Related Seychelles Favorites Tips

Favorite thing: First, 100 SR (rupees) is equal to about $10 US, so keep that in mind as you go through. Next, and you will find this out when you get here, No one and I mean No one is in a hurry here, except for you. So if you want to have fun, just understand that this isn’t home and you’re going to have to slow it down a little and relax. The Seychelles have small markets all over the place. I would compare the vast majority of them to the Dollar stores we have back in the U.S. That being said, when I say they have shampoo don’t expect to find the brand you want, just expect to find shampoo of some sort. The same thing can be said for almost anything on the island. You can find dry foods like noodles, canned meat and fruit, chips, cookies, etc. There are a few places that also have frozen foods like frozen meats and ice cream. You can find wine and alcohol all over. I recommend the Takamaka rum and seybrew beer since it’s local. Most restaurants will serve seybrew, eku and a locally made Guinness for beer that is affordable. You will pay about 120 to 200 rupees for a mixed drink, so go to the store and buy a bottle of rum for the same price. Bottled water is about 10 to 30 rupees.

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Favorite thing: You absolutely should see the island of La Digue
with its splendid beaches and the world famous rocks
ANSE SOURCE D'ARGENT IS REPUTED TO THE M,SOT FOTOGRAPHED BEACH IN THE WORLD
ENTRANCE FEE 5 USD OR 4 EURO

Fondest memory: from the jetty of la digue turn right and follow the main road until you reach the junction opposite the school.take the road to your right follow it until you reach the entrance of l'union estate. then follow the small road ahead until you reach the boat yard.from there take the footpath to your right till you find source d'argent

Favorite thing: Travel agencies did not recommend us to just go there without booking any hotels. I personally think it is not a problem at all outside high season. Backpacking is easly possible just not on a shoe string.....bring the big vallet! In high season it might be a problem with vacancies. However thats acctually a good thing: I was fascinated how this country is clever with not over crowding these islands. The nature can somewhat stay unspoiled.

Fondest memory: The longer I left it the more I miss it!

Favorite thing: once you have finished reading our beach books or magazines, think about donating them to the local library in Victoria. When I visited their library I was shocked to see magazines dated 2002. With their lack of foreign currency and the cost of shipping, it must be a strain on them to purchase magazines and books.

Favorite thing: It is costly to travel to the Seychelles, and the price level is high.
For USD 2000 per person you can do what I did in terms of flights (Oslo-Paris-Mahe rtn), boat rides (Victoria-Praslin-La Digue), fishing and snorkelling from a boat, renting a taxi full day on Mahe, taxi transfers to Victoria, airport, accommodation in a guest house on Beau Vallon (Mahe), hotel on La Digue half board, food, some simple souvenirs, some picnic/self-catering food and good dinners, drinks, books, park entry fees, bike rents.
I could have gotten a cheaper air ticket, saved more on food and accommodation, used more public buses on Mahe, skipped som activities, cutting down on food and drinks etc.
Using Aeroflot or Qatar airways will land you cheaper tickets than I obtained on Air France/Air Seychelles, stepping down on accommodation will make a difference, cutting down on excursions (boat rides at 100 EUR etc) and eating simply and much self-catering is an excellent way of cutting cost and not skimping on the quality of the experience as such.

Fondest memory: Very hard to show off your wealth here; everyone is just about equal in near-undress on the beach or sweating on the trails or looking at the nutmeg in the arboretum. There is little class distinction on eating out. Only in terms of technical activities and accommodation can a difference be sensed. The richest book their ovwn island, catamaran and captain/cook, but won't bother anyone.

Favorite thing: NOT !!!!!!One of my least favourite things in the Seychelles was their confusing currency laws !!!! they drove me nuts - take a caculator of currency converter with you if possible as I was never sure if I was getting swindled because - over there you pay for some things in local currency but most things need to be paid in US dollars, british pounds or Euros (all having a different exchange rate) when paying in dollars, euros etc in a shop sometimes you will get your change in the currency you handed over but more often than not you would receive change in Seychelles rupees ???!! also for instance one day I had only foreign currency on my person and we went to visit the Botanic Gardens - you had to pay to get in there in foreign currency only - luckily I had a credit card on me and we paid by that.

Also you are forever getting pestered by locals (mainly ypoung men) asking if you will exchange foreign currency with them - apparently they give you double the exchange than the bank) but it's not nice getting asked all the time, it's illegal and can get you in a lot of trouble if you do it and I also heard that there is a lot of fradulent money in the Seychelles brought over from Kenya so don't be tempted).

Basically the local people can't get foreign currency very easily (if they are to travel outwith Seychelles they are only allowed 400 Euros and can't change rupees abroad so this makes them ask tourists to change money with them)

One more thing ..as you therefore have to guess how many rupees you will need for your stay you could have a few trips to the bank who when you change your money they give you a receipt and before you go home if you want to change the ruppes back you must produce this receipt or they won't change it back for you (there is also a limit on how much you can change back !!! ahhh It was just soooo confusing - hopefully things may change in the years to come and they willl just have 1 currency like most other countries.

Favorite thing: Take into account that there are no gas stations on the entire West coast. We rented a car in Victoria and forgot to fill her up before leaving town, We coasted half way down the La Misere road and luckily arrived at the station.

Favorite thing: If you have read some of my other pages here on Vt, you may know by now that my husband David is absultely passionate about geckos and lizards. WE will spend hours just wathcing these cute little creatures scampering in amongst the rocks.