What time is it in the Seychelles. What time is it in Seychelles? Flight rules, passport control, meeting, seeing off

Travel packages and tours

About the country

Seychelles - amazing world full of bright colors and spicy aromas, the enchanting sounds of unusual music and the sound of the surf, ancient legends and amazing stories about pirate treasures.

Seychelles – unique corner, lost in the vast expanses of the ocean, which many often call “Heaven on Earth” or “Eden”. Seychelles has many amazingly beautiful islands, each of them is interesting in its own way. The most popular among travelers are, and.

Holidays in the Seychelles mean countless beaches with silver-white sand, which are rightfully considered one of the best in the world, exotic nature, the like of which cannot be found anywhere else on the planet, as well as local cuisine and great service. The Seychelles attracts travelers from all over the world and leaves unforgettable impressions.

Holidays in the Seychelles are ideal for both romantics and those who are keen extreme species sports. Here nature itself has created ideal conditions for surfing, windsurfing, scuba diving, spearfishing, water skiing or canoeing and much more.

Nature and geography

Seychelles is located in the western part Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar, 1500 km east of Kenya. Seychelles is located between the fourth and fifth degrees south of the equator.

The country is an isolated archipelago of incredible beauty, consisting of 115 islands. Approximately 35 of them form the "Inner Island Group" and have a granitic structure. As a rule, these are islands with many mountains and hills and a narrow coastal strip; the remaining islands are coral atolls. The largest of them, Aldabra, is also a national park, which is under the auspices of UNESCO.

Seychelles is one of the smallest countries, its area is only 455.3 square meters. km. The largest islands are Mahe, Praslin and La Digue.

The capital of the Seychelles is the city of Victoria, located on the island of Mahe.

Time in Seychelles. The time difference with Moscow is 1 hour in winter; in summer there is no time difference.

Seychelles is a republic, its status is enshrined in the Constitution of June 18, 1993, since then this day has been celebrated as a national holiday. The islands were first noticed by Arab sailors 1000 years ago, but not only were they attracted by the convenient location of the archipelago - Phoenicians also often appeared here and Indonesians. Almost 500 years ago, the islands were discovered by the famous Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama. The Seychelles was both a British and French colony. On June 29, 1976, the Seychelles declared independence and became a republic.

Customs regulations. Those arriving in the Seychelles are allowed to carry 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco, 2 liters of alcohol, 125 ml of perfume or 250 ml of eau de toilette and other goods worth no more than 3,000 Seychelles rupees (US$ 550). It is prohibited to import flammable materials, weapons, including those for spearfishing, narcotic substances and medications without a prescription. A special permit is required to import pets. It is prohibited to transport vegetables, fruits, plants, meat and meat products, and canned food. Installed export bans coconuts, shells, corals, turtle products.

Currency of the Seychelles. 1 rupee contains 100 cents. 5 rupees is equal to 1USD. Banknotes in denominations of 10, 25, 50 and 100 rupees, coins in denominations of 1 and 5 rupees, as well as 1, 5, 10 and 25 cents are in circulation. You can also sometimes find silver and gold coins in circulation. Credit cards Visa and American Express are accepted almost everywhere, except in very small settlements.

Currency exchange. Currency can be exchanged at hotels or local banks. A maximum of 1,000 rupees, or $200, can be taken out of the country; there are no restrictions on the import and export of foreign currency. It is recommended to bring American dollars or traveler's checks in this currency to the Seychelles, since rupees cannot be used by tourists to pay for rent, excursions, or in restaurants. It is recommended not to exchange large number money immediately upon arrival at Victoria Airport, located on the island of Mahe.

Banks in Seychelles open from 8.30 to 14.30 from Monday to Friday, on Saturday from 8.30 to 11.00.

Tips for tourists

Also in April, an annual festival dedicated to water world Seychelles.
In September, a water regatta takes place on the island of La Digue.
The Creole Festival is celebrated in October.
An annual fishing competition is held in November.

Shops. For those wishing to purchase souvenirs, we can recommend beautiful handicrafts made from sea shells and pearls, wicker baskets, paintings by local artists, including batik painting, mats, beautiful carvings made of wood or bamboo and, of course, the quintessential Seychelles souvenirs - coco del -mer. Local tea, of which there are a great variety on the islands, can also be purchased as a souvenir. It must be borne in mind that products made from tortoise shells will necessarily be confiscated at customs. best place for shopping in the Seychelles is located in Victoria. Here you can wander the streets and do some shopping. There are also several shops on Praslin, but there are not so many on the other islands. Large hotels usually have boutiques. Shops are open during the week and on Saturday mornings.

Tips, as a rule, range from 5% to 10% and are already included in the cost of service.

Transport in Seychelles. The islands have an international airport (in Victoria), several seaports and several local airports. Between the islands of Mahe, Praslin and La Digue you can travel by river buses or high-speed catamarans. Travelers should note that flights between Mahe and Praslin are frequently canceled due to technical issues. Very convenient to inspect local beauties and sights from a helicopter or private plane, however, renting one is expensive, but renting a bicycle or car is available to everyone, especially since this is the most successful way to get around the island. You can also travel by taxi, the parking lot of which is located on Albert Street in Victoria and operates around the clock.

Car rental. If you want to take a car, you must have a driver's license (Russian license is also valid) and you must be at least 22 years old. Driving in the Seychelles is on the left, like in Britain, the quality of the roads is not bad. The maximum driving speed in the city is 45 km/h, outside settlements– 65 km/h. The cost of 1 liter of gasoline is just over a dollar; there are six gas stations on Mahe Island and two on Praslin. The gas station in Victoria is open from 5am to 11pm.

Electricity - 240 volts, 50 Hz

Postal services. Telephone services. Internet. The central post office is located in Victoria and is open from 8.00 to 16.00 from Monday to Friday, on Saturday from 8.00 to noon. You can send letters directly from the hotel. You can also use the telephone in most hotels. The country code is 248. There are several internet cafes on Mahe and at least one on Praslin.

Medical care. The climate in the Seychelles is very healthy and there are no known tropical diseases common in, for example, Kenya or. There is a small risk of contracting hepatitis A, so vaccination is recommended before travel.

As for the local water, in general it is quite suitable for drinking, but it is better to use either boiled or bottled water. It is preferable to eat in cafes or restaurants, since the variety of cuisine allows you to choose dishes to suit every taste. A lot of food is sold from stalls, but it is better to refrain from eating it.

The central hospital is located in Victoria on Mahe Island (tel. 224400). Doctors speak English and/or French. There are also other clinics, including private ones, on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue. Medical care is free and provided by the state.

Telephone emergency service Seychelles - 999.

Since the climate on the islands is tropical, which means quite humid and hot, recommended to wear light clothes made from natural materials, for women - light dresses, shorts or pareos during the day and long skirts in the evening, for men - shorts and a T-shirt. The most suitable shoes are flip flops or sandals. Swimming suits are only worn on the beach.

The Seychelles has excellent conditions for sports lovers. Here you can surf, windsurf, paragliding, sailing and water skiing, canoeing or hang gliding. On their own, or using the services of an experienced instructor, those interested can engage in underwater hunting and fishing. However, it would not be entirely correct to say that the Seychelles are ideal only for aquatic species sports.

Mahe has an excellent golf course just south of international airport in Victoria. The golf course on Praslin Island is considered one of the best in the world. Most hotels have tennis courts. On the islands there is also the opportunity to engage in horse riding.

Popular walking tours of various levels of difficulty on the islands of Mahe, Praslin, La Digue and some others, which give travelers an excellent opportunity to explore their beauty and get acquainted with the local exotic flora and fauna. As a rule, information about them can be obtained from hotels.

Many hotels on the islands have cinemas and discos, and barbecues with folk songs and dances are often held there. It is interesting to watch or take part in local entertainment, listen to music unusual for Europeans called “kamtolet”, which is a mixture of waltz, polka and quadrille, see how they dance “mautia”, an African dance to the sounds of drums and tom-toms, or an equally famous dance "now."

Victoria is home to cinemas and theaters, which often feature theater productions in English, French and Creole. There are casinos in downtown Victoria, as well as the Beau Vallon Bay Hotel and the Plantation Club. Praslin is also home to the magnificent Casino des Iles.

People come to the Seychelles to enjoy the pristine nature. And here this is achieved immediately, thanks to the ideal climatic conditions, Always warm sea with wonderful snow-white sandy beaches. Located in tropical latitudes and surrounded by the emerald expanse of the Indian Ocean, this coconut paradise amazes the imagination with a riot of colors and a variety of plants, a colorful underwater world and outlandish reserves, intricately rugged rocks and coral atolls, a great variety of birds and giant turtles, as well as the Creole population and its traditions combining European, African, Indian and Chinese cultures.

Each island of this fabulous archipelago, be it the capital island of Mahe or the former haven of pirates - Frigate, the island of coconut palms Praslin or the fantastic La Digue, is attractive in its own way and has magnificent natural beaches with white sand, colorful hotels that fit perfectly into the landscape and not disturbing the harmony wildlife. This country is not a victim mass tourism, preserving its amazing beauty and color.

The Seychelles is a tropical paradise, abundant with fruits all year round: coconuts, mangoes, bananas, papaya, psidium fruits, avocados, melons, zither fruits, breadfruit, jamalaki, caramboli, corossols, pineapples, sugar cane, oranges, lemons, grapefruits... There are at least 15 varieties of bananas and almost as many types of mangoes...

The Seychelles has a lot of endemic (found only in the Seychelles) representatives of flora and fauna. For example, only here does a unique plant grow coconut tree"Sea Coconut". Its famous nut - the largest and heaviest in the whole world - reaches a weight of 20 kg. The adventurer Henri de Monfreid, who saw other palm trees, did not hide his surprise: “This nut is the size of a large round pumpkin. It is double, and its two hemispheres resemble a pair of buttocks, between which nature has chosen to carefully reproduce some suggestive anatomical details.” .

Unique giant tortoises live in the Seychelles. When it stops growing, the 1.5 m long "testuda gigantea" can weigh up to 500 kg. Some specimens live for a very long time, more than 300 years.

The Seychelles also has unique bird species: the black parrot on Praslin Island, the song magpie on Fregate and Aride Islands, the tok-tok on Cousin Island, the banana bird on Mahe Island...

The Seychelles have long attracted lovers of big fish. 100 km north of Mahe Island, next to Bird Island and not far from Deniz Island (a base for fans of this type of fishing), where the depth very quickly reaches 1800 m, 6 world records were set: boats equipped with special equipment recognized The International Fishermen's Association gives the opportunity to register records.

Capital

Victoria.

Population

Population: 96,000 people. “Seychelles women have enough French to have a good figure, English to be well mannered, Asian to be exotic, and African to have a savage charm.” It’s hard to say better about a Seychellois woman than Alec Waugh did.

Language

Official languages ​​are Creole, French, English.

Religion

The main religion on the islands is Christianity (90% of the population is Catholic), Buddhism, and Islam.

Geography

The Seychelles archipelago includes 115 large and small islands located in the Indian Ocean just south of the equator and north of the island Madagascar.

It occupies an area of ​​459 km2.

Most large islands - Mahe, Praslin, La Digue, Silhouette- granite origin; small islands - mostly coral.

Most big island archipelago - Mahe, length - 27 km, width - 8 km. On this island is located the capital of the state is Victoria and an international airport.

Climate

Although this paradise is very close to the equator, the climate here is more tropical than equatorial.

The regulating influence is exerted by the ocean, and the Seychelles is unfamiliar with the sweltering heat of continental areas located at the same latitude.

It is customary to distinguish between two seasons: hot (December - May) with average temperature around +29°C and relatively cool (June - November) with an average temperature of around +27°C when the monsoon winds blow. The rainy season lasts from early December to mid-January. At this time, heavy but short-term rains are possible.

Time

The time difference with Moscow is +1 hour in winter; in summer there is no time difference.

Visa

A visa to Seychelles is not required for travel. You must have with you a foreign passport that expires at least 6 months after the date of departure, a completed customs declaration and return ticket. Proof of any vaccinations is not required upon entry. All arrivals are issued a so-called visitor visa valid for 1 month, which can be extended if desired.

Currency

The national currency is the Seychelles rupee (SCR).
1$=14 rupees.

There are banknotes in denominations of 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 rupees, coins in denominations of 1 and 5 rupees, as well as 1, 5, 10 and 25 cents. You can also sometimes find silver and gold coins in circulation.

Visa, Master Card and American Express credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. Banks in Seychelles are open from 8:30 to 14:30 from Monday to Friday, on Saturday from 8:30 to 11:00.

Tips

It is not necessary to tip, because... Usually the cost of service is included in the bill. However, hotel and restaurant staff are always happy to receive extra rupees.

Transport

Air traffic
Local airlines "AIR SEYCHELLES". The planes of this airline make regular flights between the islands Seychelles archipelago. Phone number for information about airline flights: 438 40 00.

Car rental
The country drives on the left and the roads are quite narrow. You can rent a car at the hotel (as a rule, every hotel has car rental offices) or AVIS - tel. 422 45 11, Mahe Cars – tel. 437 35 27.

Gas stations
150 km. Mahe Island's road network is served by six Shell gas stations.

Other modes of transport
Taxis – There are about 200 taxis operating on Mahe Island. All cars are equipped with meters. The tariff is the same at any time of the day. The taxi rank is open 24 hours a day.

Buses – run every quarter of an hour on main routes. Buses of the Indian brand "TATA" run from 5:30 to 19:00.

Ferries – the high-speed ferry “Cat Cocos” departs from the port of Victoria daily to Praslin Island, travel time is 1 hour.
Flights from Monday to Saturday - from 7:30 to 16:00. On Sunday – from 10:30 to 16:30.

Cloth

It is best to wear light cotton clothing, comfortable shoes (sandals or sandals), and a hat. We recommend using special sunscreens, and also bring sunglasses. If you are going to visit the highlands of the country, you should take a sweater and trousers with you (as in the evening the temperature can drop to +14°C).

Electricity

Voltage 240V, 50 Hz. Square sockets with three holes. An international standard adapter is used, which can be taken at the reception.

Connection

To call to Moscow 007 (Russian code) + 495 (Moscow code) + subscriber number. A phone call from the Seychelles is expensive: a $40 phone card allows you to talk to Europe for only 8 minutes. Cost 1 min. conversation with Moscow from a pay phone – $4.

For questions regarding use mobile communications, please clarify all questions with your provider!

Useful phones

Police, fire service, ambulance: 999

Russian Embassy in Seychelles: The Embassy of the Russian Federation in The Republic of Seychelles
P.O. Box 632, Le Niol.
Phone: (8-10-248) 426 65 90 (24 hours a day), 422 15 90, 4266122, 426 66 53,
Mail: [email protected]
Victoria House. P.O. Box 3566, Victoria

There is no embassy of the Seychelles in Russia.

Fishing

The Seychelles Islands are famous for their fantastic fishing. Only here is it possible to combine fishing in the open ocean, in sandy shallows and near coral reefs.

Fishing on specially equipped boats necessary equipment for trophy fishing: an installed trolling row of spinning rods with marine baitcasting reels, hooks, live and artificial baits, stationary outriggers.

Big game fishing– trolling from large, specially equipped boats; Bottom fishing– spinning fishing with poppers and jig baits; Flats fishing– fishing with light spinning and fly fishing.

Venue: Mahe Island, Praslin, Silhouette, Frigate, Bird, Denis, Desroches, Alphonse, Coetivie and other islands.

Diving

Scuba divers will find plenty of variety in these waters. underwater world, including the unsurpassed beauty of colorful coral reefs. Besides Amazing whale sharks visit here from October to April, and anyone who is looking for a way to make their blood run faster through their veins will certainly not miss their chance to swim in the waters of the Indian Ocean next to the giants, the largest fish on the planet.

Restrictions

1. Those arriving in the Seychelles are allowed to carry 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco, 2 liters. alcohol, 125 ml. perfume or 250 ml. toilet water and other goods costing no more than 3,000 Seychelles rupees ($550).
2. It is prohibited to import flammable materials, weapons, including those for spearfishing, narcotic substances and medications without a prescription.
3. A special permit is required to import pets.
4. It is prohibited to transport vegetables, fruits, plants, meat and meat products, and canned food.
5. Bans have been established on the export of coconuts, shells, corals, and turtle products.
6. A maximum of 1000 rupees, or $200, can be taken out of the country,
   There are no restrictions on the import and export of foreign currency.

Flight rules, passport control, meeting, seeing off

Departure from Moscow

You depart from Domodedovo International Airport, 1st floor, departure hall

1. Customs control

   Required documents:
   – customs declaration (in case of transporting more than $3,000 or valuables);
   – foreign passport;
   – round-trip air ticket (don't lose!).
   All luggage must be presented, including hand luggage.

2. Registration

   Required documents:
   – air ticket;
   – foreign passport.
   At check-in, baggage is checked in and issued boarding pass on the plane. A purchased air ticket without a boarding pass does not guarantee a seat on the plane.

3. Passport control

   Required documents:
   – boarding pass;
   – foreign passport.
   When boarding the plane, you only need your boarding pass.

Arrival in Mahe

When booking the Fast Track service, tourists will be greeted in the arrival hall with a sign (where the names of tourists are indicated).

A representative of the host company will help you get through quickly passport control, customs, baggage claim.

1. Passport control

   Required documents:
   – foreign passport;
   – immigration card (issued on the plane shortly before boarding).
   After passing through passport control, you are left with the stub from your immigration card.

2. Baggage claim

3. Customs control

   To pass customs control You must present all your belongings to customs officers for inspection.

After passing customs inspection, you need to approach a representative of the receiving company with a sign and hand over the voucher, after which the representative will take you to the transfer.

Airport emergency: 00248 2 51 53 10
Russian speaking representative: 00248 2 52 01 49 (Valentina Payette)

Tourists are always interested in what time it is in the country they are going to. Seychelles in this sense is very convenient for Russians who live in the Moscow time zone or close to it. The entire territory of the Seychelles is located in the same time zone, i.e. The time in the Seychelles is now the same everywhere. From November to March, the time difference with the Seychelles relative to Moscow is one hour ahead; from April to October there is no difference at all with Moscow.

To the delight of tourists, there are no predators dangerous to people in the Seychelles; even sharks are not suitable for close distance to the shores of the islands. There were no fatal cases of attacks by sharks and barracudas on vacationers. Creole mothers have to scare their children with feral cats, because, perhaps, nothing more scary can be found in the local tropics.

The snakes and black scorpions that live on Praslin are not poisonous, and mosquitoes do not carry tropical diseases, but for greater comfort it is a good idea to take insect repellent creams and fumigators with you.

Only a stone fish can become mortally dangerous if you step on it while walking through puddles formed after low tide, or while diving. If the poisonous dorsal spine of this fish gets into a person’s blood vessel, he has no chance of survival. Near coral reefs there is a danger of getting burned from polyps, worms and mollusks; it is also undesirable to bump into zebra fish.

Swimming during high tide should be avoided because... You can be carried out to the open sea by a strong undercurrent. It was in this way that the Governor of the Seychelles, Sir John Thorpe, and his secretary, who were excellent swimmers, drowned in 1961.

Driving in the Seychelles requires caution due to the tortuosity mountain roads and unusual left-hand traffic. The number of cars on the roads is insignificant; local traffic police officers are usually located in the district office, promptly arriving at the scene of an accident when called.

Unfortunately, Russian tourists have proven themselves to be problematic guests due to their penchant for poaching. The Seychelles environmental department is very zealous in fulfilling its duties, so, say, illegal spearfishing should simply be forgotten.

Due to the fact that the country does not have enough currency, tourists have to pay for everything in dollars or euros (more precisely, Seychelles rupees, but exchanged at the official rate). And this is completely unprofitable for travelers. Firstly, in many ticket offices the official exchange rates of the dollar and the euro are equal, which hurts the pockets of those who carry euros. Secondly, you will most likely have to change the currency at a reduced rate. It is more profitable to change the currency into rupees and buy some things in stores yourself than to order them at a hotel, where you will be charged at the official rate.