Interesting Facts About Seychelles

Welcome to paradise, and welcome to Seychelles! I never thought these photos would be real, but they are! I was even more astonished when I realized that the real country is even more beautiful than all the photos I saw during my online research and trip planning. All the words are not enough to interpret the beauty of this untouched paradise. Your eyes must see, only then you can really believe that this place is real and is part of this World.

Here is the place I wish I had seen 30 years later, just because it is very hard to outperform what nature has created there. And I already know, each time I see a beach I will compare it with the beaches of Seychelles, and it will lose for sure.

But otherwise, I know I’m absolutely lucky to have the opportunity to visit Seychelles before mass tourism and global warming take it over. I hope and believe, this won’t happen that easily!

Here are the Top 20 Facts about Seychelles that you probably don’t know. I learned all these while planning or during my trip to Seychelles. It is ridiculous how little I knew about them!

• • The country is officially known as the Republic of Seychelles.

• • This country belongs to Africa and not to Asia, as I thought in the very beginning.

• • … and has the highest GDP in Africa …

• • Victoria is the smallest capital in the whole world.

• • This is an archipelago country, with 115 islands in total (marine area of 400,000 km ²), located in the Indian Ocean.

• • The 115 islands are divided into two categories: the Inner Islands (42 granitic islands) are around the three main islands Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, and the Outer Islands (73 coralline islands) extend to the west of Africa.

• • The largest island of all is Mahé – 83,000 inhabitants (90% of the population) live there.

• • The main religion is Roman Catholics.

• • This country is expensive! O.k. I knew this one but now I can tell how to visit them if you’re on a budget.

• • The official languages are French, English and Seychellois Creole, based on French.

• • All the islands are perfect for island hopping, especially between the Inner Islands because they are very close to each other.

• • Some of the rarest birds can be found only here, including the bare-legged Scops Owl or Syer.

• • The island country is home to the largest and heaviest (about 15kg) seed in the World called coco de mer!

• • Bird Island is home to the heaviest land tortoise living in the wild! The tortoise is called Esmeralda and the lady scales at 305 kg!

• • Breadfruit (which looks very similar to Jackfruit) is very popular in Seychelles and can be prepared like potatoes: boiled, roasted, baked, etc.

• • The national symbols are Tropical Bird Orchid – the national flower, the national bird – Black Parrot Coco-de-Mer Palm – the national tree, the national animal – Giant Tortoise.

• • Prince William and Kate, as well as David and Victoria Beckham, spent their honeymoon at the North Island.

• • The exotic country export vanilla, coconuts, coconut oil, fish, Takamaka rum and guano.

• • The currency is Seychellois Rupees and these are actually the most beautiful notes I’ve ever seen!

• • Seychelles is home to the world’s largest land crab, the coconut crab.

• • In Seychelles, you will have to drive on the left.

• • If you go scuba diving around the island you will see a Grey Reef, Silver Tip, Nurse or the occasional Hammerhead.