In Seychelles’s chapter of the famous things across the globe series, we have invited our fellow blogger Rachita Saxena of “meanderwander” What is Seychelles famous for? This is her wonderful response!
Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands, each unique and beautiful in its way. And most of these islands are uninhabited or have been turned into island resorts. This is why Seychelles has stayed a popular honeymoon destination and vacation spot for a long time. The secluded beaches, magical sunsets, and private resorts make it a haven for most tourists and travelers.
But Seychelles is famous for many things other than its beaches and resorts. I have mentioned a few things Seychelles is best known for in this article. From food to liquor, this list has it all and will give you tips on what you cannot miss out on when traveling to Seychelles.
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Things Seychelles is Famous For
Beautiful Beaches
The first thing that comes to mind when you say Seychelles is the white sand beaches surrounded by greenery. So, it is no surprise that Seychelles is quite famous for its beautiful beaches that have left travelers speechless throughout the world.
Anse Georgette and Anse Lazio in Praslin are quite a sight, as pink granite rocks and lush greenery surround them. But apart from these famous beaches, you will find numerous other small and secluded beaches which are as beautiful and are the reason why Seychelles is so well-known among beach lovers.
Coco De Mer
Seychelles is best known for its indigenous fruit – Coco De Mer, discovered in the 1700s by the French. It was found that several seeds of this big fruit would wash ashore in India or Maldives, where no one knew what it was. As a result, when the trees for this plant were first discovered in Seychelles, people believed the island would be the Garden of Eden and Coco De Mer to be the forbidden fruit of knowledge.
However, keeping all the stories and myths aside, Coco De Mer is indeed an extraordinary plant because of its shape and pollination process. The male trees of this species have fruits in the shape of a phallic, while the female trees bear fruits in the shape of a buttock. Due to these plants’ uniqueness, the Seychelles government has banned the eating and export of these fruits.
Giant Aldabra Tortoise
Apart from the unique fruit, Seychelles is also the home to the Giant Aldabra Tortoises. Curieuse Island is filled with these majestic beauties, while several are found in La Digue as well as in the L’Union Estate.
Aldabra Atoll in Seychelles is the second largest coral atoll in the world and is the home of these giant tortoises. Visitors aren’t allowed in this region, and one needs special permission to access it.
On the other hand, you can always take a day trip to Curieuse Island to walk and interact with the Giant Tortoises. You can even feed them leaves and admire them for as long as you want.
Creole Cuisine
Creole cuisine is quite famous in Seychelles and is one of the major cuisines served over the islands. The cuisine is a blend of European, African, and Asian flavors, and one can see how slavery in different nations really affected the culture and local dishes of Seychelles.
One of the most popular dishes in Seychelles is the Carotte Banana, prepared using banana, banana leaves, vanilla, and honey. The dish is left to try in preparation, which lends it its amazing flavor. There are several other dishes in creole cuisines, such as Indian samosas, banana in coconut milk, and so on, that are quite famous in Seychelles.
Scuba Diving Destination
Seychelles is a popular scuba diving destination because of the crystal-clear water and the rich marine life. One can scuba dive here throughout the year, except for a few days of rain or a storm.
There are several marine national parks here as well, where one can scuba dive, and there are a ton of spots to enjoy a diving session.
Honeymoon Destination
This is a beautiful country, and many amazing resorts have cropped up in recent years that offer you privacy, magnificent ocean views, and private access to beaches. So, unsurprisingly, Seychelles is famous for being a popular honeymoon destination. Thus so, many couples tend to visit this island nation every year.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Seychelles is quite popular due to its Vallée De Mai National Park and Aldabra Toll. Aldabra Toll has been a world heritage site since 1982 as it is a raised coral atoll and is an important natural habitat for learning about evolutionary processes. Moreover, since this is a remote site, it is untouched by humans and retains its natural beauty to this day.
Vallée De Mai, on the other hand, is accessible on Praslin but has stayed unchanged since prehistoric times. Here, you will find many endemic plants and fauna species, which is why it was considered a world heritage site in 1983.
Seychelles Black Parrot
Seychelles’ Black Parrot is the national bird since this rare species cannot be seen anywhere except for Seychelles. You can mainly find these birds in Vallée De Mai National Park in Praslin, although spotting one is difficult.
Over the years, the number of this endemic bird has significantly dwindled, and now only around 200 birds remain in the park.
Takamaka Rum
Another thing that Seychelles is known for is the takamaka rum made in the Takamaka Bay Distillery. This rum is distilled, aged, and blended in Seychelles, and the distillery was started in 2002. What is interesting to know is that rum was introduced in Seychelles in the 16th century by the British Navy. However, the locals only started using sugar cane to make rum in the late 1800s.
The sugar cane juice is fermented and distilled, and after it has aged and matured, it is blended with aged rums, fruit extracts, local spices, and the spring water from Seychelles’ island.
Island Hopping
With around 115 islands in Seychelles, it is natural that Seychelles is quite popular for island hopping tours. People visit different islands here either on a day trip or for a stay, depending on their budget and time. And there are several that even enjoy a 1-month cruise around Seychelles to make the most of the visit here.
From enjoying the beautiful topography of Silhouette Island to watching endemic birds on Bird Island, visitors spend sufficient time island hopping in Seychelles to take in everything this nation offers.
Luxury Hotels and island resorts
Seychelles is a luxury honeymoon destination, often associated with luxury and classy resorts and hotels. Several small islands have been completely converted into private resort islands, offering great comfort and pampering that you couldn’t even dream of.
A few of the resorts that most people have heard of are Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa, Raffles Seychelles, Constance Lemuria Seychelles, and so on.
Sunsets
Sunsets – well, Seychelles has loads of them, and most tend to be extraordinarily beautiful. As a result, Seychelles is often associated with magical sunsets, and there are sunset cruises conducted on Mahe Island to enjoy a romantic evening here.
On these sunset cruises, people enjoy food and wine on board, listen to beautiful music, dance on board, and just enjoy the view. And some lucky people also happen to spot dolphins on these cruises.
Apart from the cruises, several beaches offer magnificent views of the sunset as well. And a few resorts even mention sunsets, especially in their brochure, to attract customers to book a stay there.
Seafood, especially Octopus Curry
Seychelles is also famous for its seafood which seems kind of obvious since it is an island nation. From grilled fish to shark chutney, you can find it all around here to taste and devour. One can join several street food tours to taste these delicacies, or you could simply enjoy a seafood meal in a restaurant.
Since Seychelles’ people use a blend of spices, curry, etc., their seafood dishes tend to be quite different from the normal, which happens to be finger-licking good.
Most Photographed Beach
Of course, this list is incomplete without mentioning Seychelles’ most prized possession – Anse Source D’Argent beach on La Digue. This small beach on La Digue Island has coveted the hearts of many travelers who have set foot here and has been listed as one of the most photographed beaches in the world in several travel magazines.
The white sand, azure-colored ocean water, palm trees, and pink granite boulders lend a charming and ethereal feeling. Honestly, this beach feels out of this world and sees several professional photographers and wedding photographers in a day. During my stay on La Digue Island, I quickly saw three wedding couples get their photograph clicked here in just an hour! It’s that beautiful, popular, and famous!
About the Author
Rachita Saxena is a travel blogger from India who has been traveling full-time for three years. She shares her travel stories on her blog – Meanderwander, and loves trying new food and experiences in a new destinations. When she isn’t traveling, she loves reading about new places and planning her next trips!
* Cover photo by Maugli via Depositphotos
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