The islands’ currency is the Seychellois rupee, denoted by the symbol “SR” or “SRe” (ISO code: SCR). ATMs usually have the best conversion rates; however, airports and banks also exchange money.

There is no longer a black market in currency.

BY PLANE:

Air Seychelles operates multiple daily flights between Mahe and Praslin. Over two dozen flights vary in frequency from 15-minute to 2-hour intervals, depending on time of day.

Air Seychelles also operates once daily or several times per week between Mahe and the islands of Bird, Denis, Fregate, Desroches and Alphonse. Assumption Island and Coetivy can be reached by air charter.

BY HELICOPTER:

Zil Air provides charter helicopter flights to/from most of the inner and outer Seychelles Islands. It is the only scenic flight operator in the Seychelles. Scenic flights can be booked to cover the main islands of Mahé, Praslin, La Digue and the surrounding smaller islands of (among others) Cousine, Félicité, Grande Seour, Curieuse and Bird Island.

BY BOAT:

Cat Cocos operates catamaran ferries that provide several daily crossings between Mahe and Praslin and a daily crossing extension to La Digue. The sailing normally takes one hour. Non-residents should budget between €90 and €100 per person (price at July 2013, based on a single adult fare of 835 rupees one way) for a same day return ticket from Mahe to Praslin. Tickets can be purchased from the Cat Cocos office, opposite the pier, on the same day before travel subject to availability.

Similarly, Inter Island Ferry operate a route between Praslin and La Digue with 8 daily departures taking 15 min to cross. Tickets cost around €15 for an adult single (July 2013). The schedule usually allows for onward connections to Mahe with Cat Cocos at Praslin harbour.

Belle Serafina, a small schooner ferry makes the passage between Mahe and Praslin or La Digue in 3-4 hours, usually departing weekdays shortly around 12 from Mahe and heading back at 5AM from Praslin to Mahe. In October 2010 the price for the passage was 125 rupees. Schedules and routing need to be confirmed by phone.

It is also possible to take small boats from Mahe direct to La Digue, although departures can be unreliable, there is limited wet weather cover and the journey takes about 3 hours (but that’s cheaper than an Indian Ocean Island cruise!).

As of June 2013, online bookings with live seat availability and e-ticketing are possible for Cat Cocos and Inter Island Ferry by Seychellesbookings.com.

BY CAR:

Driving in Seychelles is on the left side of the road. The roads on Mahe are low-traffic, mountainous, narrow roads, so caution is generally advised.

Having a car is really a good idea and makes life much more simple. For as little as 100 rupees worth of gas you can see the entire island of Mahe in a couple of hours, including stops at beaches and whatever else catches your eye. There is free parking in ‘downtown’ Victoria on Mahe, and if you go with a B&B or self-catering option for accommodations its by far the easiest way to pick up groceries. A car will also allow you access to the stores where locals do their regular shopping, and the prices are more reasonable as compared to the small convenience stores along the beaches. There is no substitute for running your vacation on your own schedule.

You can only rent on Mahé and Praslin. You can find a small car (e.g., Hyundai Atos) for €35-45 per day, but keep in mind that renters must be at least 21 years old, have a valid driver’s license, and have at least three years of driving experience. There are several car hire counters outside the arrivals hall at Mahe international airport, which provide a convenient way to compare prices from different hire companies. Prices can be negotiated, with the better rate available for rental periods of 3 consecutive days or more. The ‘excess’ payable by the customer in the event of a claim, ranges from €300 to €1000 depending on the company, so choose carefully and ask the right questions.

Taxis are also a popular means of transportation for both short trips and day rental and can be obtained almost anywhere. Taxi prices for non-residents (approx. 20 rupees per km in Sept 2010) on a relatively long trip, can easily exceed the cost of hiring a small car for a day.

BY BUS:

Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (SPTC) runs daily bus services on the islands of Praslin and Mahe from morning to evening on nearly every available road on the island. The bus usually passes by every 15 minutes. On Mahe you can easily use the SPTC bus to travel to and from the airport so long as you have local currency in small bills.

Although the bus will get you there, the schedules aren’t tight and the drivers are a bit bold on the very narrow roads if you’re a nervous passenger.

EAT:

Seychellois cuisine has been greatly influenced by the islands’ rich cultures. Creole cooking, varied seafood dishes, coconuts and curries are the most popular. The main product of the country, fish, is cooked in a variety of ways. Especially the red snapper is very tasty and well known to visitors.

There are restaurants that serve Chinese, Indian and Italian food as well as local cuisine.

Cheapest food: Collect coconuts on the beach and learn how to open their terrible cover (not the shell, that’s easy; they have a thick cover of natural fibres; to open it: hit the coconut very strongly many times on the edges, sooner or later the fibres break up).

DRINK:

Seychelles offers a fantastic nightlife scene that caters to tourists. The active nightlife is mostly located around the larger hotels and in addition to theatres, cinemas and discos, there are numerous fun and trendy restaurants.

Nightlife: Do not miss most popular nightclub “Lovenut” in the centre of Victoria, 100 metres walk from central taxi station. Also entertaining are “Tequila Boom” at (Bel Ombre) and “Katiolio” (near Anse Royale) night clubs. “Katiolio” was one of the first nightclubs to open on Mahe and boats an open-air that is directly beside the ocean.

If you enjoy a good beer you must try the local Seybrew beer, it tastes similar to a light Bavarian style beer and is a must to get you through those balmy days. You can save yourself a packet buying the beer from stores on the side of the road like the locals do rather than from hotels.

A dark Takamaka Rum on the beach under the stars is the best way to end a day on the Seychelles.

The Seychelles are not tolerant of backpackers turning up at the airport without accommodation booked. In such a situation, you will likely be taken to a counter where you will have to book & pay for accommodation for the duration of your trip before being allowed through immigration. Visitors need to provide details of their accommodation on their landing card (Hotel Name, address, phone number), and additionally, being questioned by the immigration officer about their accommodation details (“Is your booking at hotel confirmed?”, etc.)

Most accommodations are relatively expensive and some islands have only one hotel. In fact, some of the islands aren’t even permanently inhabited and accommodation can be found on fewer than 10. Your best bet for a budget bed is renting an apartment or bungalow, which are available at better rates. Also keep in mind that hotel prices greatly increase and accommodation can be hard to find during the peak seasons from December to January and July to August. Holidays such as Easter can also get very busy.

Most resorts can be found on the main islands of Mahe and Praslin. A few (very) high end ones, like the North Island, have their own private islands. Additionally, you will find an array of ‘small hotels’ which can be ideal as a get-together venue with that special feeling of exclusiveness.

While visiting, be sure to buy the classic and traditional Seychelles souvenir, the coco-de-mer, or the ‘nut of the sea,’ a nut from trees native to the islands in the Seychelles – but this requires an export licence. Other locally made souvenirs, although not as unique, can be purchased like sea shell and pearl jewellery, textiles and straw hats, in addition to needlework & crochet, paintings by local artists and woodwork.