In the following article, which I have just discovered at https://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/211396.wir-haben-fast-alles-ausser-eile.html, you will find interesting facts about the Seychelles in general as well as information about getting married in the Seychelles! 🙂
How many islands are there in the Seychelles? Vanessa laughs: “115, but it could be two more or two less.” The eyes in the brown face of the petite Creole woman twinkle mischievously and seem to say: what difference do a few islands make to us Seychellois? Just a few months ago, two new islands appeared in the Seychelles archipelago in the Indian Ocean. They have been christened “Island of the Sun” and “The Survivor”. Vanessa explains that eight islands are permanently inhabited, 44 only temporarily. “But that changes from time to time,” she qualifies. That’s why you won’t find exact numbers in any travel guide.
But there is a good 1000 kilometers between the bird island “Bird” and the “Aldabra Atoll”, where the largest turtles in the world live. Just as much as from the inner ring of islands to the African mainland, Tanzania or Kenya.
Vanessa, who originally wanted to become an English teacher, switched to the travel business when she got a job with a travel company. Since then, she has put her heart and soul into the Seychelles’ most important economic factor. She proudly emphasizes: “We also have the smallest frogs, carnivorous plants, the only flightless bird, the most beautiful beaches and the biggest nuts in the world.” If you want to see these giant Seychelles coconuts, you have to travel from the main island of Mahé to Praslin, the second largest in the archipelago. It’s either a quarter of an hour by plane or 45 minutes by catamaran. We opt for the cheaper option, even if it is a rather shaky affair in the usual September winds.
Praslin, with its white beaches and turquoise sea, is very reminiscent of those postcards that look like they’ve been photoshopped. But these beaches and this water are really real. The one on the “Arne Lazio” is said to be the “most beautiful beach in the world”. However, many tourists in many countries claim the same thing about their “dream beaches”.
Thomas, an excellent expert on the region, takes us to the tropical forest of Praslin. Although he has been guiding tourists in the “Vallée de Mai” for more than two decades, you can still sense his enthusiasm for this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The largest nuts in the world, sea coconuts, grow here. Thomas picks up one of the mighty fruits and lifts it into the air – it weighs twelve kilos. “Most of them reach between eight and 20,” he says. He points upwards, where the palm jungle only lets in a few rays of sunlight, and tells stories that seem unbelievable: “The tree only bears fruit when it is 25 years old and has reached its full height after 100 years.” This can then be up to 40 meters, and a tree can bear up to ten of these mighty nuts. The heaviest to date is said to have weighed 22 kilograms. The giant coconut has long since become the symbol of the Seychelles and can be found in souvenir stores in all imaginable and unimaginable miniature variations. However, if you want to buy one of the 1000 originals authorized for sale each year, you will have to dig deep into your pockets. They cost at least 200 to 300 euros. Thomas presents the unusual, slightly split shape of the “Coco de Mer” with relish, and his jet-black face smiles mischievously. It is reminiscent of a female pelvis. The white inside is said to promote potency. You just have to believe in it! An ancient story tells of the king of the Maldives who had these giant coconuts brought into his kingdom and punished anyone who took one privately with death.
The Seychelles have a magical attraction for lovers. Many are drawn to Praslin’s smaller neighboring island, “La Digue”, which has also gained fame as a wedding island. In the harbor, guests are loaded onto an oxcart and driven into the interior of the island, which earlier sailors referred to as the “Garden of Eden”. According to Thomas, the granite rocks were formed by a divine hand.
A gate with flowers was erected on one of the picture-book beaches. A wedding couple is expected. Tying the knot in the Seychelles is not a problem. Many hotels even offer wedding arrangements free of charge and take care of all the formalities. And of course the honeymoon.
Thomas shows us the city where he was born and where he still lives. It is called Victoria and is located in the northeast of the main island of Mahé, where 90 percent of the approximately 90,000 Seychellois live. It is considered the smallest capital city in the world – two traffic lights, three traffic circles, four main roads. As a relic of the former English colonial era, which only ended in 1976, a replica of London’s Big Ben, which chimes twice on the hour, stands right in the center. If you take a look at the lively and colorful morning market, the botanical gardens, the National Museum and the stadium, you have already explored Victoria.
“We have almost everything except a rush,” emphasizes our companion. The remoteness of the granite islands and their natural beauty may have contributed to this. The so-called main island is only 28 km long. But what vegetation! From Victoria, we can already sense the jungle mountains in the interior of Mahé before we take the Sans Souci Road over the ridges to Beau Vallon Bay, the longest bay with white beaches. The highest peak, the “Morne Seychellois”, rises 905 m into the air – and that with an island width of only eight kilometers. Mountain tours are possible here if you start them as early as possible. Temperatures in the Seychelles are constant all year round: around 22 degrees at night and 26 to 28 degrees during the day.
The standard of living in this island state is considered to be the highest in Africa. There is work in abundance. Thomas calculates that up to 15 percent guest workers are needed, especially for fishing and the hotel resorts.
The story is interesting in general. In 1976, after independence, a coup brought about a kind of socialist system in which the state controlled the economy. The islanders received support from the Soviet Union and also from the GDR. After 1992, its inhabitants repeatedly voted for the president of the pre-reunification era and retained certain social achievements: Old-age pensions, free healthcare and education. Every resident has the right to a home, and anyone who wants to build their own house receives a loan, the repayment of which may not exceed a quarter of their monthly salary.
Info: Seychelles Tourist Office, Hochstr. 17, 60313 Frankfurt am Main, phone: (069) 297 207 89, e-mail: info@sechelles-service-center.de, www.seychelles.travel Special features: Carnival in the Seychelles always in March and October; Seychelles Marathon/Half Marathon/10 and 5 km at the beginning of March Organizer of trips to the Seychelles: Mason’s Travel, Revolutions Avenue, Victorisa, Mahe, Seychelles, www.masonstravel.com. Organizer of the marathon and other races: Reisezeit Tourismus GmbH, Lohmühlenstr. 65, 12435 Berlin, www.reisezeit-tourismus.de Literature: Travel Handbook “Seychelles”, Dumont-Verlag, € 22.95
How many islands are there in the Seychelles? Vanessa laughs: “115, but it could be two more or two less.” The eyes in the brown face of the petite Creole woman twinkle mischievously and seem to say: what difference do a few islands make to us Seychellois? Just a few months ago, two new islands appeared in the Seychelles archipelago in the Indian Ocean. They have been christened “Island of the Sun” and “The Survivor”. Vanessa explains that eight islands are permanently inhabited, 44 only temporarily. “But that changes from time to time,” she qualifies. That’s why you won’t find exact numbers in any travel guide.
But there is a good 1000 kilometers between the bird island “Bird” and the “Aldabra Atoll”, where the largest turtles in the world live. Just as much as from the inner ring of islands to the African mainland, Tanzania or Kenya.
Vanessa, who originally wanted to become an English teacher, switched to the travel business when she got a job with a travel company. Since then, she has put her heart and soul into the Seychelles’ most important economic factor. She proudly emphasizes: “We also have the smallest frogs, carnivorous plants, the only flightless bird, the most beautiful beaches and the biggest nuts in the world.” If you want to see these giant Seychelles coconuts, you have to travel from the main island of Mahé to Praslin, the second largest in the archipelago. It’s either a quarter of an hour by plane or 45 minutes by catamaran. We opt for the cheaper option, even if it is a rather shaky affair in the usual September winds.
Praslin, with its white beaches and turquoise sea, is very reminiscent of those postcards that look like they’ve been photoshopped. But these beaches and this water are really real. The one on the “Arne Lazio” is said to be the “most beautiful beach in the world”. However, many tourists in many countries claim the same thing about their “dream beaches”.
Thomas, an excellent expert on the region, takes us to the tropical forest of Praslin. Although he has been guiding tourists in the “Vallée de Mai” for more than two decades, you can still sense his enthusiasm for this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The largest nuts in the world, sea coconuts, grow here. Thomas picks up one of the mighty fruits and lifts it into the air – it weighs twelve kilos. “Most of them reach between eight and 20,” he says. He points upwards, where the palm jungle only lets in a few rays of sunlight, and tells stories that seem unbelievable: “The tree only bears fruit when it is 25 years old and has reached its full height after 100 years.” This can then be up to 40 meters, and a tree can bear up to ten of these mighty nuts. The heaviest to date is said to have weighed 22 kilograms. The giant coconut has long since become the symbol of the Seychelles and can be found in souvenir stores in all imaginable and unimaginable miniature variations. However, if you want to buy one of the 1000 originals authorized for sale each year, you will have to dig deep into your pockets. They cost at least 200 to 300 euros. Thomas presents the unusual, slightly split shape of the “Coco de Mer” with relish, and his jet-black face smiles mischievously. It is reminiscent of a female pelvis. The white inside is said to promote potency. You just have to believe in it! An ancient story tells of the king of the Maldives who had these giant coconuts brought into his kingdom and punished anyone who took one privately with death.
The Seychelles have a magical attraction for lovers. Many are drawn to Praslin’s smaller neighboring island, “La Digue”, which has also gained fame as a wedding island. In the harbor, guests are loaded onto an oxcart and driven into the interior of the island, which earlier sailors referred to as the “Garden of Eden”. According to Thomas, the granite rocks were formed by a divine hand.
A gate with flowers was erected on one of the picture-book beaches. A wedding couple is expected. Tying the knot in the Seychelles is not a problem. Many hotels even offer wedding arrangements free of charge and take care of all the formalities. And of course the honeymoon.
Thomas shows us the city where he was born and where he still lives. It is called Victoria and is located in the northeast of the main island of Mahé, where 90 percent of the approximately 90,000 Seychellois live. It is considered the smallest capital city in the world – two traffic lights, three traffic circles, four main roads. As a relic of the former English colonial era, which only ended in 1976, a replica of London’s Big Ben, which chimes twice on the hour, stands right in the center. If you take a look at the lively and colorful morning market, the botanical gardens, the National Museum and the stadium, you have already explored Victoria.
“We have almost everything except a rush,” emphasizes our companion. The remoteness of the granite islands and their natural beauty may have contributed to this. The so-called main island is only 28 km long. But what vegetation! From Victoria, we can already sense the jungle mountains in the interior of Mahé before we take the Sans Souci Road over the ridges to Beau Vallon Bay, the longest bay with white beaches. The highest peak, the “Morne Seychellois”, rises 905 m into the air – and that with an island width of only eight kilometers. Mountain tours are possible here if you start them as early as possible. Temperatures in the Seychelles are constant all year round: around 22 degrees at night and 26 to 28 degrees during the day.
The standard of living in this island state is considered to be the highest in Africa. There is work in abundance. Thomas calculates that up to 15 percent guest workers are needed, especially for fishing and the hotel resorts.
The story is interesting in general. In 1976, after independence, a coup brought about a kind of socialist system in which the state controlled the economy. The islanders received support from the Soviet Union and also from the GDR. After 1992, its inhabitants repeatedly voted for the president of the pre-reunification era and retained certain social achievements: Old-age pensions, free healthcare and education. Every resident has the right to a home, and anyone who wants to build their own house receives a loan, the repayment of which may not exceed a quarter of their monthly salary.
Info: Seychelles Tourist Office, Hochstr. 17, 60313 Frankfurt am Main, phone: (069) 297 207 89, e-mail: info@sechelles-service-center.de, www.seychelles.travel Special features: Carnival in the Seychelles always in March and October; Seychelles Marathon/Half Marathon/10 and 5 km at the beginning of March Organizer of trips to the Seychelles: Mason’s Travel, Revolutions Avenue, Victorisa, Mahe, Seychelles, www.masonstravel.com. Organizer of the marathon and other races: Reisezeit Tourismus GmbH, Lohmühlenstr. 65, 12435 Berlin, www.reisezeit-tourismus.de Literature: Travel Handbook “Seychelles”, Dumont-Verlag, € 22.95