Seychelles
Phone Code
+248
Capital
Victoria
Population
100,000
Native Name
Seychelles
Region
Africa
Eastern Africa
Timezone
Seychelles Time
UTC+04:00
On This Page
Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, roughly 1,500 kilometres east of mainland Africa. Victoria on Mahé is the capital and only city, and the country's population of around 100,000 makes it Africa's smallest by population, spread across just 459 square kilometres of land within 1.4 million square kilometres of ocean. Independence from Britain came in 1976. The islands split into the granitic Inner Islands (43 islands, including Mahé, Praslin and La Digue — the main tourist islands) and the coralline Outer Islands (72 mostly uninhabited atolls). Entry is unusually simple: every nationality receives a free visitor permit on arrival for up to 3 months.
Visa Requirements for Seychelles
Seychelles offers free visa-free entry on arrival to citizens of every country for tourism, for up to 3 months — a remarkably open policy given the country's reputation as an exclusive destination. Requirements are straightforward: a valid passport for the duration of stay, a return or onward flight ticket (strictly enforced — airlines require a confirmed booking), proof of accommodation, and evidence of sufficient funds to cover the stay (credit cards, cash or bank statements all accepted, with no fixed minimum specified). The visitor permit is issued free on arrival at Seychelles International Airport on Mahé, with no application or fee. The initial permit covers the intended stay up to a maximum of 30 days; extensions are available at the Immigration Office in Victoria for additional 30-day periods, up to a maximum total stay of 12 months — check current extension fees. See the visa categories below for long-term work and residence routes.
Common Visa Types
Visitor Permit on Arrival (FREE - 3 Months)
For tourism for ALL nationalities - Seychelles has universal visa-free policy for visitors.
Long-term Residence and Work Permits
For foreigners seeking employment, business, or long-term residence in Seychelles (very limited opportunities).
Important Travel Information
- •Anse Source d'Argent and World's Most Beautiful Beaches: Anse Source d'Argent on La Digue island is consistently ranked among world's most beautiful and most photographed beaches. The beach features powdery white sand, shallow turquoise water, and iconic massive granite boulders sculpted by erosion into organic shapes, creating surreal landscape. Protected by offshore reef, the water is calm and safe for swimming. Sunset at Anse Source d'Argent is magical. Access via L'Union Estate (former coconut plantation, now nature reserve and cultural site with giant tortoises, vanilla plantation, traditional coconut oil mill, copra house — check current entry pricing). La Digue is small island (10 km²) accessible by ferry from Praslin (15 minutes) or Mahé (90 minutes via Praslin). La Digue has no cars - bicycles are main transport (check current rental rates). Beyond Anse Source d'Argent, Seychelles has numerous spectacular beaches: Anse Lazio on Praslin (stunning turquoise bay, often ranked top 10 globally, excellent swimming and snorkeling, some surf can be strong), Beau Vallon on Mahé (most popular beach, long stretch of sand, water sports, restaurants, busy but beautiful), Anse Intendance on Mahé (wild surf beach, powerful waves, popular with surfers, stunning but swimming dangerous due to currents), Anse Georgette on Praslin (isolated pristine beach accessible through Constance Lemuria Resort with permission), and countless others. Seychelles offers beach perfection - warm water year-round (26-30°C / 79-86°F), minimal pollution, protected marine parks, and uncrowded beaches outside main tourist spots.
- •Vallée de Mai and Coco de Mer: Vallée de Mai on Praslin island is UNESCO World Heritage Site protecting ancient palm forest. The 19.5-hectare forest contains over 4,000 endemic coco de mer palms (Lodoicea maldivica), which produce world's largest and heaviest seeds (up to 25kg). The female coco de mer nut resembles female pelvis; male catkin resembles male phallus - leading to erotic symbolism and legends (early sailors believed they grew underwater, hence “coco de mer” - coconut of the sea). Coco de mer is endemic to Seychelles (found only on Praslin and Curieuse islands). Vallée de Mai also hosts endemic birds including Seychelles black parrot (national bird), bulbul, and sunbird. Walking trails wind through primeval forest with giant palms, takamaka trees, and lush vegetation - feels like prehistoric jungle. Check current entry pricing. Guided tours available (optional, for an additional fee). Allow 1.5-2 hours. Early morning best for birdwatching and fewer tourists. Buying coco de mer nuts is legal only with a permit from the vendor — check current nut pricing, which varies by size and quality (the export permit is included); attempting to take nuts without a permit results in heavy fines. Vallée de Mai represents Seychelles' unique biodiversity and conservation efforts.
- •Island-Hopping and Transportation: Seychelles' main islands are Mahé (largest, 155 km², has international airport, capital Victoria, 70% of population, mountains, beaches, hotels), Praslin (second-largest, 38 km², Vallée de Mai, Anse Lazio, quieter than Mahé, own airport), and La Digue (10 km², bicycles only, Anse Source d'Argent, traditional lifestyle, charming island). Inter-island transportation: flights between Mahé and Praslin (Air Seychelles, 15 minutes, multiple daily flights, scenic views, advance booking recommended — check current fares); ferries between islands via Cat Cocos or Cat Roses (Mahé-Praslin 60 minutes; Praslin-La Digue 15 minutes; multiple departures daily, schedule varies by season, seas can be rough causing delays or cancellations — check current fares); helicopter transfers available for luxury travelers (check current pricing). On Mahé: rental cars (check current daily rates, drive on left), buses (inexpensive, frequent on main routes, limited evenings/Sundays), taxis (relatively expensive, no meters — negotiate the fare). On Praslin: rental cars and bicycles available, limited buses. On La Digue: bicycles only (cars prohibited except essential vehicles) - bicycle paradise, flat terrain, 20km of roads easily cyclable. Most visitors do 5-7 day trips staying on multiple islands (e.g., 3 nights Mahé, 2 nights Praslin, 2 nights La Digue). Organized island-hopping tours available but independent travel gives more flexibility and is straightforward.
- •Diving, Snorkeling, and Marine Life: Seychelles offers world-class diving and snorkeling with abundant marine life, coral reefs, and granite underwater landscapes. Dive sites: around Mahé (Shark Bank - reef sharks, rays, tuna; Brissare Rocks - granite boulders, moray eels, octopus; Ennerdale Wreck - British tanker sunk 1970, encrusted with coral, penetration dive), around Praslin and La Digue (Ave Maria Rock, Channel Rocks), and outer islands (advanced divers - pristine reefs, pelagic life). Marine life includes sea turtles (green and hawksbill), reef sharks, rays (eagle rays, manta rays), whale sharks (seasonal October-November, snorkeling encounters available — check current pricing), tropical fish (thousands of species), morays, octopus, dolphins. Coral bleaching events (2016, 2019 due to rising ocean temperatures) damaged reefs but recovery ongoing. Dive operators in Mahé and Praslin offer PADI courses, daily dives, and snorkel trips — check current pricing for all of these. Snorkeling excellent from shore at many beaches - Anse Lazio, Beau Vallon, and numerous small bays have coral gardens accessible from beach. Snorkel gear rental available at daily rates — check current pricing. Marine parks: Sainte Anne Marine National Park (islands off Mahé, glass-bottom boat tours and snorkeling), Port Launay Marine Park, Curieuse Marine National Park (giant tortoises, snorkeling, boat trips from Praslin) — check current pricing for all park tours. Best diving season: April-May and October-November (calm seas, best visibility 20-30m); December-March northwest monsoon brings plankton reducing visibility but attracting whale sharks; June-September southeast monsoon has rougher seas. Water temperature warm year-round (26-30°C). Seychelles' unique granite underwater formations create dramatic diving distinct from typical coral atolls.
- •Costs and Luxury Travel: Seychelles is an expensive destination — one of the priciest in Africa — due to island isolation, import costs and its luxury positioning. Costs scale steeply by travel style: self-catering accommodation and buying groceries to cook rather than dining out is the main lever budget travellers have, since dining out (especially at hotel restaurants and fine dining) runs expensive throughout the islands. Accommodation dominates the budget — luxury resorts (Four Seasons, Banyan Tree, Hilton Labriz, North Island Resort — ultra-luxury private islands among them) anchor the top end, mid-range hotels sit in the middle, and guesthouses (often with self-catering options) are the more affordable choice. Check current rates across all of these when planning, since pricing varies significantly by season and island. Activities — Vallée de Mai, the L'Union Estate beach access, catamaran day trips, diving, and inter-island ferries — all carry their own current pricing; check before booking. The Seychellois Rupee (SCR) floats against major currencies — check the current exchange rate rather than relying on a fixed figure. Euros and USD are widely accepted (change given in SCR); credit cards are accepted at hotels, restaurants and tour operators, and ATMs are available in Victoria and the main tourist areas. Best time to visit: April-May and October-November (transitional periods, calm seas, optimal for diving and snorkelling, pleasant temperatures); December-March northwest monsoon (hotter, more humid, occasional rain, best for northwest coast beaches); June-September southeast monsoon (cooler, windier, rougher seas — better for southeast beaches). Package deals (flights plus accommodation) often offer better value than booking separately.
Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands scattered across 1.4 million km² of the Indian Ocean — but for most visitors, it is three: Mahé (the main island, capital Victoria, international airport), Praslin (the Vallée de Mai UNESCO palm forest, Anse Lazio beach), and La Digue (bicycle island, Anse Source d'Argent — the most-photographed beach in the Indian Ocean). What makes Seychelles' beaches unlike any other tropical destination is geology: the Inner Islands are the eroded remnants of an ancient Precambrian granite continent, not volcanic formations, and their boulders — massive, organic-shaped, sun-warmed — are found nowhere else on earth. Seychelles operates the most open entry policy in the world: all nationalities receive a free visitor permit on arrival, valid up to 90 days (initial grant 30 days, extendable in-country). Beyond the three main islands lies a second Seychelles entirely — the Outer Islands — including Aldabra Atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the world's largest population of giant Aldabra tortoises (150,000+ individuals) and some of the Indian Ocean's most pristine coral ecosystems.
Discover Seychelles
The Inner Islands are fragments of an ancient continental landmass rather than volcanic islands — a genuinely rare geological situation, since most tropical islands form from underwater eruptions. That continental granite erodes very differently from volcanic basalt: rainwater works into fine cracks along weaker mineral veins, rounding the rock from the inside out over millions of years rather than breaking it into sharp, angular chunks the way basalt typically fractures — which is why the boulders at Anse Source d'Argent look organic and sculpted rather than jagged. L'Union Estate, the working plantation you walk through to reach the beach, still operates its traditional coconut-oil mill and vanilla plantation partly as a working site and partly as the access route — the estate's continued operation is what funds the reserve's upkeep and the giant tortoises kept on the grounds.
Ways to Experience This Destination
Anse Source d'Argent on La Digue is consistently ranked among the world's most beautiful beaches — powdery white sand, shallow turquoise water, and enormous granite boulders sculpted into organic forms by millennia of ocean erosion. Access is through L'Union Estate (check current entry pricing). La Digue has no cars; bicycles are the standard transport. Beyond Anse Source d'Argent, Anse Lazio on Praslin and Beau Vallon and Anse Intendance on Mahé represent the full range of Seychellois beach character.
Vallée de Mai on Praslin is a UNESCO World Heritage Site protecting a primeval palm forest with 4,000+ endemic coco de mer palms — the species that produces the world's largest and heaviest seed (up to 25 kg). Found only on Praslin and Curieuse islands in the entire world, it is also one of the last habitats of the Seychelles black parrot. The forest has the quality of a prehistoric ecosystem. Check current entry pricing; early morning visits are best for birdsong and cooler air.
Seychelles offers world-class diving with granite underwater formations unique in the Indian Ocean. Key sites include Shark Bank off Mahé (reef sharks, rays, tuna), Brissare Rocks (moray eels, octopus), and the Ennerdale Wreck (coral-encrusted 1970 tanker). Whale shark encounters are possible October–November — check current pricing for snorkel trips. Aldabra's waters host manta rays, hammerheads, and hawksbill turtles. Water temperature is warm year-round (26–30°C).
The classic Seychelles itinerary moves between three distinct island personalities. Mahé is the most developed: capital Victoria, national parks, Beau Vallon beach, mountain interior. Praslin is smaller and quieter: Vallée de Mai, Anse Lazio, fewer crowds. La Digue is the smallest and most photogenic: car-free, unhurried, granite boulders at every turn. Inter-island ferries (Cat Cocos) run several times daily; the Mahé–Praslin–La Digue circuit is straightforward to arrange independently.
Aldabra is a remote coral atoll 1,100 km south-west of Mahé and one of the world's most significant UNESCO natural heritage sites — home to over 150,000 Aldabra giant tortoises, the largest wild tortoise population on earth, along with frigatebirds, flightless rails, green turtles, and pristine coral reef systems almost entirely untouched by tourism. Access is strictly controlled; live-aboard dive expeditions and research visits are the only options.
Money & Currency
Seychellois Rupee (SCR)
Currency code: SCR
Practical Money Tips
Seychellois Rupee (SCR) — USD and EUR at Resorts
The Seychellois rupee (SCR) is the official currency. At most resorts, hotels, and upscale restaurants, USD and EUR are accepted directly. Exchange to SCR at banks or Seychelles Central Bank branches in Victoria for local markets and taxis.
ATMs in Victoria and Major Resorts
Absa, MCB, Nouvobanq, and Barclays have ATMs on Mahé, including near Victoria. Praslin has some ATMs near the main town and airport. La Digue has very limited ATM access — plan ahead and withdraw cash before the ferry.
Visa and Mastercard at Hotels — Cash on Outer Islands
Visa and Mastercard are accepted at all major resorts and hotels. Apple Pay and Google Pay work at most premium properties. Local shops, small guesthouses, taxis, and boat tours often prefer cash.
Carry SCR or Small USD Bills for Local Spending
Markets, local buses, smaller restaurants, and smaller islands are cash-dependent. Small USD or EUR notes (1, 5, 10) are useful for tips and local purchases. Carrying some SCR makes daily transactions smoother.
Note: Always check current exchange rates before traveling. Currency exchange is available at airports, banks, and authorized money changers.
Accredited missions for Seychelles
No — every nationality receives a free visitor permit on arrival for tourism, initially granted for up to 30 days and extendable on-island up to a maximum of 12 months, as long as you have a return ticket, proof of accommodation and enough funds to cover your stay.
Most trips combine two or three: Mahé for the airport, capital and mountain interior; Praslin for the Vallée de Mai and Anse Lazio; and La Digue for Anse Source d'Argent and its car-free pace. A week split roughly 3-2-2 across the three is a common, comfortable itinerary.
Ferries (Cat Cocos) run several times daily between Mahé, Praslin and La Digue and are the standard option; short flights between Mahé and Praslin are faster but pricier — check current fares for both, and note that ferry schedules can shift with sea conditions.
Need help checking visa requirements or applying for your trip to Seychelles?
Get your travel authorisationTreat this Visaja page as your starting point: verify the current rules directly with the official source before you submit an application.