Seychelles, officially named the Republic of Seychelles, is a state situated on 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. The capital of Seychelles is Victoria. The nearest neighbors are Zanzibar to the west and Comoros, Mauritius, Mayotte, Réunion and Madagascar to the south. Seychelles’ population comprises only 90 thousand people; the total area is 459 square kilometers. The official languages are French, English and Seychellois Creole.

The national currency is the Seychellois rupee. Euros and credit cards are widely used. ATMs can be found on Mahé, La Digue and Praslin. The best exchange rate is at banks and bureaux de change.

The archipelago has a tropical climate. In the coolest months – July and August – the average temperature is about 24 degrees Celsius.

Seychelles is often called the “paradise archipelago”. It is the land of idyllic endless beaches, coconut copses and cinnamon plantations, serene gardens and bird reserves, incredibly clear ocean waters and colorful fish and corals. The mild climate of Seychelles does not feature uncomfortable extremities.

Nature lovers should not miss the chance to see giant land tortoises in Aldabra, the world's biggest atoll; to watch hawksbill turtles on Bird Island; to take pictures of rare bird species on Aride and Cousin islands; to take a glass-bottom boat trip in the Sainte Anne National Marine Park; and to visit Vallée de Mai, where you can see the prehistoric forest of coco de mer trees and watch endemic birds.

Seychelles is a good place for those who are fond of outdoor activities: here you can go yachting or boating among the gorgeous tranquil islands; enjoy horse riding, cycling, snorkeling, windsurfing, sailing and fishing.

On Mahe Island – the largest of the archipelago – you can visit the Botanical Gardens and the islands' Natural History Museum, see the replica of London's Vauxhall Bridge Tower Clock and enjoy the relaxed colonial atmosphere of gracious mansions and lush plantations.

Airports

Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) situated on the island of Mahé, Victoria.

Diving in Seychelles

The Seychelles are divided inner and outer islands. The inner – granite – islands are mostly the tops of submerged mountains. The outer islands are essentially low-lying coral atolls and cays.

In the waters of Aldabra you can find impressive terraced walls and meet green turtles.

St. Anne Marine National Park Island deserves attention as a good diving place with picturesque underwater landscapes and abundant marine life.

Between Mahe and Praslin islands you will find the Ennerdale wreck – a 62,000-ton tanker sunk in 1970 and now teeming with moray eels, snappers and lionfish.

Near the Corsair Reef you can explore the Twin Barges, intentionally sunk in 1989 and inhabited by various marine critters.

Off Praslin Island there is Sisters Rock - a group of large rocks with small tunnels and gullies.

In Grouper Point you can see whale sharks and reef sharks.

Near Cosmoledo atoll there are massive hard corals with 3-meter gorgonian fans and huge barrel sponges.