Eine Drohnen Aufnahme zeigt eine Vielzahl rochen im tuerkisblauen Wasser der Seychellen

Seychelles

Travel Guide Seychelles

With its white sandy beaches, untouched natural environment and valuable biodiversity, the Seychelles are a dreamlike landscape. You can join nature conservation projects which help to maintain this unique ecosystem in order to protect the treasures of this island paradise.

Our trips to the Seychelles:

Volunteer Abroad Seychelles: North Island Conservation

Volunteer Abroad Seychelles: Platte Island Nature Conservation

Highlights in the Seychelles

The Seychelles have a lot to offer: From breathtaking beaches to thick forests and a taste of island life. Especially Mahé, which is not only a very popular island but also the largest island of the archipelago is full of life. You can find the international airport here and a lot of natural highlights. Mahé has many beautiful beaches and great hiking trails for nature lovers. But not only nature makes Mahé a very attractive destination. There are also many cultural highlights which are worth a visit. In the city of Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles, the Hindu temple Arul Mihu Navasakthi, the cathedral, the small clock tower and a variety of artisanal shops can be visited. Mahé is a good place to enjoy your first or last days on the Seychelles.
The mountain peaks of Mahé are up to 950 m highs and offer many trails and routes for hiking enthusiasts! The Morne Blanc tour (667 m) leads hikers through old tea plantations and tropical forests before reaching the summing. The hike is worth a try because the view of the west coast is fantastic: Turquoise-coloured water and a unique panorama!
The smallest island of the three populated main islands of the Seychelles is la Digue. Here you can enjoy the rush of the ocean while taking a bike to explore the island. Bicycles are the main means of transportation and there are many stations where you can rent a bike, no matter if you want to visit your favourite beach or make a loop around the island. The flair on La Digue reminds of the Caribbean islands and is the perfect foundation for a relaxed holiday.
Platte Island, a secluded haven within the Seychelles archipelago, boasts an intriguing landscape defined by its natural splendor and ecological significance. The Island boasts a marine ecosystem teeming with diverse marine life, among which are endangered sea turtles. Moreover, the island's distinctive ecosystem offers a sanctuary for migratory birds.
The Nature park Vallée de Mai in Praslin is a World Heritage-natural site and one of the most popular sights in the Seychelles. Apart from the endemic “Coco de Mer”, which has the largest seed worldwide, many other species of palm trees and plants can be discovered here. The “Coco de Mer” is the emblem of the Seychelles and can only be found in this island archipelago. Let the fascinating nature of the Seychelles surprise you!

Geography of the Seychelles

The 400,000 km² Seychelles archipelago is an island nation made up of around 115 granite and coral islands. These African islands lie around 800 km off the east coast of Kenya, to the north east of Madagascar in the west of the Indian Ocean. Because there are so many of them, the islands are divided into two primary island groups depending on their location. There are around 32 inner islands and a further seven island groups in the outer islands. The Aldabra island group has the world’s largest atoll, making it a popular travel destination.

Geomorphology/Geology

In Seychelles you can find many plutonites, vulcanites and their transitional forms. Besides that there are granites, diorites and gabbos. The Seychelles evolved from drifts of continental plates and not from volcano eruption that is why they mainly consist of granite. More than 200 Million years ago all continents of the earth were joined in a super-continent called Pangaea. Due to tectonic movement Pangaea drifted apart and the African landmass was separated from the Indian landmass. During this process some parts of landmass were left behind in the Indian Ocean. Nowadays these parts are known as Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Seychelles.

Waehrend des Sonnenuntergangs nehmen eine Volunteere ein Kokosnussgetraenk am Strand zusich

Travel Tipps and Trivia for the Seychelles

- The bus network on the islands is quite dense and well developed. Going by bus is probably the most convenient (and cheapest) way to explore the area. Besides that there are sightseeing busses with experienced guides on board who give you some interesting background information about the Seychelles.
- In Mahé, Praslin and partly in La Digue there are taxis, but careful: Many of them do not have any taximeter, that is why you should talk about the price in advance.
- In Mahé and Praslin there is the possibility to rent a car, but you need an international driving license to do so.
- The fastest way travelling in between the islands are ferrys and small airplanes. If possible, you should avoid taking the plane, because you will enlarge your ecological footprint, which will affect the nature in a negative way.
- January 1/2: New Year
- March/April: Easter
- May 1: Labour Day
- June 5: Day of Liberation
- June 15: Corpus Christi
- June 18: Constitutional Day
- June 29: Independence Day
- August 15: Assumption Day
- November 1: All Saints’ Day
- December 8: Fest of the Immaculate Conception
- December 25: Christmas
- Collecting seashells and other natural souvenirs is strictly forbidden. Latest at the airport you can get into deep trouble if the police or custom officers should find something.
- You should respect the habits of the mainly Christian population: Do not enter restaurants or churches wearing flip-flops or swimming trunks or being shirtless.
- Money should be changed only in banks or official money changing offices, not in the streets at street hawkers’ places – it can be punished!

Climate in the Seychelles

The Seychelles are located 7 degrees south of equator and thus can be characterized by a tropical, warm climate with high temperatures up to 30°C and air humidity. In Seychelles there are 12 hours of sunlight each day, all over the year. Nevertheless, trade winds from northwestern direction can bring strong monsoon rainfalls to the islands between November and April. From May to October there are trade winds from southeast which cool down the temperatures to 24°C. The best travelling time is between May and September as the rainfalls are relatively low at that time.

Flora and fauna in the Seychelles

The major part of tropical forests has been destroyed by land-clearance. Today the typical vegetation consists of coconut palms, cinnamon trees and ornamental plants. One plant should be mentioned separately though: the Seychelles coconut. Its fruit can reach a total weight of up to 26 kg (!) and is considered as one of the heaviest fruits in the world. The Seychelles are home to many rare and endemic rare birds like the Chatham rail or vasa parrots. Besides that you can find a unique biodiversity underwater and there species of endemic turtles, which will be the main focus of you project. Big mammals are not naturally occurring here.

Ein Gecko sitzt auf den Seychellen auf einem Baumstamm

Zwei junge Meeresschildkroeten auf dem Weg zum Meer nachdem sie geschluepft sind

Social Geography of the Seychelles

The main economic sector in the Seychelles is tourism, where over 30 % of local people are employed. The reason why there are hardly any other businesses is the fact that there is almost no space for agriculture or animal breeding. However exports of fish play an important role in the economy, especially the export of tuna. By the way: The Seychelles are one of Africa’s richest countries.