Beachfront property on a Seychelles Island
Getting around - You can take a small plane, helicopter, or ferry between most major islands. (Fri-gate is reached either by the hotel's boat or helicopter.) Flights are short, but you'll have to return to Mahé before going on to another island. Tree recommends ocean crossings if the seas aren't too rough. ("You get a better sense of distance, and you have the chance to see marlin, dolphins, and whale sharks," she says.) You'll probably want to rent a car to get around Mahé and Praslin (about per day; drive on the left). For Desroches and Alphonse, bikes are the mode of transport; on Frigate, golf carts; on Bird, you travel on foot.
Reading - For a history of the islands, try Seychelles Since 1770: History of a Slave and Post-Slavery Society by Deryck Scarr (1999). For an adventure story, read Beyond the Reefs, William Travis's account of shell-hunting and shark-fishing in Seychelles. The most useful guidebooks are Lonely Planet's Mauritius, Réunion & Seychelles and the Insight Pocket Guide to the Seychelles. Divers should take a look at Lonely Planet's Diving and Snorkeling the Seychelles (1997). The Indian Ocean Reef Guide, by Helmut Debelius, features more than 1,200 photos of marine species in their habitat.
Pirate Olivier le Vasseur's treasure -
That the fabulous treasure of the notorious Pirate Olivier le Vasseur, (La Buze) today valued at $US 160,000,000 probably still lies buried somewhere at Bel Ombre in North Mahé.
Seychelles was once a pirate hideout - in particular Anse Forbans (means Pirate’s Cove) on Mahé and Côte d’Or on Praslin.
Aldabra is the world’s largest raised coral atoll and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is so vast that the whole of Mahé could fit inside its lagoon
Aldabra home to only flightless bird in the Indian Ocean- the White-Throated Rail as well as to 273 species of plants and ferns.
Aldabra has the largest population of Giant Tortoises in the world; 150,000 in total.
Aride Island - important breeding site for 10 species of seabird - and the world’s largest population of lesser noddies. It is known as the seabird citadel of the Indian Ocean.
The first settlers to arrive in Seychelles landed on the island of Sainte Anne in 1770.
Seychelles area - scattered over an area of 1.4 million km² of ocean.
Victoria one of the tiniest capitals in the world - and can easily be explored on foot in less than a day.
The Coco-de-Mer palm produces the largest seed in the world which weigh up to 15kg+.
Seychelles is home to some of the rarest endemic birds (Seychelles bush warbler, paradise fly-catcher, bare-legged scops owl) to be found anywhere on earth.
Seychelles’ granitic islands are the oldest oceanic islands on earth.
Seychelles is home to the world’s heaviest land tortoise living in the wild. This is Esmeralda (304 kg) on Bird Island.
Moyenne Island, in the Ste. Anne Marine National park, is claimed to be haunted by a spirit that stands jealous guard over buried treasure.
Seychelles is considered to offer the finest Bone-fishing in the world.
Tracy Island, in the Thunderbirds blockbuster of 2004, was no other than the Seychelles North Island. Other scenes in the movie were also filmed in the famous Vallée de Mai on Praslin Island.
The Sainte Anne Marine National Park, founded in 1973, was the first marine park in the Indian Ocean.
The British Governor, Sir. John Thorpe, drowned while attempting to rescue two boys at Grand Anse Mahé on the 13th August 1961.
Round Island, near Mahé, was once a leper colony. The stone building used as a prison still exists.
Seychelles holds world records for dogtooth tuna and indo-pacific bonito.
Seychelles is one of the few places in the world that has no real natural hazards or dangers.
Anyone who can speak a little French will be able to largely understand Creole, which is much simpler to learn, as there is no gender and the verb endings remain constant.
The author of the famous James Bond character, Mr. Ian Fleming, wrote a few of his books at Le Northolme Hotel now called Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa.