Plan your trip to Seychelles

An archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar, Seychelles gained independence from Great Britain in 1976. A collection of 115 islands in two distinct groups, half comprised of granite with narrow coasts and central hill ranges and half of mostly uninhabitable coral atolls. Temperatures vary little throughout the year; even during the hottest months of March and April, the temperature rarely surpasses 88 degrees Fahrenheit.

Most of the Seychellois people are descendants of early French settlers and African slaves freed by the British from slave ships on the East African coast in the 19th century. As such, the culture is mostly a mix of French and African. 90 percent of the population is concentrated in the capital of Victoria on Mahé, the largest island.

Up to 16 islands offer tourist accommodations, from large resorts to more rustic island lodges. Beaches are plentiful, over 65 on Mahé alone, and with a total population of just over 80,000, overcrowding is far from a concern. Beyond the beaches, the Vallée de Mai forest on Praslin, the second largest island, offers a chance to see the Coco-de-Mer palm and the rare Seychelles Black Parrot.