Seychelles
Business customs are similar to those in Europe and the United States, however businessmen do not wear suits and ties Lunches and cocktail receptions are common business functions. Most executives speak English and/or French. Prospective visitors should bring an adequate supply of business cards as well as brochures and other literature. Office hours are 0800-1200 and 1300-1600 Monday to Friday.
Petty crime is common. Violent crime against tourists is rare. Travelers who keep valuables in hotel safes and who close and lock hotel windows at night, even while the room is occupied, are less likely to be at risk. It is dangerous, particularly for women, to swim alone at isolated beaches. Thieves may target boats left unlocked while in Victoria harbor.
Though a small number of burglaries are known to occur in tourist areas, they are generally non-violent. Boats left unlocked in the harbor may be burglarized
In September 1998 two soldiers were killed in an attack described by local authorities as criminal in nature, the attack followed an August 1998 shooting of a national guardsman.
All recently built hotels come well up to international standards and there are a number of large resort hotels equipped with air-conditioning, private bathrooms, swimming pools, full sporting facilities and small business centers.
Telephone IDD is available in the country. The country code is 248. SEYTELS offers a 24-hour service for telexes, telegrams, telephones and faxes via SEYTELS/Cable & Wireless Ltd, Francis Rachel Street, Victoria, Mahé. Phonecards were introduced in 1988. All outgoing international calls must be made through the operator. Post office hours: 0800-1200 and 1300-1600 Monday to Friday and 0800-1200 Saturday.
Electricity is a 240 volts AC, 50Hz. British 3-pin plugs are in use.
240 volts AC, 50Hz. British three-pin plugs are in use.
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Seychellois Creole cuisine is influenced by African, Chinese, English, French and Indian traditions. The careful blending of spices is a major feature and much use is made of coconut milk and breadfruit. Breadfruit is prepared in similar ways to the potato (mashed, chipped, roasted and so on) but has a slightly sweeter taste. Other locally produced fruits and vegetables include aubergines, calabashes, choux choutes, patoles, paw-paws (papaya), bananas, mangoes, avocados, jackfruits, grapefruits, guavas, lychees, pineapples, melons, limes and golden apples. Lobster, octopus, pork and chicken
are used more frequently than beef or lamb, which must be imported. Most restaurants offer a few items of what is termed ‘international’ cuisine, generally with a bias towards preparations of fresh fish and shellfish, as well as the Creole delicacies mentioned above. There are Italian and Chinese restaurants on Mahé. Some of the main hotels have bakeries and home-baked bread is also a feature of some of the small guest houses and lodges. Waiter service is the norm. All restaurants which are members of the Seychelles Restaurateurs’ Association quote an average price per person for a three-course meal inclusive of two glasses of wine and coffee. Prior notice should be given in restaurants for groups of four or more and advance bookings should be made for restaurants on Round and Cerf and for La Réserve restaurant on Praslin.
A wide range of wines, spirits and other alcoholic beverages is available in the Seychelles. The same company produces Guinness under license and soft drinks. Local tea is also popular.
Things To Know. A hotel license permits hotel residents to drink at any time. Alcohol can be sold to anyone between Mon-Fri 1400-1800, Sat 0800-1200 and 1400-1800. Other bars open 1130-1500 and 1800-2200. It is illegal to drink alcohol on any road or in public. National specialties
• Kat-kat banane.
• Coconut curries.
• Chatini requin.
• Cbourgeois grillé.
• Soupe de tectec.
• Bouillon bréde.
• Chauve-souris (fruitbat).
• Cari bernique.
• Salade de palmiste (made from the ‘heart’ of the coconut palm and sometimes known as ‘millionaire’s salad’).
• La daube (made from breadfruit, yams, cassavas and bananas). National drinks
• Seybrew (a German-style lager made locally).Tipping:
Tips in restaurants, hotels, to taxi drivers, porters and so on are usually already included, as 5 to 10 per cent of the bill or fare. All hotel and restaurant tariffs include a service charge, but payment is not obligatory.Nightlife
Largely undeveloped and unsophisticated. There is, however, much to be enjoyed in the evenings, and a specialty is the local camtolet music, often accompanied by dancers. Several hotels have evening barbecues and dinner dances. Theater productions are often staged (in Creole, English and French) and there is one cinema in Victoria and casinos at Beau Vallon Bay Hotel and the Plantation Club.
