Seychellesislandsinformation’s Weblog

Here are some interesting facts we found about the Seychelles Islands, provided by the Sundowners. I thought these were very informative and written very well and to the point. Some of this information is probably outdated, as we have been informed that inflation is rising daily, so we are adding about 30 percent to this as a guide, but I’m sure that’s still not right.

RENT
Expect to pay anything between 6,000 and 8,000 rupees for a three bedroom house with sea views or near a beach. Obviously the more you pay, the larger the house, and if you are after an executive house you could expect to pay between 10,000 and 15,000 rupees. Some property owners prefer to receive rent in foreign exchange and if you can offer this, then you may be able to bargain with the price.

ELECTRICITY
The cost of electricity depends on how much you use, but as a general guide, you could expect to pay anything between 700 to 1700 rupees per month. The electricity outlets are configured the same as in Europe, so if you are coming from somewhere else, you may need to bring some universal adaptors with you. We definitely recommend that you bring these adapters with you as the ones that you can buy in the Seychelles are of a poor quality. The other option is changing the electricity plugs on all of your appliances or your power boards and you can buy the plugs in the hardware stores. Sometimes, the electricity supply can be interrupted and this can happen at any time of the day without warning. Our DVD player blew up in one such surge, so you may want to bring power boards with those cut of switches. Bring torches and candles with you in case these electricity interruptions occur at night time.

WATER WATER SUPPLY
Even though it rains heavily in Mahé, there are insufficient water reservoirs to supply Mahé all year round. During the dry season, Mahé is subjected to water restrictions which is why many of the houses have there own backup water storage. The cost of the water should be included in your rent.

HOT WATER AND PLUMBING
The hot water systems vary from one house to the next, but as a general guide, most houses have instantaneous hot water systems attached to the main shower. Hot water to the rest of the house is usually supplied through some type of electric hot water system and some houses have solar hot water as well. There will be a hot water switch in the house which will heat up the water when turned on. As the hot water systems are powered by electricity, the more you turn the hot water on, the higher your electricity bill will be.

DRINKABLE WATER
The water quality varies from one area to another as well as one season to another, so it is difficult to advise you on whether to drink the water straight from the tap. If in doubt, boil the water before drinking or bring some water purification jugs or tap fittings with you.

BOTTLED WATER
Locally produced bottled water is usually available in a variety of sizes up to 5 litre bottles which can be refilled near the Seybrew factory just out of Victoria. If you purchase imported bottled water such as Evian, expect the cost to be high.

PHONE LANDLINE
If you wish to have a land line phone it will take at least two weeks for this to be connected. You need to lodge an application with you chosen telephone provider and they may ask for a deposit as well. You will need to provide them with either the previous phone number attached to your house, or the lot number of the house to identify the address. The phone sockets are the same as in Europe and the phone hardware is provided by the phone company. I believe that Skype works well from Seychelles to Europe, but definitely doesn’t work to Australia. MOBILES You can either purchase a mobile phone prepaid started pack for around SR 75 and recharge cards are available everywhere. There are no message bank facilities through the phone network, but you can send text messages. Updated phone charges can be found on the Cable and Wireless or Airtel web sites.

INTERNET
Internet is available through your phone provider or through Kokonet located next to the Pirates Arms in Victoria or Intelvision which is located behind Novobanq near the clock. The monthly internet connection cost varies depending on the package that you apply for and you will need to figure out which speed you need.

TELEVISION
There are two free to air television channels and the local channel, SBC airs local shows as well as international shows. Some of the programs are in French, Creole or English. You can choose to connect to Intelvision, the Cable TV provider, but you may need to purchase a satellite dish to obtain reception.

FOOD & PERSONAL ITEMS
Generally for a family of four, expect to pay between SR 1,000 and SR 1,500 per week on food obviously depending on what you purchase. The more you purchase of the locally produced products, the cheaper your food bill will be. Buy in bulk when you can. Sunscreen and personal items are expensive, so bring this with you if you can.

INSURANCE
Car insurance premiums depend on the value of your car and the level of your current no claim discount, but for a new car worth SR 275,000 with a 50% no claim discount the annual premium is around SR 8,000. If you are bringing furniture and personal items with you, then you may wish to obtain contents insurance as unfortunately, petty theft can be an issue. Again, the premium for contents insurance depends on the value of your contents, but for contents worth SR 100,000 the premium is SR 2,000 per year.

RESTAURANT MEALS
A pub meal will cost you around SR 60 – 80 rupees for a burger and chips, where as a meal in a quality restaurant can cost up to SR 250 for a main course. Drinks to accompany your meal will be around SR 10 for a soft drink and SR 40 for a Seybrew.

PETROL
As at the beginning of September 2007, it costs around SR 300 – 350 to fill up a medium size petrol tank.

ROAD TAX OR REGISTRATION
Road tax is payable on your vehicle annually and the cost depends on the size of your engine. For a 1300 CC engine, expect to pay around SR 1,300 per year. You will need to pay this amount in cash.

MEDICINE
Prescription medication is free if you have obtained a National Identification Number and have your script filled at your local health clinic or at the hospital. For those items that are not prescribed like paracetomol, expect to pay around SR 30 for a packet of 24 tablets. There is only one private pharmacy on the island which is in Tamoljee’s arcade. You may be able to buy things like bandaids, paracetamol from your local mini market.

CONSTRUCTION
The majority of houses in the Seychelles are rendered concrete and brick construction, and most of them have large windows and verandahs. The floors are made of either timber or are tiled and many houses have louvre windows. Most of the cabinets and joinery are made out of timber and kitchen bench tops are often made out of granite. The stoves, cook tops or ovens are often powered by gas cylinders. In many of the houses, hot water is powered by solar panels with an electric backup for cloudy days. The hot water switches are usually found in the bathroom and kitchen.

RENTAL ACCOMODATION
Finding suitable rental accommodation can be very difficult as most of the houses that are available are not advertised anywhere. You often find out about rental accommodation through word of mouth. Those landlords that advertise houses in the newspaper are often inundated with potential tenants so it is evident that there is a general lack of long term rental accommodation. Many expats choose to place a rental house wanted advertisement in the newspaper which can have a good results. It is much harder to find a four bedroom house than a three bedroom one. If you find a house in the south of Mahé, you may be travelling up to 40 minutes to Victoria. The north of Mahé is more popular as it is generally less than 10 minutes drive to Victoria. Pricing obviously varies depending on what it is you need, but expect to pay anything between 4,000 and 15,000 rupees per month. 4,000 may get you a 2 bedroom apartment, whilst 15,000 would secure a 3-4 bedroom executive house with views. Paying rent in foreign exchange will usually be looked upon more favourably than paying in rupees. Similar to other countries, expect to pay a deposit or bond on a rental property equivalent to two months rent and carefully read any tenancy agreement. SUBURBS The northern part of Mahé is more populated than the south, but it doesn’t matter where you live, you will never be far away from a nice beach. There are resorts all over the island as well as Restaurants and the expat population is scattered all over the island. At present, the majority of the expats live in the northern part of the island. This travel time table may give you some idea about the different suburbs around Mahé only.

UTILITIES
Electricity – PUC (Public Utilities Corporation) is located behind the Pirates Arms hotel. Meters are read every month and payment can be made by cheque. Phone – There are three phone options, Airtel, Cable and Wireless and Intelvision. All three companies have offices in Victoria, Airtel is in the Trinity House building, Cable and Wireless is in the main street near Kelwyn House and Intelvision is behind Novobanq near the clock. Internet – Several options here as well but the most popular would be intelvision, Kokonet, Airtel and Cable and Wireless. Generally you pay a monthly amount and there are no time limits or download limits. Internet facilities – There are several internet cafes around Victoria but generally there is no “cafe” attached. TV – The local free channel is SBC and some of the programs are in creole, french and english. Cable Television is available and the more you pay the more you get. You can have cable TV or you can have TV through a satellite dish.

THINGS TO TAKE NOTE OF
Water Supply – Sometimes there are water restrictions in Mahé, so you will need to make sure that your house has a secondary source of water such as a tank. Hot Water system – Plumbing in our experience is generally poor, so you will need to make sure that you have water pressure and constant hot water. Some of the solar panels hot water systems have not been connected to the electricity, so when it is not sunny, you dont have any hot water. Security – You will need burglar bars at the very least. Check that all of the doors lock securely and never leave the house unlocked. Unfortunately expats are a target for theft. Some houses are equipped with burglar alarms and there are local security companies as well. Road access – The roads in Seychelles are narrow, windy and often steep, so you will need to make sure that your vehicle can make it up your driveway. Cooling system – Generally ceiling fans are all that is needed in the bedrooms to keep you comfortable at night. The hotter areas tend to be close to the beaches, so you may need to get airconditioning. Many expats buy the airconditioning systems themselves and then get the landlord to organise installation.

CREEPY CRAWLIES
Geckos – There are many geckos in Seychelles and for such small creatures you will be surprised at the mess they leave. The geckos can be reduced by having the houses fumigated, but personally, they don’t bother me and the green ones are gorgeous. Cockroaches – Luckily there aren’t too many of these nasties around, but sometimes you will get the odd flying cockroach. Centipedes – Apparently there are some nasty centipedes in Seychelles and they like to bite, but I have only ever seen them in the forests. Spiders – Palm spiders are the only ones that I have seen, and they can be easing killed using fly spray. They are very fast though, so you will have to chase them around the house. Ants – Oh yes, there are billions of ants. Never leave any food on your kitchen bench, or you will be infested very quickly. Again you can have the pest control guys fix this problem.

PURCHASING REAL ESTATE
There are some ways in which an expat can own property in Seychelles such as Eden island and other mixed accommodation options. However, in general to build a house in the Seychelles you have to first be a citizen and secondly you need to find a suitable piece of land or property. This can be quite difficult, and similar to finding a rental property, it is often who you know not what you know. Prices are also very high especially if the land is flat, so you will need a fairly big wallet. You have to be careful that the land is not prone to landslide as well. The houses that are built are of a good quality, but often builders run out of building materials. It will take you a lot longer to build a house here than probably anywhere else in the world.

THE STAPLE CREOLE DIET
The Creole diet revolves around those foods that are in abundance such as fish, coconut, bananas, local tropical fruit such as paw paw and mango and the many different available spices. There is a wide variety of fish available which can be purchased at the Victoria markets or from the fish factories such as Oceane Fisheries. There are some unique fruit and vegetables that are incorporated in the Creole diet but generally these food types are complimentary to the main fish dishes. Note that you should not haggle with the vendors at the Victoria market as their prices are set and non negotiable.

IMPORTED FOOD
The majority of food in the Seychelles is imported and therefore, based on supply rather than demand. In this way, sometimes basic food products may not be available such as sugar, flour, cooking oil, long life milk, soft drinks, tonic water etc. If there is a particular food product or drink that you can’t live without, buy in bulk when it is available. In fact, my advice to you is always buy in bulk!!! Cooking a meal is very much dictated by what is available at the time rather than on your favourite recipes.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
Surprisingly, most of the fresh fruit and vegetables that you find in the Supermarkets are imported and you may need to cook meals based on what is available at the time. Usually carrots, broccoli, french beans, potatoes, red onions and pumpkin is available but as these items are imported they can be quite expensive. Tinned and frozen vegetables are also available in most of the supermarkets and can be a good alternative. Bananas, paw paw, avocado and mango are grown locally and are cheap when they are in season. You might find some interesting local fruit and vegetables at the Victoria Market which is open very early in the morning Mon – Sat. Most of the Bananas that you can buy are small and sweet whilst the avocados are absolute giants. You can buy oranges, mandarins, pears and apples but these are all imported and relatively expensive. Tinned and frozen fruits are also available.

MEAT
Chicken, lamb, beef, pork, goat, bacon and sausages are all available at most of the supermarkets and butchers both fresh and frozen. You will need to check the freezer section in the mini markets for meat supplies. You can buy large pieces of frozen meat which the butcher will cut into pieces upon request (with a big saw). From the cold cut side of the meat world, you can purchase sliced meat from the delicatessens inside the larger supermarkets. My personal favourite is the smoked chicken.

DAIRY
There is rarely any fresh milk available and when you do find it remember it is no pasteurized or homogenised so the majority of local households use powdered milk. UHT long life milk is available most of the time and the cheapest I have seen it is SR 6.15 for 1 litre. You can purchase canned desert cream or powdered whipped cream and pre packaged custard products. Yoghurt is a popular source of dairy in the Seychelles and can be purchased in supermarkets or local mini markets. Processed cheese products such as Philadelphia cream cheese, plastic cheddar cheese and kraft processed cheese are available and fairly inexpensive, whilst any quality cheese is very expensive. (250g will cost at least SR). Good cheese is a luxury product in the Seychelles. Icecream is a Seychellois favourite and as such there are several icecream manufacturers. This local icecream is of a very good quality and there are many different flavours. You can also purchase imported brand name icecreams, but this is not necessary as the local brands are just as good. An icecream van roams the island on Sundays, so listen for the silly music and put your running shoes on.

BREAD
Most of the mini markets and supermarkets sell bread, baguettes, french sticks and bread rolls of varying quality at very reasonable prices. Bread would be considered a staple food in the Seychelles. It’s a good idea to find the bread that you like, buy in bulk and freeze. There are also quite a few bakeries that make sweet rolls, plain and filled croissants, bagels and savoury snacks. The Seychellois bakeries make fantastic and elaborate cakes so no need to cook them. Lately, one of the big supermarkets has been baking muffins, donuts and cookies, but this may not last. For those who would like to bring a bread maker, there are no pre packaged bread mixes available, but you can purchase flour (in 1kg packets) and dried yeast from most supermarkets.

COOKING SUPPLIES
Flour is usually available, but like all imported goods, if the island runs out then you have to wait for the next shipment. Cake baking supplies are readily available and reasonably priced. You can purchase all of the basic baking supplies such as baking powder, cream of tartar and bicarbonate soda.

BREAKFAST SUPPLIES
There is a large selection of cereals for breakfast although most of them are very sweet. Prices for a box of cereal vary from SR 23 – SR 60. There is a large selection of spreads such as jams, marmalades, chocolate hazelnut spread, peanut butter, marmite and cheese spreads and if you get the opportunity you should try some of the local jams made out of local fruits, they are delicious. Bacon and Eggs are readily available all over the place and the only time it is difficult to get eggs is around Easter.

SAUCES, COOKING ADDITIVES, RICE AND PASTA
There is a wide selection of sauces, pickles, packet and tinned soups, noodles, pasta, rice, casserole and curry bases, as well as canned ready to eat foods like baked beans and spaghetti. Don’t worry about buying spices to make delicious curries, there is an abundant supply of spices in the Seychelles. At Victoria Markets you can buy a packet of ready made spices with the Creole recipe on the outside, a fantastic gift idea as well.

CHOCOLATE, LOLLIES AND CHIPS
There are a couple of sweet shops in the Seychelles, and lollies are in abundance. There is plenty of chocolate too. You certainly won’t miss out if you have a sweet tooth. You can also buy imported or locally produced chips, nuts, pretzels and other nibbly supplies at reasonable prices, however a packet of Pringles is around SR 60, so quite expensive.

LUNCH BOX SUPPLIES
You can buy breakfast bars, muesli bars and dried fruit as well as yoghurt and fruit to add to your child’s lunch. You can also get small bags of baked savoury biscuits. Most of the Seychellois eat a large lunch and you can buy a takeaway box of rice and curry or bouillabaisse for around SR 25. Also, the school canteens supply this type of lunch for your children, so no need to pack lunch.

COFFEE & TEA
You can buy imported instant coffee (very expensive) and the local instant coffee which isn’t too bad. If however there is a particular coffee that you like or you are a coffee addict, you should bring this with you. Best thing we bought with us was our coffee machine. Tea is readily available as tea is grown in this country. The local brands are really good, but again if there is a particular brand that you can’t live without you should bring this with you. You can buy small bags of coffee beans, but these are very expensive.

DRINKS
Soft drinks such as Coke, Sprite and Fanta are all manufactured locally by Seybrew and you can get the local generic brand of soft drink as well. Mix up cordial is available at the supermarkets, but is expensive. Fruit juices are sold in cartons at around SR 9 per litre. Bottled water is available in up to a 5 litre bottle which can be refilled upon request. In relation to alcohol, the local beer brands are Seybrew and Eku which apparently tastes similar to Heineken. Spirits and wine are available at many of the supermarkets and local mini markets, but are these items can be quite expensive. The wine is mostly imported from South Africa and is usually quite drinkable. Pre mixed drinks like Smirnoff are also readily available at reasonable prices.

CLEANING PRODUCTS & OTHER ITEMS
Most cleaning products are available at reasonable prices in the Seychelles such as washing powder, fabric softener, bleach, dishwashing liquid, disinfectant, toilet paper and tissues. You can also purchase personal items at reasonable prices like shampoo, conditioner, hair styling products, deodorant and toothpaste. Some items that are harder to find and/or expensive are facial creams, sunblock and shavers so bring these with you.

BABY STUFF
Baby products such as formula, baby food, nappies and general baby supplies are also available, but I haven’t seen too many babies in prams or car seats, so you may need to bring these pieces of equipment with you.

WHERE TO BUY: SUPERMARKETS, MINI MARKETS, VICTORIA MARKET & ROADSIDE MARKETS
You can purchase food from the large supermarkets, small local mini markets, Victoria markets and roadside stalls. Surprisingly the prices between the large supermarkets and the small mini markets are very similar. The main difference between them would be seen in the fresh food products like fruit, vegetables and meat but for all other supplies, there isn’t a lot of price difference. There are many mini markets and the available products will vary from one store to the next. Victoria markets sell fresh fish, fruit, vegetables and spices and would be where you can source local products. Another good source of locally grown fruit and vegetables can be found at the small roadside stalls. You can also buy fish from road side vendors. The largest supermarkets are Supersave, Docklands, SMB and a newly opened Peoples Choice supermarket in Mont Fleuri.

COFFEE SHOPS
There are very few coffee shops in the Seychelles and meeting someone for coffee is not a local habit.

RESTAURANTS
There are many restaurants in the Seychelles with a wide range of cuisine. There are many restaurants that serve local Creole cuisine but there are seafood, Italian, Spanish, Chinese and Indian restaurants as well. There are a couple of bars or pubs in the Seychelles and a Yacht club that sells meals at reasonable prices. You can buy take away Pizzas, Burgers, Chicken and Chips and Fish and Chips from various places on the Island. Eating out is easy to do in the Seychelles and there is never a lack of choice.

HOURS OF OPERATION
The hours of operation vary from one shop to another but generally shops are open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday and half day on Saturday. Some shops are open later and longer than this, and some shut down over the lunch period, so you will need to check in your local area. One thing to note is that some shops may advertise particular trading hours, but they will close if there is a lack of customers.

CURRENCY IN SEYCHELLES
The Seychelles currency is the rupee which is available in the following denominations:
Notes:

* SR 500
* SR 100
* SR 50
* SR 25
* SR 10

Coins:

* SR 5
* SR 1
* 25c
* 10c
* 5c
* 2c

You can only spend rupees in the Seychelles, as the currency has not been floated on the world market. Therefore, if you build up a large pool of rupee, you can only spend it in the Seychelles. In this way, foreign exchange becomes valuable, and there are necessary restrictions on how many rupees can be changed into foreign currency. Obviously the amount of rupees that you can exchange will depend on your own personal circumstances.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATES
The foreign exchange rates are printed every day in the local newspaper, the Nation. The Central Bank of Seychelles controls the foreign exchange and foreign earnings. You also can look on the Seychelles Central Bank web site for foreign exchange rates or obtain a printed list from your bank.

CHANGING FOREIGN EXCHANGE
You will come across individuals who ask if you would like to change your foreign exchange into rupee generally at popular tourist destinations. The exchange rate that these illegal money exchangers use is at significantly higher rates than what is attainable through the banking institutions. Note that this is an illegal activity in the Seychelles.

REPATRIATING FUNDS
As part of your employment contract, you should be informed about any repatriation of funds allowances. If you are paid in rupee, then you will need to seek permission from your employer through the Central Bank to change your rupee into foreign exchange. This written permission will then need to be lodged with your local bank and they will arrange for set amounts to be transferred at regular intervals (depending on your allowances). If you are paid in foreign exchange then this is not a problem for you. You will be able to use your overseas bank cards in the local ATM’s to change your foreign exchange into rupees.

PAYING IN FOREIGN CURRENCY
Some of the resorts accept rupees as payment if you are able to provide them with your National Identity Number. If you plan on going to Praslin, it is important to take your NIN card with you. Some of the resorts, will only accept foreign currency, so it pays to ask first.

CLOTHING
There are many clothes shops in Victoria and the surrounding suburbs, and the clothes are more expensive than if you bought them in Australia. If you are not an average size, then it may be difficult for you to find clothes and shoes that suit you. Generally if you find something you like and it fits, don’t leave it there for another day, because it will be gone. You can also buy accessories, belts, hats and jewellery in Victoria. Check out Kelwyn House for some beautiful jewellery. There is a many men’s clothing shops in the heart of Victoria where you can purchase business shirts, ties, belts, suits and other casual clothes. Opposite the Victoria Markets you will find a small shopping centre which contains several great men’s clothing stores. Young children are well catered for with several specialty children’s clothing shops but if you have children at that in between stage, not quite a child, not quite an adult, you may find it difficult to find clothing that fits, so come prepared. It is cheaper for you to purchase clothing overseas and bring it with you, but if you need something you can generally find it in the Seychelles.

SHOES
There are several shops that sell shoes only, but again if you are not an average size, you may find it difficult to find shoes that fit. You will find shoes for sale in some of the clothing shops. There is a shoe repair shop which is difficult to find, it runs off the Victoria Market road down an alley. You may need to ask someone where it is. Generally they can fix anything, so if you have a favourite pair of shoes, repairing is the way to go. It costs between R 25 and SR 40 for a repair.

HAIRDRESSERS
There are many hairdressers in the Seychelles who are able to style both black african hair and blonde hair. I have only seen two styles of men’s hair and that is either long dreadlocks or very short crew cuts. If you want to know where to go to get your hair done, contact us and we can recommend some places.

BEAUTY CLINICS
There are several beauty clinics in Victoria who can perform facial treatments, massage, waxing, tinting, manicures, pedicures and even minor cosmetic procedures. Just look them up in the phone book, or visit any of the spas in the many hotels. An hour and a half facial costs around SR 300 – SR 490 and is worth it for the relaxation.

HARDWARE SUPPLIES
There are several hardware suppliers mostly in Providence Industrial Estate. We suggest that you bring your own basic tools with you. Also bring a supply of assorted screws, nuts, bolts etc. You can buy bits and pieces here, but choice is fairly limited.

ROADS
The roads in the Seychelles are generally steep and narrow with regular hair pin bends and deep gutters. The majority of the roads are made with road tar or concrete and the roads are relatively well maintained with only the occasional pothole, although some of them you can lose your car in. Most people choose to drive small cars or small four wheel drives, but there are also many small trucks, buses and larger king cab utes. Not many people choose to ride motorbikes due to the road conditions so there are only a few motorbikes and a few scooters on the road. Mini Mokes are great fun but not when it rains. There are several roundabouts, several pedestrian crossings and one set of traffic lights in the main part of Victoria. The roads can get congested particularly around 7.30 to 8.30am and 3.30 to 5.00pm during the working week. During peak hours, there are often police officers at the problematic intersections and pedestrian crossings. You need to be aware that there are many pedestrians that walk on the side of the road due to a lack of footpaths (sidewalks) and often cars will park or pull up on the road to pick up or drop off passengers due to the lack of off road parking so you need to be ready to pull up at all times.

ROAD RULES
Cars drive on the left hand side of the road, with the majority of cars being right hand drive. The speed limits are between 40 and 80 kms per hour, and drink driving is illegal. Normal traffic laws apply such as give way to the right, indicate when going around the corner or pulling over and give way to pedestrians.

DRIVERS LICENSE
You can drive in the Seychelles on your drivers license from your home country for three months at which time you need to obtain a Seychelles drivers license from the licensing authority which is located at Orion Mall, cost is SR 150 for 12 months. Note that if you don’t get a local drivers license, your insurance company will not honour a claim if you have an accident. You must be over 18 to drive a car and over 16 to ride a motor bike.

PARKING
In Victoria, you may be required to purchase parking vouchers in certain areas to avoid receiving a parking ticket (look for signs). These vouchers cost 2 rupees and can be purchased at various shops near where the pay parking is located. Most of the supermarkets have free car parking. On the outer roads on Mahé, there are very few off road parking areas, which results in many people parking on the road. As the roads are narrow, you will often need to overtake these parked cars.

CAR HIRE
There are many car hire companies in Seychelles and the majority of them will accept payment in rupees, Euro or US dollars. If you wish to pay in rupee you will need to specifically ask and provide the car hire company with your National Identity Number. Most of the cars will come to you with a quarter of a tank of petrol, but there are several well positioned petrol stations on the island. Rental vehicles need to pass regular vehicle testing and most of them are under 5 years old. As a rough estimate a small car can cost anything between 250 rupee per day to 375 rupee per day (around 40 Euro). You can find a list of car hire companies in the telephone directory and telephone directories can be obtained from your phone company.

TAXIS
There are a few taxis in the Seychelles and you are able to hale them in the street. Once you have found a taxi driver you are happy with obtain his or her phone number if you expect to require a taxi again. Some of the drivers do not work at night, so it can be difficult to find a taxi at night time. There is a taxi stand in Victoria which is located opposite the church near the traffic lights in the main road.

BUSES
There is a regular and reliable bus service in the Seychelles that operates seven days a week and the time table is available from the bus mall behind Orion Mall in Victoria. If you plan on using the bus service it is best to pick up an up to date bus timetable, as it is subject to change. The buses are extremely sturdy and they operate on most of the main roads. They are not air conditioned and can be very crowded especially at peak times. A bus fare costs 3 rupees for a one way trip anywhere and there are weekly and monthly tickets available at a discounted price.

PETROL
There are several petrol stations on the island all conveniently located. There are petrol pump attendants at every station so you never have to serve yourself. As at September 2007 it costs approximately SR 300 – SR 350 to fill up the tank of a small to medium car. Petrol stations also sell gas bottles and oil for your car but do not stock any convenience items. You can pay for your petrol in cash.

VEHICLE PURCHASE NEW VEHICLES
If you wish to purchase a new vehicle, the purchase price will be partly foreign exchange and partly rupee. The cost of any car in the Seychelles is extremely high, but the cars usually maintain their value. Unless you are eligible for deferral of import duty, you will need to pay 150% of the new car value to the Trades Tax Office for import duty when your new vehicle arrives. It usually takes 3 months to receive your new vehicle, but some car dealers may have some stock and it is worth ringing around. All new vehicles must be tested at the vehicle testing station before obtaining registration plates and certificates. You will find a list of new car agents in the phone book, but the phone book does not detail what brands each car agent imports. Therefore, I have attached a list of car dealers including details of which brand of cars each one imports.

SECONDHAND VEHICLES
Second hand vehicles are also quite expensive and it would pay to have a valuation on any second hand vehicle you are considering. The valuation will cost SR 150 and the car valuers are located in Providence near the airport. You may also wish to have the car checked by a reputable mechanic which should cost no more than SR 100. It is important to note that spare parts are expensive and hard to find and you will need to factor this into your bargaining. Also, your car will need to pass a road safety check each year prior to registration, this costs SR 150. There are no second hand car yards or car markets in the Seychelles, however some of the locals advertise cars for sale in the local newspaper, the Nation. Another option is to use the jungle telephone and ask around for second hand vehicles or to put a wanted advert in the nation. Expect to pay at least SR 100,000 for a car that is in reasonable condition. Things to check include tyres (including the spare) and air conditioning. Also it is necessary to ask if there are any pledges over the vehicles due to loans or deferred import duties as this will mean additional paperwork.

INSURANCE
There are two insurance companies in the Seychelles, H Savvy and Sacos, both located close to Orion Mall. Similar to other countries, comprehensive car insurance is based on the market value of the vehicle along with other common factors. To obtain a discount on your insurance premium, you should bring evidence with you of any no claim bonus’s that you have with your current insurance company. The insurance companies here will match any discount that you currently have but only if you have this documentary evidence. You must have your car insured before you can change the registration to your name. All insurance claims are paid in rupees. You can also obtain third party insurance only.

REGISTRATION / ROAD TAX
The cost of annual road tax (registration) is based on the engine capacity of your vehicle. Basically, the annual road tax (registration) is around SR 1,300 for a 1300 CC engine, but this is subject to some minor variations. You will have to pay for your road tax in cash as the licensing authority do not accept personal cheques and do not have any credit card facilities. If buying a second hand vehicle, you will need to take the current owner of the car with you to the licensing authority to change the registration over to your name. You could take advantage of this time at Licensing to change over your drivers license.