Airports
The airport is situated 10kms (10miles) south of Victoria on Mahe Island. The airport consists of an international and domestic terminal featuring duty free shopping, banking and currency exchange, a post office, restaurant and lounge.
Taxis and coaches are available to carry passengers to any point on the island. A bus service to Victoria is also available.

Car rental: Car rental agencies represented at the airport include Hertz, Europcar, Budget and Avis.

Banking in Seychelles
All banks are open from Monday to Friday and variously from 08h00 to 14h00 (exact timings to be checked with hotel reception). Certain banks are also open on Saturday mornings. Bureau de Change located at the International airport on Mahé are open for all incoming and outgoing flights and ATM machines are available on the principal islands of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.

Climate of Seychelles Islands
Seychelles is blessed with an equitable climate year round when temperatures range between 24° and 30° centigrade. The year is divided between the northwest trade winds (December-March) and those of the south-east (May-September) with the intervening periods being relatively calm and windless. Normally short-lived tropical downpours can occur at any time of year.

Seychelles Beaches:
Most beaches in Seychelles are protected by reefs and consequently safe for swimming but strong currents can occur at certain times of year and attention should be paid to any notice boards present.

Exceptionally beautiful beaches:
Mahé: Beau Vallon Beach, Anse Intendance, Petit Anse, Port Launay and Anse Takamaka
Praslin: Côte d’Or, Anse Georgette and Anse Lazio
La Digue: Grand Anse, Petit Anse, Anse Coco and Anse Source d’Argent

Clothing for Seychelles Travel
As the temperature in Seychelles rarely drops below 27° C throughout the year, light clothing is appropriate with women advised to bring light cotton dresses, slacks, and shorts for day wear and a long skirt or cool dress for evenings. Men will be most comfortable in lightweight slacks or shorts and open neck shirts. For business, a safari suit is acceptable with ties worn on occasion. Sandals or light canvas shoes are suitable as footwear with plastic shoes or hard-soled sports shoes advisable for reef walking.

Use of Credit Cards in Seychelles
MasterCard/Access and VISA cards are commonly accepted throughout Seychelles with Diners Club and American Express also accepted in some places.

Currency of Seychelles
The local currency is the Seychelles Rupee (SCR), divided into 100 cents and with notes in denominations of SCR 10, 25, 50 and 100. Seychelles accepts all major currencies as well as Travelers Cheques.

Visa Requirements for Seychelles
No visas are required to enter Seychelles. Upon presentation of the documents listed below,
valid for one month but extendable upon application to the Department of Immigration.

1) A passport valid on the date of entry to and exit from Seychelles
2) Return or onward ticket
3) Proof of accommodation; including contact details
4) Sufficient funds for the duration of the stay

Drinking Water
Tap water in Seychelles meets World Health Organisation standards, but most visitors prefer to drink bottled water, which is widely available.

Driving and Road Travel in Seychelles
Cars are only required on Mahé and Praslin, where there is a wide choice of rental vehicles and include both European and Japanese closed cars and 4x4’s.

Drive on the left-hand side of the road. You will require a valid international or E.U. driving licence. The speed limit varies between 40kmh – 60kmh depending on the road. Service stations are not 24-hour facilities and close at different times during the evening. It is advisable to fill up during the daytime.

All cars hired are automatically covered by third party insurance.

Electricity in Seychelles
The electric current is delivered as 220-240 v AC via 50 Hz British Standard square-pinned, 3 point, 13 amp plugs. Visitors from countries except the UK should bring adaptors.

Foreign Exchange in Seychelles
By law, visitors must pay for board and lodgings and other tourism related expenses in hotels, guesthouses or self-caterings in major international currency notes or by credit card. This also applies to car hire, diving, boat charter, excursions, ferry or air transport and entrance fees to reserves and marine parks.

Small incidental purchases in restaurants, outside hotels, shopping (excluding Duty Free) are payable in local currency.

For those limited needs, foreign currency may only be exchanged at banks, authorized money dealers or with hotel cashiers – it is a criminal offence to change money with an unauthorized person. Retain bank slips in case of a need to reconvert unspent rupees.

Medical Facilities in Seychelles
Seychelles is free from Malaria and other tropical diseases with a modern central hospital in Victoria and clinics spread throughout the principal districts of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. There are also several doctors and dentists in private practice whose fees vary according to the cost of the service provided.

No vaccinations are required (disease such as malaria and yellow fever) however if travelling through a country which is considered to be an infected area it is compulsory to provide a vaccination certificate. Continents considered as infected are South America and Africa, excluding South Africa).

Languages in Seychelles
Seychelles has three official languages: English, French and Creole with many people speaking Italian or German to varying degrees of proficiency.

Photography
Both colour and black and white film is available locally both in certain shops and most hotel boutiques. It is advisable to bring spare batteries for your particular camera as these may not be readily available.

Public Holidays
Official: New Year’s Day – January 1st & 2nd; Labour Day - May 1st; Liberation day - June 5th; National day - June 18th; Independence Day – June 29th.
Religious: Good Friday – Easter Sunday; Corpus Christi – Assumption of Mary – August 15th; All Saints day – Nov 1st; Immaculate Conception – Dec 8th; Christmas Day – Dec 25th.

Public Transport
Daily services on Mahé and Praslin operate between 0530hrs and 2200hrs. On weekdays schedules operate every 30 minutes from most areas within Mahé to the Capital Victoria. Timetables are available from the Central Bus depot or the local Seychelles Tourist Offices. It is best to avoid traveling during the 'rush hours' between 07h30 and 08h30 and between 15h00 and 16h30.

Both traditional, sail-assisted schooner-type ferries and a modern high speed Cougar catamaran operate in Seychelles.
On Mahé, ferries operate from the inter-island quay in Victoria to Baie Ste. Anne on Praslin, and to La Passe on La Digue.

Religion:
Over 90% of the Seychelles' population consists of Roman Catholic, with Anglican and other Protestant churches on Mahé and Praslin existing in harmony alongside small Muslim, Hindu and Baha'i communities. There is no dress code imposed by religion in Seychelles.

Shopping in Seychelles
Shops are variously open between 0830 0900 hours and 1700 hours from Monday to Friday and until 1200 hours on Saturday. Most shops in Victoria are closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Telecommunications
Airtel and Cable & Wireless both operate GSM networks and provide international roaming agreements with many countries as well as a limited SMS service. Payphones are widely distributed throughout the Inner Islands and Internet cafés as well as postal services are available in Victoria.

Time
Seychelles is four hours ahead of GMT, three hours ahead of British Summer Time and two hours ahead of British Summer Time.