Seychelles
Islands
In 1502 the Portuguese
explorer Vasco da Gama discovered the Amirantes islands. In 1609 John Jordan
was the first British to set foot on the Seychelles. Mistaken for the original
'Garden of Eden' by General Gordon over 100 years ago, these 115 islands
in the Indian Ocean have retained their charm and mystique as one of the
last paradises on earth. Spread over one million square kilometers of tranquil
waters just south of the Equator, some 43 granite islands are clustered
around Mahé, while 73 coral islands extend towards the East African
coast.
How to Reach Seychelles
You can reach Seychelles
by air or by cruise. A number of international airlines operate flights
to Seychelles, landing at Victoria, which has the only international airport
in the country. You can take the domestic airlines, Air Seychelles, to
get to the other islands of Mahé, Praslin, Frégate, Desroches,
Bird and Denis Island from Victoria. Alternatively you can take the chartered
helicopters, yachts, schooners and ferries too. Within the islands, mini-mokes
(jeeps) are available for hire and local buses ply regularly.
The best time to visit
this place and to admire its natural beauty is from May to September.
Regarding accommodation,
there are a lot of hotels in Seychelles. But you will find more luxury
and expensive hotels as compared to budget accommodation.
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Creole, French and English
are the three official languages of Seychelles. 94% of Seychelles speak
Creole, the native language, with an inflection of French. English is the
language used for commerce and governance. Seychelles is home to diverse
people and while the predominant influences may be African and French,
one can also hear fluent German or Italian being spoken
The Republic of Seychelles,
or Seychelles as we know it, is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian
Ocean. It is located between 4 degrees and 10 degrees south of the equator,
and lies at a distance of 480 kilometers to 1600 kilometers from the east
coast of Africa. The Seychelles are located in the Indian Ocean, between
Africa and India, and 1,600km (990 miles) east of Kenya. |
As the Indian subcontinent
shifted northwards to collide with Asia, a group of islands got left behind
and went on to make up the Republic of Seychelles. Seychelles is located
right in the middle of the Indian Ocean, between India and the east coast
of Africa. While all the other islands of the world are of biological or
volcanic origin, these are the only granitic islands in the world, with
some unique rock formations. The islands comprising the Republic of Seychelles
cover an area of 455 square kilometers. There is also an Exclusive Economic
Zone covering 1.4 million square kilometers of the western portion of the
Indian Ocean
Seychelles is predominantly
Roman Catholic, but there are Protestant and Anglican churches as well.
The Seychelles are enthusiastic church goers. Passionate about their Sunday
Mass, they turn up dressed in their best so that they can outshine the
others!
Seychelles also has Bahais,
Hindus and Muslims in Mahe, La Digue and Praslin. These communities have
their own places of worship and coexist peacefully as people of the Republic
of Seychelles.
The Banyan Tree Seychelles
is nestled in the Intendance Bay on Mahé Island, 30 minutes by car
from Mahé International Airport and 45 minutes from the capital,
Victoria. Mahé offers the perfect introduction to the Seychelles
with its steep mountain backbone, slopes carpeted with lush tropical vegetation
and sweeping coastline fringed by palm trees. The resort covers an area
of approximately 117 hectares on the island's southwestern coastline with
a fabulous beach frontage of 800 meters overlooking what has been described
as one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world.
Seychelles presents an amalgam
of Indian, African, European and Chinese cultures. The native language,
Creole has its roots in French; the cuisine is basically French but uses
Indian spices and Chinese methods. The music here traces its origin to
African rhythms and their dances draw liberally from Europe. This combination
has resulted in the Sega beat, a song and dance unique to Seychelles and
the other islands of the Indian Ocean.
Seychelles as a nation is
relatively young. In 1770, a group of Frenchmen settled on these islands
with a band of Indians, Africans and whites. The islands remained under
French control till Napoleon lost the battle of Waterloo. They were formally
handed over to the British in 1814 under the Treaty of Paris. At that time
Seychelles had a population of 3,500 people.
Under French rule, Seychelles
had the benefit of the expertise of enlightened administrators like Pierre
Poivre and the astute Queue de Quinssy. It also went through some unfortunate
repercussions of the French Revolution.
Honeymoon in Seychelles
Paradise, Spectacular
and the Garden of Eden are just some of the words that can describe the
stunning Seychelles islands. To honeymoon in the beautiful country of Seychelles
is the next best thing to getting married.
Seychelles is located
on the western part of the Indian Ocean, north of Madagascar and about
995 miles east of Mombasa, Kenya. This small country is an isolated archipelago
of outstanding natural beauty comprising about 115 islands.
You can visit the exotic
beaches of Seychelles like the Beau Vallon, Anse Intendance, Anse Royale
and Anse Takamaka on Mahe; Cote D'Or and Anse Lazio on Praslin; and Anse
La Source d'Argent, Grand Anse and Petit Anse on La Digue. The romantic
couple will love walking over the soft, powdery sands, basking in the sun
and gorging on Creole cuisine.
Seychelles is also the
best place for adventure seekers as you can dive, fly fish on the flats
or snorkel in the crystal waters that reveal a fabulous marine world of
sea turtles, reef fish and brilliantly hued corals. You could visit Mahe
which is the pulsating heart of the archipelago. With an incredible amount
of daytime activities and lively nightlife, Mahe can truly offer something
for everyone.
Seychelles has an active
nightlife and offers you a number of casinos and night clubs. To make your
honeymoon a memorable one, you should visit Seychelles. |