Seychelles Travel Guide

Language

Creole, English and French are all spoken in the Seychelles.

Currency

The Seychelles currency is the Rupee (SCR), divided into 100 cents. The country's foreign exchange regulations require visitors to pay for all services provided by hotels, guesthouses and self-catering enterprises, as well as things like car hire, entrance fees to parks and reserves, scuba diving and boat charter, in major foreign currency notes (Euros are the most widely used) or by credit card. Taxis and restaurant bills (not connected to hotels) are payable in foreign or Seychelles Rupees. Rupees can only be used in local shops, markets, and bars. Credit cards are widely welcomed throughout the Seychelles. Money can be exchanged at banks and the airport on Mahé, or at hotels, and banks process travelers checks. To change Rupees back into foreign currency on departure requires the official receipt from the initial transaction. ATMs are available at major banks on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.

12.5470

Time

Local time is GMT +4.

Electricity

Electrical current is 220-240 volts AC, 50 Hz. Plugs are of the English type, with three square pins.

Communications

The international dialing code for Seychelles is +248. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). Direct lines to most countries are available at most hotels. There is excellent GSM 900/1800 coverage for mobile telephones, and most hotels offer a postal service, email and Internet connection. There are Internet cafes in Victoria.

Duty-Free

Travelers to the Seychelles over 18 years do not have to pay duty on 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 225g of tobacco; 1 liter of spirits/wine; a reasonable amount of perfume for personal use. Prohibited items include drugs, narcotics, firearms and spear-fishing equipment. It is forbidden to export unprocessed coco de mer, shells, fish and live tortoises. A permit is required for processed coco de mer.

Tourist Office

Seychelles Tourist Office, Mahé: +248 67 13 00 or www.seychelles.com

Embassies in Seychelles

• United States Consulate, Victoria: +248 222 256.
• British High Commission, Victoria: +248 283 666.
• Canadian High Commission, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (also responsible for Seychelles): +255 22 216 3300.
• Australian High Commission, Port Louis, Mauritius (also responsible for Seychelles): +230 202 0160.
• South African Commission, Port Louis, Mauritius (also responsible for Seychelles): +230 212 6925/6/8/9/30.

Seychelles Embassies Abroad

• Seychelles Embassy, New York, United States: +1 212 687 9766.
• Seychelles Consulate, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7935 7770.
• Seychelles Consulate, Montreal, Canada: +1 514 284 3322 ext. 231
• Consulate General of the Republic of Seychelles, Melbourne, Australia: +61 (3) 9796 9412
• Seychelles Consulate, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 348 0270.

Emergency

Emergencies: 999

Language

Creole, English and French are all spoken in the Seychelles.

Currency

The Seychelles currency is the Rupee (SCR), divided into 100 cents. The country's foreign exchange regulations require visitors to pay for all services provided by hotels, guesthouses and self-catering enterprises, as well as things like car hire, entrance fees to parks and reserves, scuba diving and boat charter, in major foreign currency notes (Euros are the most widely used) or by credit card. Taxis and restaurant bills (not connected to hotels) are payable in foreign or Seychelles Rupees. Rupees can only be used in local shops, markets, and bars. Credit cards are widely welcomed throughout the Seychelles. Money can be exchanged at banks and the airport on Mahé, or at hotels, and banks process travelers checks. To change Rupees back into foreign currency on departure requires the official receipt from the initial transaction. ATMs are available at major banks on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.

12.5470

Time

Local time is GMT +4.

Electricity

Electrical current is 220-240 volts AC, 50 Hz. Plugs are of the English type, with three square pins.

Communications

The international dialing code for Seychelles is +248. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). Direct lines to most countries are available at most hotels. There is excellent GSM 900/1800 coverage for mobile telephones, and most hotels offer a postal service, email and Internet connection. There are Internet cafes in Victoria.

Duty-Free

Travelers to the Seychelles over 18 years do not have to pay duty on 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 225g of tobacco; 1 liter of spirits/wine; a reasonable amount of perfume for personal use. Prohibited items include drugs, narcotics, firearms and spear-fishing equipment. It is forbidden to export unprocessed coco de mer, shells, fish and live tortoises. A permit is required for processed coco de mer.

Tourist Office

Seychelles Tourist Office, Mahé: +248 67 13 00 or www.seychelles.com

Embassies in Seychelles

• United States Consulate, Victoria: +248 222 256.
• British High Commission, Victoria: +248 283 666.
• Canadian High Commission, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (also responsible for Seychelles): +255 22 216 3300.
• Australian High Commission, Port Louis, Mauritius (also responsible for Seychelles): +230 202 0160.
• South African Commission, Port Louis, Mauritius (also responsible for Seychelles): +230 212 6925/6/8/9/30.

Seychelles Embassies Abroad

• Seychelles Embassy, New York, United States: +1 212 687 9766.
• Seychelles Consulate, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7935 7770.
• Seychelles Consulate, Montreal, Canada: +1 514 284 3322 ext. 231
• Consulate General of the Republic of Seychelles, Melbourne, Australia: +61 (3) 9796 9412
• Seychelles Consulate, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 348 0270.

Emergency

Emergencies: 999

Language

Creole, English and French are all spoken in the Seychelles.

Currency

The Seychelles currency is the Rupee (SCR), divided into 100 cents. The country's foreign exchange regulations require visitors to pay for all services provided by hotels, guesthouses and self-catering enterprises, as well as things like car hire, entrance fees to parks and reserves, scuba diving and boat charter, in major foreign currency notes (Euros are the most widely used) or by credit card. Taxis and restaurant bills (not connected to hotels) are payable in foreign or Seychelles Rupees. Rupees can only be used in local shops, markets, and bars. Credit cards are widely welcomed throughout the Seychelles. Money can be exchanged at banks and the airport on Mahé, or at hotels, and banks process travelers checks. To change Rupees back into foreign currency on departure requires the official receipt from the initial transaction. ATMs are available at major banks on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.

12.5470

Time

Local time is GMT +4.

Electricity

Electrical current is 220-240 volts AC, 50 Hz. Plugs are of the English type, with three square pins.

Communications

The international dialing code for Seychelles is +248. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). Direct lines to most countries are available at most hotels. There is excellent GSM 900/1800 coverage for mobile telephones, and most hotels offer a postal service, email and Internet connection. There are Internet cafes in Victoria.

Duty-Free

Travelers to the Seychelles over 18 years do not have to pay duty on 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 225g of tobacco; 1 liter of spirits/wine; a reasonable amount of perfume for personal use. Prohibited items include drugs, narcotics, firearms and spear-fishing equipment. It is forbidden to export unprocessed coco de mer, shells, fish and live tortoises. A permit is required for processed coco de mer.

Tourist Office

Seychelles Tourist Office, Mahé: +248 67 13 00 or www.seychelles.com

Embassies in Seychelles

• United States Consulate, Victoria: +248 222 256.
• British High Commission, Victoria: +248 283 666.
• Canadian High Commission, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (also responsible for Seychelles): +255 22 216 3300.
• Australian High Commission, Port Louis, Mauritius (also responsible for Seychelles): +230 202 0160.
• South African Commission, Port Louis, Mauritius (also responsible for Seychelles): +230 212 6925/6/8/9/30.

Seychelles Embassies Abroad

• Seychelles Embassy, New York, United States: +1 212 687 9766.
• Seychelles Consulate, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7935 7770.
• Seychelles Consulate, Montreal, Canada: +1 514 284 3322 ext. 231
• Consulate General of the Republic of Seychelles, Melbourne, Australia: +61 (3) 9796 9412
• Seychelles Consulate, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 348 0270.

Emergency

Emergencies: 999

Language

Creole, English and French are all spoken in the Seychelles.

Currency

The Seychelles currency is the Rupee (SCR), divided into 100 cents. The country's foreign exchange regulations require visitors to pay for all services provided by hotels, guesthouses and self-catering enterprises, as well as things like car hire, entrance fees to parks and reserves, scuba diving and boat charter, in major foreign currency notes (Euros are the most widely used) or by credit card. Taxis and restaurant bills (not connected to hotels) are payable in foreign or Seychelles Rupees. Rupees can only be used in local shops, markets, and bars. Credit cards are widely welcomed throughout the Seychelles. Money can be exchanged at banks and the airport on Mahé, or at hotels, and banks process travelers checks. To change Rupees back into foreign currency on departure requires the official receipt from the initial transaction. ATMs are available at major banks on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.

12.5470

Time

Local time is GMT +4.

Electricity

Electrical current is 220-240 volts AC, 50 Hz. Plugs are of the English type, with three square pins.

Communications

The international dialing code for Seychelles is +248. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). Direct lines to most countries are available at most hotels. There is excellent GSM 900/1800 coverage for mobile telephones, and most hotels offer a postal service, email and Internet connection. There are Internet cafes in Victoria.

Duty-Free

Travelers to the Seychelles over 18 years do not have to pay duty on 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 225g of tobacco; 1 liter of spirits/wine; a reasonable amount of perfume for personal use. Prohibited items include drugs, narcotics, firearms and spear-fishing equipment. It is forbidden to export unprocessed coco de mer, shells, fish and live tortoises. A permit is required for processed coco de mer.

Tourist Office

Seychelles Tourist Office, Mahé: +248 67 13 00 or www.seychelles.com

Embassies in Seychelles

• United States Consulate, Victoria: +248 222 256.
• British High Commission, Victoria: +248 283 666.
• Canadian High Commission, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (also responsible for Seychelles): +255 22 216 3300.
• Australian High Commission, Port Louis, Mauritius (also responsible for Seychelles): +230 202 0160.
• South African Commission, Port Louis, Mauritius (also responsible for Seychelles): +230 212 6925/6/8/9/30.

Seychelles Embassies Abroad

• Seychelles Embassy, New York, United States: +1 212 687 9766.
• Seychelles Consulate, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7935 7770.
• Seychelles Consulate, Montreal, Canada: +1 514 284 3322 ext. 231
• Consulate General of the Republic of Seychelles, Melbourne, Australia: +61 (3) 9796 9412
• Seychelles Consulate, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 348 0270.

Emergency

Emergencies: 999