The 155 islands that make up the Seychelles sit off the coast of Africa in the warm Indian Ocean, slightly south of the Equator. The beaches here are considered by many to be the most beautiful in the world; soft, white sand lined with coconut palms and surrounded by azure water as far as the eye can see – a dream come true. The Seychelles is situated outside the cyclone belt, has no poisonous animals and is malaria-free!

The weather in the Seychelles is tropical all year round with temperatures between 24 and 32°C. Water temperatures are very pleasant between 25 and 29°C all year round.

There can be a rain shower in the Seychelles at any time of the year. The least rain falls in July, the most in January. There are two seasons, which are determined by the winds. From October to March the rather moderate northwest wind blows with more intense rain clouds in December/January, but mainly calm sea and tropical humid air. Between May and September the southeast monsoon blows, bringing dry, windy and cooler weather (cool still means over 20°C).

No visa is required (all nations) for a stay of 30 days. The passport must be valid up to and including the day of departure. You will receive an "Immigration Card" upon entry, which must be shown again upon departure.

Edelweiss flies weekly directly to Mahé during the main holiday season. Further options from Zurich are daily flights with Qatar (via Doha) or Emirates (via Dubai).

Local flights / transfers within Seychelles are subject to the following rules regarding weight and type of baggage.

• The weight limit for flights to Denis, Bird und den Outer Islands is 15 kg per person.
• Weight limit on ferries: Economy class 30 kg per person, Business class 40 kg per person.
• Soft bags are recommended for helicopter flights. The weight limit depends on the number of passengers and the type of helicopter. Each helicopter type has a maximum carrying capacity, the value of which may not be exceeded by the weight of the passengers plus the weight of the luggage. Therefore we need the weight of all guests to avoid problems on your trip. With two passengers only, 20 kg per pax is no problem. With four passengers per helicopter the formula passengers + luggage <= payload applies.

The Seychelles are malaria-free.

Please check your personal vaccinations and talk to your doctor before travelling. A yellow fever vaccination is only necessary if you are arriving from a "yellow fever country" such as Kenya, Uganda or Rwanda. In this case the yellow vaccination booklet must be carried along!

The national currency is the Seychelles Rupee.

Payment is made in the local currency. The Euro is also widely accepted as a means of payment. It makes sense to withdraw or exchange a smaller amount in rupees for local purchases at ATMs. Keep the ATM vouchers; if you wish to change the money back to your local currency before your departure you will need to produce the vouchers. In restaurants and hotels you can pay with VISA or Mastercard.

The weather in the Seychelles is tropical all year round with temperatures between 24 and 32°C. Water temperatures are very pleasant between 25 and 29°C all year round. You do not need much more than your swimming trunks.

The Seychelles are located 1500 kilometres from the African continent in the Indian Ocean. The 115 islands are slightly south of the equator and were uninhabited when the first, probably Arabian sailors went ashore. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama anchored in 1502. The settlement did not happen until 250 years later, when the French captain Lazare Picault encountered the abandoned islands on his trade voyage from Mauritius to India in 1742.

Soon after, the Seychelles became French territory. After a long sea battle between the French and British fleets, the British conquered the archipelago in 1811 and the Seychelles became a British colony. The colony was home to French, British and many Africans who had been embarked as slaves. Independence was declared in 1976.

So it happens that today's "Seychelloise" are of French, English and African descent. The predominant language is called "Seychelles Creole" and is an exciting mix of these influences. Official languages are French and English in addition to Creole.

Food is of good quality. However, we recommend that you only drink bottled drinking water.

The power supply is 220 - 230 volts. The plugs have three large rectangular prongs (UK-Style). Swiss three-pronged plugs cannot be used anywhere; make sure your appliances are fitted with the two-pronged variety.

Clothes can be washed at all good hotels.

Traffic in the Seychelles drives on the left-hand side. You only find vehicles on Mahé and Praslin and very few on La Digue where most people use a bicycle. On the private islands a buggy is usually available. All transfers required for your journey are carried out by a chauffeur who will take you safely from A to B.

In our summer (March - September) there is a time difference of two hours. In our winter the time difference is 2 hours. Seychelles time is ahead of us.