Seychelles, being one of the founding members of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP), has been active in the promotion of different activities for the purpose of being able to enhance the tourism in the country. As a means of increasing the rate of...
Seychelles Blog.
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Sir Selwyn-Clarke Market
The Sir Selwyn-Clarke Market in the capital Victoria is a national landmark of the Seychelles. Victoria with its 26,000 inhabitants is probably the smallest city in the world. It is also the only port in the archipelago.The market was named after Sir Percy Selwyn-Clarke who was the Governor of the Seychelles from 1947 to 1951. He was well loved by the people because of his social thinking and many reforms he carried out in Seychelles. Prior to assuming his duties in Seychelles, he was director of medical services in Hong Kong. During the war he was arrested by the Japanese and tortured and put into solitary confinement for 19 months. Luckily, his death sentence was not carried out.
The market was built in 1840 in a magnificent early-Victorian Style and renovated in early 1999. The market is the main market in the capital of Victoria. It is the best place to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, a variety of souvenirs, clothing and local artwork. They also have a variety of spices and you will find many reasonably priced local craft and souvenir stands.
The market consists of a two story building with an open courtyard. On the ground floor are stalls for fruits and vegetables as well as fish sellers and butcher shops. On the upper floor souvenirs are sold, especially textiles like sarongs, pareos, shirts, as well as hats and handicraft made from wood or coconut shells. There are also offices and a café.
Fruits and vegetables are sold by farmers who bring their weekly harvest by around midday. You can buy breadfruit, golden apple, passion fruit, jack fruit, coconuts, sour sop, custard apple, java apple, mangoes, papaya, star fruit, passion fruit, guava, and bananas. The stalls display a multitude of aromatic herbs and spices, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, extracts and essential oils and the potent “mazavarou”: red peppers cooked in garlic, ginger and boiled oil, to take home to add a touch of Creole fire to your cooking.
The fishmongers will have an incredible selection of fresh-from-the-sea fish. Varieties such as parrot fish, grouper, tuna, king fish, marlin, and red snapper are available. You can also have the fishmongers fillet it for you. They will even share their expertise on the best way to prepare each type of fish! The small fish are almost all sold in packs of 4 or 5, while the larger ones are offered individually or by the slice. Weighing the fish is not common.
As far as clothing is concerned, there will be everything that a tourist needs: brightly colored shirts or t-shirts, pareos(sarongs) with fish designs and straw hats.
To quench your thirst or have something to eat the Market Restaurant offers visitors breakfasts or lunches, prepared with the products sold on the ground floor. The items on sale include grilled fish, sautéed vegetables, tuna sandwiches, good local beer and mango juice.
The market is small by African standards, but it’s a bustling, colourful place. Here you experience the culture and lifestyle of the inhabitants of the Seychelles. The market is usually open Monday to Friday from early morning until 4-5pm in the evening. It is most vibrant on Saturdays and generally closed on Sundays. The Sir Selwyn-Clarke Market is a very colourful place, so take your camera along.
Parking can be a big problem in Victoria. So it is better to take a taxi or bus to the Victoria market. Some hotels and many tour operators offer trips to the market.
Kreolor Seychelles
Kreolor is a luxury brand of jewellery handmade in Seychelles. It was founded in 1990 in a diverse joint venture between local and foreign investors. In 2008, Kreolor bought out the 50 percent share the government owned when Seychelles started its economic reforms. The company went into a partnership with Jouel which is part of Caratco, a diamond retail and wholesale company in South Africa.
In the early stages, the company produced only gold jewellery on a large scale, using local master goldsmiths. Later it added craft items using locally sourced natural raw materials such as coconut shells and seeds from local palms to make innovative gift items such as fun wooden combs, ethnic bracelets, boxes, photo frames, letter openers, trays and more.
Seychellois Craftsmanship
Several craftsmen using traditional style and modern technology craft hundreds of thousands of jewellery and artifacts which are widely used all over the world. Kreolor is not only a luxury brand, but an array of charming designs that remainds of the days gone by when people were happy to use natural products found in mother nature. Products are made using materials from the Indian Ocean – exotic woods, endemic palm seeds, coconut shell, sea shells and rostrums of swordfish all combined with 18 karat yellow gold.
Founder of Kreolor
Creative Director and founder of Kreolor, Claudio Izzi, discovered Seychelles at the age of 15. He hails from Valenza, one of the worlds capitals of jewellery where he learned the craft of jewellery making in a small workshop and later went on to study at a Goldsmiths Art School. Mr Izzi talks about the brave encounters back in the early days proposing the project to the Government of Seychelles. Kreolor has today become an original jewellery luxury brand depicting the beauty of Mother Nature.
Student Designers
Kreolor signed a memorandum of understanding with Seychelles Institute of Art and Design, to give the students an opportunity to showcase their jewellery designing talent. The project will include several meetings between the two sides, to allow the students to better understand Kreolor and its work prior to designing the jewellery. Kreolor has been using the services of a local designer to produce some beautiful pieces, the company now wanted to take a different approach with the students to bring something new to the table. Kreolor said that the art industry is fast developing in Seychelles and it wanted to make a positive contribution, support it.
Kreolor Products
A wide array of bracelets and necklaces made from palm seeds, coconut timber and coconut shells, cream coloured with speckled chocolate brown spots can be chosen from.
There are two different collections to choose from; Gold and Craft, both boasting a rich variation of charming souvenirs for travellers and a proud symbol of home for locals.
The gold jewellery collection offers a wide range of eye-catching brightly coloured pieces including rings, pendants, necklaces, bracelets and earrings skillfully sorted, cleaned, cut and polished. Pendants earrings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets are made of 18 carat gold, stunning mother of pearl or shelles.
The iconic double sided 18 carat gold Coco De Mer Pendant is one of the bestselling and luxurious designs sought after by tourists. The iconic Coco De Mer features on many designs of the Kreolor pendant, necklace, ring, earrings and bracelet pieces, which are also very popular. Other popular items include photo frames with slivers of various timber, coconut shells or the multi-purpose boxes in swordfish bill, timber and palm seed.
The Kreolor craft items are not just typical souvenirs. They have practical uses as well. There are home decor, office pieces, and things for the table or bathroom. There are also some other types of jewelry more chunky and ethnic looking.
The ornaments produced by Kreolor can be purchased from many shops in the island and also in the airport.
Kreolor outlets
Kreolor opened its first small shop in Camion Hall in the heart of the capital, Victoria, in May 1991. Today it runs a total of six shops on the three main islands of the archipelago. The other shops on the main island Mahe are on the second floor of Kenwyn House opposite the National Library in the centre of town and at the departure lounge at the International Airport at Pointe Larue. Two more shops can be found on the second largest island, Praslin, whilst the sixth is on La Digue, the fourth-largest island.
Kreolor Adopts a Beach
The Marine Conservation Society Seychelles has announced its collaboration with Kreolor under its ‘Adopt a Beach’ programme for the 2022-2023 sea turtle nesting season. As part of the corporate sponsorship, Kreolor is providing financial support to the conservation efforts on Anse Intendance, for the level of turtle nesting activity that it hosts.
Gran Kaz Kenwyn House
The Gran Kaz Kenwyn House was built in 1855, in French colonial style, for the Chief Medical Examiner Dr. James Henry Brooks. It was later acquired by the Eastern Telegraphic Company, later to become Cable and Wireless Seychelles, to house their engineers. It was declared a National Monument in 1984.
Gran Kaz was operating in a building adjacent to Kenwyn House. It was interested in redeveloping Kevin House. In 2018, Gran Kaz acquired a lease on this monument and along with the owners of the building,Cable and Wireless Seychelles, started a project to restore the building to its former glory. It now functions as a public art gallery, and local Seychellois artists can showcase their works of art. Also on display are artifacts from Gran Kaz who is a custodian of arts and culture in Seychelles.
The Kenwyn House Gallery operates as a purely non-profit entity. This means that not only is it free for the artists to display their work, and free entry for visitors, but it also means that they do not sell any of the artworks on site. Rather, they allow the artists full ownership of sales. The gallery rotates artists on a quarterly basis, ensuring that the art exhibited is always fresh and exciting. Many big names on the local art scene, as well as new faces. have been featured in the Kenwyn House Gallery. The Gallery also aims to encourage amateur artists to continue to develop their skill and passion and by enticing young people to be more involved in this field.
Visitors can also enjoy refreshments in its adjacent tropical garden and gaze at the work of top Seychellois artists in the Kenwyn House gallery.
Coco de Mer Wall
Kenwyn House Gallery also boasts the first ever Coco de Mer Wall in Seychelles. Set up in collaboration with the Seychelles Island Foundation (SIF), the wall presents the unofficial emblem of the Seychelles, Coco de Mer, in all its forms, shapes and sizes.
Diamonds are forever
Kenwyn House also offers for sale a world-class selection of crafted South African diamonds and other precious gems at duty-free prices, as well as an array of gifts and souvenirs. Diamond SA products are available at the departure terminal of Mahé International Airport and at the Airport at Praslin.
Gran Kaz
Gran Kaz is a Casino operator in Seychelles. Gran Kaz plays a very active role in the communities where it operates. Gran Kaz’s portfolios have ranged from conservation efforts, to tackling social ills such as drug abuse, supporting animal welfare organisations as well as financing Early Childhood Development frameworks. One such community project that the team are particularly proud of is the “adoption” and renovation of the iconic national monument, the Kenwyn House.
Gran Kaz Victoria
Gran Kaz offers in Victoria a vast variety of the most technologically-advanced slot machines as well as a world-class casino games including Roulette, Black Jack, Russian poker, Casino Hold’em poker and Baccarat. In Victoria it has operations in Mercury House, a National Treasure, located in the very heart of Victoria, on Francis Rachel Street. Gran Kaz Victoria Slots offers over 150 of the latest, most technologically-advanced slot machines, operating a smart cashless gaming system and designed to maximise gaming pleasure. With a low, minimum bet ranging from 1 cent to 100 rupees, and a wide range of games to suit the tastes of all players.
It operates from 10am to 2am Monday to Sunday.
Gran Kaz VIP Privé
Gran Kaz VIP Privé is located in the Mercury House annex. It is a world-class Private Gaming Room with ambiance and service to suit the needs of VIPs. It is open Monday to Sunday from 10am to 2am.
Gran Kaz Bel Ombre
Gran Kaz Bel Ombre is located in the North of Mahé. Gran Kaz Bel Ombre Slots is a spacious, comfortable, modern and technologically-superior entertainment centre, especially designed to cater for a wide range of audiences. It is equipped with 60 top-of-the-line slot machines and a smart “cashless” gaming software system.
Open Monday to Sunday from 11am to 2am.
Fregate Island
Frégate Island is in the easternmost of the granitic Inner Islands of the Seychelles, east of Mahé. It has an area of 2.07 square kilometres. It was named by explorer Lazare Picault after the abundance of frigate birds on the island. The island is an hour by ferry or 20 minutes by helicopter from Mahé.
A German industrialist leased Frégate, and started comprehensive restoration measures. In 1998, the island’s only resort opened, which now belongs to the Oetker Collection, undoubtedly one of the finest hotel chains in the world.
A modernisation programme in 2014 improved its sustainability infrastructure with a water bottling plant and state of the art energy generators, and also the renovation of 16 villas. The 200 years of intensive agricultural practices during the plantation era almost completely cleared the native woodland. So, the conservation team are restoring the natural habitat and have replanted over 10,000 indigenous trees including the very rare Wrights Gardenia, as well as the Indian Mulberry.
Seychelles magpie robin which was on the way to extinction was resurrected by the conservation team. Its population increased from 14 in 1980 to 120 in 2016.
The beaches are also the nesting habitat for two species of sea turtle: the critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle and the endangered Green Turtle. Over 2,200 Aldabra giant tortoises are the island.
Fregate Island upgrade
Fregate Island was closed from the beginning of 2022 for 2 years in order to carry out some critical conservation and upgrading work. The 18 villas in the island are being redesigned to be slightly larger and to be made out of glass, stone and light wood. Partial use of solar energy will minimize fossil fuel energy consumption. A new road system and upgraded building infrastructure will ensure the island operates even more sustainably.
The Conservation & Sustainability department will continue to oversee all aspects of the island’s environment from habitat management, landscaping, bio security, pesticide use and scientific research as well as studies and projects in cooperation with different NGO’s.
Fregate Island highest point
The highest point on the island is called Mount Signal which reaches a peak of 125 metres. The Riviére Bambous flows from approximately 300 metres north-east of the mountain where it flows down past the Gros Bois Noire and Plaine Magnan areas of the northern inner island and then acutely northeast until it reaches the Indian Ocean
Fregate Island Beaches
Seven beautiful beaches provide plenty of opportunities for sun worshiping. Enjoy a stretch of sand all to yourself by simply flipping the “beach occupied” sign at the entrance to the clifftop path.
Anse Victorin beach in the island was voted “The World’s Best Beach” by The Times. Beaches on the north coast include the award-winning Anse Victorin beach, Anse Maquereau and then Anse Bambous. On the western point there are La Cour, the Grand Anse, Petit Grande Anse and the small beach Anse Felix. On the southeastern coast there are the small beaches of Anse Coup de Poing and Anse Parc.
Fregate Island Poolside
There are two large communal palm-fringed infinity pools. Each villa has its own private infinity pool and Jacuzzi, reached via a wooden staircase.
Fregate Island Accommodation and facilities
The island can be privatised for up to 79 guests. There are 2 restaurants, a spa, a yacht club, a library, a Catholic chapel and museum. Transport is by golf buggy, bicycle or foot. Facilities are extensive, including a dive centre, deep sea fishing boat, surfing, kayaking, and a host of other water sports options.
Creole and African cuisine is served up in the main Fregate House restaurant, while barbecues with live entertainment are held regularly in the colonial-style Plantation House. Pirates bar beneath the thatched roof provides a variety of drinks and cocktails.
Special facilities include Marina with yachting club, PADI diving center, scuba diving and certification, fishing equipment, water ski, boat charters as well as massages and treatments at the Rock Spa are available for a fee. The spa treatments might include a lemon and cinnamon immune-boosting scrub, a hydrating coconut and avocado body mask or a soothing scalp massage with hibiscus and holy basil.
Each villa comes with its own golf cart to help you navigate the island. Each night, your vehicle is charged, packed with fresh towels and water bottles, and parked facing the ocean, so all you have to do is hop in. Butler service comes standard here. Your helping hand will be as attentive or elusive as you wish.
About 80 percent of the produce used at the Seychelles hotel is organically grown on the island.
Seychelles Grand Anse Beach
Grand Anse Beach is on La Digue Island which is the third most populous island of the Seychelles. It’s located approximately 54 kilometers northeast of the main island of Mahe. Along with Mahe and Praslin, La Digue is one of the “three main islands”. These are the islands that most tourists visit during their trip to the Seychelles. La Digue island is about half an hour drive from the airport.La Digue island has some of the best examples of unique, weathered granite boulder formations that help make its beaches so beautiful.
Grand Anse Beach is spread over 3 km in length and is situated 5 km to the South of St George’s. The beach is a spectacular stretch of silver sand, framed by granite rocks and watched over by waving palm trees. Grand Anse happens to be one of the largest settlements on Praslin island. It is home to some of the wonderful places to see in Praslin including restaurants, cafes and bars.
Grand Anse Beach Sea sports
Grand Anse on La Digue island is perhaps the most underrated beach on the island. It is perhaps underrated because its waters are too deep and the currents too strong to swim. There is no offshore coral reef in the beach, so the beach is not protected from the open ocean. The water can be rather choppy, especially during the south-east trade winds, and the currents here are strong enough to carry you out to sea. Some surfers love this beach. But snorkelling and scuba diving is naturally ruled out.
The beach is much less crowded than some of La Digue’s other best beaches but no less beautiful, making it a more peaceful, serene experience for the Seychelles holidaymaker. Most times you’ll have a section of the beach all to yourself.
The beach offers exceptional beauty, gorgeous golden-white sand, gorgeous scenery, and beautiful, clear water, and enough facilities to allow visitors to enjoy a whole day here if they want to.
There is a small car park nearby, but it is rarely used by cars, because it is also possible to walk or use a bike to reach the beach. Mostly bikes are parked there.
Grand Anse Beach – Amenities
The beach also has a bar, a restaurant and WCs, so visitors can easily spend a whole day if they like. However the beach lacks shade, except for a massive casuarina tree, and therefore the beach is not ideal for families, or at least not for children to play under the sun for extended periods.
Grand Anse Beach – Best time to Visit
The best time to visit this beach is April – May and October – November. These are the best times to visit as you will have a pleasant time during this time. Also, this is the season when not many people will visit the beach so you can spend your time in peace.
Grand Anse Beach – Hotels
There are no hotels directly by the beach. But a short distance from the beach there are a couple of luxury hotels and a dozen of budget apartments.
In Grand Anse, Seychelles operators offer many tours including Sagittarius Taxi Boat Excursions, Anse Georgette, Petite Anse Kerlan, New Indigo Seychelles, Geoli Charters, Anse Lazio, Anse Citron Beach, AGT – Fishing & Boat Charter, Curieuse Island, and One Love Boat Charter Seychelles.
There are many restaurant in Grand Anse, Seychelles including Le Duc de Praslin, Cafe des Arts, Bonbon Plume, Pirogue Restaurant & Bar, Les Lauriers, La Goulue, PK’s @ Pasquiere Restaurant & Gastropub, Coco Rouge Take Away and Cafe, Dhevatara Dining, and Le Relax Beach Resort.
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