Seychelles: The Hidden Gem of Africa

If you asked a person to name a country in Africa, they would most likely say Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, or South Africa (duh). It is unlikely that anyone would mention Seychelles, in fact, most people have probably never heard of the country. Even as a geography fanatic, I only learned about this unique country’s existence recently. Seychelles is an island archipelago located in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa; its closest neighbors are Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. The people speak English, French, and Creole and also have an interesting ethnic complex. The people identify as “Seychelle Creole” but all have a mix of African, French, British, and Indian heritage. While the country has a population of less than a hundred thousand people and is situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the country has a plethora of beautiful beaches and other magnificient sites to offer.

As an island nation, Seychelles has no shortage of magnificent and visually stunning beaches. I would certainly visit the Beau Vallon beach. The palm trees, white sand, and clear and colorful water on a sunny creates a relaxing aesthetic for any tourists visiting. The water is perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving. Another popular beach I would like to visit is Anse Lazio. This beach has the same qualities of beautiful water, sand, and plant life but also has giant boulders adding a unique feature to Anse Lazio. Seychelles has many beautiful beaches and if I had the time I would love to visit them all.

Image result for beau vallon beach

While Seychelles is known for its beaches, the country has more to offer than just a beach paradise. Another popular tourist attraction that I would love to visit is the Curieuse Marine National Park. The entire island (roughly 2-square-miles) is a large free-range zoo where visitors can walk alongside the animals as they go about their daily routines. The most popular attraction would be the Seychellois tortoise, one of the largest tortoises on the planet weighing between 300 and 600 pounds. It would be a wonderful experience to walk alongside these giant creatures in their natural habitat.

Image result for curieuse national park

Finally, it would be a crime to not visit the country’s capital city, Victoria. The is full of the island’s unique history and culture. You walk through the beautiful streets and colorful architecture seeing street vendors selling fish and other goods. Victoria offers many restaraunts with authentic Seychelle Creole cuisine along with its own clock tower. Finally, the Seychelles National Botanical Gardens is another noteworthy attraction in the city.

In conclusion, although most people may not know of Seychelles, the island nation stands apart as one of the most visually stunning countries of the world. Its beautiful beaches capture the eye of any beach of nature lover. Its unique blend of European, Indian, and African culture give the people a distinct culture of their own. There is no other place on the globe like Seychelles and I would highly suggest this country to anyone looking for a beach paradise or relatively obscure country to visit.

Images:

https://www.123rf.com/photo_138924835_aldabra-giant-tortoise-curieuse-marine-national-park-curieuse-island-seychelles.html

https://www.countryflags.com/seychelles-the-flag-clipart/

Other Sources:

https://travel.usnews.com/Seychelles/Things_To_Do/

3 thoughts on “Seychelles: The Hidden Gem of Africa

  1. This was such a cool blog. I’ve never heard of this island nation and now you have made me want to visit. This was a really unique place to talk about. Good work.

  2. This truly does seems like a hidden gem and looks beautiful to vacation at. i enjoyed the visuals along with the blog i think they added another layer to the blog.

  3. This is a cool theme for your blogs. Picking vacation spots or exotics places on Earth is fun but picking obscure ones each time that we can learn about makes it even better. As a sidenote, Seychelles has a cool flag.

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