Useful information on the Seychelles, including all the things to know before leaving for a trip or a holiday in this archipelago of the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles in a nutshell
- Capital: Victoria (on the island of Mahé)
- Area in sq km: 455
- Population: 86,606 (2007)
- Religion: Catholic majority
Where is it
The Seychelles (Republic of Seychelles), are an archipelago made up of 115 islands, located between 4 ° and 10 ° south of the equator, in the Indian Ocean, north of the island of Madagascar, distant ca. 1600 km from the East African coast.
The islands of Mahé (the largest), Praslin, Silhouette, La Digue, Curieuse, Frégate, Cousin, North, are among the best known islands and are part of the group of major islands of the archipelago, they are mostly of granite formation and they have within them reliefs that reach even 900 m of altitude.
These islands are home to lush vegetation, with a large variety of rare plants, as well as beautiful beaches and extraordinary marine parks.
The other groups of islands are made up of coral atolls and sand banks, a few meters above sea level, populated by various endemic species of animals, almost all uninhabited.
Climate
The climate of the Seychelles is tropical, conditioned by the trade winds, which during the year blow in the opposite direction depending on the period.
From October to March the north-west trade winds prevail, resulting in a warmer and wetter climate.
In this period the sea is calmer. From May to September the trade winds blow from the south east, the climate is drier and cooler and the sea is more rough.
Temperatures fluctuate between 24 ° and 32 ° C throughout the year.
The sea water temperature is lukewarm in any month of the year.
Seychelles are not affected by the hurricane phenomenon.
Recommended readings- Mauritius (Mascarene): what to see on the island
- Mauritius (Indian Ocean): useful information
- Maldives (Indian Ocean): useful information
- Seychelles (Indian Ocean): useful information
- Zanzibar (Tanzania): what to see in the archipelago
Population
The Seychelles population has multi-ethnic roots, born from the meeting of a variety of peoples and cultures, in fact these islands did not have an indigenous population, they were inhabited by French and English colonizers, by Africans, Indians, Chinese and Arabs, the descendants of which form the current society.
Time zone
In the Seychelles it is necessary to move the clock hands 3 hours ahead of Italy. (2 hours ahead when daylight saving time is in effect in Italy).
Spoken language
There are three official languages in the Seychelles: Creole (derived from French), French and English.
Economy
The wealth of fruit trees, the abundance of the sea, the excellent climate, offer the inhabitants of these islands a decent life, as well as being basic factors of the economy, which is supported precisely by the tourism and fishing sector, to which processing and conservation of fish is linked.
Tourism, with the increase in tourist flows, represents an important source of currency revenue, together with the export of canned tuna.
Copra oil is also widely exported, extracted from the fruits of the coconut palm.
When to go
The Seychelles enjoy a warm tropical climate at any time of the year, however to visit these islands the months of April-May and October-November are preferable to the months of December, January and February, when it rains the most .
Necessary documents
Italian citizens are required to enter the Seychelles with a valid passport, return flight ticket and documentation of the hotel accommodation of the stay (at least for the first night of stay).
With these documents, a 30-day tourist residence permit is issued on the passport upon entry into the country.
To extend this period, you must contact the immigration office.
Phone
- The international prefix for calling from Italy to the Seychelles is: 00248
- The international dialing code for calling from Seychelles to Italy is: 0039
GSM mobile phones work in all islands and local Sim Cards can be purchased.
Electricity
The electric current is 240 V 50 Hz. The sockets are of the three-pole English type. A power adapter is recommended.
Currency
The official currency of the Seychelles is the rupee. The tourist facilities are obliged to accept payments from their customers only in foreign currency (euros, dollars) or credit card.
They are payable in currency (in addition to all the services offered by hotels, self catering and guesthouses) car rental, boat rental, air tickets or national ferries, diving, excursions and entrance tickets to nature reserves.
For other expenses, rupees can be used. Credit cards are accepted and ATMs are located in all the main banks of Mahé, La Digue, Praslin and at Mahé and Praslin airports (they issue cash in rupees).
How to get
The flag carrier Air Seychelles connects Italy directly to the Seychelles with direct flights from Milan Malpensa and Rome Fiumicino to Mahè airport.
The Seychelles can also be reached with other airlines including Qatar Airways, flights from Milan Malpensa and Rome Fiumicino with a stopover in Doha, Air France with a stopover in Paris, Emirates with a stopover in Dubai.
Vaccinations
To visit the Seychelles no vaccination is mandatory.
Vaccination against yellow fever is required only from those who come from areas where this disease is present.
In these islands there is no risk of malaria.
It is advisable to take out a health insurance before departure that covers, if necessary, medical expenses and repatriation.
