About Seychelles

The Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, off East Africa. It's home to numerous beaches, coral reefs and nature reserves, as well as rare animals such as giant Aldabra tortoises. Mahé, a hub for visiting the other islands, is home to capital Victoria. It also has the mountain rainforests of Morne Seychellois National Park and beaches, including Beau Vallon and Anse Takamaka.

Aside from its celebrity status and super-luxe resorts, the nation's ultimate draw is its natural beauty, with crisp white beaches and untouched jungle ecosystems. In fact, the UNESCO-listed Vallée de Mai is so transcendently beautiful, many locals believe it to be the true site of the Garden of Eden.

Seychelles is constantly hot and humid, with an average annual temperature of 29ºC (84ºF), and the average sea temperature is the same, seldom dropping below 27ºC (81ºF). The heat is usually tempered by sea breezes. The islands lay outside of the hurricane belt, so storms are rare, but tropical rains fall between December and February. It is easy to escape the showers, though, because it can be sunny on one side of an island while it rains on the other.