Accommodation
Subscribe to newsletters and custom-made alerts: you'll never miss the deals that will make you smile.
About the Seychelles
Seychelles, 115 islands scattered across the remote tranquillity of the vast western Indian 
Ocean. A mix of towering granite peaks, lush tropical forests, isolated golden sand bars and unexplored atolls fringed by teeming coral reefs.
Stretching from four to ten degrees south of the equator, Seychelles lies outside the cyclone belt, keeping the country safe from tropical storms and resulting in year-round sunshine, with temperatures ranging from 25°c to 32°c.
Settled for only 250 years, Seychelles is a country built upon immigration. The first settlers, French sailors and African slaves, arrived in 1770 and were soon joined by traders and labourers from China and the Indian subcontinent. With the switch from being a French to British colony in 1814 a fresh wave of Europeans arrived, adding another new influence to the racial, cultural and social mix of Seychelles. This global melange has created a unique Seychellois identity, a people drawn from around the world, each adding their own influence to the food, language, arts and life of the beautiful islands they now call home.
Seychelles’ main island, Mahé, is home to the majority of the country’s 84,000 inhabitants, and its bustling capital, Victoria, is the focus of all commercial activity in the country. One of the world’s smallest capitals, Victoria is easily explored on foot, where tropical vegetation and exotic fruits and spices nestle alongside internet cafes, banks and inviting restaurants.
The hustle and bustle of Victoria is easily escaped, with the rest of Mahé offering a more sedate pace of life and a wide array of holiday activities.
The second island of Seychelles, Praslin, is home to the Vallee de Mai, once believed to the be the site of the Garden of Eden and the home of the Coco-de-Mer, a palm unique to Seychelles, the nut of which is the largest in the world and whose towering branches create a captivating, magical atmosphere inside the valley.
But for a traditional island experience La Digue, Seychelles’ third most populated island, where the ox-cart and bicycle are the favoured mode of transport and where every smile is a genuine welcome, is unsurpassed.
More remote still are privately owned islands such as Denis, Bird, Alphonse and Desroches, each home to a unique island resort, where visitor satisfaction is the priority.
Seychelles gained independence from Britain in 1976 and became fully democratic in 1993. Political commitment to democracy, a high standard of living, low crime rates and social harmony create a safe and stable environment for locals and visitors alike. And coupled with the natural warm and welcoming disposition of the islands’ residents Seychelles offers unsurpassed peace and tranquillity.
Lying in the heart of the Indian Ocean, this archipelago was a strategic location for Seafaring adventurers such as Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch, French and English. Our visitors today are captivated by the tales and remnants of wrecks, pirates and buried treasure.
Seychelles: The healthy option, naturally
Even a company as dedicated to customer service as Masons can’t control nature, but in Seychelles we don’t have to.
Despite its tropical location Seychelles is free from malaria (although there are mosquitoes in the country and an insect repellent might come in handy). Sharp eyed visitors who venture off road into the country’s forested mountains might occasionally be lucky enough to catch a fleeting glimpse of one of Seychelles’ rare snakes or spiders, but none of them are dangerous to humans.
And although the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean are more than warm enough to create tropical storms, Seychelles lies outside the cyclone belt and safe from the threat of powerful storms.
In fact the only protection you’ll need from Mother Nature is a bottle of sun screen and a pair of sunglasses.
Climate - Hot and sunny, 365 days a year
Nestled just south of the equator, Seychelles 118 islands offer year round sunshine and keep their lush, tropical appearance thanks to generous (but not excessive!) rainfall.
Whatever time of year you plan your visit you’re sure to have the opportunity to bask in warm equatorial sunshine. However, some months (principally the southern hemisphere summer of November to January) are warmer than others, leading to increased levels of rainfall.
Seychelles’ weather patterns are predominantly influenced by the two main trade winds which shift twice a year. During the months of May to October the south-east trade wind blows, leading to relatively cooler, drier and windier conditions, peaking in July and August, which are usually the driest months of the year.
The wind shifts in November into a pre-north west condition, when the temperature warms up and winds remain very light.
The north-west trade winds are in full force from December to March, causing the relatively wetter season (especially in December and January), coupled with higher temperatures and generally reduced wind speeds.
The calmest and warmest period of the year is in April and the trade winds again change direction.
The table below is a summary of statistical averages for the Seychelles International Airport from 1972 to 2005. (Courtesy of the Seychelles Meteorological Services). For more detailed weather information, please visit the Seychelles Meteorological Services official website.
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Rainfall (mm) |
402.6 |
283.2 |
194.9 |
186.7 |
151.6 |
105.1 |
76.6 |
119.3 |
154.0 |
189.7 |
206.3 |
302.8 |
Temperature (°C) |
26.9 |
27.4 |
27.8 |
28.1 |
27.8 |
26.7 |
26.0 |
26.0 |
26.5 |
26.9 |
26.9 |
26.9 |
Relative Humidity (%) |
82 |
80 |
80 |
80 |
79 |
79 |
80 |
80 |
79 |
79 |
80 |
82 |
Predominant Wind Direction |
NW |
NW |
NW |
SW-NW |
SE |
SE |
SE |
SE |
SE |
SE |
SW-NW |
NW |
Wind Speed (kts) |
6.3 |
6.3 |
5.2 |
4.9 |
7.8 |
10.4 |
11.4 |
12.1 |
11.3 |
7.9 |
5.4 |
5.4 |
Hotels potentially affected by seaweed deposits
| Mahe | Praslin |
| May-October | |
|
|
December-March [Very slight chance of seaweed build ups] |
|
|
|