Seychelles

The Republic of the Seychelles is made up of a cluster of 115 islands that lie scattered across 950,000 square kilometres of the Indian Ocean. This cluster is surrounded by warm waters and generally hot weather, and epitomises the expression 'tropical island paradise'.

The Seychellois themselves, of which only 80,000 inhabit the archipelago, call their home "Forever Eden" and it is no wonder, for life is prolific here. More than 1,000 flowering plant species grow in colourful profusion, over 220 bird species are recorded, and insects, amphibians and reptiles abound - amongst them the smallest frog and the largest land tortoise in the world. Mammals are less abundant as befits island ecosystems, with the most common being the famous flying fox, a large fruit bat.

Seychelles' magnificent islands possess unrivalled beauty ranging from the verdant forests to secluded beaches and together represent the ultimate tropical destination.