The checklist as a PDF
Entry, health, money, transport and safety, laid out for print, with their sources and verification date.
Seychelles
East Africa
Dream beaches, nature reserves and water sports. Indian Ocean islands, Aldabra and the Vallée de Mai.
- On the map
CapitalVictoria
When to goApril, May, October and November
Suggested length8 days min.
CurrencySeychellois rupee
LanguagesFrench +2
The Viafro verdict
For whom, and for which trip.
An editorial bearing, with no percentage and no rating: our criteria are written down, and every “good to know” links to its source.
- For which trip
- Mahé · La Digue · Beau Vallon · Praslin
- Best season
- April, May, October and November
- Length
- Allow at least 8 days for these 4 essentials, one stop every two or three days. (Viafro’s rule of thumb)
Best time to visit
Twelve months, in colour.
Hover or tap a month: its reading and its source appear. Bars measure rain, the figure is the capital’s mean maximum.
Before you go
The essentials, tab by tab.
Entry, health, safety, money and facts: dated official extracts, never paraphrased.
Visa, passport, customs
GOV.UK advice, written for British passport holders. Other nationalities should check the country’s official website.
- If you’re visiting Seychelles, your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay. Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
- You do not need a visa to visit Seychelles, but you must get a travel authorisation before you travel. When you arrive, you’ll get a visitor’s permit for 3 months. You can apply for 3-month extensions, up to a maximum period of 12 months in total, if you meet visitor permit extension requirements.
- You must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk. For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Seychelles guide.
Vaccines, malaria, water
This is not medical advice: talk to your doctor or an international vaccination centre before you travel.
- At least 8 weeks before your trip:
- As a tourist, you must pay for medical treatment. Residents in Seychelles from overseas need to pay for some treatment, including medication and prescriptions.
Per the ministries
Viafro gives no safety rating: here are the zones and advice published by the French ministry (in French) and the official extracts, with their dates.
- There is a risk of break-ins, robberies, burglaries and opportunistic thefts. Crime is generally non-violent, but people can have their bags snatched, cars and boats broken into or be robbed while walking at night.
- There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
What the country’s law provides
Photography, alcohol, drugs, relationships: the rules published by the ministries, quoted as they stand, without comment.
- Seychelles has strict laws on drug use and smuggling. Penalties are severe and may include fines and prison sentences, up to life imprisonment. This can be applied both for supplying and simple possession of any drugs, including when transiting through the airport.
Currency
Seychellois rupeeViafro publishes no price or budget range without a source: amounts will come from our own expenses recorded on the ground, dated and itemised.
- There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Seychelles. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Express card
Structured data from Wikidata and the CIA World Factbook, re-checked at every site update.
- Population · 2025
- 122,730
- Time zone
- +3 h from Paris
- Plugs and voltage
- Type G plugs · 240 V
- Driving side
- Driving on the left
- Calling code
- +248
- Languages
- French, English, Seychellois Creole
- Area
- 459 km²
- Highest point
- Morne Seychellois, 905 m
- Main religions
- Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 10.5%, other Christian 2.4%, Hindu 2.4%, Muslim 1.6%, other non-Christian 1.1%, unspecified 4.8%, none 0.9%
Getting there and around
Airports, roads and transport.
- SEZSeychelles International AirportVictoria1.2 M passengers · official site
- DEIDenis Island AirportDenis
- DESDesroches Airport
- PRIPraslin Island AirportPraslin official site
Direct flights from Paris are to be checked on the airport’s or airline’s website.
On the road
- If you are planning to drive in Seychelles, see information on driving abroad. You can see the legal requirements you need to be aware of in the Road Transport Act. You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Seychelles for 3 months.
Destinations
The essentials.
Mahé
Mahé is the largest island of Seychelles, with an area of 157.3 square kilometres (60.7 sq mi), lying in the northeast of the Seychellois nation in the Somali Sea part of the Indian Ocean.
La Digue
La Digue is the third most populated island of the Seychelles, and fourth largest by land area, lying east of Praslin and west of Felicite Island.
Beau Vallon
Beau Vallon (French pronunciation: [bo valɔ̃] ) is a bay on the north western coast of Mahé in the Seychelles.
Praslin
Praslin (French pronunciation: [pʁalɛ̃]) is the second largest island (38.5 km2) of the Inner Seychelles, lying 44 km (27 mi) northeast of Mahé.
Activities
What to do, sheet by sheet.
Starting point, season, tips and sources: each sheet says only what its sources say.
Seychelles
Anse Source d’Argent, La Digue
On the south-west coast of La Digue, Anse Source d’Argent is famed for its massive granite boulders.
Seychelles
The Vallée de Mai, Praslin
On Praslin, the Vallée de Mai is a palm forest inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, on just 19.5 hectares.
Seychelles
Morne Seychellois National Park
Morne Seychellois National Park covers 3,045 hectares in central and north-western Mahé.
Seychelles
Aldabra Atoll
Some 1,120 km south-west of Victoria, Aldabra is the world’s second-largest coral atoll.
Seychelles
Curieuse Island and its giant tortoises
Off the north coast of Praslin, Curieuse is a small 2.9 km² granite island of red earth where the coco de mer grows.
Seychelles
Victoria and its market
The capital of Seychelles, Victoria lies on the north-eastern side of Mahé.
Seychelles
Anse Lazio, Praslin
In the north-west of Praslin, Anse Lazio is bordered by large granite boulders.
Seychelles
Beau Vallon beach, Mahé
On the north-western coast of Mahé, Beau Vallon bay has possibly the island’s most popular beach.
Seychelles
Cousin Island bird reserve
Some 2 km west of Praslin, Cousin is a 29-hectare granite island protected as a Special Reserve and managed by Nature Seychelles.
Seychelles
Sainte Anne Marine National Park
About 5 km from Victoria, Sainte Anne Marine National Park takes in eight small islands.
Filmed by us
Must-try food
Four dishes, and where to taste them.
Chutney de requin
Shark chutney is a dish eaten in the Seychelles. It typically consists of 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of boiled skinned shark, finely mashed, and cooked with squeezed bilimbi juice and lime. This in turn is mixed with onion, pepper, salt and turmeric. The onion is fri
Ladob
Ladob is a dish typically consisting of plantains or sweet potatoes, eaten in the Seychelles, either as a savory dish or as a dessert.
Rougaille
Rougaille, also written as rougail, is a spiced tomato sauce common in the cuisines of Mauritius, Réunion, Seychelles, and other parts of the Francophone Indian Ocean and West Indies. It is a Creole dish, combining ingredients and characteristics from French,
Palm wine
Palm wine, known by several local names, is an alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm trees such as the palmyra, date palms, and coconut palms. It is known by various names in different regions and is common in various parts of Afri
Culture and etiquette
Customs, dress, useful words.
- Bonjourhello
- Mercithank you
- S’il vous plaîtplease
- Entries checked on Wiktionary.
- Religions: Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 10.5%, other Christian 2.4%, Hindu 2.4%, Muslim 1.6%, other non-Christian 1.1%, unspecified 4.8%, none 0.9%.
- Languages: Seychellois Creole (official) 89.1%, English (official) 5.1%, French (official) 0.7%, other 3.8%, unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.).
Festivals and events
The big dates.
- National holiday
Constitution Day, 18 June (1993); Independence Day (National Day), 29 June (1976).
- Independence
29 June 1976 (from the UK).
Fixed dates and moveable events, each with its source; moveable dates change every year and are to be checked on an official calendar.
Did you know?
Three things to remember.
The country’s highest point, Morne Seychellois, reaches 905 m.
122,730 inhabitants in 2025 on 459 km², about 267 per km².
Independence on 29 June 1976 (from the UK).
The country on video
Seychelles, in motion.
Gallery
See it before you go.
Real photographs: free images under a verified licence and Viafro images. Never a generated image. Credits in the footer.
Share your trip with #viafro: the best images will join this gallery, with your credit.
Live, work, invest
A few key figures.
Sourced data (World Bank). No investment advice.
GDP per capita (current US$)19.4World Bank · 2025GDP growth5.8 %World Bank · 2025Inflation (consumer prices)0.3 %World Bank · 2025International tourist arrivals124.5World Bank · 2020
World Bank data (World Development Indicators), consulted on 28 Oct 2026. Tourist arrivals are the latest year published.
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Sources and verification dates · 18 sources, checked on 28 Oct 2026
Travel advice · GOV.UK (FCDO)Entry, visa, safety: the official page, kept up to date by the ministry. Travel health · US CDCVaccines and precautions from a reference medical source. World Heritage · UNESCOThe country’s inscribed sites and tentative list. WikidataCapital and currency, verified structured data.
- Wikidata · Seychelles (Q1042)
- World Bank · World Development Indicators
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Seychelles · Foreign travel advice · Entry requirements (page updated on 23 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Seychelles · Foreign travel advice · Health (page updated on 23 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Seychelles · Foreign travel advice · Safety and security (page updated on 23 Oct 2026)
- Rough Guides · Seychelles Travel Guide · Best time to visit
- Wiktionary · Checked entries (French)
- Wikipedia · Chutney de requin
- Wikipedia · Ladob
- Wikipedia · Rougaille
- Wikipedia · Palm wine
- Wikipedia · Mahé (Seychelles)
- Wikipedia · La Digue
- Wikipedia · Beau Vallon (Seychelles)
- Wikipedia · Praslin (Seychelles)
- CIA World Factbook · Seychelles (public domain) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- Wikidata · Airports of the country (IATA code, traffic) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia (climate normals) · Victoria, Seychelles · monthly normals (World Meteorological Organization{{cite web) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
Information checked on 28 Oct 2026. Check the official source before you travel. Viafro gives no safety rating and publishes no price without a source.