Seychelles in 20 minutes

The Republic of Seychelles is said to be a ‘paradise on earth’. An island country tucked away in the Indian Ocean with over 1500km/932 miles to East Africa dates back to 300 AD. The Arab seafarers first recorded seeing the Aldabra atoll of the Seychelles in the 9th century. Later in the 15th century, Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama passed the islands on this route around Africa and Asia. The French and British later inhabited the island.

The country is named after King Louis XV’s finance minister whose name was Jean Moreau de Sechelles. Seychelles has the smallest population of any African independent country. Over half of her total population live in urban area.  90% of the people living in Seychelles islands live in the biggest island called Mahe which has about 80,000 inhabitants. The capital of Seychelles, Victoria is the smallest capital in the world.

Seychellois food is mainly made up of fish and sea food, rice, fresh vegetables and fruits. Their cuisine is well known for its freshness, exotic spices and tropical fruits. Their main agricultural products are coconut, cinnamon, sweet potatoes and exotic fruits.

The island is inhabited by rare animals and plants. The ‘flying foxes’ are the only wild animals in the island which are sometimes eaten by the people. Seychellois turtles are the heaviest in the world. Ian Fleming, the author of the famous James Bond novels was said to have come to Seychelles to derive inspiration for the next chapter in the spy saga (For Your Eyes Only) and ended up naming one of his characters, Milton Krest, after a tonic and ginger beverage he had tasted during his stay. Indeed , Seychelles might be small, but it is a hub for a number of celebrities such as Kate Middleton and Prince William who spent their honeymoon at the North Island of Seychelles, a spot which was also picked by David and Victoria Beckham.