Bucket List: Island Paradise

Seychelles, Mahé

I had only visited beautiful Seychelles once, in 2000. 

During that trip, I drove a rental vehicle around the island of Mahé, charted a sports fishing boat for a big game fishing experience, enjoyed dinners by the beach at Beau Vallon at dusk, strolled around charming Victoria, shopped at the morning market, visited a museum and swam among coral fishes. 

This was definitely a travel bucket list item for me. The trip was also the first time I had visited an African country.

The original article was posted on this blog in July 2018. ⛰

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The capital of Seychelles is Victoria. Located on the island of Mahé, Victoria was formerly the seat of the British colonial government. 

The beautiful beach at Beau Vallon, Mahé, Seychelles (2000)

History and Geography

While the city itself was previously founded by French colonies in the late 18th century, the name Victoria was given to the city by the British colonial government in the 19th century.

Due to its history, the local culture and tradition have strong hints of both French and English influences. This includes the local Creole language which incorporates both French and English words.

Clock Tower, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles (2000)

Climate

The climate of Victoria is tropical which translates to year-round warm weather coupled with relatively high humidity. 

The months of June and July are typically drier while the months between December to February usually bring more rain to the city, the island of Mahé and generally most parts of the Seychelles.

My personal experience was that rain typically passed over the island of Mahé fairly quickly. This is probably due to the small land size of the island at only slightly above 157 square kilometres. 

Morne Seychellois is the highest peak on the island of Mahé as well as Seychelles at 905 metres above sea leave, Mahé, Seychelles (2000)

Getting There

The Seychelles International Airport (IATA: SEZ, ICAO: FSIA) is located on the island of Mahé and is just 11 kilometres from the city of Victoria.

Air Seychelles, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Kenya Airways, Qatar Airways, SriLankan Airlines and Turkish Airlines have flights to this airport; providing air connectivity between the Seychelles and other world cities including Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa, Colombo, Doha, Dubai, Istanbul and Nairobi.

There are also seasonal flights operated by airlines that connect Victoria to Frankfurt, Sofia, Tel Aviv and Zürich.

What to Expect

Being a small city, Victoria can be easily covered on foot within a day or less. 

Key sights in the city include an English-style Clock Tower, the Courthouse, the Victoria Botanical Gardens and the Victoria Natural History Museum.

Mock-up of a Mahi-mahi (Dolphinfish, Coryphaena hippurus) at the Victoria Natural History Museum, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles (2000)

In the mornings, the Victoria Market is an interesting place to visit. Get into the mix with the locals as they shop for fresh produce including fishes and fruits and enjoy an experience to remember!

A fish-monger manning his stall, Victoria Market, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles (2000)

Fruits are a common commodity found in the morning market, Victoria Market, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles (2000)

Located on the island of Mahé are several fine beaches to work on your tan. During my visit, schools of brightly coloured reef fishes swam around me near the shore as I immersed myself into a 3-dimensional world of sea-life while standing in waist-deep water at low tide. For non-swimmers, you can get to enjoy being surrounded by wild marine life in their natural environment without even having to swim out to sea!

For the beaches, my personal recommendation is Beau Vallon and Anse Intendancy. The calm and clear sea fronting these beaches are a joy to swim in while the white and clean sandy beaches are perfect for getting that tropical tan look.

Tips and Advices

If you are dining out, do be reminded that the locals generally dressed up for dinners. Breakfasts and lunches are less formal affairs but you need to be at least attired properly for dinners. No formal attires are required but you definitely won't want to be turned away at the higher-end restaurants for showing up for dinner in singlets and worn-out shorts.

Carry smaller denominations US Dollars if you intend to shop for souvenirs. Official currency exchanges are offered at the local finance institutions although there is a booming "forex exchange movement" provided by unofficial traders; including taxi drivers and touts. My personal advice is to approach the official financial institutions if you intend to exchange larger quantity of currencies.

Locals speak a mixture of English, French and Creole. So if you can speak any of these languages, you will likely not find yourself trapped in any language barriers during your visit.

Traveling around Victoria is easier done by walking while using taxis for travel within the island of Mahé is a convenient option. An alternative will be to rent a small vehicle to drive yourself around the island.

Renting a small vehicle provides a convenient and cost-effective way of getting around the island, Mahé, Seychelles (2000)