VISAS, ENTRY RULES, CUSTOMS REGULATIONS in Seychelles
For a trip to the Seychelles, a visa is not issued in advance. Upon arrival in the country at the international airport, you must present a voucher from a travel company, after which you will be issued a visitor visa for a month. You also need to have a passport with a validity period of at least 6 months from the end of the holiday, a return ticket and confirmation that you have enough funds to stay in the country. When leaving the country at the airport, all tourists over 12 years of age must provide proof of payment of a tax fee of $40, which can be paid at any bank.
There are no restrictions on the import and export of national and foreign currency from the country. It is forbidden to import weapons, including pneumatic and for spearfishing, narcotic substances (if you try to import any type of drug, the violator faces a prison sentence of 30 years or more), vegetables, fruits, plants, non-canned meat and meat products. Duty-free import of up to 200 pieces is allowed. cigarettes, cigars – up to 50 pcs., tobacco – up to 250 gr., alcoholic beverages with a strength of over 22% – up to 1 liter, wine – up to 1 liter, perfumes – up to 125 ml. It is forbidden to export without a seal and certificate Sea coconut (coco de mer), shells, corals, products made from turtle shell.
Embassy in Seychelles
Seychelles, embassy in Moscow
There is no embassy of the Republic of Seychelles in Moscow.
Seychelles, Russian Embassy in the country:
Seychelles, Mahe Island, Victoria POBox 632.
tel.: (248) – 26 – 65 – 90;
fax: (248) – 26 – 66 – 53.
Contact in Seychelles
You can call within the country from any card phone booth, cards for which are sold at kiosks and post offices.
In order to call the Seychelles, you need to dial 8 – 10 – 248 – the subscriber’s number.
Emergency Phones in Seychelles
Police, fire service, ambulance – 999.
Central hospital – 999 or 38-80-00.
HOLIDAYS AND WEEKENDS
January 1 – New Year
May 1 – Labor
Day June 5 – Liberation Day
June 18 – National Reconciliation Day
June 29 – Independence Day
November 1 – All Saints Day
December 8 – Immaculate Conception Day
December 25 – Christmas
At the end of October in the Seychelles a colorful Creole festival is held, it is timed to coincide with the week of the Creole language and is dedicated to Creole culture.
USEFUL THINGS
French is more readily spoken in shops, banks and restaurants.
SHOPS
According to thembaprograms, shops are open on weekdays from 8:00 to 16:00 with lunch from 12 to 13:00, on Saturday and Sunday they are mostly closed, but shops can be open from 9:00 to 17:00.
Tipping
In local restaurants and service personnel in hotels, it is not customary to give tips, as they are already included in the bill.
NATIONAL PECULIARITIES
The locals are discreet in communication and absolutely not intrusive.
ELECTRICITY
220V, 50Hz;
HEALTH CARE
Tourists are advised to get vaccinated against hepatitis A. Intestinal infections are common within the archipelago.
Types of Tourism in Seychelles
Beach vacation.
The Seychelles has 491 km of coastline, most of which are lined with beautiful beaches. All of them are made of the finest coral sand and are equipped to the highest standard. There are more than 70 beaches on the island of Mahe, the most famous of them, and, perhaps, even of all Seychelles beaches, is Beau Vallon. It is located on the northern coast and stretches for 3 km. Clear waters and a pleasant seabed make Beau Vallon an ideal place for swimming. In the area you will find many restaurants and cafes. On the island of Praslin, the most popular east coast with its Anse Lazio and Anse Volbert, and the beaches of La Digue – Grande Anse, Petit Anse, Anse Cocos – are famous for the fact that the sand here has a pinkish tint.
Water sports.
Warm coastal waters of the Seychelles give a lot of opportunities to work out a variety of sports. Some tourists specifically go to the archipelago to snorkel, dive, surf and windsurf, water ski or go sailing. Snorkeling
equipment can be rented from any hotel or beach. Most of the islands are surrounded by coral reefs, so there are practically no marine life dangerous to humans. But all the same, you need to be more careful and consult with local instructors. The most favorable conditions for surfing are in the Grand Anse beach area on the island of Mahe, where a two-meter wave is observed. Diving enthusiasts
it is better to start with an excursion to the National Marine Park of St. Anne, which is located on the island of Mahe. Even the most experienced diver will be impressed by the colorful underwater scenery. Here you will see a variety of tropical fish, rays and giant tortoises. It is interesting to explore the coral reefs of the islands of Alphonse, Denis and the atoll-reserve of Alzhabra. In total, the underwater world of the Seychelles contains about 100 species of corals, more than 900 species of fish, among which there are butterfly fish, razor fish, Picasso fish, stone fish, blue marlin, cardinal fish, swordfish, yellowfin and toothy tuna, brown and green moray eels, 17 varieties of sea urchins, and of course, the oldest and largest turtles in the world. Sometimes sharks appear (hammerhead shark, mademoiselle shark, nosed shark, from May to October – tiger shark). On the The Seychelles hosts the SUBIOS festival, an annual festival of films shot at depth.
Fishing.
The waters of the Indian Ocean abound with fish. You can rent a boat with a trained crew and fish right on the go, if luck smiles at you and you catch a tuna, barracuda, swordfish, tiger shark or mako shark, then the chef will prepare an exquisite lunch from the trophy. Paradise for deep sea fishing are the coastal waters of Denis Island. Dog fish and marlin are found here.
In addition to water activities, hang-gliding or paragliding are very popular in the Seychelles, when you can enjoy the sea and magnificent landscapes from above.
Ecotourism.
Most of the islands of the archipelago are uninhabited, which means that their nature has remained untouched by man. In addition, about 40% of the territory of the Seychelles is declared a protected area protected by the state. On the island of Mahe near the city of Victoria, you can visit the National Park with many exotic native plants, the National Marine Park; on the island of Praslin, the picturesque May Valley is very popular among tourists – the only place on Earth where the Coco de Mer palm tree grows; not far from Praslin Island is the island-reserve of Arid, the Aldabra atoll is also interesting, where the largest colony of giant sea turtles settles.
