Take the Family holiday rating 
| Capital City | Victoria |
|---|---|
| Flying Time | 8.25 hours  |
| Carbon Footprint | 9.27 tonnes CO2 |
| Timezone | GMT +4 |
| Local Currency | Seychellois Rupee |
One of those rare places which are even more beautiful than the glossy brochures. Yes the sand is that white, the sea that clear, the sky that blue. The Seychelles are the kind of place where you find yourself lying on the beach, staring up at the sky, wondering how you got to be this lucky. Consisting of 41 islands and 74 cays, all unique, all with their own fabulous beaches and fascinating wildlife, the Seychelles are amongst the great tourist destinations of the world. Plus, no jet lag to turn the kids rotten for the first few days.
The busiest holiday season in the Seychelles is between December and April, which coincides with the North East Monsoon, which provides little wind and dry conditions. June is the worst month of the South West Monsoon which brings rain and wind. Temperatures, generallly speaking, vary little, with an annual daily average of 32 °C, and a water temperature of between a delicious 28 and 30 °C.
Believe it or not there are 5 airports in the Seychelles. These are on Bird Island, Denis Island, Desroches Island, Fregate Island, Praslin Island and Mahe Island, which is home to Mahe International Airport. It's a long way to the Seychelles and it can take 11 hours or more (depending on your city of departure and variations of indirect flights), but do keep in mind that being miles from anywhere can have it's benefits!
The Seychelles offer all types of accommodations – from budget inns to luxury spa resorts. Mid range accommodations can offer very basic facilities and are mostly in the three star ranges. 4 and 5 star resorts don't fail to provide the expected high level of service with great facilities, for example, the wonderfully secluded Lemuria Resort and Villas. Don't forget though that wherever you are staying, you will be in one of the most wonderful places on earth!
The ultimate beach holiday - if you can prise your family off their loungers, the snorkelling, diving and swimming are superb. You can go out on a glass-bottomed boat to look at giant turtles or hire your own to take the family fishing. Go island hopping, each island has its own character. And you can fly, sail, or take the ferry, or even a canoe. If you have a family of potential twitchers, take them bird-watching, you might catch a glimpse of the rare Seychelles fly-catcher.
Recommended beaches include: Anse Georgette - granite boulders frame the perfect white sand, Anse Source d'Argent - a perfect beach for children with sand sloping off gently into the shallow warm water, regularly named as one of the Worlds most beautiful beaches, or Beau Vallon - another perfect family beach with great watersports facilities, restaurants, a lifeguard and miles of white sand, you can stay in a hotel by the water.
The cuisine is Creole as the earliest settlement here was French - French with an Oriental twist. Specialities include grilled fish with ginger and garlic or a variety of exotic curries with coconut milk and local fruit. Have a croissant for breakfast and barbecued fish on the beach for lunch.
Paradise doesn't, (always), come cheap. In the Seychelles, hotels are regulated by the Ministry of Tourism and are of a consistently high standard, but also charge consistently high prices. You will be unlikely to find a mid-range room for less than £70-£100 a night. A much better deal is to take an all-inclusive package trip from the UK. Seven nights in a three-star resort hotel costs from £1,100-£1,500, with luxurious four and five stars from about £1, 700. Flights start in the £400-£500 range.
by Jan Dodd et al
Buy from Amazon.co.uk - Save 30%
The leading guide to Mauritius and the Seychelles.
Take the Family
Resort accommodation scattered along two pristine beaches More
* per person for 6 nights in a junior suite including breakfast, flights to Mahé with Air Seychelles and transfers.
The beauty of Beachcomber in the Seychelles More
*
