The Seychelles are a group of approximately 130 granitic islands situated just south of the Equator. The population is cosmopolitan, and has its roots in Africa, Europe and Asia. The official languages are English, French and Creole. The Seychelles time is GMT +4.
The islands enjoy a temperate year-round climate, with temperatures seldom reaching higher than 33 or dropping lower than 24 degrees Celsius. Short tropical showers are the order of the day. Although mainly tropical, the weather is cooler between May and September.
With approximately 1 300 000 kms of clear, warm water, Seychelles is a paradise for diving and snorkelling. The largely uninhabited outer islands present the experienced diver with a large variety of dive sites.
Most offices are open between the hours of 08h00 and 16h00 Monday to Friday, although many business close between 12h00 and 13h00. Few offices are open on Saturdays. Shops and supermarkets are mostly open 7 days a week, with shorter hours on Saturdays and Sundays.
As Seychelles has a number of public holidays throughout the year, it is wise to check this if you are coming on a short business trip.