Seychelles is an archipelago country consisting of 115 island countries located in the Indian Ocean.
What is interesting to notice is that after the proclamation of independence from the United Kingdom it transformed from a largely agricultural society to a diversified market economy with developing service sectors as well as tourism.
Due to the French inhabitants and black slaves and the injection of Chinese, Indian and Malaysian in the country far back in history, the nowadays population of the islands has resulted in a mixed descent.
The official spoken languages on the island are Creole also known as Seselwa, English, and Franch.
Warnings & Dangers in Seychelles
OVERALL RISK: LOW
Overall it can be claimed that it is a safe destination for tourists if all precautions measures will be taken into account and choose wisely your accommodation.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
Transport infrastructure is not so developed on the islands and as a result, traveling facilities are not available on all islands, but if available these are considered to be safe.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
Pickpockets are often met here and therefore it is advisable to keep a close look at your belongings especially on your documents and try if possible not to carry all you have with you but instead store them in a safe place.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
Due to its favorable geographical position, it is believed that it has a little exposure to natural disasters and also historically speaking if the case of a disaster really few numbers of victims have been registered.
MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
There is an increasing number of violent crimes in the country, meaning that in order for you to avoid such unpleasant cases you should opt for not walking alone at night in not so populated places and take all measures to safeguard your possessions as well as yourself.
TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
Terrorism attacks on the islands as everywhere in the world can not be ruled out and the only solution to this would be to follow the advice of public authorities.
SCAMS RISK: LOW
There are scammers on the islands but these could be easily avoided through using your common sense and not being easily influenced.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
As it is considered more of a romantic destination it is really a low chance of you getting harmed, but still, this does not mean that no measures should be taken.
So... How Safe Is Seychelles Really?
Overall it is a safe destination for you as a tourist from almost all perspectives, but it is advisable to take all measures in order to preserve your safety and security.
In recent years with the development of tourism on the islands the cases of robberies, thefts, and crime, in general, have increased, which means that you as a tourist should choose wisely your accommodation which will ensure that all your belongings are safe and always have a mobile phone from which in case of emergency you will be able to call.
Another major drawback of the islands is that their transportation routes are not so developed and as a consequence, the most frequently used mean of transportation by tourists is the taxi and therefore it is recommended before taking one to agree on the fees and check their license.
It is not always safe to swim whenever you want to, therefore, it is advisable to not assume this, but instead ask locals, lifeguards, if present on the beach as only in this case you will be sure that you will be fine.
Taking everything into account and following all the above-mentioned pieces of advice you will be able to safely enjoy your trip.
How Does Seychelles Compare?
| Country | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Seychelles | 80 |
| Morocco | 54 |
| Austria | 92 |
| Croatia | 83 |
| Italy | 77 |
| Malaysia | 69 |
| Finland | 86 |
| Spain | 83 |
| Botswana | 77 |
Useful Information
Visas
It depends on your citizenship whether you need a visa or not, but all the required information is clearly provided by the web-site of the public authorities.
Currency
The official currency of the country is Seychelles rupee, however, Euro, as well as the US dollar, is accepted there.
Weather
The climate on the island is tropical, which means that it is hot there all year round.
Airports
Seychelles International Airport is the airport of the island that operates international flights.
Travel Insurance
As it is always recommended to have travel insurance while traveling, no matter the destination and Seychelles is not an exception.
Seychelles Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Low °C | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
| High °F | 86 | 86 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 84 | 82 | 82 | 84 | 86 | 86 | 86 |
| Low °F | 75 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 |
I wouldt waste your money
I had spent 4 years working in the Seychelles as a British Expat. I was lucky to have lived in the beautiful Beau Vallon, Anse Etoile, Anse La Mouch and Eden Island. I have made many many friends there. The islands are beautiful if you are a tourist, however there is a very very dark underbelly to Seychelles. So dark, that (apparantly and is wildly known and discussed) the DEA know and turn a blind eye to the Heroin being imported and distributed from the Presidents private residence.
Visit because the beaches are lovely, exmplore the other islands, the diving is beautful and there are many many lovely Seychelolis. Just be careful where you go especially at night.
The osuth is my favourite – very expensive hotels around here though – Constance Ephilia, Four Seasons, Kempinski. But also lots of small local owned guesthouses that would be worth staying at.
It is very expensive to live there as a foreigner (there are different prices for everything if oyu are local or foreign.
hiring a car is a must (but dont expect it to be very good) as the public transport system is useless.
I was sexually assaulted outside of a shop on the main road (not far from the airport), by a heroin/meth addict and his friend. No one stopped to help because I was the “white British girl” (this is what the police told me) Not even the shopkeeper.
I went to the police, they are about as usfeul as a chocolate teapot.
I left 4 days later and will never return.
As a citizen of Seychelles. I’m sorry for the bad experience
Fave destination so far
You will never get over how insanely beautiful this place is, trust me. Been in Seychelles in 2019 and if things go according to plan we’ll see it again in 2023.
If you stay in a resort you’ll be fine, the biggest threat there is the price of an event cocktail and how much you have to tip for almost anything. Otherwise you’re fine, no need to worry about anything.
We stayed at a hotel but I’m very determined to convince my wife to switch to an airbnb. It’s way cozier having our very own apartment plus we might end up saving a lot of money and I really do mean a lot. Since our kids are always in town, having an apartment where we can easily spruce up a salad, allow the kids to be a bit noisier etc would make a lot more sense.
We stayed in Mahe, it’s perfect for a family with kids. We never felt threatened nor did we find someone looking weird at us. People mind their own business, you won’t feel like all the eyes are on you like it tends to happen in small villages from Greece or Italy. Expect to see quite a lot of lovey dovey couples, either honeymooners or guys that plan to propose.
You can either opt for a money belt – though I really don’t see it that practical – or you can have just the bare minimum with you. I go for the second one every time, I don’t see the point in carrying hundreds of dollars with me. I keep all my valuables in the room’s safe, never having an incident. If you rent a car, avoid keeping it stashed with valuables or even with random stuff, people might get tempted and you will end up having to fork over a lot of money.
Seychelles at night is not a great idea, especially dark corners and deserted areas. But where is safe to walk around at night like you own the place?!
I would love to visit the Seychelles. I wanna taste the food and beverage down there and see the islands. I wanna see the islands for myself and experience it. Rent a car and drive around the country and sight see in the daytime of course. I wanna meet the people and see what life is like there.