Seychelles Islands lies off the coast of East Africa, northeast of Madagascar, and is comprised of over 100 (mostly uninhabited) islands. Granite-backed hills rise out of the ocean, covered in thick, tropical forest surrounded by talcum-powdered beaches and cerulean waters. In short – it is the very embodiment of an island paradise.
The best times to visit Seychelles Islands are April, May, October and November. These months represent the transition times between the hot and humid northwest trade winds (from November through March) and the cooler southeast trade winds that define April through October.
Seychelles comprises 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, located off the coast of East Africa. The main islands are about 1,600 kilometres east of Kenya and roughly 1,100 kilometres northeast of Madagascar. Seychelles is best known for its pristine beaches, lush vegetation and kaleidoscopic marine life.
Because of its close proximity to East African countries like Kenya and Tanzania, it’s very easy to combine your beach holiday in Seychelles with a Big 5 safari! Our Travel Experts always recommend the best destinations for your tailor-made itinerary based on easy access and exciting activities. And a bush and beach holiday is one of our most common combinations.
We always suggest that our guests stay for a week, as it will give you enough time to explore all the main islands, namely Mahé, La Digue and Praslin.
As a foreign visitor, you will need a passport which is valid for a minimum of six months after the planned length of your visit. You do not need a visa to enter Seychelles. However, this can change so you should always check the entry visa requirements before departing.
Citizens arriving from Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea-Conakry are the only ones who need visas. There are no visa requirements for all other nationalities and they will be issued with a three-month visitor's permit on arrival.
How long will it take to issue my visa?
Enquire at the Seychelles’ embassy in your country for the most up-to-date visa information.
What are the visa requirements?
All visitors need to show certain documents in order to obtain immigration clearance at the Seychelles International Airport. Visitors will need the following:
- A valid passport: for the date of entry and exit from the Seychelles
- A return or onward ticket
- Proof of accommodation (including contact details of the establishment)
- Sufficient funds for the length of your stay
- German minors who have "Kinderausweis" in lieu of a passport will be permitted entry provided that it contains a photo of the minor concerned.
For how long should my visa be valid?
Enquire at the Seychelles’ embassy in your country for the most up-to-date visa information.
Please ensure that you verify this information independently with the relevant embassy, high commission or consulate as your consultant cannot be held liable for any errors.
Transportation options within Seychelles include buses, inter-island flights, as well as boats in between the islands. Car rental can also be arranged on Mahé and Praslin.
The currency used throughout the country is the Seychellois rupee. Visa and Mastercard are accepted in most hotels and restaurants. Tourist shops and areas often have ATMs dispensing local currency.
Motorists in the Seychelles drive on the left side of the road. Speed restrictions are 40km/h in towns, 65km/h on the open road and 80km/h on the highway between Victoria and the airport. An EU/international driving license is expected when hiring vehicles although some companies will accept a national driver’s license.
The most convenient place to rent your car would be at the airport. The main roads in the Seychelles are paved, well-signed, and in good condition. Roads are predominantly sandy tracks in the rest of the country. Petrol stations tend to close at varied times in the evening. We recommend filling your tank in the day to avoid any inconveniences.
No other islands apart from Mahé and Praslin have car rental services. A car would be convenient for visitors who really want to experience Mahé and Praslin, although public transport on these islands is decent and most resorts offer shuttle services to points of interest nearby.
The Type G British electrical plug is used in Seychelles, also known as the 13-amp plug or as the BS-1363 (British 13 A/230-240 V 50 Hz earthed and fused). It would be wise to carry a travel adaptor with you so that you can be sure of being able to use all of your electrical appliances. Visitors can also buy traveller adaptors in Seychelles. In some parts of the country, flashlights could prove useful in areas where there is no street lighting (such as in La Digue).
While it may not be as fast as the internet in Europe and America, Wi-Fi is becoming increasingly more accessible in Seychelles. Mahé has a number of internet cafes, although they become scarce once you leave the capital. Travellers who are visiting Seychelles for an extended period of time may want to buy a USB stick from the local mobile provider that they can load with airtime and plug into their laptop.
The international dialling code in the Seychelles is +248, and coverage can be found on the islands of Mahé, La Digue, Praslin and Silhouette. There are several foreign mobile services that have coverage in the Seychelles but be warned — roaming fees can be quite high. Visitors who have ‘unlocked’ GSM phones can buy prepaid SIM cards at Cable and Wireless or Airtel. Top-up cards are widely distributed and easily bought.
Here are some helpful tips for your stay in the Seychelles:
- The handshake is the usual form of greeting accompanied sometimes by "ki Dir" (pronounced key dheer) which means "how do you do?"
- To avoid any irritable insect bites, make use of insect repellent and wear long pants and long-sleeved tops at night
Before going on a trip, it is important to consult your doctor and take out comprehensive travel and health insurance that will cover all of your intended activities while on holiday in Seychelles. Here are some helpful health hints to bear in mind:
- Travellers over the age of one year old are required to present a yellow fever vaccination certificate if they are arriving from an infected area
- Many hotels have a doctor on-call should their guests need one
Seychelles is a well-established tourist destination. This makes travelling there incredibly convenient. Here is some helpful information about banks, currency, and payment methods that will come in handy during your holiday to this island paradise:
- The Seychellois Rupee (SCR) is the currency of the Seychelles. Notes come in denominations of Rs500, 100, 50, 25, and 10, while coins come in denominations of Rs5 and 1 as well as 25, 10, 5, and 1 cent.
- Credit cards (American Express, MasterCard and Visa) are widely accepted throughout the Seychelles and are undoubtedly more convenient to use when travelling to more isolated islands. Payment at hotels, resorts, or any other hospitality-related expenses must be made in foreign currency. The Sterling Pound, US Dollar, and Euro are accepted along with other major international currencies. Purchases at local shops and other expenses such as cab fare can be paid in local currency.
- Visitors can exchange currency at the airport banks, which are always open while flights are arriving and departing. It should be noted that visitors should keep their currency exchange receipts in order to enable re-exchange on departure.
- Items that can be brought into the Seychelles duty-free include 200 cigarettes/250g of tobacco, 2L of spirits/2L of wine, 200ml of perfume/eau de toilette, and food items not exceeding Rs3, 000.
- There is no restriction on the import or export of foreign currency, although the import and export of local currency are limited to Rs2, 000.
- Bank hours are Monday to Friday, 08:30-14:30 and Saturdays, 08:30-11:00. ATMs are available in Mahé and Praslin.
- The following banks have branches in Seychelles and will exchange foreign currency: Barclays Bank, Bank of Baroda, Banque Française, Habib Bank, and Nuovo Banq.
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