Seychelles holidays

Most Seychelles holidays start on the main island of Mahé, where the international airport is located.

This is the largest island in the archipelago and offers the greatest diversity of attractions, from the quaint Colonial-style capital of Victoria to the tropical peaks of the Morne Seychellois National Park.

The majority of the population lives here, making for a vibrant cultural scene and plenty of good Creole food. It’s a great place to go touring, maybe staying in several cheap Seychelles guesthouses along the way to enjoy the local vibe.

The Seychelles islands fall into two groups: the inner granite islands that cluster around Mahé, four degrees south of the equator; and the low-lying coral outer islands that lie scattered up to 10 degrees south of the equator.

It’s hard to compare them as they all have distinct topographies, flora and fauna. Many holidaymakers prefer to sample a few with an island-hopping itinerary. The most popular islands are Praslin, La Digue, Sainte Anne and Silhouette.

The Seychelles lies outside of the cyclone belt and enjoys a gorgeous climate that rarely strays out of the range of 24-32C.

Between December and March, the northwest monsoon brings slightly wetter weather, while June to September is cooler and drier, although the wind whips up the waves during this period. The months of April, May, October and November are ideal. Accommodation can be hard to find during the seasonal peaks of December-January and July-August.

Be here in April for the Carnival of Victoria in Mahé’s capital, or join the celebrations for the Feast of the Assumption of Mary in August on La Digue. In October, the Creole culture of the islands is explored at the Festival Kreol.

Currency: Seychellois Rupee (SCR)

Capital city: Victoria

Language: Creole, English, French

Key phrase to learn: Mon kontan (I like it)

Time difference: Seychelles is four hours ahead of London

Average flight time from the UK: 10hrs 6 mins

International phone code: +248

Emergency services number: 999

Public holidays: New Year’s Day (January 1 and 2), Good Friday (Friday before Easter), Easter Day (March/April), Labour Day (May 1), Liberation Day (June 5), Corpus Christi (June 10), National Day (June 18), Independence Day (June 29), Feast of the Assumption (August 15), All Saints’ Day (November 1), Immaculate Conception Day (December 8), Christmas Day (December 25).

Link to FCDO travel advice: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/seychelles