The Seychelles

Climate

The Seychelles enjoys an idyllic and fairly constant temperature of around 29°C. It lies outside the main Indian Ocean cyclonic belt, which means that big storms are rare. January and February are the wettest months, but rain occurs in heavy downpours rather than as continuous rain. July and August tend to be the driest months. For scuba-diving and snorkelling, the best time is March-May and September-November when the seas are calm and underwater visibility is at its best.

Language

Official Creole, but French and English are widely spoken

Public Holidays

May 1 Labour Day. Jun 5 Liberation Day (Anniversary of 1977 Coup). Jun 10 Corpus Christi. Jun 18 National Day. Jun 29 Independence Day. Aug 15 Assumption/La Digue Festival. Nov 1 All Saints Day. Dec 8 Immaculate Conception. Other public holidays are over Easter, Christmas & New Year.

Health / Immunization

A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required by all travellers over one year arriving from infected areas or who have passed through partly or wholly endemic areas within the preceding six days. Typhoid occurs in rural areas. Mains water is normally chlorinated and, whilst relatively safe, may cause mild abdominal upsets. Bottled water is available and is advised for the first few weeks of the stay. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are generally considered safe to eat. Hepatitis A and B occur with occasional outbreaks of dengue fever. Visitors should beware of the effects of sunstroke or burning, since the Seychelles is close to the Equator. Rabies may be present in certain areas. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay; for more information, see the Health appendix. There is a large general hospital in Victoria and there are clinics elsewhere on La Digue, Mah and Praslin, but medical facilities are limited. Visitors may obtain emergency treatment for a basic consultancy fee but comprehensive travel & medical insurance is advised.

Visas & Entry Requirements

Visa are not required by any nationality as long as you have: (a) onward or return ticket (if not, onward or return ticket must be purchased on arrival); (b) proof of sufficient funds (minimum US$150 per day) and organised accommodation for the duration of the stay. A visitors permit, valid for up to one month, is issued on arrival subject to possession of (a) and (b) as above; alternatively a deposit may be made by ‘security’ bond in lieu. The permit may be renewed, provided the applicant holds a valid open return ticket and applies at least one week before the permit's expiry. For further information, contact the nearest Seychelles Tourist Office. Passengers in transit must have tickets with reserved seats for their onward journey. Passports must be valid for six months from date of arrival in the Seychelles. There is a departure tax of US$40; visitors staying for less than 24 hours pay US$10 and children under 12 years of age are exempt.

Money

Seychelles Rupee (SRe: singular; SRs: plural) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of SRs100, 50, 25 and 10. Coins are in denominations of SRs5 and 1, and 25, 10 and 5 cents. A number of gold and silver coins are also minted (with face values as high as SRs1500), but these are not in general circulation. Tourists must pay hotel bills in foreign currency (in the form of cash, travellers cheques or credit or debit cards). Payment in local currency is only allowed if an exchange receipt can be shown as proof of the conversion from foreign currency into local currency. The duty-free shop at the airport only accepts credit cards or foreign cash. Exchange facilities are available at the airport banks, which are open for all flight departures and arrivals. The following banks have branches in the Seychelles and will exchange travellers cheques and foreign currency: Barclays Bank, Bank of Baroda, Banque Franaise Commerciale, Central Bank of Seychelles, Development Bank of Seychelles, Habib Bank Ltd, Nouvo Banq and Seychelles Savings Bank. Currency exchange receipts should be kept in order to facilitate re-exchange on departure. Access, American Express, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted; Diners Club has more limited use. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available. Travellers Cheques are accepted in most hotels, guest houses, restaurants and shops. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling. The import and export of local and foreign currency is unlimited.

Internal Travel & Public Transport

Air Seychelles provides an efficient network of scheduled and chartered services from Mahe to Alphonse, Bird, Denis, Praslin, Silhouette and Desroches islands. Helicopter (Seychelles) Ltd provides an inter-island shuttle service and scenic flights. Charter flights can be arranged from any heli-stop. Privately owned schooners provide regular inter-island connections between Mah, Praslin and La Digue. Boats can be chartered privately to get to the other islands. Traffic drives on the left. There are paved roads only on La Digue, Mah and Praslin; elsewhere the roads are sandy tracks. Visitors should be aware that Mah is mountainous with narrow, winding roads, rarely with safety barriers. SPTC buses run on a regular basis on Mahé and Praslin from 0530-1900. There are a number of 18-seater coaches for airport transfers and excursions. Prices for buses and coaches are very reasonable. There are about 135 taxis on Mahé and Praslin with government-controlled rates. There is a surcharge for taxi fares on Praslin between 1900-0600. There are over 550 cars or Mini Mokes for hire on Mahé, and a limited number on Praslin. It is advisable to make advance reservations, especially in the high season. Conditions of hire and insurance should be carefully checked. Hire is on an unlimited mileage basis and the price includes Third Party insurance and tax. Minimum age is 21. Petrol is approximately 30 per cent more expensive than in Europe. There is a speed limit of 65kph (40mph) on the open road, decreasing to 40kph (25mph) in built-up areas and throughout Praslin. A national driving licence is sufficient, for up to three months.