Facts on Seychelles

Covering over 1.3 million square kilometres, the Seychelles is essentially an archipelago in the western part of the Indian Ocean.

Lying 1593 km East of Kenya, 2813 km South West of India and 925 km North East of Madagascar makes this archipelago strategically located. It consists of 115 islands, of which 76 are coralline and the remaining are granitic. The main part of the archipelago is situated between 4 and 5 degrees south of the equator at a longitude between 55 and 56 degrees east, allowing it to enjoy a favorable climate. But Seychelles is also lucky to be situated in a zone free from cyclones.

All the main islands are granitic and Mahe is the principal island, 153 sq. km with 80% of the total population. The coralline islands are low averaging 1.5 meters above sea level and seldom exceed 9 to 15 meters in height. Supplies of fresh water are scarce and settlements are small with rarely more than a hundred people. Many of these islands serve as rookeries for large bird population.

In contrast the granitic islands rise from the sea to altitudes of 600m to 1000m. The topography is rugged with outcrops of huge boulders. Fresh water is provided by surface streams.

Most islands are covered in luxuriant and verdant vegetation. White sandy beaches surrounding the islands are natural features of the Seychelles archipelago.

Developments

As a developing nation with Historic ties to France, the Seychelles is an island chain with high hopes for tourism. As developing nations go, the Seychellois people fare well. From a tourist perspective, the lack of infrastructure and basic amenities makes the country of islands a challenge to appreciate for all but the most determined, those with a substantial bank account and the desire to lighten it or those willing to overlook the countless tourism shortcomings. Basic accommodations and food costs begin on the high end of the spectrum and escalate from there without much justification. The tourism infrastructure, designed to protect the local population and the islands natural beauty, does little for the traveler. Tourism workers we encountered in the two main islands we visited (Mahe and Praslin) had an arrogant attitude and no customer service inclination..