Seychelles

1. If you're looking for that unblemished tropical paradise, the Seychelles fits the bill. Apart from palm-fringed beaches and superb snorkeling and diving, there are also plenty of forested wildernesses filled with an abundance of wildlife. But paradise comes at a price - there's very little in the way of budget accommodation here, and taking a dive with the fishes will set you back a pretty penny.

2. You will need an onward ticket, booked accommodation and sufficient funds for your stay; a US$100 'environmental charge' is levied on all visitors.

3. Some basic information- Health risks: None Time: GMT/UTC plus four hours Electricity: 240V, 50 Hz Weights & measures: Metric

4. You should plan your trip to the Seychelles around what you want to do. Windsurfing and sailing are best at the start and end of the trade winds, usually around May and October. Some beaches are better during the monsoon season, others during the trade winds. Diving is best in March, April, May, September, October and November. Room rates are highest and everything is busiest in December, January, July and August.

5. With its short history, the Seychelles isn't exactly overloaded with traditional festivals. Most public holidays are Roman Catholic events, including Easter, Corpus Christi, on 10 June, the Assumption, on 15 August, and the Immaculate Conception, on 8 December.

6. The Currency is Seychelles rupee.

7. Meals Budget: US$7-10 Mid-range: US$10-20 Top-end: US$20 and upwards Lodging-Budget: US$50-80 Mid-range: US$80-150 Top-end: US$150 and upwards.

8. The Seychelles is not a budget destination. The tourist board regulates accommodation and camping is forbidden. Prices, availability and the standard of accommodation are fixed. If you keep to the less expensive guesthouses, avoid watersports and eat lean, you might be able to get by on US$55 a day. If you've come all this way, though, you probably want to indulge at least a little - a budget of US$100 a day is more realistic if you want to do some diving, eat the country's fabulous seafood and stay in mid-range hotels. If you've got money to burn, the Seychelles is a great place to do it. If you are thinking of staying in the fancier hotels, consider a package tour, which will work out a fair bit cheaper.

9. You will get a better rate for traveler's cheques than for cash. No restrictions apply on taking rupees in or out of the country, but you'll get a much better rate in the Seychelles than you will anywhere else. Seychelles is well endowed with banks, and in villages where they're further apart you can usually change money at the bigger hotels (though the rate probably won't be the best).

10. Tipping is welcomed but not obligatory. A 10% service charge is added to your bill in hotels and restaurants. In general, there's a relaxed approach to bargaining. You might be able to get a discount on your car rental, but prices in shops are seldom negotiable. Markets are more open to a bit of friendly haggling.

11. The Seychelles is all about water. Snorkeling is a must-do for every visitor - the best sports around Mahé are St Anne, Anse Soleil, Petite Anse and Île Souris. Off Praslin, try around Chauve Souris Island. Diving, particularly around the outlying islands, is considered world class. There are several schools offering courses and equipment for hire. Windsurfing is particularly popular on Mahé and Praslin. Plenty of charter operation will take you deep-sea fishing.

12. English and French are the official languages and most people speak both.

13. The Seychelles is the best of all the Indian Ocean islands for Créole cuisine. Fish and rice are the staple foods, but rice takes a back seat while more imaginative use is made of fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices. The range of fish and seafood available is huge and you will probably be able to try shark, barracuda, kingfish, octopus, squid, jack fish, red snapper, cordonnier, parrot fish and grouper. Other Créole dishes standard to the region are the daube, a sweet sauce or stew; rougaille, a tomato-based sauce used with fish, sausages or as a side dish; carii coco, a mild meat or fish curry with coconut cream; fish marinated in lemon; and brèdes, a local variety of spinach.

14. The Seychelles' seasons are defined by the beginning and end of the southeast trade winds, which usually blow from May to October. For the rest of the year, the islands are swept by the monsoons, which bring the rain, especially in January. Mahé and Silhouette get the most rain. January is the wettest month, July and August the driest, while every month the temperature fluctuates between 24°C (75°F) and 31°C (88°F) and the humidity sweats at around 80%.

15. More and more airlines are flying to the Seychelles, so it's worth checking with your travel agent to see if you can get a direct flight. There are flights from Australia via Singapore, from Africa and Mauritius and direct from London. Travelers from Continental Europe can also fly direct - most take package holidays.

16. Air Seychelles runs regular flights to Praslin, Frégate, Desroches, Bird and Denis Island, and runs charters to other islands. Helicopters also fly to some of the islands. Schooner ferries run regularly between Mahé, Praslin and la Digue - if you want to go to the other islands you'll have to charter a boat.

17. An extensive bus service operates throughout Mahé, and there's limited service on Praslin.

18. Mini Mokes are the hire cars in the Seychelles - they often have some sort of mechanical defect, and they're no protection from the elements, but they are pretty appropriate for conditions on the islands. Most of the roads on Mahé are sealed, but other drivers can be a bit of a danger. Taxis run on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, and the government sets fares.

19. There are plenty of bicycles for hire on Praslin and La Digue, but you'll be lucky to get hold of one on Mahé. Walking is a dandy way to get around most of the islands - the traffic is light, distances are short and the scenery is lovely.

The Seychelles is a group of about 115 islands, which lie 1600 km (990 miles) off the coast of east Africa. The three central islands - Mahé, Praslin and La Digue - are granite, while the outlying islands are coral atolls (reef). Unlike most similar islands, Seychelles is not volcanic - they seem to be the peaks of a huge underwater plateau, which fell off the edge of India about 65 million years ago. The Seychelles is a haven for wildlife, particularly birds and tropical fish. The islands are rich in vegetation, but most of it is either coconut palms or casuarinas. There's virgin forest on the highlands of Malé and Silhouette, and in the Vallée de.