Located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa and made up of about 115 islands, Seychelles is the ultimate Paradise to visit. With world famous beaches, glistening azure waters and world class luxury hotels to boot, this destination is sure to blow you away. If Seychelles is on your bucket list to visit, we say go! You’ll never experience a paradise quote like this one. Before venturing off into this Indian Ocean Paradise, there are some Seychelles facts you should consider.
Anse Source d’Argent Beach
Seychelles Facts to get you Acquainted with this Indian Ocean Paradise
Of the heaviest Seychelles facts to be found, Esmerelda who weighs a staggering 670 pounds, is a wild living tortoise who resides on bird island.
One of the most famous beaches in the world, Anse Source d’Argent, is located in the Seychelles. Famous for its crystal clear water, powdery white sand and giant, unmissable boulders that somehow make the beach that much more beautiful.
If you are looking for the national colors of the Seychelles, they are red and blue.
Did you know mid-ocean granite islands exist? Or that the Seychelles are the ONLY ones in the entire world?
Speaking of birds, Seychelles is home to some of the rarest bird species known to man, such as the bare-legged Scops Owl. If you happen to see one, make sure and get a photo to share with your family and friends back home!
Weighing up to 33 pounds and large in size, the coco der mer, which is native to the islands of Seychelles, is the largest seed in the world, currently. You can purchase the shell of one for a pretty hefty price tag if you are a collector of specialty items from around the world.
The religion most practiced in the islands of the Seychelles is Roman Catholic.
in the years of 1997 and 1998 the Miss World Beauty Pageant was held in the Seychelles and this was thought to be the reason that a flux in tourism started to roll into the country.
During the 15th century is when the Seychelles were first sighted. It was not until the 16th century until land fall was made and the 18th century until settlers came. I bet they regretted not coming sooner once they saw how beautiful it truly is among the islands.
For locals, the main food source is curry and rice, which can be eaten as many as 2-3 times per day.
There is a legend on the islands that if one eats breadfruit while visiting, they will return to the islands sometime in their life. So make sure to eat it however you see best in the hopes of being able to return someday!
In 2018, about 160,000+ visitors came to Seychelles to visit. That is about 4,000 more than the year before.
It has been said that pirate Olivier Levasseur hid some sort of treasure valued at over $160,000 and it remains un-found. Since the Seychelles was once a popular place for pirates to hang, you could probably find a lot more than this treasure if you have time to adventure into the unknown. When it comes to Seychelles facts, the treasure is yet to be found – and you could be the one to find it.
The population size of the Seychelles is over 92,000 spread out. Which means more people visited the islands in a given year than reside there.
Have you ever seen the garden of eden? It is believed that The Vallee de Mai on Praslin Island is just that. No one has yet to prove it wrong – so just go with it.
Even though the Seychelles have become lush with luxury resorts, celebrities and an even higher price tag, there are still more budget friendly options for those wishing to visit the islands. For example, you could stay in a guest house versus a five star resort. But keep in mind, it will still be an expensive destination due to how small and remote it is.
The official currency in the Secychelles is the Seychellois Rupee.
Seychelles facts that we can get used to: there has never been a reported shark attack on any of the 115 islands until recently. It is said that the sharks there are friendly and many people come just to dive and swim with the sharks.
The primary exports in Seychelles are fish, coconuts, cinnamon, and vanilla.
While Seychelles is small in size, it is not the smallest island nation. There are actually over 30 territories and nations that are bigger. How’s that for Seychelles facts?
There is one main airport in Seychelles: Seychelles International Airport, which is serviced by less than 10 major world airlines. Located on Mahe Island and close to Victoria, Seychelles International Airport is the busiest airport in all the islands. Many of the inter island flights are ran by Air Seychelles on smaller planes and some run 1-2 times a day. So you will want to plan accordingly if you are visiting more than one island. When you get into Mahe, you can use the ATM or convert your money to local currency.
Half of the limited landmass is covered by national parks and reserves making them not habitable as the government prioritizes keeping them environmentally safe.
One of the popular and well known of the Seychelles facts is that Prince William and Kate Middleton the Duchess of Cambridge, took their famed honeymoon here in the islands. This was not random selection though. Seychelles has been wildly popular celebrities for a long time, including the Beckham’s.
Seychelles is officially the smallest island and nation in Africa, coming in at an astounding 175 square miles of land.
If you are planning to rent a car on your holiday in the Seychelles, note that you will need to drive on the left. This is probably because it used to be part of the United Kingdom and never changed how they operate after becoming their own sovereign nation.
Fishing is the largest part of the Seychelles GDP passing up tourism. Hows that for some Seychelles facts?
Fun Seychelles facts include that the smallest capital in the world is here. Victoria is so small you can see it all in a day and on foot.
Even though the Seychelles are a hot spot for celebrities to vacation, they, too, want to be able to vacation free from paparazzi. Most of the celebrities who visit Seychelles are said to stay on North Island where there is only a handful of villas and never leave.
The geographical location of Seychelles often confuses people as to where it belongs continent wise. Asia or Africa? It is on the continent of Africa. However, it was part of the United Kingdom until 1976.
The most loved sport on the Seychelles Islands is soccer! This could be due to its origin of being part of the United Kingdom and it just stuck around.
The worlds largest coral atoll, Aldabra, is a UNESCO world heritage site in the Seychelles.
There are three official languages spoken in the Seychelles: Creole, English and French.
The majority of the food you get in the Seychelles in imported because of the lack of land to grow. This would explain the sky high prices. If you think about it, the Seychelles are pretty remote (over 900 miles to mainland Africa) and if a lot of items are shipped in, it costs money.
About 80% of visitors to the Seychelles come from Europe. Which means us Americans need to up our game and get out there and explore this Paradise awaiting.
No medals from the Olympics have ever been won for the Seychelles, despite being active participants in every one since 1980, minus 1988.
A stone prison is still in tact today on Round Island where it used to be a leper colony.
90% of the population lives on the largest island in the Seychelles, Mahe.
Seychelles facts for those who love beer: SeyBrew is made and distributed among the islands while also being a local favorite to enjoy.
Local legend suggests that there is treasure on Moyenne Island but no one will go there to dig it up because they believe it is haunted and the treasure is being guarded. But if you are feeling up for the challenge and don’t mind a scare or two, the treasure is up for the taking.
Morne Seychellois is the highest point in all of Seychelles and is located on Mahe Island. The peak height for this point is 2,992 feet.
One of the Seychelles facts you can jump up and down about is that there is no malaria. While it is found in mainland Africa, it has yet to be found in the Seychelles and they hope to keep it that way. Which means you will not need to take any malaria precautions before visiting the Seychelles unless you plan to visit areas in mainland Africa after here.
If diving is what is bringing you to the Seychelles, you are in for a treat. The soft coral and protected fish life are abundant.
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