Having believed as a paradise for lovers with various delicious cuisines, beautiful beaches and excellent services, Seychelles is also a favored destination for whom, those are seeking for abundance of interesting activities. Some out-standing ones will be listed as...
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How to get Seychelles
The Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands scattered across the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa some 1600km east of Kenya. The only international gateway to the Seychelles is the International Airport, near Victoria, the capital of Mahé, the main island.. All flights within the Seychelles arrive and depart from Mahé.
Airlines serving the Seychelles include Emirates (6 flights weekly), Etihad (4 flights weekly), Ethopian (3 flights weekly), Air France, Thomas Cook/Condor (once per week direct from Frankfurt), Air Seychelles (3 flights weekly to Mauritius, 2 to Johannesburg and 1 weekly flight to Singapore via Chennai, India), Transaero (from Moskow), Meridiana, Air Mauritius, Air Austral (twice a week from Paris), and Kenya Airways. Blue Panorama plans flights from Italy.
From Prague (Czech Republic) to the Seychelles via Abu Dhabi on Czech Airlines 3-4 times weekly.
Once you arrvie on Mahe, you can easily go from this island to other islands by some ways, such as…
a) by speed ferry: it runs between Mahe and Praslin (with onward connections to La Digue). The trip takes only 50-60 minutes.
Between Praslin and La Digue there is a ferry which crosses in 15-30 mins.
b) By plane: Mahe – Praslin costs about 105 € o/w by plane and although the hop with a Twin Otter or Short360 lasts only about 15 mins., you may end up spending hours at the airport, if you are unlucky and there’s a lot of demand. Most of the time, they are roughly on time, though.
c) By helicopter: You’d have to charter a helicopter to La Digue, which costs about 820 €.
Getting around the islands is not too difficult since they are all pretty small and can be explored by car, bus, taxi, bicycle, traditional ox-cart or on foot! You can also hire a car or boat and explore everything at your own pace.
People and Culture in Seychelles
The people of Seychelles are known as Seychellois. There are a number of ethnic races in the Seychelles, most of which come from Africa. There are also significant numbers of Arabs, Indians, French, and Chinese. Others are Polynesian, Indian, and Arcadian. The Seychellois are a beautiful and unique combination of British, Chinese, French, Indian, and African blood. The Seychellois lead simple lives in an earthly paradise. The main languages are Creole, French, and English.
When you meet someone in the Seychelles for the first time, it is customary to shake hands. The Seychellois are friendly and often invite newcomers to their houses openly. When visiting someone’s home in the Seychelles, it is the custom to bring a small gift. Because the Seychelles consist of over 100 islands and only has a population of around 83,000, it has the distinction of being the least crowded country in the world. Population growth in the Seychelles is low, but the average age is quite young. Half the population is under 25. Nearly 70% of the inhabitants of the Seychelles live on Mahe, which is the largest island. Life expectancy in the Seychelles is about 72 years.
Though the Seychellois population is made up of many different ethnic groups, the people get along in harmony and are proud of their republic. The life on the Seychelles is casual, peaceful, and spiritual. Some 90% of Seychellois are Catholic. Other religions include Protestant Christians, Muslims, and Hindu. Most people are quite friendly and are glad to have any reason to have a party.
Music plays an important part of the Seychellois culture. The music is influenced by Polynesian, Arcadian, and Indian music. The two main types of folk music in the Seychelles are the Montea and the Contombley, based on music, and drums respectively. Singing and dancing are important facets of life here. After all, if you lived in this earthly paradise, wouldn’t you feel like singing and dancing? Sports like football, boxing, and volleyball are popular sports.
Though there is no culture indigenous to the Seychelles, many influences from African origins have remained for centuries now. The government created a National School of Music and a National Cultural Troupe to encourage growth and tradition. You can partake of the wonderful Seychellois culture simply by visiting, dining, dancing, and having a great time.
You will find in the Seychelles a lot of shops selling souvenirs and gifts such as local hand crafts, ornaments, and jewelry, many of which are prepared with snail shells. As nightlife goes, the Seychelles are rather quiet, though there are some local music venues and dance performances. Also, some of the larger hotels hold dinner dances and barbecues. In most hotels, men are asked to wear long trousers rather than shorts, but that is about as “formal” as life gets in the Seychelles.
French and African influences are very noticeable in the Seychelles. There are three kinds of music that are associated with the local culture: the sega, which has strong African influence, moutia, a style that originated in slaves, and contredanse, a style of music and dance with French and British origins. Of the contemporary artists, Adams Michael is thought of as the “Gaugin of the Seychelles.” There are also many other artists who live in the Seychelles, including Leon Radegonde, Gerard Devoud, Marc Duc, and George Camille.
History of Seychelles
The history of the Seychelles before European colonization is almost entirely unknown. Settlers from Borneo, who eventually populated Madagascar may have visited the islands during the third and fourth centuries BCE. Arab navigators traveling the Indian Ocean most likely knew of the islands, though they did not stay there. Arabs traded the enormous coco de mer nuts, found only in the Seychelles, many years before Europeans arrived. Though the Arabs claimed to have found the nuts washed up in the Maldives, it is known that the coco de mer sinks in water, so their account may not be credible.
The Seychelles were uninhabited when the British East India Company arrived on the archipelago in 1609. Thereafter, they became a favorite pirate haven. The French claimed the islands in 1756 and administered them as part of the colony of Mauritius. The British gained control of the islands through the Treaty of Paris (1814) and changed the islands’ name from the French Séchelles to the Anglicized Seychelles.
During this period Seychelles came to know the enlightened policies of administrators such as Pierre Poivre, the brilliant politicking of Governor Queau de Quinssy and, of course, the terrible repercussions of the French Revolution.
Under the British, Seychelles achieved a population of some 7,000 by the year 1825. Important estates were established during this time producing coconut, food crops, cotton and sugar cane. During this period Seychelles also saw the establishment of Victoria as her capital, the exile of numerous and colourful troublemakers from the Empire, the devastation caused by the famous Avalanche of 1862 and the economic repercussions of the abolition of slavery.
Seychelles achieved independence from Britain in 1976 and became a republic within the commonwealth. Following a period of single party rule by the government of Mr. France Albert René, on December 4, 1991, President René announced a return to the multiparty system of government, 1993 saw the first multiparty presidential and legislative elections held under a new constitution in which President René was victorious. President René also won the 1998 and 2003 elections before transferring the Presidency to James Alix Michel in June 2004. In July 2006, Michel won reelection with 53.7% of the vote.
In presidential elections held May 19–21, 2011 incumbent James Michel (People’s Party) won his third term with 55% of the vote against Wavel Ramkalawan’s (Seychelles National Party) 41%. Voter turnout was 84% over a three-day period, which allowed for voters on outlying islands to participate.
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