Seychelles holiday information

What you need to know before you go!!

We want you to have a wonderful experience in the islands, so please read all our tips and enjoy!

The Tropical Weather…. what to expect

Seychelles is a tropical paradise with temperatures rarely dropping below 24°C or rising above 32°C. During the north-west trade winds that visit between the months of October and April, the sea is generally calm and the weather warm and humid, with average winds of 8-12 knots. The months between May and September bring drier, cooler weather, and livelier seas - particularly on south-eastern coasts – and winds of 10-20 knots. As the islands lie outside the cyclone belt, high winds and thunderstorms are rare, but like all densely tropical, lush islands the warm rain can always show up. For photographers the best months are April and November, when the weather is very hot and the waters are exceptionally clear. We do recommend, as a precaution, taking insect repellent for the evening and sunscreen with insect repellent for the daytime [can be found at Boots and Avon]. Electricity is 240v with a 3 pin plug same as the UK.

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Currency and how to pay

The local currency is the Seychelles Rupee. There are 100cents to one rupee. Rupees are available in the following note denominations: Rs100, Rs50, Rs25, Rs10. Rupee coin denominations are: Rs5, Rs1 and 50cents. Exchange rates can be obtained from your own bank.

You can exchange your money at banks, hotel cashiers and authorised money dealers at Seychelles international airport. It is illegal to exchange money anywhere else. You will find that you won’t need to exchange too much as your hotel bills can only be paid in foreign currency and most tourist related activities accept foreign currency. You will need rupees for shopping and taxis. We recommend you only exchange small amounts of Rupees as changing back to your original currency can be expensive.

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Passports and Visa’s

You will need a full 10 year passport for entry into the Seychelles, valid for at least 6 months beyond your return date. Visas are not required for entry. On arrival in the Seychelles you are required to complete an immigration card (which will be given to you whilst on the aircraft) and produce a valid return ticket.

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Health and Vaccinations

No vaccination certificates are required for the Seychelles. However, it is your responsibility to consult your doctor on this matter prior to departure.

If you require medical treatment whilst in the Seychelles, ask your hotel or guesthouse and they will contact our customer service representative, who can help you 24 hours a day in any situation. Your welcome pack on arrival will have all of the necessary details.

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Local points & Recommended Restaurants

The Seychellois people are a unique blend of Créole, Indian, Chinese, French and British. They are warm and inviting, if not sometimes a little shy. All, the islands are safe to walk around day or night with very little crime. The people live a simple life in paradise taking each day as it comes, nothing is rushed and you soon find their pace of life is infectious.

The Seychelles is famous for its excellent Créole cuisine blending mixture of Indian, African, Chinese and English cooking. There is always something on the menu for everyone. If you are staying on Mahé we recommend the following local restaurants as we have been dining here for many years with excellent service and food.

Seyexclusive preferred restaurants

Praslin

• Bon Bon Plume - for lunch at Anse Lazio
• Le Laurier - lunch / dinner Cote d’Or
• Britannia guesthouse for Creole food
• Indian Ocean lodge for Creole food

La Digue

• ‘Kot Babi’ for lunch and dinner
• Patatran village, always good food
• Chateau St Cloud, tasty local cuisine

Mahé

• La Scala - First Class food and service, near Fisherman’s Cove Beau Vallon
• Chez Plume - great seafood and steak, near MAIA Resort
• Le Corsaire, great Italian/French cuisine, super wine list, near Beau Vallon Bay
• Mahek Indian at the Coral Strand Hotel
• The Boathouse, Beau Vallon Bay, all you can eat buffet
• Le Rendez-vous Victoria, good for lunch salads and big ice cream desserts, overlooking the Clock tower
• Anchor Café - Anse a la mouche in the south, always full for dinner!
• Anse Soleil café - At Anse Soleil beach this little gem will have your taste buds racing. First come first served here! Opens lunchtime onwards.
• Kaz Kreol in Anse Royale, Chinese menu is the best
• Marie Antoinette - Mahe on same road from Victoria to Beau Vallon first hill. Excellent fresh Creole food
• Hilton Northolme - Fine dining restaurant excellent cusine!!
• Sainte Anne Mont Fleuri restaurant - outstanding food and service!!

Remember to get the best service in Seychelles, you have to be smiley and friendly with the staff and be patient as they are never in a rush, especially on La Digue!!!

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Getting about

On Mahé, the best way to see this larger island is to hire a car or jeep. We recommend everyone who can drive does this, so as not to miss out on the spectacular hidden sights of this beautiful island. You will need to bring a valid international driving license. They drive on the left hand side like the UK, and are never in a rush, it’s hard to go faster than 30 mph on the windy roads so accidents are rare.

The only other island with cars to rent is Praslin and on La Digue the recommended mode of transport is bicycle or Ox cart. For all the other islands its bicycle or golf buggy only! Have fun exploring the unspoilt deserted beaches, where you might not see any other tourists all day!

To reach other islands in the Seychelles you can either take a boat transfer or fly to those with an airstrip [see our map]. For a fast and more glamorous transfer we can also offer helicopter service between any helipads you see on our map.

If you need to book car hire please contact us for a quote, we can even have your car ready at the airport on arrival.

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