According to nexticle, there is no official classification of hotels in the country, only 5 hotels have IATA certificates, however, the level of service is extremely high. Even the smallest hotels and lodges are guaranteed to provide a level of service that meets all international standards. At the same time, hotel rates and restaurant bills in the Seychelles are among the highest in the world. Guesthouses are relatively cheap (about 500 SR), but the level of comfort there is often not high enough, and besides, many of them, especially on about. Mahe, are not located on the coast. “Self-service apartments”, about the same price, but the rooms are more spacious. In these bungalows or houses, most of them recently built and located near the sea, there is always a fairly modern equipment and a good kitchen. To relax on the islands, stock up on repellent and sunscreen. For safe movement away from the beaches, you should have strong but light shoes, as well as flip-flops or beach slippers – fragments of coral and granite often have rather sharp edges. Marine life is also unsafe, so before diving, you should consult with local residents and instructors about these features. From May to October, you should be wary of the southeast currents. The voltage used on the islands is 240 V., 50 Hz, most sockets are square, three-pin. Tipping is not accepted – they are usually already included in the rates of hotels and restaurants. In a restaurant, you can leave “for tea” up to 10% of the bill, a porter or maid – a few rupees. It is customary for taxi drivers to pay according to the meter, but if a taxi is rented for a long trip.
Seychelles: Money and currency of the Seychelles
Money, CURRENCY EXCHANGE
Seychellois rupee (SR), equal to 100 cents. Banknotes in denominations of 10, 25, 50, 100 rupees and coins of 1 and 5 rupees and 1, 5, 10 and 25 cents are in circulation.Banks are usually open from 08:30 to 13:00-14:00 on weekdays, on Saturdays – from 08:30 to 11:00. Currency can be exchanged at the official rate at any of the banks, at exchange offices at the airport and most hotels. In major banks, hotels and shops in tourist areas, major credit cards are accepted for payment, on the outlying islands they cannot be used. The exchange rate for traveler’s checks is more preferable than for cash (rates are regularly published in local newspapers).
Seychelles: Cuisine of the Seychelles
KITCHEN
The local cuisine was formed on the basis of traditional recipes of the islanders, but under the powerful influence of European, especially French, culinary traditions. The most popular Seychellois dish is pwason ek diri (fish and rice). Rice is part of most dishes, either as an integral component or as a side dish, and is accompanied by either the obligatory sauce of capsicum, lemon juice and vegetable oil, or additional vegetable snacks. Vegetables in general occupy the most important place on the Seychelles table, and they are eaten both raw and in the form of numerous marinades and stews. Stewed breadfruit, mashed giramon (round gourd), patoli (a local variety of cucumbers), fried bringel (eggplant) with spices, stewed and fried bananas (there are at least 15 varieties of them here), toasted green papaya rind, pickled and fried Chinese cabbage, cassava, “delirium” broth (young sprouts, stems or flowers of vegetables), chips and breadfruit salad, various sweets and pancakes with all kinds of fillings, etc. And, Naturally, all this splendor is accompanied by an abundance of spices of all kinds. Fruits are almost unlimited. About a thousand species of fish are found in the territorial waters of the Seychelles, so it is simply impossible to imagine a Creole table without fish dishes. Especially popular are baked bourgeois fish, salted fish with sauce, small trululu crabs, lobsters in lemon sauce, shark shatini, tech-tech shells in all forms, octopus curry in vegetables, giraffe crab in coconut curry, “zurit” – octopuses in coconut curry, as well as all kinds of fried, smoked, stewed and fresh fish. At the same time, each fish has its own recipe, taking into account the quality of the meat and the type of product – the influence of French cuisine is especially noticeable here.
Meat is much less common – the island location of the state and the lack of land for raising livestock are felt, but there are many exotic dishes – bat stew, pork fried in a banana leaf, chicken curry, small kebabs with local fruit sauce, etc. Typical local drinks Sabrew beer, fermented kaloo coconut juice, fairly strong bacca, fermented sugarcane juice, and dite zitronel lemon mint tincture. Large quantities of first-class South African and French wine are imported, as well as all types of beer and stronger alcoholic beverages from all over the world. Tea (black or with vanilla) is consumed in large quantities, as well as coffee, which has become fashionable recently, imported from Ethiopia, Colombia and Yemen.
Seychelles: Culture of the Seychelles
NATIONAL FEATURES
The most impressive and colorful festival of the country is the Creole Language Week and the “Creole Festival” held within its framework, held at the end of October. Representatives of the Creole diaspora are coming to the Seychelles these days for a big festival dedicated to all aspects of French-speaking Creole culture – from literature to cuisine, from music to architecture, dance, crafts, theater, from public lectures to fashion shows.
HOLIDAYS
- January 1 and 2 – New Year
- Easter Saints Friday, Saturday and Sunday
- May 1 – Labor Day
- June 5 – Liberation Day
- June 10 – Feast of the Body of the Lord
- June 18 – National Reconciliation Day
- June 29 – Independence Day
- November – All Saints’ Day
- December 8 – Immaculate Conception
- December 25 – Christmas