Profile for the Seychelle Islands
including map and weather charts

The Seychelles archipelago is a group of the most beautiful islands on earth. In 1742 the first Frenchman to land there named Mahe, the largest of the islands, the Isle of Abundance because of its fertile loveliness. General Gordon of Khartoum visited Praslin in the nineteenth century and thought that he must be in the Garden of Eden. The idyllic beaches, sparkling seas, gently swaying palms and friendly people have entranced travellers for centuries.

You will fly in to the international airport on Mahe, the island on which most of the Seychellois live. Lovely landscapes of palms backed by mountainous peaks lush with vegetation announce your arrival on an island that has lost none of its original beauty. The stunning Botanical Gardens offer the chance to see and, more particularly smell, the fragrant vanilla orchid. They also have giant land tortoises, lumbering gentle beasts that rather symbolise the restful and peaceful way of life here. Groves of cinnamon trees from which the bark is harvested, lovely old colonial houses, a National Museum and a National Park are just a few of Mahe's other inland attractions. The beaches here are, of course, as white and dreamy as you might expect.

Praslin is the second largest island and is the only place in which the coco de mer palm grows. This tree bears a strange fruit: a nut shaped like the female pelvis. Once thought to be a strong aphrodisiac and distinctly erotic in appearance, the nut was once much sought after - you now need a licence to export one! Three of the world's most endangered bird species are also here. The black parrot, of which there are only about a hundred left, the fruit pigeon and the Seychelles bulbul are all protected on the island. Wonderful coral reefs surround Praslin and provide a perfect habitat for about nine hundred species of fish. This is a fantastic spot for snorkelling, diving and almost all water sports. The island's lush vegetation and abundant birdlife displays an incredible eco-diversity for such a small area.

The smaller islands of the Seychelles, and there are about one hundred and fifteen, are often uninhabited. However, some are now top-class retreats, ideal for those who wish to luxuriate in privacy and seclusion. The coral reefs of the Seychelles with their rainbow-coloured fish are excellent for keen scuba divers and snorkellers at almost all times of the year, although calmer waters during April to November probably give the very best diving. Sailing is also very popular and allows visits to other islands. However, many visitors come here just to "chill out" and this tropical paradise is the place to do it. It is not surprising that there is no word for "stress" in the local language!

Map of The Seychelle Islands

See more on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue.

Weather Chart for the Seychelle Islands

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