Seychelles, Island nation in Indian Ocean, East Africa.
Description
Seychelles forms an island group in the Indian Ocean north of Madagascar and east of the East African coast, spread across several dozen inhabited islets and numerous uninhabited reefs. The inner islands are made of granite and rise into forested hills, while the outer ones form flat coral formations with turquoise lagoons.
History
Arab merchants knew about the uninhabited islands before Portuguese seafarers reached them in the 16th century. France claimed them in 1756 and founded plantations with enslaved workers from Africa and Madagascar, until Britain took control in 1814 and independence followed in 1976.
Culture
The population speaks Seselwa, a creole language rooted in French, as the everyday tongue, while English and French serve in official contexts. Local festivals like the Kreol Festival each October show how music, dance and food from different continents merge into a shared experience.
Practical
International flights land on Mahé, from where ferries and domestic flights connect the inhabited islands. Best travel times are April to May and October to November, when the sea is calm and temperatures remain comfortable between monsoon periods.
Did you know?
The Vallée de Mai on Praslin protects the endemic Coco de Mer palm, whose seeds can weigh up to 25 kilograms and are the heaviest in the plant kingdom. Female palms begin bearing fruit only after 25 years, and the seeds take seven years on the tree before dropping when ripe.
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The Seychelles islands spread across the Indian Ocean with white sand beaches, colorful coral reefs, and thick tropical forests that cover much of the land. The archipelago protects several national parks and nature reserves where giant tortoises move slowly through the undergrowth and seabirds nest...
Aldabra
1130 km
Anse Lazio
49 km
Bird Island
108.5 km
Frégate Island
54.7 km
Vallée de Mai
48.2 km
D'Arros Island
252.8 km
Denis Island
97.8 km
Farquhar Atoll
776.8 kmSainte Anne Marine National Park
6.5 km
Cosmoledo
1033 km
Morne Seychellois
2.2 km
Anse source d´argent
52.2 km
Providence Atoll
716.4 km
State House
3.7 km
Victoria Botanical Gardens
3 km
St. François Atoll
403.3 km
Marie Louise Island
307 km
African Banks
229.2 km
Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa Mosque
3.6 km
Poivre Atoll
267.7 km
St. Joseph Atoll
249.9 km
Seychelles Natural History Museum
3.8 km
Liberty Monument
3.7 kmPraslin National Park
47.6 kmSauzier Waterfall
4.4 km
St. Francis of Assisi Church, Baie Lazare
11.1 km
Victoria Clock Tower
3.8 km
Anse Georgette
47.6 kmBel Air
La Rivière Anglaise
Les Mamelles
Mont Buxton
Mont Fleuri
Plaisance
Roche Caiman
Saint Louis
Anse-aux-Pins
Anse Boileau
Anse Etoile
Au Cap
Anse Royale
Baie Lazare
Beau Vallon
Bel Ombre
Cascade
Glacis
Grand'Anse Mahé
Pointe La Rue
Port Glaud
Takamaka
Baie Sainte Anne
Grand'Anse Praslin
La Digue and Inner Islands
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