Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Seychelles

Are you planning to visit Seychelles on your next vacation trip? If so, you might want to know some basic things about this country before you book your trip. It is becoming popular as a romantic attraction and a honeymoon destination owing to its natural beauty and peacefulness. Many celebrities are also fond of Seychelles as they get to spend some private time apart from their daily routine.

If you want to experience all those fascinating beach therapies and mark some memories from the distant far-off land on your trip, make sure to gather every essential information about this archipelago. This is to ensure that you don’t miss out on anything and make your trip hassle-free. In this article, we have arrayed some basic information about Seychelles that can help you while planning your trip.

Facts about Seychelles:

It is blessed with 115 beaches that define the existence of deep blue waters surrounded by white sandy beaches. It seems like heaven on earth that attracts the attention of every person across the globe. The beaches in Seychelles enclose rich and exotic sea life, which is why people are excited to visit it at least once in their lifetime.

If you want to explore this archipelagic country within a short duration, then consider including the top islands in your list so that you get to experience the best of Seychelles. For your convenience, a great collection of the top Seychelles beaches, as presented by Holiday Nomad, can be quite useful for planning your Seychelles vacation.

You will come across some of the rarest species of birds in Seychelles. Bird Island is known as a home to the heaviest living land tortoise called Esmeralda. Other than that, the capital of Seychelles, called Victoria, is known to be the smallest capital in the world. It is said that you can explore this entire city in less than a day and that too on your foot.

Best time to visit Seychelles:

Finding the best time to visit any place is necessary because if you visit it at the wrong time, you would likely face health problems or miss any of the best scenic views. As per travelers, it is best to visit Seychelles in April, May, October, and November. During these months, there is a transition between the hot and humid winds from November through March, whereas the cooler winds from April through October. Additionally, these months are best known to offer more mild temperatures that are ideal for wildlife watching, sunbathing and scuba diving.

Even though you visit this archipelago at any other time of the year, you will experience the temperature in the range of 80 Fahrenheit. If you want to avoid the heavy tourist crowds, then you can visit it in December, January, July, and August.

Rules to follow while entering and exiting Seychelles:

It is strict in terms of immigration. Hence, you need to be ready with all your accommodation and planning beforehand to avoid any hassles at the airport immigration checks. While at the airport, you will have to keep the following things ready with you:

1. Your passport should be valid for six months from the date of your departure from Seychelles.
2. You should have a return flight ticket.
3. You should be ready with the confirmed booking of your accommodation for the duration of your stay in Seychelles.
4. You should prove that you have sufficient funds for your stay.

The immigration officials also check what you bring into the country and what do you take back. There are also rules for carrying things onto the islands. For example, narcotics and weapons of any type are not allowed while you visit the islands. In case you want to increase your stay in Seychelles, you can do it in the blocks of 3 months. For that, you have to apply to the Department of Immigration and get the approval.

Currency in Seychelles:

Although Seychelles’s currency is in rupees (SCR), some places accept the currency in US Dollars or Euros. This is due to the law of Seychelles that allows the tourists to pay in a common foreign currency. Hence, whatever you pay, be it accommodation costs, car rental costs, entrance fees for parks, and various other things need to be paid in Euros or US Dollars.

You can also pay via credit cards. Other than that, if your local transportation or restaurant bills are not included in your accommodation, then you have to pay in the local currency, or sometimes in the commonly used foreign currency. The local markets, nightclubs, and shops accept mostly Seychelles currency. Hence, you have to be mindful of paying the foreign currency wherever possible and utilizing the Seychelles currency where they don’t accept any other currency.

ATMs are easily available in some places like Mahe and Praslin. Many hotels, restaurants, and shops also accept the traveler’s paychecks, but it is advisable to keep it in either US Dollars or Euros. You can also exchange the currency at airport banks as well as other regular banks. Make sure to keep all the receipts of your original currency exchange, which you can use to re-exchange the currency on your return.

Way of connecting with locals:

People of Seychelles live a simple life wherein they take care of tourism with the utmost care and grace. Seychelles is an archipelagic island country where the locals are bound to its natural beauty that emerges from the islands’ charm. Life here is peaceful, serene, and undisturbed by the chaos. Whenever you meet the locals, you can greet them by shaking your hands. Both men and women follow this custom. People living in Seychelles are hospitable and love to invite guests to their homes. Hence, if you are invited to any local’s house, make sure to carry a simple gift as a gesture of gratitude.

People are usually seen wearing casual clothes, but they prefer formal clothes for church services. Swimwear and other revealing clothes are allowed to be worn only on the beaches or near the pool.

Conclusion:

It is better to keep everything planned to avoid any unexpected troubles. We hope that this article will help you with your Seychelles trip planning.