Travel to Seychelles with travel insurance from Essential Travel

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Information on Seychelles with single trip travel insurance from Essential Travel

Scattered off the East African coast is the Seychelles archipelago, a paradise destination dedicated to relaxation and easy-living marooned in the Indian Ocean. It is popular for both its food – a delicious fusion of past French colonial influence and local Creole culture, the beckoning swaying palms, white shores and turquoise clear waters.

The Seychelles, comprised of 115 islands, has much to offer. Its historic capital, Victoria, on the island of Mahé, is one of the smallest capital cities in the world and is also the major port of the archipelago. Time has stood still here, with the courthouse and main post office untouched since colonial days. Mahé has some stunning beaches, with Beau Vallon as one of the largest and most popular in the Seychelles. The sand is clean and smooth although the waves here can sometimes be too large for good swimming.

Ste Anne Marine National Park is comprised of six unique islands lying off the coast of Victoria and providing magnificent snorkelling. Moyenne is famous for its buried treasures and ghosts. Silhouette Island is 20kms from Mahé and boasts interesting caves. Additionally, the beaches are protected by a reef and are great for swimming or snorkelling.

Anse Lazio, Praslin, is arguably the best beach in the country, sporting magnificent powdery white sand and turquoise waters. A sheltered area at the end of the beach provides excellent snorkelling. Cousin Island is two kilometres off the southwest coast of Praslin and has been dedicated as a nature reserve since 1968. The dense forest here is home to an assortment of endangered species and is also a breeding ground for seabirds and turtles.

Vallée de Mai, on the island of Praslin, has the country’s greatest concentration of coco de mer palms (nearly 4,000). The prehistoric forest is a UNESCO World Heritage site and very fragile. The Seychelles black parrot is only found on Praslin. Less than two kilometres off the coast, you’ll find Curieuse Island, which was a leper colony until 1965. Visitors can see the old doctors house, a Créole home with a large veranda, which has been declared a national monument.

The only people who live here are the island manager and several park wardens, but if youre feeling lonely have a chat with the couple of hundred giant tortoises that roam the island unhindered. Their protection is guaranteed by the islands status as an official marine national park.

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