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.