurants, hotels and supermarkets, and Amex much less so. ATMs are plentiful on Mahé and Praslin, and a Wise or Revolut card keeps conversion costs sensible.

Exchange: Bureaus such as GCC Exchange and JPL Exchange in the towns beat the airport, where the rate is traditionally poor. Change enough at arrival for a taxi and sort the rest later.

Tipping: Five to ten percent in restaurants where service is not already added. Guides and drivers are tipped at your own discretion and nobody will chase you for it.

Big notes: A 500-euro note is virtually impossible to break or spend anywhere on the islands, so bring smaller denominations.

Item	Price (USD)
Takeaway lunch	8
Dinner in a cafe	30
SeyBrew beer	3
Bottle of Takamaka rum	20
Bus fare, one ride	1
Car hire per day	50
Ferry Mahé to Praslin	60
Ferry Praslin to La Digue	16
Bicycle per day	12
Vallée de Mai entry	32
Union Estate entry	9
Snorkelling tour	60
Litre of petrol	1.7
Coco de mer souvenir	300

Getting there: Mahé takes direct flights from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul and Addis Ababa, plus seasonal services from Paris and Frankfurt. From North America you connect through Europe or a Gulf hub, and the Gulf carriers usually offer the best schedules.

Ferries: Fast catamarans, Cat Cocos and Cat Rose, are the main way between islands. Mahé to La Digue costs around 70 euros and should be booked on the operator's site well ahead.

Buses: Mahé has a decent public bus network with a flat fare per ride. You pay with a Visitor Travel Card, which you can buy at the airport when you land.

Car hire: Booking online in advance for Mahé and Praslin comes out around 20 percent cheaper than walking up to a desk on arrival. Supply is limited in high season, so reserve early.

Bicycles: La Digue has almost no cars, which makes a bicycle the only sensible transport. Hire runs 100 to 200 rupees a day, and check the brakes before you ride off.

Driving: The Seychelles drive on the left on very narrow, twisting roads. Inexperienced drivers should take particular care on the mountain switchbacks of Mahé.

Fuel: There are few petrol stations and they close early. Keep the tank at least half full if you are heading out to a distant bay.

Guesthouses: Independent travellers do best in family-run guesthouses. They cost far less than hotels and the home-cooked breakfasts are a genuine part of the experience.

Self-catering: Choose somewhere with a kitchen. Cooking fish you bought at the market yourself can save you up to 50 dollars a day, which matters enormously on these islands.

Location: On La Digue stay near La Passe port so you are not dragging luggage far. On Praslin the Côte d'Or area and the coast near Baie Sainte Anne are the popular choices.

Facilities: Budget rooms often have no wifi, or wifi so slow it may as well not exist. Air conditioning is close to essential, since tropical nights are humid and still.

Wildlife indoors: Houses set in the jungle come with spiders, ants and geckos. That is simply normal here, so just do not leave food out on the table overnight.

Booking: Popular guesthouses fill six months ahead. Lock the price in early to avoid the seasonal markup at peak times.

Takeaways: The cheapest way to eat is a local takeaway kiosk. Eight to ten dollars gets you an enormous plate of rice with curry or grilled fish.

Creole cooking: The cuisine blends French and African traditions around curry and coconut milk. Octopus curry is the signature dish and you should not leave without trying it.

Drinks: Takamaka rum makes both a good souvenir and a good end to dinner. SeyBrew lager is refreshing in the heat and stocked in every supermarket.

Markets: Buy fish in the morning at the Victoria or Praslin markets, where it is far cheaper than anywhere else. Mango and papaya cost almost nothing compared with hotel restaurant prices.

Something unusual: Fruit bat stew appears on some menus and is decidedly an acquired taste. The meat is closer to game than anything else, and it is worth trying once for the experience.

Desserts: Ladob is the traditional sweet dish of banana and coconut milk. It is heavy going and sold both hot and cold.

Street stalls: When buying grilled fish from a street vendor, keep an eye on how it is handled, although serious food poisoning here is genuinely rare.

Theft: The Seychelles are very safe, but do not leave valuables unattended on a beach. Petty theft does happen when people swim far out and leave a bag on the sand.

The ocean: The southern beaches of Mahé often have strong undertow. Take the red flags seriously, because when they are up, going into the water is potentially lethal.

Reef hazards: Sea urchins hide among the rocks, so reef shoes are essential for swimming. Watch for falling coconuts too, which can do real damage.

Sun: Tropical sun is deceptive even under cloud. Use factor 50 and stay out of the open around midday.

Health: No special vaccinations are needed, though insurance that covers insect bites is worth having. That saves the bills if you react badly to mosquitoes.

Getting help: Dial 999 on the islands for police and rescue services. Check your own government's travel advisory before you book, though the Seychelles rarely carry any warnings.

Creole character: The culture fuses French and African traditions. People are extremely friendly but have no time for hurry, so be prepared for service that takes its own pace.

Music: The moutya, danced to drums, is recognised as national heritage. You will see it at festivals and at beach events, and it is worth staying for.

Tortoises: Giant tortoises are sacred to Seychellois. Feed them only the greens you are given and never attempt to sit on a shell for a photograph.

Dress: Beachwear is fine around the villages, but cover shoulders and knees for churches. Restaurants in the evening lean towards smart casual.

Souvenirs: A coco de mer nut can only leave the country with an official certificate. Without it, customs will confiscate the purchase and fine you.

Environment: Islanders care deeply about their natural surroundings. Do not break coral or collect shells inside the national parks.

SIM cards: A tourist Airtel SIM at Mahé airport costs around 475 rupees, and that data package usually covers two weeks of heavy map and messaging use.

Alternatives: Cable & Wireless offers comparable coverage. If your phone takes an eSIM, load an international data package before you fly and skip the counter entirely.

Coverage: 4G is stable in the towns and on the popular beaches of Mahé and Praslin. In remote bays and up in the hills it can drop to slow 3G or nothing.

Wifi: Free guesthouse wifi is frequently capped by volume. If you need to work, your own SIM is far more dependable than the house router.

Apps: Install Google Maps and the ferry operators' apps for live schedules. That makes planning inter-island transfers on your own much simpler.

Language: Everyone speaks English alongside Creole and French, so signs, menus and conversation present no difficulty whatsoever. Access to all the usual sites and messaging apps is unrestricted.

English	Seychellois Creole	Pronunciation
Hello	Bonzour	bon-ZHOOR
Thank you	Mersi	mer-SEE
Please	Silvouple	seel-voo-PLEH
How's it going?	Ki dir?	kee DEER
I'm well	Mon byen	mon BYEN
Yes	Wi	wee
No	Non	non
How much is it?	Konbyen sa?	kon-BYEN sa
That's expensive	I ser	ee sair
Where is the beach?	Kot laplaz?	kot la-PLAZH
Beer	Labyer	la-BYAIR
Water	Delo	de-LO
Fish	Pwason	pwa-SON
Tortoise	Torti	tor-TEE
Delicious!	I bon!	ee BON
Beautiful!	I zoli!	ee zo-LEE
Help me	Ed mwan	ed MWAN
Sorry	Eskize	es-kee-ZEH
Goodbye	Orevwar	o-rev-WAR
Mate (slang)	Serye	ser-YEH
How's life? (slang)	Ki manyer?	kee man-YAIR

Travel Authorization: Everyone flying or sailing in must obtain a Travel Authorization online before departure, including children. Apply about three days ahead through the official portal and keep the QR code on your phone and on paper.

Consular help: Only a handful of countries maintain a mission on Mahé, and most cover the Seychelles from Nairobi or Antananarivo. Look up which applies to you and save the number before you fly.

Ferry tickets: Buy Cat Cocos tickets only through the operator's own site, and print the confirmation. Airport connectivity is unreliable and paper saves time at the desk.

Transfers: If you would rather not drive, pre-booked transfer services cost less than grabbing a taxi outside the terminal. Arrange it with your guesthouse when you confirm the room.

Insurance: Take a policy with proper medical assistance cover. It ensures you get sensible treatment at the clinics in Victoria or on Praslin without an argument over payment.

Sockets: The islands use British Type G plugs. Buy the adapter before you travel, or ask at your guesthouse reception, where they usually keep spares.