People come to the Seychelles to enjoy the pristine nature. And here this is achieved immediately, thanks to the ideal climatic conditions, Always warm sea with wonderful snow-white sandy beaches. Located in tropical latitudes and surrounded by the emerald expanse of the Indian Ocean, this coconut paradise amazes with its riot of colors and diversity of plants, colorful underwater world and outlandish reserves, intricately rugged rocks and coral atolls, a great variety of birds and giant turtles, as well as the Creole population and its traditions combining European, African, Indian and Chinese cultures.
Each island of this fabulous archipelago, be it the capital island of Mahe or the former haven of pirates - Frigate, the island of coconut palms Praslin or the fantastic La Digue, is attractive in its own way and has magnificent natural beaches with white sand, colorful hotels that fit perfectly into the landscape and not disturbing the harmony wildlife. This country has not become a victim of mass tourism, retaining its amazing beauty and flavor.
Seychelles is tropical paradise teeming with fruit all year round: coconuts, mango fruits, bananas, papaya, psidium fruits, avocados, melons, zither fruits, breadfruit, jamalaki, caramboli, corossols, pineapples, sugar cane, oranges, lemons, grapefruits... There are at least 15 varieties of bananas and almost as many types of mangoes...
The Seychelles has a lot of endemic (found only in the Seychelles) representatives of flora and fauna. For example, only here the unique coconut palm “Sea Coconut” grows. Its famous nut - the largest and heaviest in the whole world - reaches a weight of 20 kg. The adventurer Henri de Monfreid, who saw other palm trees, did not hide his surprise: “This nut is the size of a large round pumpkin. It is double, and its two hemispheres resemble a pair of buttocks, between which nature has chosen to carefully reproduce some suggestive anatomical details.” .
Unique giant tortoises live in the Seychelles. When it stops growing, the 1.5 m long "testuda gigantea" can weigh up to 500 kg. Some specimens live for a very long time, more than 300 years.
The Seychelles also has unique species birds: black parrot on Praslin Island, song magpie on Fregate and Arid Islands, tok-tok on Cousin Island, banana bird on Mahe Island...
The Seychelles have long attracted lovers of big fish. 100 km north of Mahe Island, next to Bird Island and not far from Deniz Island (a base for fans of this type of fishing), where the depth very quickly reaches 1800 m, 6 world records were set: boats equipped with special equipment recognized The International Fishermen's Association gives the opportunity to register records.
Capital
Victoria.
Population
Population: 96,000 people. “Seychelles women have enough French to have a good figure, English to be well mannered, Asian to be exotic, and African to have a savage charm.” It’s hard to say better about a Seychellois woman than Alec Waugh did.
Language
Official languages are Creole, French, English.
Religion
The main religion on the islands is Christianity (90% of the population is Catholic), Buddhism, and Islam.
Geography
The Seychelles archipelago includes 115 large and small islands located in Indian Ocean just south of the equator and north of the island Madagascar.
It occupies an area of 459 km2.
Most large islands - Mahe, Praslin, La Digue, Silhouette- granite origin; small islands - mostly coral.
Most big Island archipelago - Mahe, length - 27 km, width - 8 km. On this island is located the capital of the state is Victoria and an international airport.
Climate
Although this paradise is very close to the equator, the climate here is more tropical than equatorial.
The regulating influence is exerted by the ocean, and the Seychelles is unfamiliar with the sweltering heat of continental areas located at the same latitude.
It is customary to distinguish between two seasons: hot (December - May) with average temperature around +29°C and relatively cool (June - November) with an average temperature of around +27°C when the monsoon winds blow. The rainy season lasts from early December to mid-January. At this time, heavy but short-term rains are possible.
Time
The time difference with Moscow is +1 hour in winter; in summer there is no time difference.
Visa
A visa to Seychelles is not required for travel. Must have with you international passport, which expires at least 6 months after the date of departure, a completed customs declaration and a return ticket. Proof of any vaccinations is not required upon entry. All arrivals are issued a so-called visitor visa valid for 1 month, which can be extended if desired.
Currency
National monetary unit is the Seychelles Rupee (SCR).
1$=14 rupees.
There are banknotes in denominations of 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 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, Master Card and American Express credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. Banks in Seychelles are open from 8:30 to 14:30 from Monday to Friday, on Saturday from 8:30 to 11:00.
Tips
It is not necessary to tip, because... Usually the cost of service is included in the bill. However, hotel and restaurant staff are always happy to receive extra rupees.
Transport
Air traffic
Local airlines "AIR SEYCHELLES". The planes of this airline make regular flights between the islands of the Seychelles archipelago. Phone number for information about airline flights: 438 40 00.
Car rental
The country drives on the left and the roads are quite narrow. You can rent a car at the hotel (as a rule, every hotel has car rental offices) or AVIS - tel. 422 45 11, Mahe Cars – tel. 437 35 27.
Gas stations
150 km. Mahe Island's road network is served by six Shell gas stations.
Other modes of transport
Taxis – There are about 200 taxis operating on Mahe Island. All cars are equipped with meters. The tariff is the same at any time of the day. The taxi rank is open 24 hours a day.
Buses – run every quarter of an hour on main routes. Buses of the Indian brand "TATA" run from 5:30 to 19:00.
Ferries – the high-speed ferry “Cat Cocos” departs from the port of Victoria daily to Praslin Island, travel time is 1 hour.
Flights from Monday to Saturday - from 7:30 to 16:00. On Sunday – from 10:30 to 16:30.
Cloth
It is best to wear light cotton clothing, comfortable shoes (sandals or sandals), and a hat. We recommend using special sunscreens, and also bring sunglasses with you. If you are going to visit the highlands of the country, you should take a sweater and trousers with you (as in the evening the temperature can drop to +14°C).
Electricity
Voltage 240V, 50 Hz. Square sockets with three holes. An international standard adapter is used, which can be taken at the reception.
Connection
To call to Moscow 007 (Russian code) + 495 (Moscow code) + subscriber number. A phone call from the Seychelles is expensive: a $40 phone card allows you to talk to Europe for only 8 minutes. Cost 1 min. conversation with Moscow from a pay phone – $4.
For questions regarding use mobile communications, please clarify all questions with your provider!
Useful phones
Police, fire service, ambulance: 999
Russian Embassy in Seychelles: The Embassy of the Russian Federation in The Republic of Seychelles
P.O. Box 632, Le Niol.
Phone: (8-10-248) 426 65 90 (24 hours a day), 422 15 90, 4266122, 426 66 53,
Mail: [email protected]
Victoria House. P.O. Box 3566, Victoria
There is no embassy of the Seychelles in Russia.
Fishing
The Seychelles Islands are famous for their fantastic fishing. Only here is it possible to combine fishing in the open ocean, in sandy shallows and near coral reefs.
Fishing on specially equipped boats necessary equipment for trophy fishing: an installed trolling row of spinning rods with marine baitcasting reels, hooks, live and artificial baits, stationary outriggers.
Big game fishing– trolling from large, specially equipped boats; Bottom fishing– spinning fishing with poppers and jig baits; Flats fishing– fishing with light spinning and fly fishing.
Venue: Mahe Island, Praslin, Silhouette, Frigate, Bird, Denis, Desroches, Alphonse, Coetivie and other islands.
Diving
Scuba divers in these waters will find a wide variety of underwater world, including the unsurpassed beauty of colorful coral reefs. Besides Amazing whale sharks visit here from October to April, and anyone who is looking for a way to make their blood run faster through their veins will certainly not miss their chance to swim in the waters of the Indian Ocean next to the giants, the largest fish on the planet.
Restrictions
- Those arriving in the Seychelles are allowed to carry 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco, 2 liters. alcohol, 125 ml. perfume or 250 ml. eau de toilette and other goods worth no more than 3,000 Seychellois rupees ($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.
- Bans have been established on the export of coconuts, shells, corals, and turtle products.
- A maximum of 1000 rupees, or $200, can be taken out of the country,
There are no restrictions on the import and export of foreign currency.
Flight rules, passport control, meeting, seeing off
Departure from Moscow
You're flying out of international airport"Domodedovo", 1st floor, departure hall
customs control
Required documents:
- customs declaration (in case of transporting more than $3,000 or valuables);
- international passport;
– round-trip air ticket (don't lose!).
All luggage must be presented, including hand luggage.Registration
Required documents:
– air ticket;
- international passport.
At check-in, baggage is checked in and issued boarding pass on the plane. A purchased air ticket without a boarding pass does not guarantee a seat on the plane.Passport control
Required documents:
- boarding pass;
- international passport.
When boarding the plane, you only need your boarding pass.
Arrival in Mahe
When booking the Fast Track service, tourists will be greeted in the arrival hall with a sign (where the names of tourists are indicated).
A representative of the host company will help you quickly go through passport control, customs, and get your luggage.
Passport control
Required documents:
- international passport;
– immigration card (issued on the plane shortly before boarding).
After passing through passport control, you are left with the stub from your immigration card.Receipt of baggage
customs control
To pass customs control, you must present all items for inspection to customs officers.
After passing customs inspection, you need to approach a representative of the receiving company with a sign and hand over the voucher, after which the representative will take you to the transfer.
Airport emergency: 00248 2 51 53 10
Russian speaking representative: 00248 2 52 01 49 (Valentina Payette)
Those who plan to see the Clock Tower, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and the Emmanuel Estate, go in for underwater sports, climb Mount Nid d'Aigle (from a height of more than 300 m a breathtaking panorama of the island of La Digue opens; you can ride a bicycle to the foot, after which active tourists there will be a 30-minute climb), go to the Craft Village and national park Vallee de Mai, spending time on the Grand Anse beach, visiting the cinnamon plantations growing there, walking along Marquette Street, the orchid garden and the Mont Fleury Botanical Garden, is invariably interested in the question: “How long is the flight from?”
How many hours does it take to fly from Moscow to Seychelles?
If you need to get to the Seychelles not only in winter, but also in other months, then you can use the services Emirates Airlines(flying via will take approximately 13 hours) or Qatar Airways (flying via connecting will take at least 40 minutes). The last option will be cheaper, and Qatar Airways fly to Seychelles every day, except Mondays. Those interested in flying via European cities(Amsterdam, Paris, London), they will spend about 20 hours on the road, and besides, such a trip will cost many times more.
Flight Moscow – Praslin
Despite the fact that Moscow and Praslin are separated by 6,889 km (the minimum price of air tickets is 26,800-49,600 rubles), due to the lack of direct flights, you will have to make transfers: a flight through Paris and Mahe will take 21 hours, through Dubai and Mahe - 23 hours, through and Mahe - 16.5 hours, through and Mahe - 19 hours. Upon arrival at Praslin Island Airport, travelers will find a recreation area, a currency exchange office, and a cafe.
Flight Moscow – Victoria
For those who want to make a direct flight to Moscow (8305 km between them), in winter it makes sense to resort to the services of the carrier Air Seychelles, which operates flights lasting 9 hours, once every 10 days. As for air tickets, their prices have a wide range: for example, in August they are sold at a price of 29,700 rubles, and in December – at 246,000 rubles. Those who made a stop in Abu Dhabi will find themselves in after at least 12 hours, in - after 23-26 hours, in - after at least 21 hours, in - after at least 16 hours, in Frankfurt am Main - after 15.5 hours, in Doha and Abu Dhabi - after 17 hours, in Doha and Mumbai - after 18 hours, in and Dubai - after 17.5 hours, in and Dubai - after more than 19.5 hours, in and Dubai - after 17 hours 15 minutes, in and Dubai - after 18.5 hours, in and Frankfurt am Main - after 18 hours 15 minutes.
Seychelles International Airport equipped with: ATMs, currency exchange offices and bank branches; VIP lounge (where guests will find TVs, wireless Internet access, massage chairs, a bar with snacks and soft drinks); Internet terminals and public telephones; duty-free shops (they sell souvenirs and national goods of the islands at attractive prices) and car rental shops (you will be asked to pay 45 euros/day for a budget small car); restaurants and bars.
To get to the center of Victoria (the trip lasts no more than 20 minutes), it is advisable to take a bus, the stop of which is located opposite the airport. But you should take into account that buses run from 6 am to 5-6 pm, so if the plane lands on Seychelles soil after this time, you will have to hire a taxi.
Since there are no hotels on site at the airport (everyone over 12 years old is charged a $40 departure fee when leaving), it will take approximately 1 hour to get to the nearest accommodation.
Tourists are always interested in what time it is in the country they are going to. Seychelles in this sense is very convenient for Russians who live in the Moscow time zone or close to it. The entire territory of the Seychelles is located in the same time zone, i.e. The time in the Seychelles is now the same everywhere. From November to March, the time difference with the Seychelles relative to Moscow is one hour ahead; from April to October there is no difference at all with Moscow.
To the delight of tourists, there are no predators dangerous to people in the Seychelles; even sharks are not suitable for close quarters to the shores of the islands. There were no fatal cases of attacks by sharks and barracudas on vacationers. Creole mothers have to scare their children with feral cats, because, perhaps, nothing more scary can be found in the local tropics.
The snakes and black scorpions that live on Praslin are not poisonous, and mosquitoes do not carry tropical diseases, but for greater comfort it is a good idea to take insect repellent creams and fumigators with you.
Only a stone fish can become mortally dangerous if you step on it while walking through puddles formed after low tide, or while diving. If the poisonous dorsal spine of this fish gets into a person’s blood vessel, he has no chance of survival. Near coral reefs there is a danger of getting burned from polyps, worms and mollusks; it is also undesirable to bump into zebra fish.
Swimming during high tide should be avoided because... You can be carried out to the open sea by a strong undercurrent. It was in this way that the Governor of the Seychelles, Sir John Thorpe, and his secretary, who were excellent swimmers, drowned in 1961.
Driving in the Seychelles requires caution due to the tortuosity mountain roads and unusual left-hand traffic. The number of cars on the roads is insignificant; local traffic police officers are usually located in the district office, promptly arriving at the scene of an accident when called.
Unfortunately, Russian tourists have proven themselves to be problematic guests due to their penchant for poaching. The Seychelles environmental department is very zealous in fulfilling its duties, so, say, illegal spearfishing should simply be forgotten.
Due to the fact that the country does not have enough currency, tourists have to pay for everything in dollars or euros (more precisely, Seychelles rupees, but exchanged at the official rate). And this is completely unprofitable for travelers. Firstly, in many ticket offices the official exchange rates of the dollar and the euro are equal, which hurts the pockets of those who carry euros. Secondly, you will most likely have to change the currency at a reduced rate. It is more profitable to change the currency into rupees and buy some things in stores yourself than to order them at a hotel, where they will calculate you at the official rate.
