Seychelles holidays

Seychelles holiday highlights

Wild and rustic against the glossy perfection of the Maldives, the Seychelles is unapologetically raw in its natural charm. It’s perfect honeymoon territory; here, postcard-worthy islands seduce with their world-famous white sands and tangled jungle interiors, and beyond the dazzling turquoise waters, stunning coral reefs teem with life. A fusion of people, culture, incredible beaches and extraordinary biological diversity, the Seychelles islands yearn for exploration and discovery. Mahé is the largest, the heritage capital that buzzes with activity, from its bustling markets and colonial-style mansions to the coastal mangrove forests and the splendid Morne Seychellois National Park. If you're longing for adventure, Praslin is the second largest island and Eden reincarnated; home to the World Heritage-listed Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve, this primeval slice of paradise is where you'll find more than 50 endemic plants and trees, including the rare coco de mer palm. Sleepy La Digue is known as the teardrop island, walkable in just over an hour and where village life exists at a slower island pace, while Silhouette Island is a nature lover's paradise of unspoilt castaway beaches and an extraordinary marine national park.

Where is the Seychelles?

Northeast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles is home to 115 islands, many of which remain uninhabited. Its capital, Victoria, can be found on Mahé, the largest and most populous island in the archipelago. Its neighbours include La Réunion and Mauritius to the south and the island territories of Comoros and Mayotte to the east.

Food and drink

As an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, it’s not surprising that fish and seafood play a massive part in Seychellois cuisine. Usually served with rice, most restaurants offer fish dishes that use a variety of traditional cooking methods, whether it’s steamed, grilled, salted, baked and even wrapped in banana leaves. There’s an eclectic fusion style to the food, a nod to the country’s rich colonial heritage that has merged Seychellois cuisine with African, British, French, Indian and Chinese influences. Typical to the Creole culture, signature delicacies to look out for include Fruit Bat Curry and the classic Ladobe pudding, a sweet desert of breadfruit cooked in coconut milk and sugar.