Updated 2016
If you’re thinking of robbing a bank and escaping to a tropical island, maybe the Seychelles should be your getaway spot. You could also visit on your honeymoon. Located off the northern coast of Madagascar, the Seychelles are 115 islands grouped together in the Indian Ocean whose beaches and palm trees look like they came straight from one of Eden’s travel brochures.
Seychelles is a new country, granted independence in 1960 and finally completing a democratic election in 1993. The tourist infrastructure has matured outside of this slow pace, however, and now has the resources to support a tidy group of travelers each year.
What to do
The Seychelles Islands are the stereotypical lounge-on-the-beach destination. You’ll have your choice of mile after mile of white sand and palm trees, as well as the refreshing tropical rains that keep everything so green.
You might try a photographic tour of the colors of the island. Try getting a picture of every shade of blue you see in the water or every hue of green you see in the island vegetation. You also have your choice of water sports like diving and snorkeling, which can take quite some time to get old.
Read: Seychelles: It’s Not the Caribbean!
Getting there
Flights to Seychelles arrive from all over Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Seychelles is a high-class vacation destination for the folks from Qatar, London, Italy, and Germany. Flights land in Victoria, the capital city, and from there you can catch an inter-island flight to your final destination.
Read: Seychelles, Paradise on the Cheap.
Where to stay
The number one hotel in the world in 2007 according to several big, glossy travel publications, the most famous of Seychelles’ hotels is the North Island Seychelles Hotel. It’s simply better than anywhere else in the world according to connoisseurs of luxury lodging. It also runs $1500 a night.
If you don’t have that kind of scratch, you can try to camp and avoid the local authorities, or check out Mauritius as an alternative destination.