Seychelles

A hundred and fifteen islands, and the granitic inner ones are the reason to come: Mahé, Praslin and La Digue have boulder formations on the sand that exist almost nowhere else and are the most photographed beaches on earth for a reason. Anse Source d'Argent and Anse Lazio are the names, and both deserve it.

The inner islands run a dry season from December to April and a wet one from June to October, and the difference is mostly wind and rainfall rather than temperature.

Getting there

Seychelles International (SEZ) on Mahé takes direct flights from the Gulf, East Africa, and a few European cities seasonally. Praslin is a fifteen-minute domestic flight or an hour on the Cat Cocos ferry; La Digue is a further fifteen minutes by boat and has almost no cars.

Entry

No visa, but an Electronic Travel Authorisation is mandatory and must be obtained BEFORE departing — every traveller, including by sea. A Visitor's Permit is then issued on arrival for up to three months, extendable in three-month blocks to a maximum of twelve. Conditions: a valid return or onward ticket, confirmed accommodation, and sufficient funds.