Tips for tourists: What’s on in Seychelles |09 September 2013

It’s not just sand and sea in Seychelles. There are lots of things happening on the islands that you will surely enjoy while holidaying here.

www.nation.sc takes you through some of the everyday happenings to help you enjoy your stay with us.

 Shape up

There are plenty of ways to stay trim or work off that heavy meal in Seychelles. The simplest is to take a stroll or a jog along the roads close to your hotel, while discovering the abundant nature and meeting the friendly Seychellois folk, each with a little folklore to share.

Park your hired car in Victoria and head off to the hills of Sans Souci, stopping there to feed some giant tortoises by the roadside, take a photo among thick vegetation, admire the panorama of Victoria and the Marine Park islands from high up, or go even deeper into the nature trails of the Morne Seychellois National Park.

Take an early morning swim at one of the world’s greatest beaches (take note that some beaches can be dangerous for swimming at certain times of the year) or do a spot of rock or coconut tree climbing.

And if you must stick to your traditional gym and toning exercises, there are numerous gyms around the islands, where for a fee you can have special tailor-made sessions.

There’s even the national dance called the Sega, if you wish to work on your hips in between some bar-hugging.

 Must visit places

Take your Digicam with you and don’t limit yourself to Mahé and the Victoria markets. Take a tour with one of the local tour operators to Praslin, La Digue and their satellite islands, or even go underwater to snap the colourful marine life. Or catch happy Seychellois children smiling on their way to school in the early morning light. You can even pop down to Anse Royale or Anse à la Mouche, both in South Mahé, on a Sunday morning and ask the numerous picnickers if you can take a shot. They’ll oblige and you might even be invited to sample a piece of grilled fish.

 Dive in

Go fishing!

With more sea than land in Seychelles it is pretty obvious that there’s more going on in the ocean than on the islands. Tour companies provide an easy introduction to the marine world through regular glass-bottom boat excursions that set off from Victoria’s Marine Charter to explore the Victoria Marine National Park.

You get a chance to let the fish eat from your hands. Several hotels host diving clubs that offer beginners SCUBA courses in their pools but for seasoned divers there are a number of specialist dive operators that offer short or long live-abroad diving tours to more remote islands with great diving spots. You may wish to try the Underwater Centre or Big Blue Divers both at Beau Vallon.

For people who love or want to explore underwater photography, the annual SUBIOS Festival of the Sea every November offers a wonderful week’s programme of events during which you can film or photograph, or even draw or paint, your choice marine subjects and win a prize.

 Walks and trails

The main granitic islands of Mahé, Praslin, La Digue and Silhouette are more mountainous than flat, sometimes with just enough flat land by the coast for a narrow road. Most Seychellois walk at some point in their day, be it around Victoria during work, to the nearest corner shop for supplies, or up the hill from the bus stop to their home, sometimes carrying kilos of rice or a gas cylinder for good measure.

                                                  You can take part in walks and trails and get to discover

                                                  specimens such as the rare Pitcher Plant (photo bottom)

Walking, or a more arduous hike, is the cheapest and most fun way to discover the islands, explore the lush vegetation, and meet the locals.

Over the years a number of Seychellois have specialised in walks and trails and offer special guided tours along less-trodden paths where you can discover specimens such as the rare Pitcher Plant and the Tailless Frog.

One of the most scenic walks is from Bel Ombre in north Mahé along the rocky coastline to Anse Major where you can settle down to a beach picnic or barbecue as well as a bout of delightful snorkeling.

On La Digue you can join the islanders in what they do best and cycle from one end of the island to another, with a wide choice of bicycles to rent.

Always bring along good walking shoes, ample water and your camera with a fully-charged battery.

 Shop for souvenirs

It’s not often mentioned that some of the best souvenirs you can, or should, take with you from your Seychelles holiday are books. The magical beauty of the islands have inspired dozens of writers to lax lyrical about them, or photographers from all corners of the world to bring out the best of the tropical light through their photography.

Many nature lovers have also documented extensively the islands’ rare and exotic flora and even produced collections of birds and nature sounds from the shrills of the Magpie Robin to the loud emotional grunts of giant tortoises mating.

Gilbert Pool’s book “NOU” for example is a colourful and charming photographic essay on the “wonderful world of the Seychelles Creoles” and comes in beautiful packaging.

Antigone and Chanterelle bookshops in Victoria and the departure lounge shops at the International  Airport are the best places to leaf through their pages and stock up your shelves.

Choose also from local handicrafts made from local wood, coconut leaves, colourful corals and cute silver and gold work

Pick a pack of curry spices or nutmeg or cinnamon quilts from Victoria Market, or dress yourself in sarong and t-shirt of original island designs.

 Source: Seygo  Photo courtesy for fishing and pitcher plant: STB

The magical beauty of the islands have inspired lots of writers to write books on the Seychelles