GENERAL INFORMATION FOR VISITORS TO THE SEYCHELLES
 CLIMATE
The islands enjoy a pleasant tropical climate year round and, as they are situated outside the cyclone belt, there are no extremes of weather. The temperature seldom drops below 24 degrees or rises above 33 degree Celsius. Globally changing climatic conditions make it difficult to predict exact weather patterns. From October to March the islands are affected by the northwest trade winds. This is when the sea is generally calm with warm tropical water. From May to September, the weather is generally drier and cooler, with choppy seas, particularly on the southeastern coast, which is when the southeast trade winds occur. The wettest months are December and January with around 300mm of rain being recorded on average.
BANKS
Banking hours are: Monday to Friday 08h00 to 14h00 and Saturday 08h00 to 11h00.
All banks handle travellers' cheques and foreign exchange transactions. Passports are required for all transactions and nominal commissions may be charged. The banks at the airport open only for flight arrivals and departures. Please note that North Island holds a limited amount of Seychelles Rupees on the island - should you wish to make a significant exchange, please advise the Duty Office 48 hours in advance.
CURRENCY
The local currency is the Seychelles Rupee (SCR), made up of 100 cents. Notes come in denominations of SCR10, 25, 50 and 100 and coins from SCR5 and 1, and 5, 10 and 25 cents. Travellers' cheques and foreign currencies can be changed at banks or hotels. Visitors are required to use only foreign currency when making payments in hotels and guest houses or when paying for other hospitality related services within Seychelles. Diners Club, Visa, Access and MasterCard are widely accepted throughout Seychelles.
HEALTH REGULATIONS AND MEDICAL INFORMATION
The Seychelles is free of tropical diseases such as malaria, bilharzia, typhoid and dysentery. No vaccinations are necessary. The emergency telephone number for the police or ambulance is 999. The main hospital is on Mahé, at Mont Fleuri. There are also clinics in the districts and islands of Praslin & La Digue. There is a twin-lock, two-man recompression chamber located ONLY at Victoria Hospital, Mahé. It is available 24 hours.
 HELICOPTER TRANSFERS
Helicopter Seychelles is our representative for the helicopter transfers; we book these through Mason's Travel. The aircraft used is a Bell206B III Jet Ranger. Check in for all flights is 30 minutes before departure. Baggage allowance for charter flights: each aircraft can normally carry the full airline 20kg baggage allowance per person, but space is the limiting factor. Soft luggage is preferable to the rigid bulky variety. All flights are subject to weather conditions and will be at the Captain's discretion. There is a maximum of four passengers per flight.
EXCESS LUGGAGE
If guests bring more than the allocated luggage allowance per person on the helicopter transfer then they will need to pay extra to get this luggage transferred to North Island. The luggage can either be transferred by helicopter or by boat however at an additional cost. If the excess luggage is transferred by boat the cost will be E470 NETT per transfer from Mahe to North Island one way (and visa versa). Costs to transfer the excess luggage by helicopter will be quoted accordingly.
If there is a staff boat already going to or from North Island then we will not charge the guests, however if a boat transfer needs to be specifically arranged to transfer luggage then the above costs will be applicable.
RELIGION
Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion, although there are Anglican and other Protestant churches as well as smaller Muslim, Hindu and Bahái communities based on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.
 PHOTOGRAPHY
North Island offers keen photographers a wonderful creative opportunity. The choice of the correct camera equipment and film will determine the quality of your photographs on the trip. For good photography, an SLR camera with wide angle and medium range zoom lens is ideal - typically a 28-70 mm and an 80-200 mm. However, we would suggest a combination of slower film, 100 - 200 ASA and some 400 ASA film for lower light situations. There are also good "throw away" underwater cameras and it is worth bringing one or two of these and having some fun while you are snorkelling.
The new high-resolution digital cameras are outstanding and give great quality images, especially if you are using a digital camera body that takes normal camera lenses. The advantage of digital photography is that one can get instant feedback, and adjustments can be made in the field so that you don't have to get back home to ensure that your photographs are perfect.
PASSPORTS & VISAS
There are no visa requirements to enter the Seychelles. Immigration documents required for entry include:
- Passport valid on date of entry and exit
- Return or onward ticket
- Proof of accommodation
- Sufficient funds for the duration of your stay
All passport holders should verify with their travel agent or relevant consulate concerning visa entry requirements. If you are extending your journey to other countries, please establish entry requirements for those countries as well.
SHOPS IN MAHE
Opening hours from 08h00 to 17h00 Monday to Friday and 08h00 to 12h00 on Saturday. The main post office in Victoria is open from 08h00 to 16h00 Monday to Friday and 08h00 to 12h00 on Saturday. |
This impressive national heritage has remained virtually untouched for millions of years and today combines with other real advantages, such as the absence of venomous creatures, tropical disease (there is no malaria), cyclones, crime and poverty, to make Seychelles a most desirable tourist destination. Racially harmonious and politically stable, Seychelles is one of the last true sanctuaries on the planet where people can still live healthily and in harmony with nature, benefiting from a carefree, island-style way of life and enjoying the space to breathe pure air and roam free.