Practical information Seychelles

174  sq.mi

12hrs. Victoria is 5, 059 mi from London. Air Seychelles operates 5 direct flights, 2 days a week, on Fridays and Sundays, leaving from London Heathrow, with Air France connection arrangements if you leave from out of town. For more information visit the site www.airseychelles.com
There are other companies that will fly you here, such as Emirates (6 weekly flights with a stop-over in Dubai) and Qatar (3 weekly flights with a stop-over in Doha).

85500 hab.

Located 6 miles away from the centre of Victoria, it stretches between the sea and a rocky wall. Car rental and taxis available. Taxi fares: about 16 pounds sterling from the airport to Victoria. A bus line runs along the airport, and drives to Victoria.

Main recommendations:
Because of a significant increase in pickpocketting, robberies and attacks, it is recommended to be cautious as far as travelling documents, cash and credit cards are concerned (use the safes available in hotels for example), particularly on the beach. Some hotels have night guards. Do not walk alone at night.
Some cases of accidental drowning have been reported. Generally speaking, great caution is recommended for swimming. The risks are those inherent to any sea environment: currents, reefs, dangerous wildlife (the Seychelles shark is apparently harmless). The beaches of large hotels are, generally speaking, guarded.
If you are going to isolated beaches or creeks, or hiking in the Seychellois "Morne" mountains, avoid taking your travelling and identity documents, check books, credit cards with you. Inform people that you are planning to do such a trip beforehand. Only take the strict necessary cash. Prefer group excursions.
Even though the Seychellois tend (as anywhere else) to drink a little more than reasonably on Saturday nights, it hardly ever leads to aggressive reactions or fights.

The Seychelles have three official languages: English, French and Creole, 90% of the words being of French origin.

A valid passport and a return ticket are enough for European citizens. No visa necessary. Know that your passport will be stamped with a nice coco-fesse (sea coconut), Seychelles' emblem.

95% of the population are Catholics, sometimes with a tinge of Animism. Some Anglicans, Hindus and Muslims also live there.

The currency is the Seychelles rupee (SCR), which consists of
100 cents. All credit cards are accepted, as well as travellers cheques. There are several banks in Mahe, Praslin and La Digue. Banks open Monday to Friday, from 8:00am to 12:00pm and from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, or from 9:00am to 1:00pm and from 2:15pm to 3:30pm. Bear in mind that since 1st June 2001, a law prohibits hotels from accepting payments in Seychelles rupees. You are therefore advised to exchange your money for US dollars or euros. Don't buy too many Seychelles rupees, as you will only be using this currency for small purchases, in restaurants located outside hotels, at the local market, and in shops, and remember to keep the official receipt to be able to exchange any remaining rupees for pounds on your way out! To combat the credit crunch, the government of the Seychelles has devalued the Seychelles Rupee, the value of which has dropped 39% from 11 rupees to 16 rupees per pound.

Flights:
you can hop from one island to the other, on small 6 to
20 passenger planes, with the company Air Seychelles. You always have to fly via Mahé. The air traffic between Mahé and Praslin consists in
3 daily flights (duration: fifteen minutes). Besides, customied flights go to the archipelago's remote islands, such as Bird, Denis, Desroches and Alphonse.
Wealthier tourists will be able to travel by helicopter to Praslin, La Digue, Silhouette, Bird, Cousine, Sainte Anne, Cerf Island, or to the private islands of Denis, North, Fregate and Félicité.
Boats:
The Cat-Cocos-2, a 118 foot modern catamaran, now ensures the Mahé-Praslin link within 45 minutes, thanks to its speed of 40 knots (45 mph). Schooners used to take 2h30 to cover the 20 miles separating the two sister islands. The Cat-Cocos-2 operates from a special terminal on Eden island, linked to Mahé island by a footbridge, and can hold 350 passengers. Adapted to a revolutionary system of automatic control of swell regulation, it makes it possible to highly reduce sea-sickness. La Curieuse, a traditional schooner, links Praslin to La Digue within half an hour. There, again, a new catamaran, the Cat Roses, now ensures the crossing within 15 minutes and can hold 150 passengers. Last returns are at 5.30 pm.
Buses:
Buses are a handy and cheaper means of transport on Mahé and Praslin islands. A regular daily service runs from 5.30 am to 7 pm. The service is limited on Sundays. There are bus stops near the hotels and on Palm Street. Timetables are available at the terminus.
Driving:
Car rental is obviously the best way to get around. Most vehicles for hire are Mini-Mokes - all open and pleasant to drive little cars (allow 300 to 350 Seychellois rupee a day). It is a left-hand drive country. The roads, built by the Soviets, are rarely bordered by fences. Speed is limited to 40 mph or 50 mph. As for rental, a national driver's licence is sufficient (there are roughly 30 car rental agencies). The road network on Mahé, the capital island, is approximately 100 miles long. Some 200 taxis drive on Mahé, and about thirty on Praslin, but they are rather expensive. You can also hire bicycles, particularly on La Digue, where they are the main means of transport.

The medical conditions in the country are fairly satisfactory. Though no vaccine is required, it is still strongly recommended to get vaccinated against tetanus and poliomyelitis. Bring a mosquito repellent cream as well as good sunscreen. There is no malaria and only a very few cases of dengue fever. Water is drinkable, food is healthy.
Medical structures are not adapted for accidents or serious illnesses, including on Mahe Island, the capital. Also, consider subscribing to good repatriation insurance.

220 V. Adapter needed, sometimes available at hotel reception desks.

Tourism has progressively increased over the past ten years to reach 161,273 visitors in 2007. The French are the prime visitors of the archipelago (31 894 in 2007) followed by the Italians, Germans and British.

At Mahe airport, a 45 US dollar tax has to be paid.
A small tip is always welcome but there is no obligation to do so. Tips are particularly justified in small hotels for waiters and maids, always extremely nice and ready to help customers. Finally, know that hotels and restaurants are taxed at 7%, with the value added tax.

To call the Seychelles from the UK, dial 00, followed by 248 and the number you are trying to reach.
From the Seychelles to the UK, dial 00 followed by 44, and the number you are trying to reach, excluding the initial zero.
On Mahé, the best thing to do is to telephone from the Cable & Wireless offices.