The Seychelles is an archipelago scattered
across the crystal clear waters of the Indian
Ocean. Often referred to as the original
Garden of Eden, with soft, sand beaches,
fantastic coral reefs and soaring mountains
the Seychelles is the perfect setting for
a tropical getaway.
Lying just under 1000 miles east of Kenya,
1700 miles southwest of India and 560 miles
northeast of Madagascar, these 115 islands,
of which 76 are coralline and the remaining
granitic, enjoy a favorable climate in a
zone free from cyclones.
The islands possess some of the world's
rarest flora and fauna and half of their
landmass is protected in reserves and World
Heritage Sites. Surface streams provide fresh
water and as such most islands are covered
in luxuriant and verdant vegetation. White
sandy beaches marked with stunning enormous
boulders are a natural feature of the Seychelles
and one of the main reasons sailors cast
off and head for this stunning area. Plus,
the sailing winds are consistent and exhilarating.
With spectacular scenery above and below
the warm tropical waters, wonderful walking,
superb sailing and world class fishing, these
remote islands offer a rich diversity for
sailors.
Surrounded by three national marine
parks, Mahé is fringed with 68
beaches while the inland revels in lush
vegetation from rainforests and coconut
palms, to cinnamon plantations. With
a backdrop of towering 1000m granite
peaks it’s the principle island
in the Seychelles archipelago. Home to
90% of the Seychelles population, the
cultural diversity reflects the decent
of African, Indian, Chinese and European
populations.
Diving and snorkeling is a huge pastime in
the Seychelles as the Inner Islands are
the remains of a submerged mountain range
and house an extensive range of fascinating
marine life across a multitude of dive
sites.
The diving is diverse and includes both
coral reefs and the impressive granite reef
formations that the Inner Islands are renowned
for. The different islands each have their
own special sites - all the northerly islands
offer impressive granite reef locations where
the sculptured rocks are covered with soft
corals and sponges and fish life is prolific,
wreck dives are available in some areas,
but only the islands to the south have wall
dives, drop-off dives and drift diving opportunities.
Wherever you sail in the Seychelles, you
won’t fail be amazed by some of the
most picture-perfect scenery on the planet.
- Restaurants
and bars
- Shops
- Market
- Telephone
- Nearby shops and market
- Sunsail's online provisioning
The inner islands are protected from the cyclone
belt and enjoy predictable winds, particularly
from October to April. May to September southeast
winds prevail and October to April northwest
winds are common. The strength is 5 to 20
knots all year round. Mid December to the end of
February is still warm but can be the wetter
months.
When navigating through the coral you will
need to pay close attention to your charts
and cruising guide. The waters are tidal
with a range of around 5 feet.
- Tidal
Waters approx 5ft range
- October to April
predictable NW winds
- December to February wettest months
- Coral reefs
Level
2: Handling a yacht under sail,
reefing, reading a chart, line of sight
navigation, competent at bows to and
stern to mooring.
Level
3: As above plus previous skipper
experience on flotilla holiday or equivalent
experience. You will need to be competent
of handling a yacht in close quarters
and picking up a mooring buoy in varying
conditions. Passages are longer with
more varied conditions and stronger winds.
- St.
Anne National Marine Park
- Scuba Diving
- Currency
- The Rupee
- Language - French
- Time zone - GMT +4
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