Seychelles on the world map: where are the Seychelles Islands located. Seychelles Islands: photos and reviews from tourists

The Seychelles is a collection of more than 150 islands, the largest is the island of Mahe (according to other sources - Aldabra). The administrative center of the archipelago is the city of Victoria, the total area of ​​the islands is 450 square kilometers. Of the 150, only 33 islands are inhabited. The Seychelles is famous for its picturesque landscapes and amazing lagoons with a truly fabulous underwater world.

Where are the Seychelles Islands?

The Seychelles are scattered in the Indian Ocean closer to the equator. The archipelago is located slightly west of Tanzania, Kenya and Zanzibar, and the closest island to it is Madagascar. The chain of Seychelles islands stretches from the coast of the African continent.

What attracts tourists to the Seychelles?

Why do many tourists seek to relax in the Seychelles?

• comfortable climate all year round;
• picturesque views of the surrounding nature;
• magnificent beaches;
• excellent service;
• a huge variety of sea activities: fishing, yachting, surfing and;
• The Seychelles has amazing flora and fauna.

When is the best time to go on holiday to the Seychelles?

• Winter. In winter, the Seychelles receives little rainfall, mainly in the evenings. But the moisture quickly evaporates and not a trace remains of the rain. At sunset, the water in the sea is warm, but there is a stuffiness in the air that disappears in the morning.
• Spring. At this time, the island becomes much drier, clear weather sets in at dawn, and plants begin to bloom profusely. The rainy season ends in March, but little rain falls at night. There may be winds, but by May the weather will stabilize.
• Summer. June in the Seychelles begins with storms, attracting surfers from all over the world. But on land it is relatively dry and cool, the evening sea close muffles the sweltering heat of the day. The best time to relax on the beach is after a hot afternoon.
• Autumn. This season is the period of the new rainy season; in September there may be heavy rains. But there is still not much cloudy weather here in the autumn; in October the precipitation disappears, and the most fertile time for a comfortable rest for travelers begins.

Weather in the Seychelles by months and water temperature: table

The best months for vacation are December, May and October.

Holidays and festivals in Seychelles

• Creole Festival. It takes place every year in October and is accompanied by national songs and dances. This is a musical event that attracts creative people from all over the planet.
• Fishing tournament. Participants of the event are fishermen who prefer to catch sea fish with spoons. The festival begins at night and ends before sunset. The prize is the caught fish and traditional prizes.
• Deepavali. This festival is dedicated to the goddess of fortune Lakshmi and its celebration means that joy and happiness will soon come to your home. If you believe the legend, a person who worships this Indian goddess will soon achieve recognition and success.
• Seychelles Carnival. This holiday is second in scale only to the famous Brazilian carnival. The three-day celebration in the Seychelles is accompanied by bright colors, songs and fancy dress.
• Sailing regatta. This is a maritime competition in which everyone, professionals and amateurs, participates. The regatta lasts for eight days and takes place in the autumn.

How to get to the Seychelles?

Tourists wishing to visit the Seychelles for a period of a month do not require a visa; they only need a foreign passport and a return air ticket.

There are two ways to get to the Seychelles:

• European airlines (from Moscow, fly first to Rome, Milan or London);
• Through Asia.

Note: a service fee upon arrival of forty dollars.

But there is no direct flight from Moscow to the Seychelles.

Estimated prices for air travel from Moscow to Mahe

Prices are valid for 2016 based on two round trips:

• Etihad Airways: price - from 45,000 rubles, with a transfer in Abu Dhabi, travel time - 25 hours
• Emirates: price - from 60,000 rubles, with a transfer in Dubai, travel time - 20 hours 20 minutes
• Air Berlin: price - from 65,000 rubles, with two transfers in Munich and Abu Dhabi, travel time - 21 hours 25 minutes
• Air Seychelles: price - from 65,000 rubles, with two transfers in Belgrade and Abu Dhabi, travel time - 2 days 3 hours

Useful information for tourists

• Transport. Driving in the Seychelles is on the left. The roads on the islands are not in the best condition, so to get around it is recommended to rent a bicycle or take a taxi. Although you can also get to the beaches by bus.
• Vaccinations. Doctors recommend getting vaccinated against hepatitis A before traveling to the Seychelles, since there is a risk of contracting this disease on this archipelago.
• Shopping. The Seychelles Islands are home to many souvenir shops and craft shops. From here you can bring back bright T-shirts and poreos, crafts made from shells, jewelry made from pearls and coral, and even paintings by local artists as souvenirs.
• Water. The water in the Seychelles is considered safe to drink, but it is best not to drink it from the tap. It is best to buy bottled mineral or bottled water.
• Tips. Employees of restaurants, cafes and bars must leave a tip of ten percent of the total amount. The same applies to hotel maids.

Sights of the Seychelles

Moe Beach (Beau Vallon). This picturesque beach is considered one of the most popular among tourists. There are clean places, clear water and picturesque sunsets. It is suitable for a family holiday and for romantic couples in love.

Morne National Park. This Seychelles nature reserve is located near the capital of the archipelago, Victoria, and is of volcanic origin. There are many picturesque paths and paths, flowering parks.

Mount Morne Blanc. This majestic peak is located on the main island of Mahe and attracts tourists with beautiful views. There is a convenient observation deck and places for picnics and family recreation.

Bird Island. You can enjoy the birdlife in the Seychelles all year round. But the best place to do this is on the island: Mahe. It is truly an amazing sight when hordes of birds nest on a small island, you need to see it with your own eyes.

Crafts Village. An interesting place that attracts many tourists. Here you can see ancient huts where antiques are still preserved. Today, artisans work in the village making souvenirs from those times.

Clock tower. This architectural monument of the Seychelles was erected at the beginning of the 20th century. The tower is made in the shape of a cone and is equipped with an observation deck, which offers a gorgeous view of the surrounding area.

Moyen Island. This is a popular island among travelers. It is a natural reserve. According to legend, pirate treasures are buried here.

Farquhar Atoll. It is a paradise for lovers of scuba diving and fishing.

Workshop. Featured here are the works of artist Michael Adams - a famous painter of the Seychelles. He conveys in detail the picturesque beauty of Seychelles

Travel packages and tours

about country

Seychelles- an amazing world full of bright colors and spicy aromas, enchanting sounds of unusual music and the sound of the surf, ancient legends and amazing stories about pirate treasures.

Seychelles is a unique corner, lost in the vast expanses of the ocean, which many often call “Paradise on Earth” or “Eden”. Seychelles has many amazingly beautiful islands, each of them is interesting in its own way. The most popular among travelers are, and.

Holidays in the Seychelles mean countless beaches with silver-white sand, which are rightfully considered one of the best in the world, exotic nature, the like of which cannot be found anywhere else on the planet, as well as local cuisine and excellent service. The Seychelles attracts travelers from all over the world and leaves unforgettable impressions.

Holidays in the Seychelles are ideal for both romantics and those who enjoy extreme sports. Here nature itself has created ideal conditions for surfing, windsurfing, scuba diving, spearfishing, water skiing or canoeing and much more.

Nature and geography

The Seychelles Islands are located in the western Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar, 1,500 km east of Kenya. Seychelles is located between the fourth and fifth degrees south of the equator.

The country is an isolated archipelago of incredible beauty, consisting of 115 islands. Approximately 35 of them form the "Inner Island Group" and have a granitic structure. As a rule, these are islands with many mountains and hills and a narrow coastal strip; the remaining islands are coral atolls. The largest of them, Aldabra, is also a national park, which is under the auspices of UNESCO.

Seychelles is one of the smallest countries, its area is only 455.3 square meters. km. The largest islands are Mahe, Praslin and La Digue.

The capital of the Seychelles is the city of Victoria, located on the island of Mahe.

Time in Seychelles. The time difference with Moscow is 1 hour in winter; in summer there is no time difference.

Seychelles is a republic, its status is enshrined in the Constitution of June 18, 1993, since then this day has been celebrated as a national holiday. The islands were first noticed by Arab sailors 1000 years ago, but not only were they attracted by the convenient location of the archipelago - Phoenicians also often appeared here and Indonesians. Almost 500 years ago, the islands were discovered by the famous Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama. The Seychelles was both a British and French colony. On June 29, 1976, the Seychelles declared independence and became a republic.

Customs regulations. Those arriving in the Seychelles are allowed to carry 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco, 2 liters of alcohol, 125 ml of perfume or 250 ml of eau de toilette and other goods worth no more than 3,000 Seychelles rupees (US$ 550). It is prohibited to import flammable materials, weapons, including those for spearfishing, narcotic substances and medications without a prescription. A special permit is required to import pets. It is prohibited to transport vegetables, fruits, plants, meat and meat products, and canned food. Installed export bans coconuts, shells, corals, turtle products.

Currency of the Seychelles. 1 rupee contains 100 cents. 5 rupees is equal to 1USD. There are banknotes in denominations of 10, 25, 50 and 100 rupees, coins in denominations of 1 and 5 rupees, as well as 1, 5, 10 and 25 cents. You can also sometimes find silver and gold coins in circulation. Visa and American Express credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, except in very small settlements.

Currency exchange. Currency can be exchanged at hotels or local banks. A maximum of 1,000 rupees, or $200, can be taken out of the country; there are no restrictions on the import and export of foreign currency. It is recommended to bring American dollars or traveler's checks in this currency to the Seychelles, since rupees cannot be used by tourists to pay for rent, excursions, or in restaurants. It is recommended to exchange a small amount of money immediately upon arrival at Victoria Airport, located on the island of Mahe.

Banks in Seychelles open from 8.30 to 14.30 from Monday to Friday, on Saturday from 8.30 to 11.00.

Tips for tourists

Also in April, an annual festival dedicated to the aquatic world of the Seychelles is held for one week.
In September, a water regatta takes place on the island of La Digue.
The Creole Festival is celebrated in October.
An annual fishing competition is held in November.

The shops. Those wishing to purchase souvenirs can recommend beautiful handicrafts made from sea shells and pearls, wicker baskets, paintings by local artists, including batik painting, mats, beautiful carvings made of wood or bamboo and, of course, the quintessence of Seychelles souvenirs - coco del -mer. Local tea, of which there are a great variety on the islands, can also be purchased as a souvenir. You need to keep in mind that products made from tortoise shells will definitely be confiscated at customs. The best place for shopping in the Seychelles is in Victoria. Here you can wander the streets and do some shopping. There are also several shops on Praslin, but there are not so many on the other islands. Large hotels usually have boutiques. Shops are open during the week and on Saturday mornings.

Tips, as a rule, range from 5% to 10% and are already included in the cost of service.

Transport in Seychelles. The islands have an international airport (in Victoria), several seaports and several local airports. You can travel between the islands of Mahe, Praslin and La Digue by river buses or high-speed catamarans. Travelers should note that flights between Mahe and Praslin are frequently canceled due to technical issues. It is very convenient to explore the local beauty and attractions from a helicopter or a private plane, but renting one is expensive, but renting a bicycle or a car is available to everyone, especially since this is the most successful way to get around the island. You can also travel by taxi, the parking lot of which is located on Albert Street in Victoria and operates around the clock.

Car rental. If you want to take a car, you must have a driver's license (Russian license is also valid) and you must be at least 22 years old. Driving in the Seychelles is on the left, like in Britain, the quality of the roads is not bad. The maximum driving speed in the city is 45 km/h, outside populated areas – 65 km/h. The cost of 1 liter of gasoline is just over a dollar; there are six gas stations on Mahe Island and two on Praslin. The gas station in Victoria is open from 5am to 11pm.

Electricity - 240 volts, 50 Hz

Postal services. Telephone services. Internet. The central post office is located in Victoria and is open from 8.00 to 16.00 from Monday to Friday, on Saturday from 8.00 to noon. You can send letters directly from the hotel. You can also use the telephone in most hotels. The country code is 248. There are several internet cafes on Mahe and at least one on Praslin.

Medical service. The climate in the Seychelles is very healthy and there are no known tropical diseases common in, for example, Kenya or. There is a small risk of contracting hepatitis A, so vaccination is recommended before travel.

As for the local water, in general it is quite suitable for drinking, but it is better to use either boiled or bottled water. It is preferable to eat in cafes or restaurants, since the variety of cuisine allows you to choose dishes to suit every taste. A lot of food is sold from stalls, but it is better to refrain from eating it.

The central hospital is located in Victoria on Mahe Island (tel. 224400). Doctors speak English and/or French. There are also other clinics, including private ones, on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue. Medical care is free and provided by the state.

Emergency phone number Seychelles - 999.

Since the climate on the islands is tropical, which means quite humid and hot, recommended to wear light clothes made from natural materials, for women - light dresses, shorts or pareos during the day and long skirts in the evening, for men - shorts and a T-shirt. The most suitable shoes are flip flops or sandals. Swimming suits are only worn on the beach.

The Seychelles has excellent conditions for sports lovers. Here you can surf, windsurf, paragliding, sailing and water skiing, canoeing or hang gliding. On their own, or using the services of an experienced instructor, those interested can engage in underwater hunting and fishing. However, it would not be entirely correct to say that the Seychelles are ideal only for water sports.

Mahe has an excellent golf course just south of Victoria International Airport. The golf course on Praslin Island is considered one of the best in the world. Most hotels have tennis courts. On the islands there is also the opportunity to engage in horse riding.

Hiking tours of various levels of difficulty to the islands of Mahe, Praslin, La Digue and some others are popular, giving travelers an excellent opportunity to explore their beauty and get acquainted with the local exotic flora and fauna. As a rule, information about them can be obtained from hotels.

Many hotels on the islands have cinemas and discos, and barbecues with folk songs and dances are often held there. It is interesting to watch or take part in local entertainment, listen to music unusual for Europeans called “kamtolet”, which is a mixture of waltz, polka and quadrille, see how they dance “mautia”, an African dance to the sounds of drums and tom-toms, or an equally famous dance "now."

Victoria is home to cinemas and theaters, which often feature theater productions in English, French and Creole. There are casinos in downtown Victoria, as well as the Beau Vallon Bay Hotel and the Plantation Club. Praslin is also home to the magnificent Casino des Iles.

The Seychelles Islands are a stunningly beautiful archipelago, a real lost paradise in the waters of the Indian Ocean. Amazingly beautiful landscapes, fine white sand, the ocean, unique flora and, of course, the “signature” palm trees of the archipelago - all these are the Seychelles Islands.

Location of Seychelles

The exotic archipelago stretches in East Africa over an area of ​​455 square kilometers. In such a small area there are 115 islands, but only 30 of them are inhabited by people. The islands are located 1,600 kilometers from the continent of Africa, and almost 1,000 kilometers north of the notorious Madagascar. The capital of the island is the largest city of Victoria (Mahe Island).

Seychelles International Airport (Aоport International de Seychelles - Pointe Larue) with three terminals is located 10 kilometers southeast of the capital. The islands are home to approximately 90,000 people.

Seychelles is a former French and British colony.

Holidays in Seychelles

The wonderful Seychelles archipelago is undoubtedly an almost ideal place for an unforgettable and truly heavenly holiday, as they say, the most natural “bounty”. A tropical fairy tale is separated from the ideal in the classical sense by one “almost” - the price. The cost of a vacation will cost the price of a good car. But the coin has two sides, so such a vacation will be unforgettable in all respects. Moreover, a visa is not needed to travel to “paradise” if the stay is less than 30 days.

The route to the Seychelles, as is already obvious, is not close, and is about 7000 kilometers. Travel time ranges from 13 to 15 hours. All flights are connecting flights, usually in Paris (Air France), Doha (Qatar Airways), and Dubai (Emirates). There is no time difference with Moscow.

The most popular “tourist” islands are the main Mahe, Praslin, La Digue. Also interesting are the islands of Saint Anne, Desroches, Cerf, Silhouette, Frigate, Denise.

The Seychelles were named after the French minister of finance (XVII-XVIII centuries) - Moreau de Sechelles.

Diving and boat trips are rightfully considered the most popular entertainment for tourists. It is also recommended to visit National Parks, for example, Morne Seychelles. The island has been isolated for a long time, so there are quite a lot of endemic flora and fauna found here.

The islands are very popular not only among the very wealthy, but also among newlyweds. Exotic weddings on the islands are gaining more and more popularity, and in this segment the Seychelles compete with the Maldives and Mauritius.

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The Seychelles are rightfully one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean. They are rich in a huge number of different birds, and large trees grow there, which only reach 2 meters in diameter. Seychelles centenarians live here - large turtles whose weight is approximately 250 kg. But the main miracle of the island is the sea coconut.

A holiday in the Seychelles is truly unforgettable. The official symbol of the USA is the nut, which weighs 20 kilograms and grows only on these islands. Despite the great popularity of the resort, this place is great for privacy. There is crystal clear water and untouched nature.

Seychelles beaches rank first as world-class beaches. A tourist can go on an exciting mountain hike or a hike in a tropical paradise forest. There are also large bazaars that open at night.

Coral reefs, underwater encounters with huge blue sharks and other fish are the dream of any diver. Seychellois love to welcome families with children. Many hotels are equipped with the most necessary things for children: children's rooms, playgrounds, children's menus. There are also nannies.

For newlyweds, there are rooms for the first wedding night, luxury rooms with floating flowers in the pool. You can relax in the Seychelles at any time of the year: the air temperature here is about 30 degrees. From May to September the climate is least humid. The rains begin from December to February, at this time the humidity is high, but the temperature still does not drop below 20 degrees.

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Seychelles will meet you at the airport with your original visa (issued upon arrival). This is a seal depicting the coco de mer nut, the fruit of the Seychelles palm tree, which grows only here, like many other species of plants and animals. Coco de mer is simply inseparable from Seychelles: it is a symbol of the state, it is depicted on the coat of arms, on the visa, on most souvenirs and postcards.

There are no duty fees. The border crossing procedure is simple. If you have a printout with return tickets and hotel reservations, there will be no questions at entry. If you are traveling by invitation or on a visit, you may have to talk a little more with customs officers. Although no one is going to seriously interrogate you. In general, people in the Seychelles don’t like to be nervous and overexerted. You can often hear the phrase “It’s OK”, which very well reflects the worldview of the islanders. This is a universal answer to all questions.

It is prohibited to import raw meat, any seeds and plants, and narcotic drugs into the country.

The visa is valid for a maximum of 30 days. But you can stay for a longer period. The day before departure, I handed in my return ticket, only then realizing that my visa had expired and that from that moment on I was staying on the islands illegally. In this case, on the next working day you need to go to the migration center, which is located in the city of Victoria on the island of Mahe. There is only one migration center in the Seychelles, as well as a city. The building is reminiscent of Soviet buildings from the 70s, and the atmosphere inside is the same.

I decided on the number of days I still wanted to spend on the islands, took cash with me at the rate of 20–30 USD for 1 day and an old invitation letter, which I showed upon arrival. This turned out to be quite enough.

I calculated the money by eye. No one ever told me the exact amount of dollars a person needs to have for a day in order to have his visa extended. Instead of cash, you can present a statement showing the balance on your bank card. There are ATMs in working order in Victoria (mainly Citibank), although they did not issue the balance on my card when I was there.

At the center I was given a short form to fill out with formal questions. Then I had to sit in the general queue for about 30 minutes. The presence of grandmothers in line created the feeling that I was in Russia. Although Seychelles grandmothers are friendlier and more carefree.

Then I was called by a migration service worker, whose actions remained a mystery to me. He spent a long time and diligently filling out my information. Then, apparently, he made a mistake, took a new sheet and started filling it out again. And... obviously, I was wrong again. After that, he calmly crossed out everything and threw it away.

I was looking forward to the next attempt, but no: it didn’t work out, it didn’t work out that way. He noted with a pen in my passport next to the visa that I was leaving on such and such a date, and let me go with a smile. It's OK.

How to get there

From Russia you can only get to the Seychelles by plane. From other countries you can also travel by water.

Tourist regions

There are three inhabited islands in the Seychelles: Mahe, and.

Mahe is the main one, the majority of the population lives here and the capital is located. There are a lot of yachting and diving centers on Praslin. La Digue has the most popular beaches. I will tell you more about the large islands below. The remaining 112 islands are divided into:

• private,
• island hotels,
• uninhabited.

Among the owners of private islands there are also our compatriots. For example, Severny Island near Mahe is attributed by many sources to Mikhail Prokhorov. There are quite a lot of islands entirely given over to one or two hotels. They are mostly detached villas. These include Denise, Silhouette, Bird, Alphonse, etc. Mainly service personnel and guests live here.

But the most interesting are the remote uninhabited island reserves, which can only be reached by individual plane or yacht. For example, the world's largest atoll reserve, Aldambra. There is only a research center here, which is staffed by at most two people. You cannot stay overnight in nature reserves, so a yacht is an ideal option for such trips. You can spend the night on board and head to the next island in the morning.

Most often I look for hotels on Booking -, you can also see the selection of hotels in the Seychelles in the travelask section. Those who like to immerse themselves in local flavor can look at apartment offers from private owners -.

Top cities

As I already said, there is only one city in the Seychelles, and it is the capital Victoria.

Islands

Mahe

This is the main and largest island. My acquaintance with Mahe was quite comical. Friends met me at the airport. On the way home we had to pass through Victoria. I was looking forward to when we finally entered the city. But the city still did not appear. Outside the window, only suburban buildings and palm trees flashed. When I asked, “Where is Victoria?”, everyone laughed. The suburban buildings in the trees were the city.

Mahe has a very well-developed transport network (more on this below). Therefore, you can get to any attractions without any problems.

On the eastern part of the island there are magnificent long beaches. To my surprise, they were quite empty.

Instead of people, dogs swim in the sea. For example, these three dogs who found a pipeline going into the water and amused themselves by walking along it one after another, from the shore, then back to the shore.

The bright colors of the ocean here echo the bright colors of the houses and clothes of the residents.

Interestingly, each district here has its own school uniform color. Moreover, the shape is very stylish. Sometime after noon, the kids start heading home, so if you're on the bus at this time, colorful students get on every now and then. For example, in this place the shape is light pink.

And next to Victoria is blue.

As for the southern part of the island, when the weather is right, surfers appear here. Although surfing in the Seychelles is not very developed. This is a dangerous activity due to the sharp coral reefs that surround all the islands.

You can go to the waterfall. It is located to the west in the Port Glaud area.

Not far from the bus stop there is a Catholic Church. It is the main landmark, behind which a small hiking trail begins deep into the Morne Park, leading to the waterfall. You can swim, the water is cool and clean.

The only danger here is slippery stones and small Seychelles, every now and then falling from above like plums. They climb high into the trees and jump into the lake, doing somersaults.

For them, this is an analogue of our bungees from childhood somewhere in the village with their grandmother. True, much more dangerous. And another chance to get a dollar tip for your tricks from an enthusiastic tourist.

The Port Glaud location itself is also worthy of attention. There is a good beach here and a small uninhabited island is located very close by. At low tide, tourists wander back and forth to it. Some in a swimsuit, some in their clothes, taking the same photos with a blocked horizon, as the sun reflects off the white sand and blinds the eyes even through sunglasses.

To the north along the coast beyond Port Launay the motorway ends.

But, if you like adventure, you can go further on foot and stumble upon an abandoned old school. And then go out to a closed bay, where the water surface looks more like a lake than an ocean.

Between Victoria and the west coast there are mountains and rainforest. At the highest point there is something like an observation deck, from where an amazing view opens up.

It’s definitely worth coming here not even for the view, but to feel like a forest gnome next to the giant roots of old trees that grow along the way to the site.

On the way up you can collect clean water from “mini-waterfalls”.

Seychelles believe that it is better to live in the mountains, so house prices here are much higher than those on the coast. This is due to practicality: the closer the sea, the faster the building is destroyed by salt and wind. The views of the ocean are beautiful.

You can also visit a tea factory in this area.

Let's go back north. In any small seaside town there is a street “along which everyone walks back and forth in the evening.” In the Seychelles, this is the promenade of Beau Vallon beach.

There are many hotels, hostels and restaurants located here. This is the most popular beach among locals and tourists. In the morning you can watch fishermen laying out their nets here.

And during the day there are flocks of children swimming, black as coals.

Victoria itself is several streets with a cinema, a bank, a vegetable market, a bus station and the Pirate Hands cafe.

The center of the city is the clock tower, or Big Ben.

They even take school trips to see him (note that in the photo the uniform is again a different color).

Praslin Island

On Praslin there is the Vallee de Mai National Park with thickets of the famous coco de mer palm. This is a must-see for most tourists. The fruits grow high, so you won’t be able to see or touch them well. Although there is a specially picked fruit on a separate table - for photographs.

It was much more interesting for me to go visit the flying foxes. I noticed these animals on the very first day: I was admiring the evening sky, when suddenly “Batman” flew overhead. It turned out that it was a flying fox, and there are a huge number of them here. They are active at dusk, scream unpleasantly and often fight.

It has always been a mystery to me why there are fruits everywhere on the road, even if there are no fruit trees nearby. Then I found the reason: flying foxes feed by sitting in trees. At the same time, they manage to fight and divide territory at the same time. Therefore, if you are standing under a palm tree and suddenly a mango falls from above, do not be surprised. The clumsy fox just dropped her dinner on you.

In the center of the island, one of the residents keeps a “hotel” for them.

First, he set up cages to create something like a zoo. But he didn’t have time to catch them. The foxes themselves found and chose the cage. Now every day they fly here to spend the night. Of course, it’s safe here, and they also provide food. And tourists now have the opportunity to take a closer look at them. It turned out that these animals are more like winged toy terriers.

Their front paws are very specific, so it is not surprising that they often drop food.

But no one closes the cage; you can visit the foxes.

La Digue

The impressions from this island are like from a good old fairy tale by Paulo Coelho. “If you want something, the whole Universe will contribute to it,” it seems like it works here.

Even Mahe seems noisy and densely populated compared to tiny La Digue. The area of ​​this island is only 10 square kilometers. However, it has its own school, church and small bank branch. And, of course, hostels, hotels and hotels of all kinds. People travel around the island by bicycle, which I will discuss in more detail below in the “Transport” chapter.

In the southwestern part there is the Union Estate Park (L’Union Estate).

Entrance costs 7.5 USD (100 SCR, Seychellois rupees) for the whole day.

Here you can look at the house in which the famous “Adieu Emmanuel” was filmed, and meet the traditional bull, which used to be the only form of transport on the island.

Or find a small shipyard (which, by the way, works).

And also see vegetable gardens and an old destroyed ship with pirate symbols.

The ship, of course, is relatively modern, and the picture was painted for the surroundings. Although in the same park there is a real old pirate cemetery and, according to the stories of the descendants of the first settlers, there was once a pirate base here.

L’Union Estate also has access to the coastline to beaches of amazing beauty. In general, there are two things you must do in La Digue: see the turtles and walk along all the beaches, including hard-to-reach ones.

Moyen Island

This is an island reserve with a beautiful history. In 1962, it was bought by Englishman Brendon Grimshaw for 8,000 GBR (pounds sterling). At that time, the island was in a deplorable state, but gradually the new owner turned this place into a beautiful nature reserve. He brought plants, trees, birds and giant turtles here and lived on the island alone with his assistant until his death in 2012.

Something like the story about Robinson Crusoe and Friday. Although, unlike Robinson, Brandon was extremely sociable and enjoyed meeting tourists. But, most importantly, he refused 50,000,000 USD, which a private investor offered him to buy the island and build a hotel here.

A Seychelles friend told me that he met Brandon in 2007 and was amazed that an 80-year-old man was running up and down the island like a boy.

You can see what package tours are offered to the Seychelles and find out about prices here.

Top attractions

Turtles in La Digue

It was on La Digue that the turtles left me in a state of delight, both land and sea.

A separate area is fenced off for land turtles in the center of Union Estate Park.

You can feed the animals; there are tables with piled branches nearby. The fence is low and you can easily climb over it. This is prohibited, but if you just take harmless photos, no one will say anything.

Although, when you see a hundred-year-old turtle with a shell of more than a meter, the obsession to climb on it does not leave your head.

The main thing is to control yourself and remember that this is strictly prohibited. I was amazed that they are not afraid of people at all. I picked up more branches and climbed into the enclosure.

After some time, the turtles simply surrounded me. The two even quarreled. When all the food was eaten, I stroked one “behind the ear” as a joke. It turned out that they really like it, the turtles squint rather and stretch their necks like cats.

I wouldn't be surprised if they could rumble. As a result, the cluster of turtles around me remained, only waiting not for food, but for attention.

Another funny thing: turtles don't like to go around anyone. If you are photographing it coming towards you, be careful because the turtle will most likely not move. Tested by experience.

Sea turtles made me even more delighted. They are, of course, smaller than land ones, about 40–50 cm in length, but more spectacular. The easiest way to get to know them is to take a snorkeling excursion from La Digue.

The guides have their own places where the fed turtles are not afraid of people. Over the course of half a day, we stopped in four locations, in each of which we were sure to find a turtle.

The underwater camera takes magical pictures.

There was a funny incident when our guide took one of the turtles like a small child and began to lull him to sleep to the delight of everyone. When he let go and swam further, the turtle swam after him and began to ask to be returned to his arms.

Hard-to-reach beaches of La Digue

Another value of La Digue is the coast.

It is believed that the most ideal and often photographed beaches in the Seychelles are located on La Digue. There are about twenty of them on the island, and in order to understand which beach is the most beautiful for you, it is better to go around them all.

The map shows that there are not roads everywhere in La Digue. There is actually no approach to beaches that have no access. There is a so-called “tourist trail” along the entire Southwestern and Eastern coasts. Although, as a trail... it’s just tropical thickets and huge boulders, on which white arrows are drawn every 10 meters, indicating where to go next. The path is dangerous, sometimes you come across something like this: two boulders, between which the distance is more than two meters and a deep crevice below... and an arrow “to the next boulder.” It's OK. Even a person with good physical fitness will find it difficult. Therefore, it is better to go with a guide who knows all the options for detours.

There are different conductors. There are boring “whites” with a pure English accent on pre-booked excursions. And there are locals. You can find a local guide yourself.

We found ours on the beach of L’Union Estate Park on the advice of friends.

At first he scared me. When asked if he would give us a tour, the guide, who looked like a Rastafarian, became thoughtful, muttered something like “the moon is normal tomorrow” and said to come early the next day. Looking at our beach “outfit,” he added that this would not work: “You need comfortable shorts and closed sports shoes. We’ll be walking waist-deep in water; it’s better to take a backpack with a zipper for personal belongings so that you can carry it comfortably on your head.” This is what I didn’t expect at all.

Nevertheless, the next morning we set out. The conductor's name was Ronald. It turned out that he was not even a Rastafarian at all, but... a herbalist. Bush-doctor, as he called himself. He told us a lot about animals and plants and what they were used for.

We even found baobab trees. At first the path really followed a tourist trail. Ronald helped us get through all the difficult places. In some, where the gaps between the stones were too wide to jump over, Ronald somehow went down, “fixed” himself in the gap and put his hands up... And we walked through them. Even men. The herbalist himself moved through the tropics quickly and silently, like a panther.

Sometimes he joked with us. For example, let's walk along a path. Ronald is the last one. The path is simple, but there is a rock on the left and a cliff on the right, so it’s impossible to get around the person in front unnoticed. After some time, the path leads us to an observation stone. Ronald sits (apparently for a long time) on a stone and thoughtfully admires the view of the ocean. How and where he managed to overtake us is unclear. It was like a magic trick.

As promised, we walked part of the way on water: we walked around rocks going into the ocean, which are very difficult to climb on land. All the warnings about clothes and a zippered backpack turned out to be correct. There is no need to go on this hike with a beach bag and flip-flops.

We made a couple of stops to swim. Views of stunning beauty. Towards the end, when everyone was tired, Ronald took us to the stream to have a snack. It’s still hard to believe that the purest mountain springs gush out on a small lost island in the ocean. But it is so. The herbalist brought huge wide palm leaves, deftly made a tray out of them and laid out a standard set of Seychelles fruits: mango, starfruit, golden apple, passion fruit (that’s what they call passion fruit). He handed out knives and taught them how to clean and eat them properly. At such moments you feel like a real Mowgli.

At about two or three o'clock in the afternoon we reached the more or less inhabited Grand Anse beach, to which there is a normal road. This was the end point of our journey.

The herbalist remembered us and treated us like one of his own. A couple of days later we met him by chance on the beach. He got us coconuts from the palm tree, and we sat very peacefully for several hours, philosophizing about life and sipping coconut milk.

Ronald told us the story of his family, how his ancestors came here from Madagascar. Shared my plans. It turns out that he bought a piece of land in the forest in La Digue and dreams of organizing a camp there so he can go on multi-day hikes and watch amazing sunsets with a guitar by the fire.

It’s good that our bards have not yet mastered this island.

Sunsets are truly impressive, as the color of the sky changes very quickly in a short time, it shimmers like a mother-of-pearl shell.

In general, one of the main points that I noticed in the Seychelles is how willingly people here share their dreams and how closely they are connected with nature. What seems magical to us is everyday life for them.

For example, already at the nth hour of sitting on the beach, the phrase “I wonder what time it is?” Ronald calmly answered us: “Half past four.” I took out my phone, and sure enough, it was half past five. He didn't look at his watch. Moreover, I noticed that he didn’t have a watch at all and asked: “How did you guess?” Ronald didn’t even understand the question: “What do you mean, how? In the sun, of course."

Market in Victoria

The market is worth a visit to admire the bright colors and colorful sellers.

The most popular items are small bananas, coconuts and mangoes.

Some sellers even have something in common with their products in terms of color scheme. Including fishmongers.

I saw some vegetables and fruits for the first time. For example, the bread fruit or the delicious “golden apple” fruit, which looks like dirty unpeeled potatoes.

The market has a second floor, where a mysterious staircase of all the colors of the rainbow leads. There is a small cafe there, which, to be honest, no one is delighted with.

It is at the market that you can meet indigenous Seychelles, descendants of pirates and English colonialists. They are visible immediately. This fisherman, judging by my observations, enjoys special authority.

The fish sold varies depending on how successful the catch was: from colorful rainbow fish to stingrays and sharks. Typically, for a tourist, a bunch of 5 medium fish costs 7.5 USD (100 SCR). I suspect that the price is lower for locals.

Unfrightened little herons walk along the shelves in search of prey. Apart from tourists, no one pays much attention to them.

For 2.5 USD (35 SCR) your fish will be cleaned immediately. True, sometimes you have to wait your turn, since there is only one cleaner in the entire market.

Cinema in Victoria

Cinema is one of the few cultural entertainments in Seychelles. The cinema building is located on Albert Street. It is old, built in the 70s, with a Soviet atmosphere. The picture and sound are good though.

The cash register works as it wants, that is, not in accordance with the schedule. The choice of films here is small. But the premieres are released simultaneously with Moscow, sometimes even ahead of it. This surprised me. Tickets cost 2–3 USD. The films are shown in English.

I was interested in going first of all to see the people. For evening screenings on weekends, Seychelles often dress up and gather at the entrance, as if before a performance.

The schedule or information that the film is in 3D format can be viewed on A4 sheets glued directly to the posters. Sometimes lizards crawl out here too.

During the day it is quite empty. There is also cool air conditioning here, which is also important. If you are suddenly tired of the heat and are standing in the middle of Victoria, you can go to the cinema, take a nap and watch some action movie out of the corner of your eye.

Concert Hall in Victoria

Victoria has its own concert hall. Sometimes world-famous stars come there. I was able to visit there and catch the president congratulating and giving parting words to the athletes before leaving for the ninth Indian Ocean Island Games. This is an analogue of the Olympic Games for small island states; they are also held every 4 years.

The event usually showcases the sports that will be competed in and the national uniforms.

In the general photo: President James Alex Michel (2nd row, 7th from left) with athletes - representatives from each team.

Most of the athletes are not professionals, but simply the strongest representatives of a particular sport on the island. But still - amateurs.

Active training usually begins several months before the games. But not everyone has enough platforms. For example, I found a football field that was combined with a pasture.

Weather

If you believe the statistics, the weather in the Seychelles is the same in both summer and winter - +26–28 °C. Locals consider the best time to be from March to June.

The first thing I thought about when I saw the Seychelles on the map was that if there was a tsunami, the wave would pass through all these 115 islands and not even slow down. But I was quickly reassured by the locals, who claim that there will never be a tsunami in the Seychelles, because seismically active zones are far away from here. Large storms also bypass the islands, since there is a calm current in this area, which protects the small defenseless country. I will believe them.

Money

The national currency of Seychelles is the Seychellois rupees (SCR). 1 USD is about 13–13.5 SCR. The banknotes are interesting: with sea turtles, fish and, oddly enough, owls. The rupee is divided into 100 cents: coins of 5, 10 and 25 cents are corresponding - with coconuts and shells.

You can exchange currency at the hotel or at one of two exchange offices in the center of Victoria if you have a passport. Look for exchange rate signs on Elbert street and Independence avenue. Hand exchange is prohibited, so it’s better not to try.

The banknotes are made of tear-resistant material, so they can be crumpled in any way you like. Seychelles usually do this, some carry money in the form of lumps. It is very comfortable. People who are clearly not fans of neatness will find psychological support here. The main thing is not to take this habit home.

The first time I came across this was at the market. To give me 10 SCR in change, the saleswoman took out a crumpled transparent bag in which vegetables are weighed. It was filled with candy wrappers, just as crumpled. After rummaging around in it, she pulled out a pinkish lump and handed it to me. As if nothing had happened, without even trying to straighten it out.

With this “lump” I decided to pay at a nearby grocery store and see the reaction. But there was no reaction; the second saleswoman took it and put it in her bag, which was just as crumpled as the first saleswoman’s.

When paying for excursions, some shops and restaurants accept currency. If the question arises whether to take dollars or euros, then rather take dollars. For some reason, Seychelles treats them with great confidence, and some even sincerely believe that the dollar is equal to the euro.

For example, when paying for an excursion, they told me the price was 90 euros. I asked to convert this into dollars. They looked at me with bewilderment, as if I didn’t know the most basic things, and said that 90 euros is 90 dollars. I didn't argue. There were cases when the exchange rate was still recalculated for me even on a calculator. But the dollar turned out to be not only equal to, but also more expensive than the euro, and significantly.

Bank cards are accepted only in hotels or good restaurants. It is better to always carry cash with you.

Moving around the country

Mahe Island

It's hard to believe, but on Mahe, whose area is only 155 square kilometers, the bus network has 82 routes (as of 2015).

The bus station is located near the center of Victoria. The waiting areas are very comfortable - snake-shaped benches. So you don't have to wait in line and there is never any crowding. The fences also serve as a horizontal bar for local children.

You can ask the employees for a printout of the schedule (their office is located in the center of the bus station), and at the same time consult on directions. You can also view the information. Oddly enough, the schedule is often respected, this is not at all in the spirit of Seychelles.

Buses leave from here to all corners of the island. There is a scene in the Harry Potter film where a crazy double-decker bus is driving around London. It’s about the same thing here, only the buses are blue, not red, and instead of safe streets there are serpentine roads without guardrails.

There are places in the south where two oncoming buses cannot pass each other due to the narrow road. Then both stop and one of them backs out until a wider place is found. After that, they slowly move apart, literally ten centimeters from each other. And again I remember the London double-decker bus, which fit between two buses.

The fare costs 0.4 USD (5 SCR) for any bus in any direction. To get off at a stop, the driver must be warned in advance by pressing the exit button. The exit buttons are something like the old switches at the top between the window openings. Sometimes the same old fans, different ones, hang nearby. But they don't work.

I lived a few stops from Victoria. It’s an indescribable feeling when a packed bus turns almost 90 degrees without braking.

You are leaving the market with full bags of groceries. Unexpectedly, the sharp fin of a fresh tropical fish still tears the bag, and ripe mangoes are already rolling on the floor like billiard balls. The fish happily fall out behind them. The people around Seychelles kindly help and catch your purchases as deftly as balancing on a bus, which meanwhile at speed turns 90 degrees in the other direction.

There are no good beaches for surfers in the Seychelles, but why have beaches when there are surfing buses.

La Digue Island

La Digue - the island of bicycles. I saw only one normal car here, a police car. Perhaps there are a few more hiding somewhere, but no more. Also driving around the island is a small truck, stylized as a cart, with an open trunk, into which tourists pile.

The historical method of transportation here is mule carts.

Nowadays, mules no longer carry anyone much and earn money in an easier way: standing and chewing grass in the national park. But the tradition remains, and the tourist truck is the prototype of those same carts. There are also small electric cars that take tourists with heavy luggage from the pier to the hotel, but there are also very few of them. Everyone else here is fueled by bicycles.

Children get used to this from an early age. Even elementary schools have a whole cluster of little two-wheeled “friends.”

As soon as the tourist gets off the ferry, he is offered to rent a bicycle for 20 USD per day. If you arrive with a large flow of vacationers, it is better to take a bicycle right away so that there is more choice. Everyone will have to take a bike anyway.

You can get to the national park, to the famous Sant Ance beach, and finally to your hotel. Hotels have long adapted to the fact that vacationers come on bicycles, so many places have special parking areas. You can safely leave your bike near the beach, the main thing is to be able to find it later.

It should be noted that there are almost no lanterns on La Digue. Therefore, it is better to return home before it gets completely dark.

Returning your bike is simple: you leave it at the pier in the place where you picked it up. Even if there is no one nearby. And calmly board your ferry. But if you decide to stay an extra day, be sure to find the person you rented the bike from. Otherwise he will find you. You can't escape it from the island.

This happened to me. I once decided to extend the lease and arrived to negotiate this only in the evening. There was no longer a soul on the pier. I made a couple of circles and went home. Indecently late in the evening there was a knock on the door of my bungalow. From the pitch darkness the bicycle caretaker looked at me, completely blending into the background around him. I still don't know how he found me. To my words that I came to see him, but didn’t find him there, he mysteriously replied: “Yes...they told me...”. But who's to say if there was no one on the pier? I felt uneasy. I felt like I was being watched.

In general, after this incident, he clearly disliked me and on the last day he tried to overcharge me for an extra day. Our argument was heard by someone passing by. He joined the conversation, the conversation turned to Creole. As the Creole speeded up and the words “kuyo” (Seychelles curse) appeared in the speech, the opponents began to shout at each other and wave their arms like Italians.

A crowd of spectators gathered around. I was terribly embarrassed, but there was nothing I could do but watch. Victory was on my side.

Then it turned out that the guy who stood up for me was the owner of all these bicycles. That is, the boss defended the interests of his own client from his own subordinate using hands and curses. We almost got into a fight. And that's okay. It's OK.

Praslin (Prali)

In Praslin, it is better to rent a car right away. There are buses there, but rarely and not exactly on schedule, like on Mahe. Many people complain. Therefore, it is better to take a car right away. You can see what rental offers are available, for example.

Travel between islands

How to get from Mahe to Praslin

Small planes (for about 20 people) fly in this direction. Very beautiful and interesting if you have never flown on corn trucks. It is better to take seats in the first row, since there is no partition between the cockpit and the cabin.

You can look directly into the windshield and watch the pilots at work. Pretty interesting. The flight is at most half an hour.

For about the same money you can take the Cat Cocos high-speed ferry. The ferry is relatively new and comfortable, it takes an hour to sail. Ticket prices:

• 50 USD - economy,
• 55 USD - economy on the upper deck,
• 67 USD - business class.

You can book tickets at seychellesbookings.com.

How to get from Mahe to La Digue

This is already more complicated. There is no airport in La Digue. There are only helipads that are used for private purposes or when someone from Seychelles needs to be urgently transported to Victoria (for example, to a maternity hospital).

Tourists get to Praslin first, and then take a smaller ferry to La Digue. Travel time is half an hour, you can buy double tickets at once: Mahe - Praslin - La Digue. The cost of these tickets:

• 65 USD - economy,
• 70 USD - economy on the upper deck,
• 81 USD - business class.

If you are on a yacht, the problem of moving between any islands disappears by itself.

Connection

There are two identical telephone operators in the Seychelles who are constantly competing. The competition between them is fierce. But clients only benefit from this. To lure new users, one or another company periodically sends SMS with promotions from the series: deposit 20 USD into your account in the next three days, and this amount will triple. It really works.

To apply for a local SIM card, go to the office with your passport (the office is located in Victoria). You'll actually have to wait in line.

The balance can be topped up at the office of a mobile operator or at a supermarket checkout (oddly enough, money is deposited without commission).

Language and communication

The national language of Seychelles is Creole. This is a wild mixture of English and French, which Seychelles adopted from the former colonialists. They speak very quickly and distort their words; it is quite difficult to understand their speech. Usually I snatched out some pieces of phrases and used them to figure out the general meaning.

Communication in the Seychelles is a separate issue. Seychelles love to talk about themselves and listen to you about your life.

When I first arrived on the islands, one local Russian told me the story of his acquaintance with the islands. He came to the Seychelles to visit his dad, who lived here for quite a long time. They were walking along Victoria when suddenly a man approached them and unexpectedly started a conversation with his dad. They discussed the weather, some news, then said goodbye, and each went in his own direction. My friend thought that they were old friends, but still decided to ask who it was. To which the answer came: “I don’t know.”

It turned out that this is normal. A stranger from Seychelles may come up to you and start telling you how he is doing. No, he’s not crazy, he doesn’t want money from you, he’s just bored and decided to chat. In turn, they expect a detailed answer from you. This is really interesting for Seychelles. And they will listen to you carefully. And perhaps they will give philosophical life advice, which, by the way, is really useful.

Upon arrival, I would not have believed that story if I had not immediately found myself in an even stranger one. I stood near the entrance to the market and tried to catch something interesting with my lens.

Suddenly some Seychelles came up to me and started asking about lens settings. The questions were quite professional, which surprised me. But that was only the beginning. Then, as expected, this man began to tell something about his life, namely that he loves to snorkel in the ocean for a long time and sing. At the same time, two homeless people started arguing next to us.

Having learned that I was from Russia, Warren (that was the name of my new acquaintance) said that he adores Prokofiev, especially the Dance of the Knights from the ballet Romeo and Juliet. He loudly, without embarrassing anyone, began to hum this piece. It should be noted that he really hit the notes very well.

Meanwhile, the homeless were already in earnest. I expected someone to throw a bucket of cold water on them. This is how they usually separate fighting cats that cannot be separated. I was prepared for the fact that absurdity reigns in the Seychelles. But the contrast of homeless people fighting to the singing of Prokofiev’s “Dance of the Knights” somewhere on an island lost in the Indian Ocean will drive anyone into a dead end...

Further more. Not paying any attention to the fighters, Warren continued to finish me off with his musical horizons. I never thought that my musical education would be useful to me in a conversation with a local Seychelles. He began to argue that Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain” in the bass part had something similar to Prokofiev’s “Dance of the Knights.” Therefore, to his shame, he used to think that “Night on Bald Mountain” was written by Prokofiev. By the way, they actually have something in common somewhere.

The homeless were already surrounded by curious observers who looked more like fans. My interlocutor was almost pushed, only then he calmly suggested moving away from the fight. And then the control shot sounded: “What do you think is the main idea in Chekhov’s play The Cherry Orchard?” I always wanted to know what the Russians themselves think about this.”

The desire to respond with general phrases disappeared when I saw that they were listening to me attentively and with interest. The exam in literature, as well as in the history of music, was passed.

Features of mentality

Greetings

In addition to the fact that Seychelles love to talk, they love to say hello. The fact that you are walking and a Seychelles woman is passing by in a car will also not prevent him from greeting him by beeping loudly. At first, I thought this was a typical manifestation of male attention. But when an elderly Seychelles woman beeped and waved at me from her car, I stopped thinking so. I waved back and she drove on.

At first I couldn’t get used to it and didn’t react. But if you ignore Seychelles, they don't understand it. They think you just didn't notice their greeting, so they say hello again in a more visible way. Just say hello and they will leave happy. You quickly get used to it, and you begin to say hello first. This is another bad habit that it is better not to bring to Russia. They won’t understand you, this has been verified.

Family

Matriarchy reigns in the Seychelles. The woman is the main one in the family. As soon as her husband is guilty of something, she easily kicks him out. The children stay with their mother, and the state pays benefits for them.

Often there are several children in a family, all from different fathers. Moreover, the current husband does not really care about this.

Marriages are mostly civil. Relationships are rarely officially registered, because all relatives and friends must be invited to the wedding. But since a typical Seychelles has one half of the island made up of all kinds of relatives, and the other half made up of friends, having a wedding is very expensive.

Family ties are a different story. The beauty of island life is that everyone knows each other, just like in a big village. Therefore, the probability of finding the right person is very high. If you're looking for someone, you might just go for a walk and bump into them.

When I flew to the Seychelles, for some reason I thought that it would be interesting to talk with the Minister of Tourism of this country. I thought about it and forgot. And so a week later I am faced with an amazing situation. The last ferry from La Digue Island to Mahe Island, where I live, leaves at 17:00. Today for some reason he left at 16:30. Everyone knew about it. Except me. As always.

Five o'clock in the evening. I’m standing on the pier with a bag of souvenirs, on which I spent almost all my money taken to La Digue. It's getting dark. Not fun. But something tells me that I just had to stay here.

As a result, I stayed overnight and got into conversation with the owner of a small hotel. It turned out that this is one of the oldest inhabitants, whose ancestors “discovered” this island. We talked until late in the evening... about everything: from a competition to catch the biggest marlin to the idiocy of the idea of ​​marriage contracts. And then he says: “Here’s my brother’s number, it would be very interesting for you to talk to him. He is the Minister of Tourism here.”

The next day I barely made it to Mahe. And then I needed to interview the coach of the Seychelles yachting team. But first we had to find him. By that time, my logic had long been switched off. But some kind of magical intuition turned on.

I came to the bus stop and looked at the buses. She got into the one that caught her eye and drove off. An unknown bus (as it turned out, route number 13) brought me to the other side of the island.

I get out at the end, look around and just go in the direction I wanted.

A teenager is following me. According to the good old Seychelles tradition, he begins, out of the blue, to tell how he is doing. Namely, that he goes to his aunt’s after school to fix a light bulb in the garage. Then the conversation somehow smoothly turns to hobbies, and I say that I am interested in yachting. And finally, I hear what my instinct has been leading me to all day: “Oh, my relative here is the coach of the yachting team.” A little intuition, a few buses - and you can reach any person.

Holidays and parties

You might think that since the Seychelles are so friendly, their holidays are similar to the Brazilian carnival. This is not entirely true. The usual celebration in their house follows the following principle: treats are put on the table, the guests who come pick up food, go to different corners and just eat. Everyone eats one, maximum two people. No toasts or songs. No unity. All in different directions. They are a bit like animals that don't like to be touched while they eat. But after eating you can talk.

Nightlife in Seychelles

On Friday afternoon, the smell of the approaching weekend begins to linger in the air. Everyone somehow becomes more animated. You can stumble upon unbridled fun when they put a tape recorder on the ground and dance strange dances with African motifs. It doesn’t matter where: on the sand, in the yard, at a bus stop.

But these, again, are small companies. More or less large discos are also held. But they have their own unspoken rules. The Seychelles has too small a population for any parties to take place in several places at the same time. Therefore, the week is distributed approximately like this: Monday and Tuesday - everyone is working, Wednesday - Food Festival on Buvalon beach, Thursday - on Taka Maka beach (this is the south of the island), on Friday - Eden island or the Tequilaboom club near Buvalon beach after midnight, at Saturday Katiolo club near the airport, Sunday - picnics.

Of course, you can come to Katiolo on the wrong day. For example, on Wednesday. Everything will be open here too, but most likely you will only see tourists and a few sad Seychelles who don’t want to have fun. Because everyone knows that you should come to Katiolo not on Wednesday, but on Saturday.

So, Wednesday is the Food Festival in Buvalon. You can come here to eat and watch muchcha dancing around the fire. On the embankment there are tents with trinkets and food (take away).

It is safe for tourists here; they wander around and are touched by exotic fruits, which they can immediately buy and try. Locals come here rather to see others and show themselves off. They arrive in separate groups of cars, turn on music and chat.

You can also find complete despondency, especially among young people. Once I saw a group of young people who came to “hang out” in an SUV with an open trunk. They turned up the club music at full blast and sat there. In the trunk. Silently. They listen to music with boring faces and smoke. Ten meters away there is the same car with the same picture.

I admit that the reason for complete apathy lies in the fact that they smoke too much and not cigarettes. In general, according to locals, in recent years the number of drug addicts on the islands has begun to increase, and more and more illegal drugs are being imported. Young people do not go to study, but earn money for drugs by collecting coconuts, buying colorful straws and selling fresh coconut to drink on the beach for 7 USD (100 SCR).

When it gets completely dark, at the Food Festival they light a pioneer fire and start dancing. Finally some kind of unity emerges.

There are not many tourists at other local events. You can come for fun, but it’s better with a group. Girls need to be accompanied by men. Especially fair-haired, since this is the standard of beauty for Seychelles, and you will be noticed everywhere, whether you like it or not. Although men also need to be on their guard. An acquaintance of mine (of Slavic appearance) told me that once in a bar an elderly woman tried to “pick up” him. She looked at him for a long time and languidly, then finally came up with the words: “Do you want me... to buy you a TV?”

National holidays

Once a year, almost the entire population of Seychelles gathers in one place. The island celebrates Independence Day on June 29, which takes place at the sports arena near Victoria. Next to the arena there are sports buildings and quite a lot of “just free space” - land with half-dried grass. In the morning, exhibitions of the national economy open in some buildings. Somewhere they put up separate tents. The half-dried grass becomes even more trampled as many stalls with street food and all sorts of trinkets grow on it.

All day long crowds wander around exhibitions and cafes. You can buy a lottery ticket and have a chance to win a car.

In the evening, when it gets dark, the parade begins.

The President arrives with a lot of security. I was not able to get into the arena itself purely physically. Everything is packed. Local amateur performances, children's sports clubs and, of course, the military perform. There are many military personnel, the uniforms are beautiful and different.

Through one of the entrances, I still managed to photograph the backs of children with ribbons getting ready to leave and a piece of the stands.

Those who did not fit into the stands continue to celebrate outside the arena.

It is better not to come to this place the next morning, since the garbage after the festivities will be cleared all day.

By the way, Russia Day (June 12) is also celebrated in the Seychelles. As a rule, the holiday takes place either at the Russian embassy or in one of the hotels.

Religion in Seychelles

The Seychelles has everything: Catholic churches,

and a Hindu temple,

and a mosque,

and even an Orthodox “club” (there is no church yet, there is only a room). And yet, the vast majority of Seychelles are Catholics.

But they are not ordinary Catholics. Still, the sound of African tom-toms lives deep in their subconscious.

The result is a peculiar mix: Catholic sermons end with noisy tribal dances and general fun. You might think that this is gospel music - we often see this in American films - when a church choir in multi-colored robes sings cheerful, incendiary songs. So, in the Seychelles it’s not gospel, here they’ve gone even further. But first things first.

You can go to a church for a service, or you can, at the invitation of someone from Seychelles, go to a “local church.” There are a lot of them in the Seychelles, that's where all the fun happens. The invitation is needed because it is difficult to find such a “church” on your own. It looks like just... a house. Therefore, it is better to go with one of the residents.
Our morning began with the fact that the Seychelles who invited us slept safely. He sent a text message about this only when we had already arrived in Victoria at the bus station and had been waiting for him for some time. Seychelles and time management are incompatible concepts. Fortunately, we immediately met another friend in line for the bus and went to the service with her.
The local church is like our old cultural centers, only on a smaller scale. Stage, hall, heavy curtains. Only on top there are TVs with karaoke, and near the stage there is an unexpected synthesizer with drum kits.

There were many parishioners, about fifty. Everyone is smart. As the only “whites,” we immediately received a bunch of puzzled looks. But then they got used to us.

Then a gloomy pastor came onto the stage and... began to sing into the microphone in a strikingly pleasant voice. I think he was channeling Frank Sinatra. The karaoke TVs turned on and started flashing. Moreover, the background on the screens with text was flying away space.

By the third song, people were already singing along, got up from their chairs, raised their hands and began to sway to the music. Someone cried and repented out loud.

I realized that I had fallen into a sect and needed to quietly disappear from here. But since we were in the middle of the hall, this was problematic. A security guard quietly approached me and politely indicated that we also needed to dance.

The songs are over. The sermons began. Perhaps the atmosphere of general madness affected me, but the pastor’s sermons seemed very sensible to me. The main idea is to take the institution of marriage seriously. For freedom-loving and loving Seychelles, this is just what the doctor ordered.

An hour after the start, some official entered the hall with his wife, who looked like Michelle Obama. I tentatively dubbed him the mayor. The official part has begun. The “mayor” said something uplifting and that everyone was great. And then the question was asked: “Are there people among us who are here for the first time today?” We did not expect such a catch. The parishioners immediately turned their heads towards us, the “aliens.” There was nowhere to hide. The “mayor’s wife” ran up, kissed me several times and handed me a heavy envelope. It probably contained a profile for a new parishioner and church literature. I never knew the exact answer because I accidentally threw it into the donation bag.

Immediately after “converting us” to the new faith, people with packages began walking around the hall. Parishioners put money in small envelopes in advance, and then throw it into a common bag. When a man with such a package approached me, my brain, stunned by everything that was happening, no longer worked. But suddenly the herd instinct kicked in: this is a package, you need to throw an envelope here. As a result, I never found out what the woman who looked like Obama told me.

After this, a new test awaited us - preachers. This is a group of young guys in identical shirts who cleverly divided the hall into groups of eight and began classes. It turned out that the parishioners also had textbooks with them. The sermons are Catholic, but also with a Seychellois accent. Phrases slipped through that drove me into a dead end. For example: “We are all brothers, we must be tolerant of each other and love each other, but we must not forget that the Jews are the servants of Satan.”

The break is over. The day was approaching its climax - the performance of the parishioners. At the end of the service, everyone can come out and sing, dance, say words of gratitude, and talk about their thoughts. No one is shy here, so performances last for several hours. Most of all I remember a man dressed in long dark trousers and a closed black jacket with leather inserts. There are massive gold watches on his hands, and winter boots on his feet. Probably a local fashionista. Since the beginning of the service, I watched with regret how he suffered from the heat, but endured. Finally, his time has come.

The man turned on the soundtrack “like from the Matrix” at full volume and began to dance. I guess he staged the number himself, having watched enough clips on MTV. Attempts to make a “wave” with the whole body on the floor and breakdancing figures were wildly ridiculous, but sincere and inspired. The performer clearly considered himself the God of Dance. The most interesting thing is that everyone else thought so too. It was he who deserved the loudest applause. The number ended, but the show continued. People from the audience flocked onto the stage: some to sing, some to dance.

One of the preachers began to learn new movements right there along with the dancer “from the Matrix.”

In general, chaos began. Only the pastor stood calmly in the corner and watched with approval his parishioners as if they were little children: people are having fun, which means they are happy.

We left there tired and squeezed like lemons, ending up spending about five hours at the service. Five hours of absurdity... but there is something to remember.

Attitude towards tourists

Seychelles is a small but proud people. Despite the fact that the islands geographically belong to Africa, they are not Africa. And no one here considers themselves Africans. Except for drug addicts. There is a saying that tourists there are considered walking ATM machines: the harder you hit, the more money you get.

When I took public transport for the first time, I was afraid because I didn’t know what to expect. But here tourists are treated more like guests. Yes, they can greet you and talk to you. Small children may look open-mouthed like you're an alien if you have blond hair, since it's a novelty to them. Elderly Seychelles look askance as if they were a helpless summer resident who had come from a large metropolis to the village. But no one will attack you for sure.

Interestingly, the Seychelles are not particularly prone to any commercial activity at all. Again, except for the drug addicts who sell coconuts almost everywhere. This is especially noticeable when you are going on a full day boat excursion. I took excursions from different islands, and they were all basically the same.

The first part of the day you watch the lagoons from a boat or catamaran, swim with a mask and fins in open water.

After lunch, you are dropped off on some wild beach for several hours. A couple more of the same pleasure boats with tourists will sail with you. At first you bathe in absolute delight. Then, finally, you freeze and begin to observe all this beauty from the shore. Then there comes a moment when no one bathes anymore. A bunch of tourists are sitting on the beach, some are thirsty, others are starting to want to eat. Everyone is looking hungrily to see if the boat has arrived.

And at this moment “x” a person always appears in each group who begins to talk about how it would be nice to put up at least a tiny tent here with drinks and food. And every time I think how right he is.

There are quite a few wild beaches in the Seychelles, where tourists are brought every day, who, having swam and been hungry, are ready to buy literally everything. But there is no one there except the tourists themselves. Even coconut junkies. Although you can drive up from the shore.

When we asked the locals who had come to pick us up a pressing question, they answered without enthusiasm, in the “it pollutes the environment, and there’s no need.” The smart Turks would probably have built whole rows of cafes and souvenir shops there. But here such a question is even perceived with some resentment, because the Seychelles do not believe that their main goal is to make money from tourists. Well, they are also quite lazy.

Food and drink

If they asked me what I was doing for so long in the Seychelles, the first thing that came to mind was “I was eating too much.” In two directions: fresh fish and fruits.

I stopped being interested in snorkeling after I saw that the rainbow colored fish that people come to dive for are lying on the shelves here and are considered ordinary food.

At first I simply couldn’t bring myself to buy them. But after some time, I specifically went to the market in the morning just for this. Seasoned with herbs that you can buy here, this fish is one of the most delicious memories of my life.

Shopping

Vacation with children

Seychelles is a resort more likely for newlyweds. I rarely met tourists with children in the Seychelles. There are no noisy animation programs or amusement parks here. And thank God. This does not fit into the way of life of the islands at all. But if children love nature, they will remember the Seychelles for the rest of their lives: huge turtles, stingrays and flying foxes - that’s for sure.

And also familiar animals in unfamiliar surroundings.

Safety

It gets dark suddenly in the Seychelles. Outside of hotels, there are few lanterns. If you don’t have time to get home and are walking somewhere along a country road, you can find yourself in such darkness that you have to move almost by touch. Even the flashlight on your phone doesn't help much.

When I told that I often found myself in such a situation, my Seychelles friends were shocked. According to them, at dusk it is better for a tourist not to walk outside the hotel alone. They are primarily afraid of Indians, of whom there are a lot in the Seychelles. Almost all construction and road workers are Indian. In the morning and evening they can be seen driving to and from work... in the back of trucks.

Unlike Seychelles, they are not at all as open and friendly. More likely even gloomy. The sight of cars filled with sad Indians makes you feel uneasy. And you begin to understand why the Seychelles are afraid of them.

The wealthier ones run grocery stores here: from small shops to supermarkets. For example, I was very pleased with the name of the Krishna Market supermarket on the outskirts of Victoria. Most products in Seychelles are imported from India. It is logical that most grocery stores on the islands are owned by Indian families. But such Indians are already much more friendly than the workers.

You also need to be very careful with Africans who come from the mainland (Congo, Congo, etc.). They differ from the local population in their aggressiveness and larger build. Seychelles are very peaceful and harmless in comparison.

One evening we stood on the island’s pier and watched the ferry leave with tourists, among whom was a group from Kenya. What they did every five minutes was take pictures of everything they saw using old colorful flip-phones. Finally, they sailed away, and the island became quiet and calm. I never thought that I would meet these people again, but I was wrong.

As is usually the case in the Seychelles, complete darkness fell in the evening, and we moved towards the house with some difficulty. Suddenly (as usual, merging with the darkness) a couple of frightened and out of breath Kenyans caught up with us with the question: “You were on the pier, did you happen to take anyone’s mobile phone?” We (a little shocked either by their question or by how they ended up here) said that we definitely didn’t take it. It turned out that halfway on the ferry, one of the Kenyans found out that they had lost their phone.

Not finding him on the ferry, they raised a panic and... forced everyone to turn around back to . By the way, this was the last flight on. And most tourists buy a “double” ticket in advance so that upon arrival they can immediately transfer to the next ferry (also the last flight in our story) or to a plane to Mahe.

How many people missed the connection that time and got stuck in Praslin is anyone’s guess. But I definitely understood the fact that it is better to stay as far away from such “travelers” as possible. Fortunately, the Kenyans believed in our innocence and ran further into complete darkness to look for a phone around the island.

5 things you must do in this country

Nearby countries

Here they call it the Great Land. Although this is far from the closest country. This is due to the fact that many products are imported from there. For the same reason, the influence of Sri Lanka and India is strong. - one of the most popular countries among young people here to go to study or work. More than once I had to meet immigrants from Madagascar. People come from Tanzania, Kenya and other mainland countries of East Africa on excursions.

If you are lucky enough to get to the Seychelles, you should not combine this trip with a trip to some other countries. For example, to the closest one or East Africa.

You can fly to the island, an overseas region of France. This is a place where you are unlikely to go on purpose from Russia. From Reunion by plane you can take a direct flight in about 2 hours 40 minutes. We must remember that since the island is a French possession, you will need a Schengen visa to enter.

The main attraction is the black sand beaches of volcanic origin and, accordingly, the volcano itself. The weather and water in Reunion are usually colder than in Praslin. Swimming here is difficult, as there are a lot of sharks in the area.

Still, in my opinion, it is better to visit another island from the Seychelles ridge than to go anywhere else. Considering that it has 115 islands, you will have plenty to roam around.

Anything to add?

Almost every inhabitant of the Earth dreams of relaxing at least once in his life in the Seychelles. Some can afford such luxury, while others only have to imagine themselves lying on the coast of the Indian Ocean, since the Seychelles (vacation prices start from one and a half thousand euros) are not affordable for everyone. But, of course, you can dream, because then why live... Meanwhile, this part of the world is truly a paradise with pristine nature, fashionable resorts, gentle and warm beaches and a milky ocean, captivating the eye with its powerful and formidable appearance.

Vasco da Gama and the Admiral Islands

The first European person to visit the Seychelles islands was the notorious Vasco da Gama. He landed on this territory at the very beginning of the 16th century. In his honor, the Portuguese navigator named them the Admiral Islands. Travelers began to use land as a transit point on the way from Asia to Africa. But from time to time, pirates also visited the Seychelles.

For more than two centuries, this place did not officially belong to anyone. In addition, the majority of the then population of the planet did not even suspect where the Seychelles Islands were located. It was not until 1756 that Nicholas Morpheus, a captain from France, laid the foundation for the first European settlement. Then he renamed the islands and gave them their modern name. It glorifies the 15th Minister of Finance under King Louis - Jean Moreau of Seychelles.

With the advent of the 18th century, Great Britain began to declare that it had every right to consider the mysterious piece of land as its territory. There was no armed conflict to have the full right to own the Seychelles. The French side decided to capitulate to the British warships. For this, they asked for permission to give the French on the islands the privileged status of neutral citizens.

The Seychelles Islands begin their modern history in 1976. At this time they acquired the status of an independent state.

Near Madagascar

The Seychelles Islands are located on an area of ​​405 km 2. The Seychelles archipelago consists of 155 islands. Of these, only 33 are inhabited. Large and small areas of land are found in the Indian Ocean, just south of the equator. The famous island of Madagascar is located 950 kilometers away.

You can try to discover a variety of ancient pirate secrets where the island is located. The Seychelles Islands are simply overflowing with unexplored lands where modern man has never set foot. Perhaps this is why tourists who come here feel like pioneers. They are enveloped in the feeling that they, like Magellan or Columbus, have found some new territory for the first time.

Royal Islands - the royal capital

Where the Seychelles are located, everything should match their royal grandeur. The capital of the state bears the name that befits royalty. Victoria - this is the name of the main city of the archipelago; it is located on the island of Mahe. It is the only city on this landmass and the smallest capital in the world. It was founded by the same French in 1778. But the name of the settlement was given by the British. As you might guess, it was given in honor of their queen.

Victoria is an abode of green plants. Coconut trees grow everywhere here. The city is surrounded by numerous hills, on the slopes of which tropical rainforests grow.

The markets have made the capital famous throughout the Seychelles and beyond. Travelers may not know in detail where the island is (the Seychelles are numerous), but they are sure that they will not leave the capital empty-handed. And if you decide to visit this city, then in addition to the local markets, check out Michael Adams’s workshop, the artisans’ village and the tea tavern.

Praslin

Praslin is the most famous and most visited island by tourists. The Seychelles can be proud of this “member of the family”. This place is called the Island of Palms. The unique forest of Valais de Mai is distinguished by an abundance of rare palm trees that grow exclusively in this part of the world. The most famous of them is Coco de mer. Coconut palm, the fruits of which can reach 40 kilograms. These coconuts are a copy of the world famous female forms described by the immortal Rubens. This is a forest of prehistoric times, protected by the international community.

Descending through the forest below, you can admire the orange trees. Wild pineapples, clove bushes and wild coffee also grow here. And only on Praslin is there a black parrot, which is worth both beingware and admiring. Such beauty is not easy to describe; it all needs to be seen.

Amazing and unique

It seems that the Seychelles islands were created by God in order to make the hearts of people tremble and so that they would bow before such an unsurpassed creation of nature. Arida Island proves that this is all true. This is the most amazing piece of the Seychelles archipelago. The largest colony of terns is located here, which can be observed from the granite cliffs surrounding the area. The most prominent representatives of this breed of birds are the red-tailed and roseate terns. Jasmine Raita grows exclusively in this corner of the planet. Such splendor will forever remain in the memory of tourists.

By the way, many travelers have visited the Seychelles. And no one has ever spoken badly about this area. When tourists try to talk about their excursion, they cannot find suitable words to describe all the delights that nature has endowed this territory with. Nobody ever feels bad here. All negativity disappears as soon as you step off the plane.

Few people know that the Seychelles islands consist of 113 coral and 42 granite islands. The latter are considered the most ancient landmass on the planet. The island of Aldabra Atoll is home to hundreds of thousands of huge turtles and millions of fish and birds.

The Seychelles should not be perceived as part of Africa. They are not its territory in any way: be it political, cultural or geographical. They are separated from both this continent and India. These are oceanic islands, just like the Maldives or Mauritius.

Flora and fauna

The Seychelles Islands (located in the Indian Ocean) are filled with a huge number of endemic plants and animals that cannot be found anywhere else but here. Strict environmental legislation applies here. One-of-a-kind varieties of orchids, the aforementioned Coco de Mer palm, the Gina jellyfish, as well as gigantic Aldabar tortoises, black parrots and many other unique representatives of the flora and fauna live on inhabited and uninhabited islands.

What to have for lunch

The cuisine of the Paradise Islands is a special part of the country's culture. And travelers tempted by various overseas dishes will undoubtedly appreciate it. The Seychelles, where almost a thousand species of various fish live in the ocean waters, cannot be imagined without such an exquisite dish. The most popular dishes are baked bourgeois fish, shark chatini, octopus cooked in coconut curry (zurit) and lobsters with lemon sauce.

Local cuisine was formed under the influence of traditional recipes of the islanders. But European, especially French, chefs also played an important role in the development of Seychelles culinary art.

If you're going to have fun, then do it to the fullest.

And each island will help with this in the best possible way. At any time of the year, the Seychelles delights local residents and visiting guests with its traditional and world-famous festivals. One of them is Creole. It takes place in October and lasts a whole week. During this time, the event showcases national Creole dances, fashion, fine arts, music, cuisine and much, much more. Creole culture is revealed in all its diversity.

An equally famous event is Subios. This is an annual celebration of underwater photography and film. During the day, guests have the chance to dive underwater and test themselves in this art form. As night falls, lectures begin, films and videos from famous figures in this field begin.

Visit the Seychelles and you will never regret it!