The FAQ information featured below has been provided by the Seychelles Tourism Board.
Where is Seychelles?
What are the procedures for getting married in Seychelles?
What are the acceptable currencies and methods of payment in Seychelles?
Am I allowed to travel to the Seychelles with my pet?
When is the best sailing weather in the Seychelles?
Is there GSM coverage on all of the islands?
Do I need a visa to visit Seychelles?
When is the best time to visit Seychelles?
Where is Seychelles?
Seychelles is a group of 115 granite and coral islands that lie between 4° and 10° south of the equator and between 480km and 1,600km from the east coast of Africa in the western Indian Ocean. Please visit the Geography section of Seychelles.com for more details.
What are the procedures for getting married in Seychelles?
Please visit the Romance section of Seychelles.com for comprehensive information regarding the legal procedures and requirements for marrying in Seychelles.
In addition, you can also download the Legal Requirements for Marrying in Seychelles document in the Downloads section of Seychelles.com.
What are the acceptable currencies and methods of payment in Seychelles?
The GB Pound Sterling (£), the US Dollar (US$) and the Euro (€) are all accepted, as well as some other major international currencies.
Visitors are required to use foreign currency when making payments in hotels, guesthouses and for other hospitality-related expanses. Other incidental purchases including local shops and taxis are payable in the local currency.
Credit cards are also widely accepted throughout Seychelles. These may be more ideal when travelling to the smaller more remote islands.
For more information on money matters, please refer to the Money and Banking section of Seychelles.com.
Am I allowed to travel to the Seychelles with my pet?
All cats and dogs entering Seychelles require an Import Permit issued by the Veterinary Services. Such pets must have valid vaccination records including proof of RABIES inoculation as well as a Veterinary Health Certificate. They will be obliged to undergo a quarantine period of two weeks to six months, depending on the country of origin.
Seychelles does not accept pets for a period less than six months and bringing bird species of any kind into Seychelles is not permitted.
When is the best sailing weather in the Seychelles?
Seychelles is an ideal destination to sail all year-round. It is outside the cyclone belt and it has a tropical climate with favourable sea conditions year-round. There are two opposing wind patterns, blowing seasonally either north-westerly (October-March) or south-easterly (May-September) between 10-20 knots.
Please visit the Sailing section of Seychelles.com for more information.
Is there GSM coverage on all of the islands?
There is GSM coverage on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue and most of the Inner Islands. On more remote islands such as Alphonse or Denis there might not be any coverage or it may be poor. However there are landlines at all hotels, which you may request to use.
Do I need a visa to visit Seychelles?
Irrespective of the nationality of a visitor and his or her family members, there are NO VISA requirements to enter Seychelles. However, the following documents must be shown in order to obtain immigration clearance at the Seychelles International Airport:
1. A passport valid on the date of entry to and exit from Seychelles
2. Return or onward ticket
3. Proof of accommodation; including contact details
4. Sufficient funds for the duration of the stay
Presentation of all of the above documents will grant you a Visitor’s Permit that will be issued upon arrival by the Seychelles Department of Immigration.
The Visitor’s Permit is initially valid for one month. It can be extended for a period of up to three months from the date of issue and capable of further extensions for successive periods not exceeding three months at a time to a maximum period of 12 months, provided that the person still meets the criteria of a bona fide visitor.
The visitor's permit is issued free of charge for the first three months after which there is a fee of SCR1,000 for extension covering each period of three months or any part thereof.
For all visa exemptions and extensions and other enquiries regarding immigration issues please contact:
Department of Immigration
Independence House
PO Box 430, Victoria
Mahé, Seychelles
Tel: +248 29 36 36
Fax: +248 22 50 35
Email: info@immigeration.gov.sc
When is the best time to visit Seychelles?
As the Seychelles islands are blessed with a warm, tropical climate year-round, it’s always a good time to visit, although different times of year may be better suited to your particular interests.
Two opposing trade winds generally govern the weather pattern: the north-westerly trades blow from October to March when wind speeds average from 8 to 12 knots; and the brisker south-easterly trades blow from May to September with winds of between 10 to 20 knots, bringing the cooler and windier conditions ideal for sailing.
The periods of calm between the trades produce fairly warm and wind-free conditions throughout April and also in October. Conditions for swimming, snorkelling and especially diving are superb during April/May and October/November when the water temperature sometimes reaches 29ºC and visibility is often 30 metres plus.
The ‘SUBIOS Underwater Festival’, showcases Seychelles’ extraordinary underwater world through a series of film shows, lectures and competitions, while the 'Festival Kreol' (a week-long celebration of Creole heritage and traditions) is held in October every year.
The Seychelles Sailing Cup, an international sailing event, is scheduled for January with the International Fishing Competition commencing in March. Further local fishing competitions are expected to be held throughout the year.
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| Bird-watching | April (breeding season), May - September (nesting of Sooty Terns) October (migration) | | Diving | March – May / September - November | | Fishing | October - April | | Hiking/Walks & Trails | May - September | | Sailing | Year-round | | Snorkelling | Year-round | | Surfing/Windsurfing | May - September |
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