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Holidayco.co.uk specialises in cheap Seychelles holidays, package holidays and late deals to a huge number of destinations. Find out more about Seychelles in our guide below.

Holidays in Seychelles

The Seychelles are a group of islands in the Indian Ocean to the northeast of Madagascar. There are 41 major islands and 74 small cays and atolls. There are six distinct groups of islands: the Inner Islands, the Aldabra, Alphonse, Amirantes, Farquhar and Southern Coral.

Ownership of the Seychelles was disputed between Britain and France for many years until 1814, when the islands were formally ceded to Britain. They remained a British possession until 1976 when independence was declared.

The climate is tropical year round but is not extreme. The islands do no suffer cyclones and the temperature usually remains between 24 °C and 32 °C. It is usually fairly humid, and in January and February the rain can be heavy.

The tourism industry of the Seychelles centres on the Inner Islands, mainly Mahe, Praslin and La Digue.

Seychelles Facts At A Glance

Area: 455 square km.

Climate: Tropical islands. Humid with a cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)

Terrain: Some islands are volcanic in origin with rocky hills and a narrow coastal strip. Others are coral islands and are fairly flat.

Population: 81 Thousand

Languages: English (official), French (official), Creole

Currency: Rupee

Time Zone: 4 hours ahead of GMT

International Dialling Code: +248

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Places to visit

Mahe measures 28km by 8km and is home to the capital, Victoria, as well as the international airport. Something like 90% of the population of the Seychelles lives on Mahe. The island is dominated by Morne Seychellois, at 905m the highest point in the Seychelles. The forests of Mahe contain some unusual animals and plants such as the Jellyfish Tree and the carnivorous Pitcher Plant.

Mahe Island is a wonderful place to stroll and explore. The views from the mountain paths are simply incredible, and there are always new plants and animals to see. It is wise to take a drink with you if you’re going to walk anywhere. A hat is also a good idea as the sun can be fierce.

Praslin, the second largest island in the group,has excellent beaches and a lovely relaxed atmosphere. It is not hard to see why Arab merchants and pirates used the island as a base or hideout. The seas around the island contain about 800 species of tropical fish.

Most of the island is covered in tropical forest, with unusual flora and fauna that includes the ‘Coco de Mer’, or double coconut. Praslin makes a good starting point for a tour of other nearby islands. The Vallee de Mai is a nature reserve with particularly interesting plant and animal life. A schooner sails between Praslin and La Digue several times a day.

Lying just 43km from Mahe and 6km from Praslin, La Digue has wonderful beaches of white sand and boulders of pink granite lying around. It is a vision of the perfect tropical island, and is both quiet and unspoilt. There are very few cars on the island, so if you want to get about you might consider an ox-taxi or a mountain bike.

The Smaller Islands are worth a visit. It is not hard to get there and back by boat or small aircraft.

Alphonse in theAmirante group has only recently been opened to visitors. It consists of a huge lagoon surrounded by a coconut grove.

Bird Island, about 100km from Mahe, was unofficially given its name for the vast numbers of birds to be seen there. The island is popular with ornithologists. Its official name is less romantic – “The Island of Cows” for the dugongs or Sea Cows that were found there in the past.

Desroches in the Amirante group is a classic tropical island with fine sand and coconut trees. The island is 5 km long and just 500m wide, with one small village. If you like tranquility, this is the place to find it – the village shop only opens once a week! Desroches is popular with divers, with beautiful coral gardens to explore.

Fregate is a granite island with lush forests and many wild birds. It was used in the past by pirates as a hideout. There are rumours of hidden treasure still somewhere on the island, but today Fregate mostly attracts visitors who want to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet amid tropical beauty.

Silhouette lies just off the coast of Mahe. It is a place of unspoiled natural beauty with no cars at all. The local flora and fauna is especially impressive, with 6 plants and 274 animals dwelling on Silhouette that can be found nowhere else on the planet. A little over a hundred humans live there too, growing coffee, tobacco and cinnamon.

Things to do

In Victoria on Mahe, there is a Creole Institute devoted to the unique Creole culture and a Craft Village, as well as an exact replica of Big Ben. This mix of cultures and influences sums up the culture of the islands; a place where Europe, Africa and Asia have met and settled down to live together. Victoria has a number of good restaurants, ranging from fairly cheap to quite upmarket.

The Seychelles are popular with divers, who can explore the reefs and see the fabulous array of marine life off the coasts of the islands. At the right time of year (August and then October to January) it is often possible to swim with Whale Sharks or take a photo safari to meet these gentle giants.

Island-hopping is not a problem. Air Seychelles offers regular short services to many of the other islands, and there is a boat service as well. Each of the islands has its own attractions, and many have totally unique plants and animals. You can gain an appreciation of just how rich and diverse is the wildlife of these islands in the Natural History Museum in Victoria before setting out to see it for yourself.