A thousand miles east of Africa and 4° south of the equator, the 115 islands of the Seychelles Archipelago lie scattered over the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean. With soft, white sand beaches, lush vegetation, coral reefs, soaring granitic mountains and a wide range of accommodation, two World Heritage Sites, numerous nature reserves and a year-round temperature of about 29° C, this is truly one of the world’s most beautiful and romantic destinations – utterly unique!
This is not a comprehensive guide to the hotels of the Seychelles. Rather, each place you see has been chosen for specific qualities: location, food, atmosphere, hospitality or facilities.
The Seychelles is not an inexpensive destination, but remember that almost everything you use and consume has to be imported to enable you to stay on some of the most fascinating and beautiful islands on earth.
The Seychelles comprise 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, off the east coast of Africa, close to the equator. Of these islands, 41 constitute the oldest mid-oceanic granite islands on earth while a further 74 form the low-lying coral atolls and reef islands of the Outer Islands, which includes Desroches, Denis and Bird Islands.
The granitic islands of the Seychelles archipelago cluster around the main island of Mahé, home to the international airport and the capital, Victoria, and its satellites Praslin, Silhouette, North, Frégate and La Digue. Together, these Inner Islands form the cultural and economic hub of the nation and contain the majority of Seychelles’ tourism facilities, as well as some of its most stunning beaches. Seychelles is a comparatively young nation which can trace its first settlement back to 1770 when the islands were first settled by the French.
Seychelles achieved independence from Britain in 1976 and became a republic within the Commonwealth. Today, the 81,000 strong Seychellois population continues to reflect its multi-ethnic roots. Traditionally, the islands have attracted a broad diversity of peoples, including freed slaves, European settlers, adventurers, traders of Arab and Persian origin as well as Chinese and Indians.
Echoing this diversity, Creole cuisine features the subtleties and nuances of French cooking, the exoticism of Indian dishes and the piquant flavours of the Orient.