The Seychelles were discovered only about 200 years ago, and so are in pristine condition. The natural heritage is one of unbelievable beauty, and the island is politically stable, making it one of the finest island destinations in the world. Mahé, Praslin and La Digue are the central islands of the Seychelles and are the world's only granitic islands, thought to have emerged some 750 million years ago. The Outer Islands are coral atolls.

The Mascarene Plateau, a submerged volcanic ridge stretching from the Seychelles to Mauritius, covers an area of 115,000 square kilometres with depths from between 8 and 150 metres, more extensive in size than Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The Seychelles are a haven for birds and tropical fish. Seychelles has four marine national parks, and more than 150 species of tropical reef fish have been identified.Seychelles boasts two UNESCO World Heritage Sites - Aldabra, the world's largest raised coral atoll, home to 150,000 giant tortoises and Vallée-de-Mai on Praslin, where the famed Coco-de-Mer (the world's heaviest seed) and the rare Black Parrot are unique to this island. Mahe is the capital, and the Seychelles Rupee the local currency. English and French are widely spoken. Please consult your local embassy with regard to visa requirements. The Seychelles are four hours head of GMT.

Seasons: Seychelles has a pleasant year-round climate with the highest average monthly temperature seldom going above 32 degrees C and the lowest seldom below 27 degrees C. The cool, dry south east trade winds blow from May-Sep and the wetter, north west trades from Dec-Mar. Dec-Jan are usually the wettest months with around 300mm of rain being recorded on average.

Precautions: Compulsory vaccine: None Recommended vaccines: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Tetanus Malaria prophylaxis: No Medical information supplied by Medi-Travel International.