Silvol26n01

WITHOUT A VISIT TO EDEN ISLAND

SILHOUETTE THE IN-FLIGHT MAGAZINE OF AIR SEYCHELLES VOLUME 26 NUMBER 1

A TRIP TO SEYCHELLES IS INCOMPLETE

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CEO’S FOREWORD

We remain on track for another year of growth, opportunity and profitability in 2015, and wish you to have a similarly prosperous year ahead.

Nous sommes sur la bonne voie pour bénéficier d’une autre année de croissance, d’opportunités et de rentabilité en 2015 et nous vous souhaitons une très bonne et heureuse année.

Dear Guest,

Cher passager,

Welcome onboard our four-star airline.

Bienvenu à bord de notre compagnie aérienne quatre-étoiles.

As we soar into 2015, our aim remains to be the best airline in the Indian Ocean region, and this means continuing to deliver on our warm, award-winning Creole service which you will experience on this flight.

A l’approche de 2015, notre but demeure d’être la meilleure compagnie aérienne de l’océan Indien ce qui signifie de continuer à offrir notre chaleureux service primé ‘Créole’ dont vous allez bénéficier sur ce vol.

In fact, we were recognised for our hospitality and service at the World Travel Awards in September 2014, when we took top accolades for having the leading Business Class and cabin crew in the Indian Ocean region. Decided by travel professionals from over 170 countries, and with over 500,000 votes cast, these titles testify to our commitment and dedication to our guests.

En effet, nous avons eu une mention spéciale pour notre hospitalité et notre service aux World Travel Awards en septembre 2014, ou nous avons raflé les titres pour la meilleure classe business et le meilleur équipage de cabine dans l’océan indien.

Faisant suite a une décision des professionnels du voyage à travers 170 pays et plus de 500,000 suffrages, ces titres attestent notre engagement et notre dévouement envers nos clients.

We took our service up a further notch in December 2014 when we welcomed our new 136-seat Airbus A320 aircraft to our young and expanding fleet. Named Amirantes after a group of famous islands in Seychelles, the aircraft is leased from our partner Etihad Airways and has allowed us to bring you three exciting new destinations. Similar to our wide-bodied Airbus A330, the single-aisle A320 offers guests a high-class experience that includes the latest inflight entertainment systems, delicious dining options and comfortable seating.

Nous avons franchi une étape importante dans notre service en décembre 2014 quand nous avons ajouté un nouveau Airbus A320 avec une capacité de 136 sièges à notre flotte qui est en pleine croissance. Baptisé ‘Amirantes‘, qui est un archipel de renom des Seychelles, cet avion nous a été loué par notre partenaire Etihad Airways et nous a permis de vous offrir trois nouvelles destinations passionnantes.

Tout comme notre gros porteur l’Airbus A330, le monocouloir Airbus A320 offre à nos passagers une expérience haut de gamme qui inclue un système de divertissement en vol dernier-cri, de délicieux menus et des sièges confortables.

Full details of the exciting improvements to our routes and frequencies are outlined in our News pages.

Vous pouvez lire les détails complets des améliorations excitantes apportées à nos routes et à nos fréquences dans nos pages consacrées aux Nouvelles.

These enhancements to our network have translated into fantastic growth in our operations, with our third quarter figures showing a year-on-year 23 per cent increase in the total number of passengers carried across our network.

Ces améliorations apportées à notre réseau nous ont permis d’enregistrer une croissance conséquente de nos opérations, avec une augmentation de 23 pour cent du nombre total de passagers transportés à travers notre réseau.

We remain on track for another year of growth, opportunity and profitability in 2015, and wish you to have a similarly prosperous year ahead.

Nous sommes sur la bonne voie pour bénéficier d’une autre année de croissance, d’opportunités et de rentabilité en 2015 et nous vous souhaitons une très bonne et heureuse année.

Thank you for flying with Air Seychelles and for your continued loyalty. We hope you enjoy our service and look forward to seeing you onboard again soon.

Merci d’avoir choisi de voyager sur Air Seychelles et de votre loyauté. Noue espérons que vous avez aimé notre service et espérons de vous revoir à bord d’Air Seychelles bientôt.

Bon Voyage Manoj Papa Chief Executive Officer Directeur Général

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 1

CONTENTS In-flight magazine of Air Seychelles Volume 26 number 1 | January-April 2015 Issue

husen

© Peter Holthusen

© Robert Harding

r Holt

© Pete

Cover: Exciting new destinations: Madagascar, Tanzania and India.

Regular s •

1 CEO’s Foreword

• 17 Events Calendar • 19 Discover Seychelles • 68 News • 71 Frequent Flier page • 72 Healthy Travelling • 73 Map of Mahé • 74 Welcome Aboard • 76 International Route Map • 78 Worldwide Offices • 79 English - Creole • 80 Travel Facts • 82 Dining Out • 84 Crossword

6

Mumbai: The City of Dreams

8

The Alluring Wildlife of Madagascar

Over the years, Mumbai has transformed to become India’s financial, industrial, commercial, trading and entertainment centre.

All the riches of the earth, all the ingenuity of man could not have crafted a more beautiful setting, nor cornucopia of untold treasure as found on Madagascar.

46

The East is Red: Chinese New Year Celebrate the Chinese New Year with hope, happiness and renewal.

50

Aride, an Island Restored

53

Carnaval International de Victoria: Seychelles Preparing for its 6th edition

56

Dario: the Butcher of Panzano

58

The Seychelles Hospital at 90

60

Gateway to Tanzania, Dar es Salaam

Founding Publisher: Editorial Director: Editor: Editorial Assistant: Creative Designer: Production Manager: Production Assistants:

Mohamed Amin Rukhsana Haq Roger Barnard Cecilia Wanjiku Charles Kamau Azra Chaudhry, London Rachel Musyimi, Rose Judha

Editorial Board:

Rukhsana Haq Adrian Skerrett

Visit Aride for a taste of Seychelles as it was centuries ago: pristine, stunningly beautiful and positively bursting with life.

The 2015 edition promises to pack the same punch as every year, offering a raft of entertainment options with live music bands from across the world.

Tuscany is the heart of Italy and Chianti is the soul of Tuscany.

Local people will tell you that Dario is the heartbeat.

Built during the early 20th century, and now a decade short of its century, this is one of Seychelles’ most iconic colonial edifices.

For most arrivals, Dar is still the first port of call, whether your visit is for business or pleasure.

Silhouette is published three times a year for Air Seychelles PO Box 386, Mahé, Seychelles Telephone: (+248) 4391000 Fax: (+248) 4224305 E-mail: pro@airseychelles.com

By Camerapix Magazines Limited, PO Box 45048, 00100, GPO Nairobi, Kenya Telephone: +254 (20) 4448923/4/5 Fax: +254 (20) 4448818 E-mail: creative@camerapix.co.ke

Editorial and Advertising Office: Camerapix Magazines (UK) Limited, 32 Friars Walk, Southgate, London N14 5LP Telephone: +44 (20) 8361 2942 Mobile: +44 79411 21458 E-mail: camerapixuk@btinternet.com Correspondence on editorial and advertising matters may be sent to either of the above addresses.

Printed in: Dubai

© 2015 CAMERAPIX MAGAZINES LTD. 2 | Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the publisher.

PHOTOS © PETER HOLTHUSEN

NEW DESTINATION

by Cecilia Gaitho.

One of the finest museums in the country with an interesting collection in art, archaeology and natural history is the Prince of Wales Museum now known as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. The miniature paintings are particulary good and the natural history section is extremely popular with children.

Mani Bhavan Gandhi museum, the preserved former home of global icon Mahatma Gandhi features three floors for visitors to explore. It has an incredible library, a picture gallery and an auditorium that plays Gandhi’s speeches and films about him.

On the streets of Mumbai (Bombay) outside Victoria Station.

MAHARASHTRA THE GREAT STATE Maharashtra, which literally means ‘the Great State’, is one of India’s largest states both in terms of area and population. It is located on the western region of India. Its capital city is called Mumbai (formerly Bombay).

Mumbai is one of the most populous urban regions in the world. It lies on the west coast of India and boasts a natural harbor. It consists of an archipelago of seven islands namely Bombay Island, Parel, Mahim, Worli, Mazagaon, Colaba, and Old Woman’s Island (also known as Little Colaba).

These seven islands were merged into one landmass over a period of six decades starting circa 1784 AD. Over the years, Mumbai has transformed to become India’s financial, industrial, commercial, trading and entertainment centre.

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MUMBAI ATTRACTIONS Perhaps Mumbai’s most distinctive monument is the Gateway of India, built to commemorate George V’s visit to India in 1911 and stands right by the sea at Apollo Bunder area.

An hour-long launch ride takes you to Elephanta Island, 10 kilometres (six miles) from the Gateway of India, and its rock-cut Hindu temples from the seventh and eighth centuries AD.

For rock climbing, nature trails and treks visit Sanjay Gandhi National Park, previously Borivali National Park. It is rich in flora and fauna and most popular with visitors. It is India’s only national park that lies within a metropolitan area.

Tour the entertainment centre known as Bollywood. Mumbai is the centre of India’s movie industry, the largest in the world. Hindi films are a mix of action, romance and family drama – usually all in one and watching a scene being shot can also be fun.

Known as the ‘world’s largest laundromat’, Dhobi Ghat continues to attract many foreign tourists. Here thousands of dhobis (laundry washers) openly wash dirty laundry on concrete wash pen areas, all fitted with their own flogging stones.

Enjoy shopping with the locals at the colourful indoor Crawford Market (Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Market) for fruit, vegetables and even meat.

The Gateway of India monument in Colaba, Mumbai.

Explore Mumbai’s Fort Area and see the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly the Victoria Terminous) built during the British period in Gothic Revival style architecture. For Art-Deco styled landmarks visit Marine Drive and west of the Ova Maidan. In south-western Mumbai lies the Haji Ali Dargah a mausoleum and mosque built in 1431 in memory of Muslim preacher Syed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari.

PHOTOS © WIKIMEDIA

MUMBAI Festivals Mumbai is a diverse city that enjoys innumerable festivals marked with pomp and colour such as Christmas, Eid, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navaratri, Durga Puja, Maha Shivratri amongst others.

MUMBAI People

MUMBAI Cuisine Mumbai offers a variety of tasty, spicy, local vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Mumbai’s staple foods include Indian bread (chapatis and rotis), vegetable curries, pulses, rice, deserts and a wide range of delicious seafood dishes. Another popular local delicacy, Chaats, is available on numerous eateries and foodstalls.

MUMBAI Entertainment Mumbai is a city that never sleeps, with an exciting nightlife for ‘party goers’ and clubbers. There are numerous clubs, pubs, bars and discotheques.

Mumbai is home to Bollywood (Hindi Film Industry) and hosts dance shows, art galleries, theatre performances, concerts … and many more. Its the dream location for wannabe superstars.

Mumbai’s streets, pavements and corners are lined with shops making it a shoppers’ delight and a must visit for food freaks.

Getting there: Air Seychelles flies thrice a week to Mumbai from Mahé.

Mumbai is among the most accessible cities in India, with international flights arriving at Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, often referred to simply as Mumbai Airport, and domestic services operating out of Santa Cruz Airport. Mumbai is equally well connected by rail and road with the rest of India. Auto-rickshaws, cars for hire and yellow and black taxis allow easy travel within Mumbai city.

Communication Mumbai enjoys modern, efficient communication services. Mobiles are common and regional telephone calls are generally quite cheap. Offices of internet service providers, internet cafés, postal and courier services are available.

© Robert Harding

Mumbai is a metropolitan city where all are welcome – or, at least accepted. It is unique in character and home to a large cross-section of people; from the wealthiest to the poorest people of India. (Mumbai has India’s largest slum population). As of 2011, Mumbai’s estimated population was 18.4 million, making it the most populous city in India and the fifth most populous city in the world. In this bustling city almost every culture, language, religion and cuisine in the country is represented.

TRAVEL TIPS Getting There

Regional and international cuisines abound in Mumbai’s many hotels that have wonderful in-house restaurants and expert chefs preparing multi-culinary delicacies.

They cater to different palettes including Japanese, Italian, Parsi, Chinese, Sushi, combination Oriental and Lebanese food.

Money ATMs, credit cards and direct debit cards are commonplace. It is advisable to exchange foreign currency at banks or bureaux de change or foreign exchange counters at the international airport.

When to go Mumbai is generally hot and humid throughout the year. It enjoys a tropical wet and dry climate with the average annual temperature of 27°C and an annual rainfall of 2,100mm. The best time to travel to Mumbai is in December. November and January are generally pleasant.

Where to stay Are you planning to stay in a hotel or resort?

Mumbai offers a variety of accommodation options – from international resorts to medium-sized hotels – that suit the tastes and needs of various travellers. It is advisable to book reservations well in advance.

MUMBAI Basic Facts Language: The official language of Mumbai is Marathi. Also widely spoken is Hindi and English.

Religion: A city of many faiths, Mumbai is home to Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Zoroastrians and Jains.

Currency: Indian rupee.

Time zone: Mumbai is five-and-ahalf hours ahead of GMT. Calling code: The international dialing code for India is +91 followed

by Mumbai’s area code 22.

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 7

NEW DESTINATION

Madag 8 | Silhouette Vol 26 No 1

PHOTOS © PETER HOLTHUSEN

THE ALLURING WILDLIFE OF

gascar

BY DEREK SCHUURMAN

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 9

PHOTOS © PETER HOLTHUSEN

NEW DESTINATION

Left: For anyone visiting Madagascar for the first time, the lemurs are an absolute mustsee. This group of primates – unique to the island – have been isolated from true monkeys and apes for millions of years.

Madagascar is a veritable treasure chest for nature enthusiasts, who come from all over the globe to seek out its incomparable assemblage of plants and animals, most of which are found nowhere else in the world.

Because of the exceptionally high rate of endemicity among its natural assets, the island is currently regarded as one of our planet’s 12 ‘Megadiversity Hotspot countries’ and, as such, is one of the world’s highest conservation priorities. But that’s also because Madagascar has suffered terribly at the hands of man and today holds an almost disproportionately large array of threatened or endangered life forms.

SO WHAT IS IT THAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE TO THE WILDLIFE OF MADAGASCAR? Why all the sudden interest in its rather ‘low key’ wildlife? After all, there is no megafauna left. The big animals, which once included gorilla-sized lemurs and the heaviest bird ever to have lived, the Aepyornis, are long gone. There are no wild dogs, cats or ungulates in its grasslands. And, for an island of its size, the bird species count is admittedly rather poor. But for me the answer to the Malagasy wildlife allure question is three-fold.

Firstly, there is the rarity factor. Many Malagasy animals are threatened or even critically endangered, existing in some cases only in, say, one or two isolated and fast fragmenting pockets of forest or wetland. And these may

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told, Madagascar is one of the few destinations where one is still able to interact quite closely with endangered wildlife.

Then there is my favourite theme – the bizarre. Some Malagasy animals are downright outrageous in appearance.

You need only take a quick glance at the aye aye, a lemur which the late author, Gerald Durrell, so aptly described as looking like a ‘weird witch’s cat’. Indeed, this nocturnal oddity is so grotesque that it remains the centre of various Malagasy superstitions or taboos.

In certain parts of its natural range, whole villages would be moved or burnt if an aye aye entered the place.

Another example is the strange family of brilliantly camouflaged nocturnal geckos called ‘leaf-tailed’ geckos of

Madagascar is one of the few destinations where one is still able to interact quite closely with endangered wildlife. the endemic uroplatus geckos. Some look like dead leaves, while others resemble bark or lichen. Either way, when examined closely, they really look uncannily like miniature dinosaurs.

Above: All the riches of the earth, all the ingenuity of man could not have crafted a more beautiful setting, nor cornucopia of untold treasure as we found on Madagascar.

not receive adequate protection. There is something to be said for making that eye-to-brain connection with a creature you know to be on the brink – for instance, at Lake Ravelobe, Ampijoroa, when you get close-up views of one of the last remaining 200 Madagascar fish eagles. Or, further down the west coast, you might see one of the last remaining Giant jumping rats, bounding like a little wallaby among the baobabs in the Kirindy Forest. There are many such examples and, if the truth be

An extraordinary group of snakes are the spear-nosed snakes of the genus langaha: males have a spear-shaped nasal appendage, while females have appendages shaped like fans – again quite outrageous when looked at closely.

There are the vangas, a bird family with such diverse beak shapes that it is impossible to believe that many of them are even remotely related to each other. They also display some wonderful examples of parallel or convergent evolution, i.e., if a design works, then use it. The sicklebill vanga for instance, behaves just like the wood-hoopoes of Africa, for which it is Madagascar’s answer. And the little coral-billed nuthatch vanga on the other hand, is a dead ringer for the conventional nuthatches of Europe. But taxonomic work has revealed these two to be part of a family descended from a single helmet-shrike-like ancestor. Perhaps the strangest and most appealing endemic

Getting there: Air Seychelles flies twice a week to Madagascar from Mahé.

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 11

PHOTOS © PETER HOLTHUSEN

NEW DESTINATION

Left: For anyone visiting Madagascar for the first time, the lemurs are an absolute must-see. This group of primates – unique to the island – have been isolated from true monkeys and apes for millions of years.

origins. One species frequents each of the island’s three chief floristic domains, i.e., the humid eastern rainforests, the tropical dry deciduous woodlands and the sub-arid thorn thickets of the semidesert south. The ‘primitive’ aspect in many Malagasy animals means, as some put it, the animals are ‘less bright’ than their mainland congeners. This may be why they are more vulnerable to man and his entourage of domesticated predators and hangers on, i.e. cats, dogs, and rats, which have wreaked havoc among Malagasy wildlife. It may also render them less able to adapt to drastic modification of their habitat. The result is an ever growing list of threatened or endangered life forms.

HOW, YOU MIGHT ASK, WILL YOU BE ABLE TO SEE A FAIR SPECTRUM OF MADAGASCAR’S WEIRD AND WONDERFUL ANIMALS?

birds are the asitys, a small family related to broadbills. Males of the four species sport fluorescent wattles and caruncles when in breeding regalia.

Two, the tiny sunbird-asitys were for long thought to be ‘false sunbirds’, until taxonomic investigations revealed their affinities to the asitys.

The third factor which interests naturalists about Madagascar’s wildlife is that many of its animals are the last extant members of primitive families which have long since died out among more successful, evolved continental fauna. This is certainly true of those ‘flagship’ Malagasy animals, the lemurs.

On the continents, lemurs survive only as relatively small, nocturnal animals.

Had the much more successful and advanced monkeys made it across to Madagascar before the island broke off from Africa and India about 60 – 120 million years ago, they would have eradicated the lemurs too and one would

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Well, the first thing to bear in mind is that you must try to visit at least one site in each of the island’s three chief habitat zones. There are some magnificent national parks and reserves in the damp eastern rainforests. These include top wildlife destinations like the famed perinet Reserve, the aweinspiring Masoala National Park, where lowland rainforests meet coral reefs, and the exquisite upland rainforests of Ranomafana National Park. At any of these, a three-night stay is highly recommended. Take time to explore the ancient and fragile Malagasy rainforests with your guides, who generally speak good English and are excellent at locating rare and furtive species.

not have the remarkable variety of large, diurnal species to be seen today. Another group of primitive Malagasy mammals are the insectivorous tenrecs, which on Madagascar fill the niches of hedgehogs, shrews and voles. One, the rare aquatic tenrec, even looks like a small desman and frequents fast flowing mountain streams. Among the endemic birds, the ‘primitive’ aspect is perhaps best applied to a small family of rail-like birds called mesites, which are of uncertain

The ‘primitive’ aspect in many Malagasy animals means, as some put it, the animals are ‘less bright’ than their mainland congeners.

To get an idea of the island’s amazing contrasts you should then journey to the semi-desert south, where protected areas include the well known Berenty Reserve, a stronghold for lemurs such as ringtails. Here, the flora is remarkable, being composed largely of droughtresistant plants which are either thorny or bloated. Birders should head for the south-west near Tulear, where all the rare southern endemic species are aggregated. And finally, take a trip to the dwindling tropical dry deciduous forests which once covered the grassy western lowlands. Here, you can visit either Kirindy Forest if baobabs and nocturnal mammals are your thing, or Ampijoroa Forest Station if you want to see more birds and reptiles. Both places hold large concentrations of rare animals.

Getting there: Air Seychelles flies twice a week to Madagascar from Mahé.

MUMBAI

TANZANIA

MADAGASCAR

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Events Calendar JANUARY-MARCH 2015

ABU DHABI

INDIA

MAURITIUS

SOUTH INDIAN OCEAN BILLFISH COMPETITION (SIOBC) 31 JAN-06 FEB 2015

MUBADALA WORLD TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP 01-03 JAN 2015, ZAYED SPORTS CITY World number 1 and recently crowned Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, and world number 2 Rafael Nadal, will return to Abu Dhabi for the seven Mubadala World Tennis Championship. The annual tournament at Zayed Sports City sees six of the world’s top players vie for the ‘winner takes all’ US$250,000 prize. In addition to sensational tennis displays, the event boasts exciting offcourt action in its Tennis Village, where players hold coaching clinics and signing autographs. visit: www.mubadalawtc.com and www.facebook.com/ mubadalaworldtennischampionship

ABU DHABI

ABU DHABI HSBC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP 15 - 18 JAN 2015, ABU DHABI GOLF CLUB This leading European Tour event will see the world’s top players vie for the iconic Falcon Trophy and a cut of the US$2.7million prize purse, the richest in the region during its 10th anniversary airing. www.abudhabigolfchampionship.com

The SIOBC having taken place since 2000, has gained such a tremendous reputation that it has been listed as one of the best competitions with the International Game Fishing association ( IGFA ) in the South Indian Ocean.

In this competition teams of for four days as they aim to winning black marlin catch, blue marlin. The event is hosted Angler’s Club. www.siobc.com

anglers fish haul in their billfish and

by Le Morne

MUMBAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL EARLY FEBRUARY 2015 Welcome to the screening of some of the world’s most notable documentaries, short films and animations. Mumbai Film Festival programme is divided into nine sections: International Competition for the First Feature Films of Directors, World Cinema, Indian Frame, Dimensions Mumbai, Retrospectives, Above the Cut, New Faces in Indian Cinema and The Real Reel.

SEYCHELLES ZANZIBAR SAUTI ZA BUSARA 12 - 15 FEBRUARY 2015 STONE TOWN Sauti za Busara brings people together in celebration of African music. The 12th edition takes place in Stone Town, Zanzibar during 12-15 February 2015, featuring more of the best African music under African skies.

We look forward to seeing you at the friendliest festival on the planet! http://www.busaramusic.org/

ECO-FRIENDLY MARATHON SUNDAY, 22 FEBRUARY 2015 BEAU VALLON, SEYCHELLES On Sunday, 22 February 2015, runners of the 8th edition of the Seychelles Eco-Friendly Marathon will set off from Beau Vallon at 7am, covering Northern and North Eastern areas of the main island of Mahé, as well as its capital, Victoria.

The philosophy of the Seychelles Eco-Friendly Marathon is to spread the focus beyond mere competition, putting equal emphasis on appreciating exercise and being surrounded by the natural beauty of Seychelles. http://www.seychellesmarathon.com/

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 17

HONG KONG

CHINESE NEW YEAR

ITALY MILANO MODA DONNA 25 FEB-03 MAR 2015 Milano Moda Donna is one of the most dazzling fashion weeks in Italy. Stunning models and renowned designers give a vibrant look to the show by offering the latest winter collection and accessories. Thousands of people come from all over the world to see the best collection of outfits. Milano Moda Donna hosts more than 230 shows. http://10times.com/milano-moda-donna

FRANCE

PARIS HALF MARATHON 2015 SUNDAY, 8 MARCH 2015 Paris Half Marathon takes place as a separate event on another date than the full distance. It is one of the most popular half marathon races in the world with 30,000 participants from both France and abroad.

19 FEBRUARY 2015 The biggest event of the year for most Chinese residents, with a two week build-up to a day of dragon dances and fireworks. It’s a family event, with visits to temples and – perhaps most important of all – feasting on New Year delicacies such as crescent-shaped dumplings (which symbolise wealth). http://www.chinesenewyears.info/

The route is relatively flat and takes the runners around the east of Paris, along the avenues of the “BoisdeVincennes Wood” and the streets of the 12th arrondissement. The route finishes in the city centre. There will be lots of entertainment and spectators along the route.

HONG KONG SOUTH AFRICA JOBURG OPEN 26 FEB – 1 MARCH 2015 ROYAL JOHANNESBURG AND KENSINGTON GC

CATHAY PACIFIC/HSBC HONG KONG SEVENS 27–29 MARCH 2015 The Cathay Pacific / HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is one of the most exciting events in the world and a must-do tour for rugby fans. The carnival atmosphere is secondto-none and truly international with 7s supporters from across the globe making the annual pilgrimage. http://gulliverstravel.co.uk/event/cathaypacific-hsbc-hong-kong-sevens

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The Joburg Open is part of both the South African Sunshine Tour and the European Tour, and takes place in January each year at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club in South Africa. http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/ season=2015/tournamentid=2015014/index. html

MADAGASCAR

ALAHAMADY BE MARCH 2015 Alahamady Be is Madagascar’s traditional New Year’s Day, which takes place in March and lasts for two days. Crowds hit the street in celebration, homes are decorated in lights and friends and family visit to wish each other well. Traditional music and dance plays a part in the festivities.

Discover Seychelles When Air Seychelles descends towards these tiny specks of verdant green land set in the glittering waters of the Indian Ocean, get ready to discover a land aptly described as “unique by a thousand miles”. Houses cling to the lower slopes of majestic mountains swathed in green velvet, the dark forest broken by spectacular granite outcrops and boulders and white beaches merge with shallow turquoise seas.

The Seychellois are a mixture of peoples, the different races at ease with each other mixing and intermarrying. Many are descended from

the original French settlers and their slaves from Madagascar and Africa.

Later came Chinese labourers, Indian merchants and a scattering of other nationalities.

The first plantation owners and their slaves devised a simplified form of French for communications. This is Creole, a lively language which happily absorbs new phrases and vocabulary, especially nowadays from English.

Creole has a simple grammar and a token effort at a few words in Creole are appreciated, but it is easy to get by in English and most Seychellois are fluent in English and French.

Découvrez les Seychelles Lorsque Air Seychelles descend vers ces grains minuscules de terres verdoyantes sertis sur les eaux scintillantes de l’océan Indien, préparez-vous à découvrir une terre décrite à juste titre comme “unique par un millier de miles”. Les maisons s’accrochent aux pentes inférieures des majestueuses montagnes tapissées de velours vert, la forêt dont la couleur sombre est adoucie par de spectaculaires affleurements et blocs rocheux de granit et des plages de sable blanc, fusionne avec une mer turquoise peu profonde.

Les Seychellois sont un mélange de peuples, les différentes races à l’aise les unes avec les autres se métissent et se marient entre elles. Beaucoup sont des descendants des

premiers colons français et de leurs esclaves de Madagascar et d’Afrique. Plus tard sont venus des ouvriers chinois, des marchands indiens et diverses autres nationalités.

Les premiers propriétaires de plantations et leurs esclaves ont conçu un français simplifié pour la communication. C’est le créole, une langue pleine d’entrain qui aujourd’hui absorbe volontiers de nouvelles expressions et nouveaux vocabulaires, surtout de l’anglais. Le créole a une grammaire simple et un effort symbolique de parler quelques mots de créole est apprécié, mais il est facile de s’en sortir en anglais et la plupart des Seychellois parlent couramment l’anglais et le français.

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 19

Discover Seychelles

A la Découverte des les

L’HISTOIRE DES SEYCHELLES EN RÉSUMÉ

MINI-HISTORY OF SEYCHELLES Around 200 million years ago the southern supercontinent of Gondwana began to break up.

India together with Madagascar and Seychelles broke from Africa, Madagascar later becoming an island then about 65 million years ago the Seychelles Archipelago became isolated between the two, the world’s oldest oceanic islands and the only ones made up of continental granite rocks.

By contrast with its geological history, the human history of the islands is very short. Arabic texts suggest they had knowledge of the islands and Polynesians en route to Madagascar may have visited. Portuguese navigator Juan de Nova was the first European to sight Seychelles in 1501. On early Portuguese maps, Seychelles appeared as the Sete Irmas or Seven Sisters but it was not until 1609 that the first landing was recorded, by seamen from a vessel of the English East India Company.

In the late 17th century pirates probably used Seychelles as a base.

In 1742 and 1744, French expeditions visited Mahé and in 1756 a possession stone, was laid claiming the island for France, which were

20 | Silhouette Vol 26 No 1

first settled in 1770. Soon there was war between France and Britain. The colonists capitulated several times with Seychelles finally becoming a British colony under the Treaty of Paris in 1814.

Despite the years as a British colony few British settled here, but nevertheless Seychellois society has British undertones. The greatest change in Seychelles society came with the mass influx of ‘liberated Africans’ in the 19th century, which altered the nature of the population and increased the population to 19,000 by the turn of the 20th century.

Seychelles was administered from Mauritius until 1903 when it became an independent Crown Colony. The World Wars caused great hardship in Seychelles due to isolation, many Seychellois serving with the British Army. In 1967, universal adult suffrage was introduced and in 1976 Seychelles became an independent republic.

Tourism increased dramatically with the opening of the international airport on Mahé in 1971 and is today the main economic activity of Seychelles.

Il y a environ 200 millions d’années le super continent du sud appelé Gondwana a commencé à se fracturer. L’Inde, Madagascar et les Seychelles se sont séparés de l’Afrique, Madagascar est plus tard devenu une île; ensuite il y a environ 65 millions d’années l’archipel des Seychelles s’est retrouvé isolé entre les deux, devenant un ensemble d’îles océaniques les plus anciennes au monde et les seules composées de rochers de granit continentaux.

Contrairement à son histoire géologique, l’histoire humaine de ces îles est très récente. Les textes arabes laissent entendre que les arabes connaissaient ces îles et que les Polynésiens en route vers Madagascar pourraient y avoir accosté. Le navigateur portugais Juan de Nova a été le premier européen à apercevoir les Seychelles en 1501. Sur les premières cartes portugaises, les Seychelles apparaissent comme les Sete Irmas ou les sept sœurs, mais ce n’est qu’en 1609 que le premier débarquement par les marins d’un navire de l’escadron de l’English East India Company fut documenté. A la fin du 17ème siècle les Seychelles ont probablement servi de base pour des pirates.

En 1742 et 1744, des expéditions françaises ont visité Mahé, qui a été colonisée pour la première fois en 1770 alors qu’en 1756

une pierre revendiquant l’île pour la France avait été posée. Bientôt, la guerre a éclaté entre la France et la GrandeBretagne. Les colons ont capitulé à plusieurs reprises, les Seychelles devenant finalement une colonie britannique en vertu du traité de Paris de 1814.

Malgré les années passées comme colonie britannique, peu de britanniques s’y sont installés, pourtant la société Seychelloise présente des traces britanniques. Le plus grand changement dans la société des Seychelles fut l’afflux massif d’”Africains libérés” au 19ème siècle, qui a changé la composition de la population dont les effectifs ont augmenté pour atteindre 19.000 à la fin du 20 ème siècle.

Les Seychelles étaient administrées de Maurice jusqu’en 1903 lorsqu’elles sont devenues une colonie de la couronne indépendante. Les deux guerres mondiales ont été très éprouvantes pour les Seychelles en raison de son isolement, et beaucoup de Seychellois ont servi dans l’armée britannique. En 1967, le suffrage universel des adultes fut introduit et en 1976 les Seychelles devinrent une république indépendante. Le tourisme a progressé de façon spectaculaire avec l’ouverture de l’aéroport international de Mahé en 1971 et représente aujourd’hui la principale activité économique des Seychelles.

Panoramic Perspective by Sunseeker The Sunseeker 28 Metre Yacht

Sunseeker Seychelles Ltd: Eden Island Marina, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles.

Tel. +248 252 34 34 Fax. +248 434 61 66 E-mail: info@sunseeker-seychelles.com Website: www.sunseeker-seychelles.net Sunseeker Africa Ltd – JOHANNESBURG: 126 Sandton Isle, CNR Rivonia & Linden, Sandton - Johannesburg 2196, South Africa.

Tel. +27 (0) 11 301 7100 Fax. +27 (0) 11 301 7029 E-mail: info@sunseeker-africa.com Website: www.sunseeker-africa.net Sunseeker Africa Ltd – CAPE TOWN: Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, CNR Dock Road & Breakwater Blvd, Cape Town 8002, South Africa.

Tel. +27 (0) 21 425 2016 Fax. +27 (0) 21 425 2008 E-mail: info@sunseeker-africa.com Website: www.sunseeker-africa.net

Discover Seychelles

THE ISLE OF ABUNDANCE Mahé is the main island of the Seychelles and is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and impressive in the world. It is the largest and highest island covering an area of 155 square kilometres and rising to 905 metres at Morne Seychellois. The island measures 27 kilometres in length and seven kilometres wide.

Getting around: Victoria is the capital and the island is well served by a network of good roads that circle and crisscross the island. To explore Mahé, you should rent a car for atleast one day. Buses are inexpensive, but tied to local needs. Taxis are fairly good but expensive and more difficult to find after dark.

About 90 percent of the population lives on Mahé, concentrated in the north around Victoria and on the flat reclaimed land of the east coast. Beau Vallon is the busiest beach in Seychelles though still relatively uncrowded compared to other destinations. Away from the bustling capital and hotels there is still extraordinary peace and beauty to be found along the coast, particulary in the south and in the grandeur of the mountains.

Island Excursions: Departure point for many of the excursions is the Marine Charter Association wharf, next to the Yacht Club.

Ferries to Praslin depart from the Inter-island Quay.

Getting there: Mahé is served by air and sea. Mahé International Airport is south of Victoria and serves many regular flights from Europe, Africa, the Gulf and Asia.

There are no regular passenger services by sea but cruise liners occasionally visit Victoria and many yachts and smaller mercantile craft make it a regular port of call.

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Where to stay: There is a sophisticated tourist infrastructure.

All tourist premises are licensed by law. Options include from five star to three star hotels and small guest houses. There are many others of varying degrees of comfort and quality.

What to see and do: Victoria, the national capital with a population of around 20,000, is spread around a large bay at the foot of Trois Frères. It is the islands’ economic and administrative hub.

The clock tower in the city centre is a replica of the clock in central

London at the junction of Vauxhall Bridge Road and Victoria Street.

Erected as a memorial to Queen Victoria in 1903, the Seychelles clock tower is today more readily associated with the declaration that same year of Seychelles as a Crown Colony separate from Mauritius.

The Bicentennial Monument outside the old town centre represents the three continents.

There are three national museums, the National History Museum in the National Archives building on Francis Rachel Street and State House Avenue, home to historical items, one of them being the original ‘stone of possession, ‘ laid in 1756 to declare France’s claim to the islands.

Also on Francis Rachel Street is the Seychelles Peoples’ United Party Museum displaying photography and weaponry chronicling the party’s history. The Natural History Museum on Independence Avenue celebrates the unique flora and fauna of the islands. The Botanical Gardens are on the Mont Fleuri Road, next to the hospital.

Shopping: There are clusters of shops and boutiques near the traffic lights and taxi rank, and in the arcade on Francis Rachel Street. The newly

renovated Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market is noted for its colourful atmosphere. The new shopping plaza at Eden island is worth a visit for clothing, groceries and a variety of restaurants.

Beaches: These are the glory of Seychelles. Each of its 70 beaches has a different character, the rock formations behind them are a dramatic contrast and a beautiful backdrop for the architectural elegance of the hotels. The east coast has long beaches such as Anse Marie-Louise, but there are also many small beaches. Anse Intendence is on the south coast.

Most beaches are perfectly safe but it is advisable to check on local conditions. Some of the popular beaches are Anse a la Mouche, Barbarons, Port Glaud, and Port Launay Marine National Park.

There are strong currents off Anse Takamaka. Slightly north is Baie Lazare, with its dramatic granite backdrop.

The king of the beaches is Beau Vallon in the north of the island which is full of life at all times. This is lined up with hotels which offer watersports and diving facilities.

Many local eating places are also around this area.

A la Découverte des les

MAHÉ Mahé est la principale île des Seychelles et sans aucun doute l’une des îles les plus belles et les plus imposantes du monde. C’est la plus grande et la plus haute île couvrant une superficie de 158 km2 et s’élevant à 905 mètres à Morne Seychellois.

Elle mesure 27 km de long et 7 km de large.

l’avenue Vauxhall Bridge et de la rue Victoria. Érigée comme un monument commémoratif de la reine Victoria en 1903, la tour de l’horloge des Seychelles est aujourd’hui plus naturellement associée à la déclaration des Seychelles comme colonie de la couronne distincte de Maurice, au cours de la même année.

Environ 90% de la population seychelloise vit à Mahé, concentrée au Nord autour de Victoria la capitale et sur les terres plates gagnées sur la mer à la côte Est. Beau Vallon est la plage la plus fréquentée des Seychelles bien qu’encore relativement peu encombrée par rapport à d’autres destinations. Loin de la capitale et des hôtels animés existe toujours une paix et une beauté extraordinaires qu’on trouve le long de la côte et dans la grandeur des montagnes.

Le Monument bicentenaire en dehors du centre de la vieille ville représente les trois continents. Il y a trois musées nationaux, le Musée national d’histoire dans les bâtiments des archives nationales sur la rue Francis Rachel Street et l’avenue State House, qui abrite des objets historiques, l’un d’eux étant l’original de la “pierre commémorant la prise de l’île,” posée en 1756 en signe de revendication des îles par la France. Sur la rue Francis Rachel se trouve également le Musée du Parti uni du peuple des Seychelles où sont exposées des photographies et des armes retraçant l’histoire du parti. Le Musée d’histoire naturelle sur Independence Avenue célèbre l’exceptionnelle flore et faune de l’archipel. Les jardins botaniques sont sur la rue Mont Fleuri, à côté de l’hôpital.

Pour vous y rendre: Mahé est desservi par voie aérienne et maritime. L’Aéroport international de Mahé est au Sud de Victoria et accueille de nombreux vols réguliers en provenance d’Europe, d’Afrique, du Golfe et d’Asie. Il n’existe aucun transport régulier de passagers par mer, mais des navires de croisière visitent Victoria occasionnellement et de nombreux yachts et petites embarcations marchandes y font régulièrement escale.

Déplacement: Victoria est la capitale et l’île est bien desservie par un bon réseau routier qui l’encercle et la sillonne. Pour explorer Mahé, il est recommandé de louer une voiture pour au moins une journée.

Les bus sont peu coûteux, mais plutôt destinés à la circulation locale. Les taxis sont assez bons mais chers.

Excursions sur l’île: Le point de départ pour de nombreuses excursions est le quai de la Marine Charter Association, à côté du Yacht Club. Les bacs de Praslin partent d’Inter-island Quay.

Hébergement: L’ile dispose d’une infrastructure touristique sophistiquée.

Tous les établissements touristiques sont autorisés par la loi. Les visiteurs ont plusieurs options allant des hôtels 5 étoiles à de petites auberges en passant par des hôtels 3 étoiles. Il en existe beaucoup d’autres offrant divers degrés de confort et de qualité.

Ce qu’il y a à voir et à faire: Victoria, la capitale nationale avec une population d’environ 20 000 personnes, s’étale autour d’une grande baie au pied de Trois Frères. Elle est le centre économique et administratif de l’île.

La tour de l’horloge au centre-ville est une réplique de l’horloge dans le centre de Londres au carrefour de

Courses: Il y a des groupes de magasins et de boutiques près des feux de circulation et de la station des taxis, ainsi que dans la galerie sur la rue Francis Rachel. Le marché récemment rénové de Sir Selwyn Clarke est renommé pour son ambiance colorée.

Le nouveau centre commercial à l’île d’Eden vaut une visite pour des vêtements, des articles d’épicerie et d’une variété de restaurants.

Plages: Elles représentent la splendeur des Seychelles.

Chacune de ses 70 plages a des particularités différentes, les formations rocheuses à l’arrière-plan créent un contraste spectaculaire et une magnifique toile de fond pour l’élégance architecturale des hôtels. La côte Est possède de longues plages comme Anse Marie-Louise, mais il y a aussi de nombreuses petites plages. Anse Intendence se trouve sur la côte Sud. La sécurité sur la plupart des plages est bien assurée, mais il est prudent de vérifier les conditions locales. Certaines des plages populaires sont Anse à la Mouche, Barbarons, Port Glaud et le Parc national marin de Port Launay. Les courants sont forts au large d’Anse des Takamaka. Légèrement au Nord se trouve Baie Lazare, avec son spectaculaire granite en toile de fond.

Le roi des plages est Beau Vallon au Nord de l’île, qui est toujours pleine de vie. Elle est bordée d’hôtels qui offrent des sports nautiques et équipements de plongée sous-marine. Cette zone compte également plusieurs restaurants locaux.

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 23

Discover Seychelles

A la Découverte des les

ISLAND OF SUN AND SHADOW

ÎLE DE SOLEIL ET D’OMBRE

La Digue is the third-largest island in terms of population and fourthlargest granite island of Seychelles.

It lies 50 kilometres from Mahé and four-and-a-half kilometres from Praslin and has an area of 10 square kilometres.

La Digue est la troisième des îles les plus grandes en termes de population et la quatrième des plus grandes îles granitiques des Seychelles. Elle se trouve à 50 km de Mahé et à 4,5 km de Praslin, avec une superficie de 10 km2.

The relaxed rhythm of local life and the beautiful, well preserved colonialstyle houses surrounded by palms and the other tropical greenery, tell of a more gracious and gentler age one that can still be enjoyed on this island that time seems to have passed by.

La douceur de la vie locale et les belles maisons de style colonial bien préservées entourées de palmiers et d’autres types de verdure tropicale, racontent l’histoire d’une époque meilleure et agréable qui peut encore être appréciée sur cette île où le temps a semblé filé rapidement.

Getting there: There is no airport on La Digue; to get there from a different country, one first has to fly to Mahé and travel to Victoria. A ferry operates once per day from the Inter Island Quay direct to La Digue.

Alternatively, a more frequent ferry from Mahé to Praslin links with a regular service from there to La Digue. helicopter charter is also available.

Pour vous y rendre: Il n’y a pas d’aéroport sur La Digue. Pour y arriver à partir d’un autre pays, il faut tout d’abord transiter par Mahé puis aller à Victoria. Un ferry fait une navette directe d’Inter Island Quay à La Digue une fois par jour. Sinon, un ferry plus fréquent entre Mahé et Praslin est relayé par un service régulier entre Praslin et La Digue. Un service d’hélicoptère est également disponible.

Getting around: There are a few motor vehicles on the roads where bicycles and ox carts are still the main forms of transport. There is a limited taxi service.

Déplacement: On voit quelques automobiles sur les routes mais les bicyclettes et charettes à bœufs restent les principaux modes de transports. Le service de taxi est limité.

Anse Patates Anse Sévére

Island Excursion: One can go on a boat trip or a diving trip around La Digue for one day or half a day.

Several licensed tour guides offer tours taking in panoramic views, forest trails and spectacular beaches.

Where to stay: There are a number of guesthouses small hotels and a few restaurants to give the visitor the flavour of authentic Seychellois Creole food.

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LA PASSE Choppy’s Bungalows La Digue Island Lodge Bernique LA Réunion

VEV RESERVE

Anse La Rénion

What to do and see: La Digue is known for its beaches, especially Anse Source d’Argent and Grand Anse. The Seychelles paradise flycatcher is the symbol of La Digue and the Veuve Reserve at La Passe is one of the best places to see this beautiful bird (entrance is free). A visitor’s centre at the reserve entrance provides information on the birds and the warden can give useful pointers as to where you can find them. Inland from the reserve is Chateau St Cloud, a grand house built at the height of the Napoleonic wars and once at the heart of a vanilla plantation. It is now a small hotel. Towards the end of the 19th century vanilla was the most profitable Seychelles export and La Digue was the centre of production.

Anse Gaulettes

L’ UNION Anse Union

CAP BAYARD

Excursion sur l’île: Le visiteur peut faire une promenade en bateau ou une plongée sous-marine autour de La Digue pour une journée ou une demi-journée. Plusieurs guides autorisés proposent des randonnées pour admirer des vues panoramiques, des sentiers en forêt et des plages spectaculaires.

Anse Grosse Roche Anse Banane

NID D’ AIGLES

Anse Fourmis

BELLE VUE

Anse Caiman

ROCHE BOIS

Anse Cocos LA RETRAITE Petite Anse

Anse Source D’ Argent

Grande Anse Anse Songe

Anse Pierrot

Grande L’ Anse

Anse aux Cédres Anse Bonnet Carré

Anse Marron

INDIAN OCEAN

Ce qu’il y a à faire et à voir: La Digue est renommée pour ses plages, Anse Source d’Argent et Grand Anse en particulier. Le Tchitrec des Seychelles est le symbole de La Digue et Veuve Natural Reserve à La Passe est l’un des meilleurs endroits pour observer ce bel oiseau (l’entrée est libre). Un centre d’accueil à l’entrée de la réserve fournit des informations aux visiteurs sur les oiseaux et le préposé donne des conseils utiles quant à l’endroit où on peut les trouver. A l’intérieur de la réserve se trouve Château St Cloud, une maison majestueuse construite au plus fort des guerres napoléoniennes et située, à une certaine époque, au cœur d’une plantation de vanille. Elle est maintenant un petit hôtel. Vers la fin du 19 ème siècle la vanille était le produit d’exportation le plus rentable des Seychelles et La Digue en était le centre de production.

Hébergement: Il y a un certain nombre d’auberges, petits hôtels et quelques restaurants qui permettent au visiteur de déguster la saveur de la cuisine seychelloise créole authentique.

Discover Seychelles

A la Découverte des les

THE ENCHANTED ISLE The pristine beauty of Silhouette testifies that nature strives to be protective of its wonders. Silhouette lies 20 kilometres northwest of Mahé.

It is the third largest granitic island, with an area of 20 square kilometres.

Mount Dauban rises to 740 metres and Silhouette is the second highest island in Seychelles.

L’ÎLE ENCHANTÉE

La beauté immaculée de Silhouette démontre que la nature s’efforce de protéger ses merveilles. Silhouette est située à 20 kilomètres au Nord-Ouest de Mahé. C’est la troisième grande île granitique, avec une superficie de 20 km2. Mont Dauban s’élève à 740 mètres et Silhouette est la deuxième île la plus haute des Seychelles.

Most of the 75 endemic plants of the granitic islands are found on Silhouette.

You can also meet Seychelles giant tortoises at the conservation-breeding farm. There are hiking trails and you can try exciting watersports including kayaking and diving at Hilton Labriz Eco-Concept PADI diving centre. If you are fond of fishing then try game fishing, a popular sport.

Getting there: There are ferries between Mahé and Silhouette Island, operated by the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa. Ferries make three round trips every day. A jetty was built at La Passe and remains the only landing point on the island to this day.

SILHOUETTE ISLAND SPECIAL RESERVE Anse Mondon

INDIAN OCEAN

Anse Mondon

Baie Cipailles

Pour vous y rendre: Il y a des ferrys entre Mahé et l’Ile Silhouette, exploités par le Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa. Ils font trois allers-retours tous les jours.

Une jetée a été construite à La Passe et reste le seul point de débarquement sur l’île à ce jour.

DANS L’ INDE

Where to stay: Hilton Seychelles Labriz is the only resort on the island.

It overlooks mountains, forest and the Indian Ocean. The resort is located on two and a half kilometres of beautiful, white sandy beach and framed by towering peaks of lush, rainforest clad mountains, providing a secluded haven ideal for nature lovers.

What to see and do: Silhouette’s only settlement is the village of La Passe, on the island’s western coast. The island has well maintained trails, allowing visitors to explore beaches and some of the rainforest. Near the Grande Case grounds lies a mausoleum, the final resting place of several of the Dauban family members, the former owners of Silhouette. There is a Marine National Park, which is dedicated to environmental protection where you can admire the spectacular biodiversity and nature experiences with endemic plants and impressive mountains. The Island Conservation Society runs a centre on the island, protecting the flora and fauna and conducting nature tours.

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GRANDE CONGOMAN DANS GIROFFE

Anse La Passe

Hilton Labriz Mont Dauban 740m

GLACIS NOEL

Pointe Étienne JARDIN MARRON

Anse Cimitére

GRATTE FESSE

Grande Machabée

Anse Lascars

RENDE D ‘AVANCE

Anse Lascars Anse Grand Barbe

Grande Passe Petit Passe

Silhouette

Grande Barbe

Anse Patates

Hébergement: Le Hilton Seychelles Labriz est le seul hôtel de villégiature sur l’île. Il surplombe les montagnes, la forêt et l’océan Indien. L’hôtel est situé sur 1,5 km de belle plage de sable blanc et entouré de sommets vertigineux à la végétation luxuriante et de montagnes recouvertes d’une forêt tropicale, fournissant un havre idéal pour les amoureux de la nature.

Ce qu’il y a à voir et à faire: La seule agglomération de Silhouette est le village de La Passe, sur la côte Ouest de l’île. L’île a des sentiers bien entretenus, permettant aux visiteurs d’explorer les plages et certaines des forêts tropicales.

Près du domaine de la Grande Case se trouve un mausolée, la dernière demeure de plusieurs membres de la famille Dauban, anciens propriétaires de Silhouette. Il y a un parc national marin, qui est consacré à la protection de l’environnement où on peut admirer la biodiversité spectaculaire et vivre l’expérience de la nature avec des plantes endémiques et des montagnes majestueuses. La Société pour la conservation de l’ile gère un centre qui assure la protection de la flore et la faune, et organise des excursions dans la nature. La plupart des 75 plantes endémiques des îles granitiques se trouvent à Silhouette. Vous pouvez également croiser les tortues géantes des Seychelles à la ferme d’élevage pour la conservation. Vous y trouverez des sentiers de randonnée pédestre et vous pouvez vous essayer aux passionnants sports nautiques comme le kayak et la plongée sous-marine au centre de plongée sous-marine Eco-Concept PADI de l’hôtel Hilton Labriz. Si vous êtes friand de pêche, essayez la pêche sportive, un sport populaire.

Discover Seychelles

A la Découverte des les

MOYENNE ISLAND NATIONAL PARK

LE PARC NATIONAL DE L’ILE MOYENNE

At just nine hectares, Moyenne Island may be the world’s smallest National Park.

Owned by Moyenne Foundation, a private NGO, it lies within the Ste Anne Marine National Park and is the only island of the group open to day visitors.

Avec une superficie de 9 hectares, l’Ile Moyenne est probablement le plus petit parc national au monde. Propriété de Moyenne Foundation, une ONG privée, elle se trouve au Parc national marin de Ste Anne et est la seule île du groupe ouverte aux visiteurs venus pour la journée.

What to do and see: Despite its diminutive size, it is an environmental treasure trove.

Some 40 endemic plants are represented, more than half of those unique to the granitic islands. Moyenne is the only place on earth other than Vallée de Mai where all six of the palms unique to Seychelles can be seen. Moyenne also has a population of more than 2,000 birds, 100 giant tortoises and about 20 hawksbill turtles that haul themselves ashore at Pirate Cove each year. Perhaps pirates were the earliest human inhabitants and graves of mysterious origin may date from this era. There are also tales of ghosts that bang on windows and doors or trudge from the cemetery around midnight, eloquently told in the book A Grain of Sand.

Ce qu’il y a à faire et à voir: Malgré sa taille minuscule, l’île est un trésor écologique.

Environ 40 plantes endémiques sont représentées, plus de la moitié étant uniques aux îles granitiques. Moyenne est le seul endroit au monde autre que Vallée de Mai où tous les six palmiers uniques aux Seychelles peuvent être observés. Moyenne a également une population de plus de 2 000 oiseaux, 100 tortues géantes et chaque année environ 20 tortues imbriquées se hissent sur la rive à Pirates Cove. Les pirates étaient peut-être les premiers habitants humains de l’île et des tombes d’origine mystérieuse dateraient de cette époque. Il y a aussi des contes de fantômes qui frappent sur les fenêtres et les portes ou se traînent du cimetière aux environs de minuit, éloquemment contées dans le livre A Grain of Sand.

Getting there: The island is 20 minutes by boat from Mahé.

Pour vous y rendre: L’île est à 20 minutes de Mahé en bateau.

Moyenne Island

Rocky Point Main path. Distance: one mile Wide paths

Coral Cove

Lover’’sLeap

Vera’sView

JAU NT

Church

Y’S RA

Graves

JULI E,’S

Pirate Cove

12 Island Viewing Rocks

HouseOf Dogs

Julie Melidor House

Gold Cave

TreasurePeak FIAPI’S FOREST

Y WA

COCO DE MER VALE

sure Trea

NT HAU NI’S HAN

Peak

Stallion Rock Museum

Jolly Roge r Restaurant

Generator Tortoise Rock

Pet’s Graves

Eden Island is a private residential marina development situated just off the coast of Mahé. It features a range of 580 freehold title luxury apartments, spacious maisons and private villas, each with its own mooring, it also offers owners the opportunity to qualify for residency of the Seychelles.

L’Ile d’Eden est un aménagement d’un port de plaisance unique situé juste au large de la côte de Mahé.

The over 56 hectares of land and private waterways hosts a myriad of upmarket facilities. These include a full service deep water marina capable of handling super-yachts up to 100 metres in size, a commercial precinct as well as a clubhouse hosting a gym and a tennis court, child friendly play areas and a world class shopping centre. There are several restaurants offering a variety of Indian, international and local cuisine.

Getting there: A bridge joins the island to the mainland of Mahé.

Small Dig

Bay View Takamaka Cove

L’ÎLE D’EDEN

The overall style of the island is distinctly rooted in the Seychelles vernacular, drawing inspiration from the islands’ French, Victorian and Indian ancestry. For more information, contact Christopher Nel on +248 43 46 000, visit the island yourself or visit www.edenisland.sc

Big Dig Elephant Rock View point

EDEN ISLAND

K AL W NG LO Main Landing er Rog lly Jo ach Be SANDSPIT

Composé d’une propriété résidentielle privée qui consiste en 580 appartements de luxe, maisons spacieuses et villas privées, toutes avec leur propre mur d’amarrage, les propriétaires sont éligibles à la résidence des Seychelles. La propriété a quatre plages privées, une salle de gym et une cour de tennis avec un syndicat de location pleinement opérationnel.

Sur une étendue de 56 hectares de terres et de voies navigables, l’Ile d’Eden offre tellement plus. Elle abrite une marina internationale capable d’accueillir de grands yachts mesurant jusqu’à 100m de long avec tous les services et équipements d’une installation de niveau international.

Eden Plaza, avec sa variété de magasins, de restaurants, un casino et un grand supermarché, offre des installations médicales, des banques, un centre thermal de beauté et beaucoup, beaucoup plus.

L’hôtel et centre de conférence Eden Bleu, dont l’ouverture est prévue pour novembre 2014, est un hôtel ultra moderne situé au cœur de l’Ile d’Eden.

Une visite aux Seychelles n’est pas complète sans une visite à l’île d’Eden.

Visiter www.edenisland.sc Pour vous y rendre: Un pont relie l’île au continent de Mahé

FlagstaffPoint

OPEN ISLAND

L’ÎLE OUVERTE

The lush Cerf Island is on the north coast, at the edge of the marine park. It is more than one-and-a-half kilometres long and almost one kilometre wide.

It has a superb coral reef, ideal for snorkeling or scuba diving. The interior is home to giant tortoises and fruit bats. Restaurants serve excellent Créole food and offer excellent barbecue spreads for day-trippers.

La luxuriante Île au Cerf est située sur la côte Nord, à la périphérie du parc marin.

Elle est de plus de 1,5 km de long et d’environ 1 km de large. Elle a un superbe récif de corail, idéal pour la plongée libre ou la plongée sous-marine. L’intérieur accueille des tortues géantes et des chauves-souris frugivores. Les restaurants servent une excellente cuisine créole et offrent d’excellentes tartinades à la sauce barbecue pour les excursionnistes.

Getting there: The island is 15 minutes by boat from Mahé.

Pour vous y rendre: L’île est à 15 minutes de Mahé en bateau.

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A small hotel with a big heart

The Coco D’or Hotel, is built on 3 hectares of lush tropical land, on the north west coast of Mahé. The hotel is a mere four minutes walk from Beau Vallon, one of the island’s most beautiful beaches.

The Coco D’or sets itself apart from other hotels in Seychelles by virtue of its location, amenities and unparalled service philosophy.

27 appointed rooms and suites, each with a private bath, balcony, terrace and/or living room are divided into two categories:Standard room

Deluxe suites

24 rooms with a verandah and tropical garden, 6 rooms with a terrace and 2 with a lounge.

3 rooms with a private patio terrace and mountain and garden view, two bathrooms, a kitchenette and a separate living room.

Coco D’or Hotel & Restaurant • T/A Nalini R. Properties (Pty) Ltd Beau Vallon, Mahé, Seychelles • P.O. Box 526 Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles Phone: +248 4247331 • Fax: +248 4247454 • E-mail: cocodor@seychelles.sc

LA SCALA RESTAURANT Come to one of Seychelles’ oldest and most beautiful restaurants and plunge yourself into a world of sophisticated Italian cuisine using only the freshest ingredients available.

Since 1978

Indulge in Fine Dining

Genuine cuisine and good service are our priority.

Note that we also serve gluten free pasta.

Open for dinner from Monday to Saturday

Bel Ombre, Mahe Seychelles, Tel: (248) 4247535, Fax: (248) 4247902, Email: silscala@seychelles.net, Website: www.lascala.sc

Discover Seychelles

A la Découverte des les

AUX CABRIS

GLACIS MACOAS

COLLINE VACOAS

COMPLAGE DANS PATATRAN

AUX PENICHES

INDIAN OCEAN

BOURBON

COLLINE LAFOUCHE GLACIS LAVE

Ti l’ Anse COLLINE MARIE COLLINE ÉLYSÉE

La Pointe L’ Anse

Cote Désiré

ARIDE ISLAND NATURE RESERVE Aride Island is the most northerly of the granitic islands, 10 kilometres north of Praslin and 68 hectares in area. It is a nature reserve, owned

by Island Conservation Society of Seychelles. Its size and relative isolation means that a full day trip is required but this also means, compared to other island trips, fewer people and more time to savour the beauty of the place, take photographs, swim, snorkel, explore or relax.

Getting there: Aride Island is open to visitors Monday-Friday. Visits on Saturday and Sunday are possible by prior arrangement with the Island Manager. Many of the large Praslin hotels and private boat owners offer excursions to Aride. The Aride Island website features a comprehensive list of operators (www.arideisland.com).

Visits can also be made by self-sail boat or by private helicopter charter.

When to go: Aride is open to visitors Monday to Friday year round.

Sometimes it is difficult to land

especially during May to September.

If in doubt, call the Island Manager to check local conditions (tel: 2719778).

What to see and do: Aride has the world’s largest population of three bird species; tropical shearwater, lesser noddy and Seychelles warbler.

It has more seabirds of more species than the other 40 granite islands of Seychelles combined and five of the twelve endemic land birds of Seychelles, while plants include the beautiful fragrant-flowering shrub Wright’s gardenia, found naturally nowhere else on earth. Historical interest includes one of the few remaining island plantation houses and a traditional pirogue (once the main form of inter-island transport).

A nature trail leads through a small plantation area then turns uphill. The view from the summit is stunning.

Nowhere else is it possible to look down upon thousands of roosting frigatebirds, while in the clear turquoise waters below, rays, turtles and dolphins may be seen.

LA RÉSERVE NATURELLE DE L’ÎLE D’ARIDE L’île d’Aride est la plus nordique des îles granitiques, à 10 kilomètres au Nord de Praslin avec 68 hectares de superficie. C’est une réserve naturelle, propriété de la Société pour la conservation de l’ile des Seychelles. Compte tenu de sa superficie et de son isolement, il faut une excursion d’une journée entière, mais cela veut aussi dire que, par rapport aux randonnées sur d’autres îles, il y a moins de personnes et plus de temps pour savourer la beauté du site, prendre des photos, nager, faire de la plongée libre, explorer ou se détendre.

Pour vous y rendre: L’Ile d’Aride est ouverte aux visiteurs du lundi au vendredi. Des visites les samedis et dimanches sont possibles par arrangement préalable avec la direction de l’île. Beaucoup des grands hôtels de Praslin et des propriétaires de bateaux privés offrent des excursions sur Aride. Le site internet de l’Ile d’Aride présente une liste complète d’opérateurs (www.arideisland.com).

Les visites peuvent aussi se faire par auto-voilier ou par hélicoptère privé affrété.

Quand y aller: Aride est ouverte aux visiteurs du lundi au vendredi toute l’année. Il est parfois difficile d’atterrir particulièrement pendant les mois de mai à septembre. En cas de doute, appeler le gérant de l’île pour vérifier les conditions locales (tél: 2719778).

Ce qu’il y a à voir et à faire: Aride a la plus grande population au monde de trois espèces d’oiseaux tropicaux, le puffin, le noddy marianne et la fauvette des Seychelles. Elle abrite plus d’espèces d’oiseaux de mer que les quarante autres îles granitiques des Seychelles combinées et cinq des douze oiseaux terrestres endémiques des Seychelles, tandis que parmi les plantes on y trouve le beau gardénia de Wright un arbrisseau parfumé et fleurissant qui n’existe nulle part ailleurs au monde à l’état naturel. Les amoureux de l’histoire peuvent admirer les quelques maisons de la plantation de l’île qui existent encore et une pirogue traditionnelle (c’était le principal moyen de transport inter-îles à une certaine époque).

Un sentier naturel passe à travers une petite plantation puis vire en montée. La vue depuis le sommet est époustouflante. Nulle part ailleurs est-il possible d’admirer d’en haut des milliers de frégatidés perchés, et des raies, des tortues et des dauphins dans les eaux turquoises en bas.

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Discover Seychelles

A la Découverte des les

THE ONCE AND FUTURE ISLAND Cousin Island has been a nature reserve since 1968, when it was bought by the Royal Society for Nature Conservation. In 2003, ownership was transferred to BirdLife International and today it is managed by their local partner, Nature Seychelles. It is a haven for seabirds and unique land birds including endangered species.

Getting there: This is the most popular island trip for tourists staying at Praslin, with tours offered by many hotels, guesthouses and private boat operators.

When to go: The island is open to visitors Monday to Friday excluding Public Holidays from 0930 until 1230.

What to do and see: It is a place of pilgrimage for both dedicated ornithologists and casual daytrippers: there they can find the Seychelles warbler, Seychelles magpie-robin and Seychelles fody, which are found elsewhere only on a handful of rat-free islands.

Madagascar turtle doves (possibly including the endemic form with the red head) and Seychelles sunbirds are also present. Seabirds abound on Cousin, with more than 250,000 birds coming to nest every year.

These are brown noddies, lesser noddies, wedge-tailed shearwaters, tropical shearwaters, bridled terns, as well as fairy terns, one of the symbols of Seychelles, seen on the livery of Air Seychelles. There are also interesting geckos, giant tortoises introduced from Aldabra, and hawksbill turtles which lay their eggs above the tide line of the beach.

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L’ÎLE D’HIER ET D’AUJOURD’HUI L’île Cousin a été une réserve naturelle depuis 1968, lorsqu’il fut acheté par la Royal Society for Nature Conservation.

En 2003, la propriété a été transférée à BirdLife International et aujourd’hui, elle est gérée par son partenaire local, Nature Seychelles. C’est un paradis pour les oiseaux marins et terrestres uniques y compris des espèces menacées d’extinction.

Pour vous y rendre: C’est la plus populaire randonnée vers une île pour les touristes séjournant à Praslin, avec des excursions offertes par de nombreux hôtels, auberges et opérateurs de bateaux privés.

Quand y aller: L’île est ouverte aux visiteurs du lundi au vendredi sauf les jours fériés de 09h30 jusqu’à 12h30.

Ce qu’il y a à faire et à voir: C’est un lieu de pèlerinage pour les ornithologues dévoués et excursionnistes occasionnels : ils peuvent y trouver la fauvette des Seychelles, le shama des Seychelles et le foudy des Seychelles, qu’on ne trouve ailleurs que sur une poignée d’îles dératisées. Les tourterelles de Madagascar (y compris probablement la forme endémique avec la tête rouge) et les souimanga des Seychelles sont aussi présents. Les oiseaux abondent sur Cousin, plus de 250 000 oiseaux venant y nicher chaque année. Ces sont les noddi bruns, les noddi mariannes, les puffins fouquets, les puffins tropicaux, les sternes bridées, ainsi que les sternes néréis, l’un des symboles des Seychelles, illustré sur la livrée d’Air Seychelles. Il y a aussi des geckos intéressants, des tortues géantes introduites d’Aldabra, et des tortues imbriquées qui pondent leurs œufs au-delà de la ligne de marée de la plage.

Discover Seychelles

A la Découverte des les

STE ANNE ET SON PARC NATIONAL MARIN A cinq kilomètres de Mahé, Ste Anne couvre plus que deux kilomètres carrés. Le Parc national marin de Ste Anne comprend la zone de récifs qui entourent six îles granitiques sur quatorze kilomètres. Malheureusement de larges sections du corail ont souffert d’une hausse de température de la mer (attribuée en partie à El Nino, un événement exceptionnel de 1998), bien que certains montrent des signes de rétablissement.

STE ANNE AND ITS MARINE NATIONAL PARK Five kilometres from Mahé, Ste Anne covers more than two square kilometres.

The Ste Anne Marine National Park includes the reef area surrounding six granite islands covering 14 kilometres.

Unfortunately large sections of coral have suffered from a rise in sea temperatures (attributed partly to an exceptional El Nino event in 1998), although some are showing signs of recovery.

What to see and do: Constituted in 1973, the Ste Anne Marine National Park was one of the first Marine National Parks in the Indian Ocean. It protects well over 150 types of fish and other marine life. Naturally, fishing is forbidden, as is collecting shells and coral. As the notice says, “Take away nothing but photographs and memories.” It is probably the main breeding site for hawksbill turtle in Seychelles.

Getting there: Half day and full trips are arranged from Mahé. The best way to appreciate the wonders of the ocean is to make the trip by glass-bottomed boat, through which you can see shoals of colourful fish.

Where to stay: Sainte Anne Resort, (managed by the International Company Beachcomber) is the only hotel on the island. The National Park is also accessible by day trips from Mahé.

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Anse Cabot

Ce qu’il y a à voir et à faire: Créée en 1973, le Parc national marin de Ste Anne était l’un des premiers parcs nationaux marins de l’océan Indien. Il protège bien plus de 150 types de poissons et autres espèces marines.

Naturellement, la pêche y est interdite, ainsi que la cueillette de coquillages et de coraux. Comme l’indique l’avis “N’emportez rien d’autre que des photographies et des souvenirs.” C’est probablement le principal site de reproduction de la tortue imbriquée des Seychelles.

Grande Anse

Sante Anne Island INDIAN OCEAN Anse Manon

Anse Mare jupe

Sante Resort & Spa

Pour vous y rendre: Des excursions d’une demi-journée et d’une journée sont organisées à partir de Mahé. La meilleure façon d’apprécier les merveilles de l’océan est de faire le voyage en bateau à fond de verre, à travers lequel vous pouvez voir des bancs de poissons colorés.

Hébergement: Sainte Anne Resort, (géré par International Company Beachcomber) est le seul hôtel de l’île. Le Parc national est également accessible par des excursions d’un jour à partir de Mahé.

Anse Cimetiere

ROUND ISLAND PRASLIN

L’ÎLE RONDE DE PRASLIN

Round Island Praslin lies just a short distance off Baie Ste Anne, Praslin.

Round Island is accesible by helicopter or by boat. Only 20 guest can stay here at the same time. The small Round Island Resort merges with the forest and the hillside, comprising just one large main house and three luxurious villas.

A boardwalk skirts the edge of the hill and climbs to the summit where there is a spectacular view of the islands.

L’île Ronde de Praslin se trouve à une courte distance de Baie Ste Anne, Praslin.

Round Island est accesible par hélicoptère oupar bateau. Seulement vingt vous pourrez rester ici en même temps. La petite station balnéaire fusionne avec la forêt et le flanc de la colline, comprenant juste une seule grande maison principale et trois villas. Une promenade longe le bord de la colline et grimpe au sommet où il y a une vue spectaculaire sur les îles.

21 - 28 MARCH 2015 IN MAURITIUS An opportunity to meet six 2 Michelin Starred Chefs, as well as high profile members of the jury and wine connoisseurs, creating a food-and-wine pairing experience par excellence.

To book the special culinary package of 7 nights including a culinary class and exclusive dinners, contact us by email on resa@constancehotels.com or visit us at www.constancehotels.com

Discover Seychelles

A la Découverte des les

CURIEUSE MAIS CHARMANTE Curieuse est une petite île granitique à près de deux kilomètres au Nord-Est de Praslin, d’environ trois kilomètres de longueur. Elle était une fois connue sous le nom d’île Rouge en raison de sa terre rouge nue.

Elle est gérée par la Seychelles National Marine Parks Authority (SNPA).

Pour vous y rendre: Grâce à une excursion organisée à partir d’hôtels sur l’île de Praslin ou avec des voyagistes locaux. Les yachts privés sont également autorisés.

Un droit d’entrée est payable à la SNPA (inclus dans le coût des visites organisés).

Quand y aller: Ouvert tous les jours y compris les jours fériés. La base des gardeforestiers est ouverte de 8h00 à 17h00.

CURIOUS BUT DELIGHTFUL Curieuse Island is a small granitic island about two kilometres northeast of Praslin and about three kilometres in length. It was once known as Ile Rouge on account of its bare red earth. It is managed by the Seychelles National Marine Parks Authority (SNPA).

Getting there: Through an organised trip from hotels on Praslin or local tour operators. Private yachts are also allowed. An entry fee is payable to SNPA (included in the cost of oganised tours).

When to go: Open daily including public holidays. The ranger base is open from 8.00am to 5.00pm.

What to see and do: Tours usually include a barbeque lunch and possibilities for snorkeling, birdwatching and hiking. There is a well-marked nature trail from Baie Laraie to Anse Jose and a trail to Anse Badamier. The mangrove swamp bordering Baie Laraie holds six of the seven species of mangroves known to Seychelles. A boardwalk built on piling goes through the swamp, allowing access even at high tide. The ruins of a former leper colony can be seen at Anse Jose where the doctor’s house has been converted into a museum. Hundreds of giant tortoises were introduced between 1978 and 1982 and there is a tortoise nursery where tortoises are nurtured until they are five years old, before being released into the wild. Curiuese is the only other natural home (apart from Praslin) of the legendary coco de mer.

Anse Badamier

CURIEUSE Baie Laraie

Anse St. Jose

Anse Papaie

Mandarin CURIEUSE MARINE NATIONAL PARK

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Grande Anse

Ce qu’il y a à voir et à faire: Les visites comprennent généralement un déjeuner barbecue et des possibilités pour faire de snorkeling, de l’observation d’oiseaux et de la randonnée. Il y a un sentier naturel bien-marqué de Baie Laraie à Anse Jose et une piste à Anse Badamier. Le marais de mangrove qui borde Baie Laraie contient six des sept espèces de mangroves connus à Seychelles. Une promenade construite sur pilotis passe à travers le marais, permettant l’accès même à marée haute.

Les ruines d’une ancienne colonie de lépreux peuvent être vues à Anse Jose où la maison du médecin a été transformée en musée. Des centaines de tortues géantes ont été introduites entre 1978 et 1982 et il y a une nourricerie où les tortues sont élevées jusqu’à l’âge de cinq ans avant d’être relâchées dans la nature. Curieuse est le seul autre habitat naturel (en dehors de Praslin) du légendaire coco de mer.

Discover Seychelles

A la Découverte des les

Pour vous y rendre: Les clients du complexe exclusif de l’île arrivent par bateau ou par hélicoptère sur un vol de 15 minutes à partir de Mahé, et de 5 minutes à partir de Praslin.

PARADISE Cousine Island is a small granitic island, 25 hectares in size and six kilometres west of Praslin. There are very few islands anywhere in the world that have survived intact as Cousine has done and it is one ofthe biggest conservation success stories of the Indian Ocean.

Getting there: Guests of the exclusive resort on the island arrive by boat or 15 minutes flight by helicopter from Mahé, and five minutes from Praslin.

What to see and do: The island has a profusion of wildlife including a systematic rehabilitation programme which was introduced to restore the island including the planting of thousands of native trees, the protection of the huge seabird colonies and the reintroduction of endemic birds. Relax at the lodge or take a nature walk with a resident ecologist or go on a guided snorkeling expedition and observe teeming schools of tropical fish.

PARADIS RÉCUPÉRÉ Where to stay: Cousine Island Resort and Spa is a small luxury resort, with three villas catering to a maximum of eight people.

Cousine est une petite île granitique de vingt-cinq hectares, située à six kilomètres à l’Ouest de Praslin. Il y a très peu d’îles au monde ayant survécu intactes à l’instar de Cousine et c’est l’un des plus grands succès de conservation dans l’océan Indien.

Ce qu’il y a à voir et à faire: L’île a une diversité de faune, et un programme systématique de réhabilitation a été mis en place pour restaurer l’île, qui consiste en la plantation de milliers d’arbres indigènes, la protection d’immenses colonies d’oiseaux de mer et la réintroduction d’oiseaux endémiques. Vous pourrez vous détendre à l’hôtel ou aller en promenade dans la nature avec un écologue résident ou faire une plongée guidée et observer des bancs de poissons tropicaux.

Hébergement: Cousine Island Resort and Spa est un petit complexe hôtelier de luxe, avec trois villas accueillant un maximum de huit personnes.

STRICTEMENT POUR LES OISEAUX L’île aux Oiseaux se situe à l’extrême Nord de l’archipel des Seychelles et c’est un paradis pour les amoureux de la nature. Une vue aérienne vous donne les premières impressions fantastiques de ces 70 hectares de sable de corail.

INDIAN OCEAN BANC

STRICTLY FOR THE BIRDS Bird Island is the northernmost island in the Seychelles archipelago and is a nature lover’s paradise. From the air you get the first stunning impressions of this 70 hectares coral cay.

Getting there: A 30 minutes flight from Mahé by light aircraft operates daily.

What to see and do: The east and south sides of the island are surrounded by a protective barrier reef which is home to many varieties of colourful fish and the rest is an open beach which offers superb safe swimming. The island offers some of the best game fishing in the country.

Dolphins are regularly observed in the surrounding waters. With close to one million pairs of Sooty Terns

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coming to the northern end of the island to breed present mainly from March to September, and a resident population of Noddy and Fairy Terns, the island is an ornithologists dream. Many rare migrant birds are recorded, especially during October to December. Bird Island is also home to former Guinness World Record holder Esmeralda, said to be the heaviest Aldabra giant tortoise in the world living in the wild.

Where to stay: Bird Island Lodge offers guests a choice of 24 comfortable and spacious bungalows.

A true haven from today’s busy world, there are no telephones or televisions and the emphasis is very much on relaxation and being at one with the nature around you.

Sooty Tern Colony

Bird Island Lodge

T RS AI GROS LA TÉTE

RIP

Pour vous y rendre: Il y a un vol quotidien de 30 minutes à partir de Mahé par avion léger.

Ce qu’il y a à voir et à faire: L’Est et le Sud de l’île sont entourés d’une barrière de corail, foyer de nombreuses variétés de poissons colorés; le reste étant une superbe plage ouverte où l’on peut se baigner en toute sécurité. L’île offre certains des meilleurs jeux de pêche du pays. Les dauphins sont régulièrement observés dans les eaux environnantes.

Près d’un million couples de sternes fuligineuses venues du Nord de l’île pour se reproduire, présentes principalement de mars à septembre, et une population permanente d’anous et de sternes néréis, c’est une île de rêve pour les ornithologues. De nombreux oiseaux migrateurs rares sont enregistrés, en particulier pendant les mois d’octobre à décembre. L’île aux Oiseaux est aussi le domicile d’Esmeralda, ancienne titulaire d’un record du monde Guinness, elle serait la tortue géante Aldabra la plus lourde au monde vivant létat sauvage.

Hébergement: Bird Island Lodge offre à ses clients un choix de 24 bungalows spacieux et confortables. Un vrai refuge pour s’échapper du monde mouvementé d’aujourd’hui, il n’y a ni téléphones ni télévisions et l’accent est mis sur la détente et la communion avec la nature autour de vous.

An experience to remember!

Distinctly Seychellois

Discover Seychelles

UN CORAIL JOYAU DE L’OCÉAN INDIEN

Discovered in 1773, this croissant shaped coral hideaway of 152 hectares is a small green jewel perched on the northeasterly edge of the Seychelles bank. Denis Island is 60 kilometres north of Mahé.

Découvert en 1773, ce refuge en corail en forme de croissant de 152 hectares est un petit bijou vert incrusté sur la berge Nord-Est des Seychelles. L’Ile de Denis est à soixante kilomètres au Nord de Mahé.

Getting there: The Island is accessible by a 30-minute flight from Mahé.

Pour vous y rendre: L’île est accessible par un vol de 30 minutes de Mahé.

What to see and do: Idyllic white beaches surround the island; its sheltered lagoon provides unrivalled swimming opportunities and the crystal-clear waters harbour turtles and exotic marine life, the reef is perfect for snorkeling. The deep waters outside the reef allow for excellent diving, game, bottom and fly-fishing.

Ce qu’il y a à voir et à faire: Des plages idylliques de sable blanc entourent l’île; sa lagune abritée fournit des opportunités de natation sans égal et les eaux cristallines hébergent des tortues et autres espèces marines exotiques, le récif est parfait pour le snorkeling.

Les eaux profondes en dehors du récif permettent d’excellentes plongées et une pêche sportive, de fond et à la mouche.

D BIL AN IM S BI

ST S L’ E DAN

M BO URA N D ILL IEU E LA BO MÉ R EU E F

B BL OIS AN C L CH ÉGL IN ISE OI SE

H GU ANG AN AR O O

D VA ANS RR E

IP STR

IN OC DIAN EA N

Where to stay: There is a private resort with 25 tasteful, elegant and secluded cottages each with its own private beachfront.

AIR

D Is en Lo landis dg e

Over 50 hectares of woodland have been rehabilitated and the dense forested interior is a haven for the recently introduced endemic endangered avian species such as Seychelles fody, Seychelles warbler, Seychelles magpie robin and most recently Seychelles paradise flycatcher previously only found on La Digue. Seychelles blue pigeon also abound. The island’s vegetable and livestock farm and surrounding seas supply the hotel kitchen’s requirements.

R JE OCH PIE AN E RR E

CORAL JEWEL OF THE INDIAN OCEAN

Hébergement: Il y a un complexe privé avec vingt-cinq pavillons raffinés, élégants et isolés chacun avec sa propre plage privée. scientifiques et de gardes forestiers de la Société pour la conservation de l’ile sont employés à plein temps pour la réhabilitation et les programmes de surveillance.

MAGIC LAGOONS, LONELY HORIZONS A tiny, triangle shaped island, Alphonse is 400 kilometres southwest of Mahé.

Once a productive coconut plantation, little remains as a reminder of these days save for a few old buildings and the island’s cemetery near to Pointe Huto. Conservation is a high priority and a team of full time scientists and rangers from the Island Conservation Society are employed on rehabilitation and monitoring programmes.

Getting there: One hour flight from Mahé. There is just one flight per week operating during the seven month flyfishing season (October to April).

What to see and do: The hotel specialises in fly-fishing. Other attractions include some of the best diving in the Indian Ocean, with forests of Gorgonian fan corals, huge schools of pelagic fish and many colourful reef fish. A short stretch of ocean, ominously named as Canal de

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Plus de 50 hectares de forêt ont été remises en état et la dense forêt intérieure est un paradis pour les espèces aviaires endémiques menacées récemment introduites telles que le foudy des Seychelles, la fauvette des Seychelles, le shama des Seychelles et plus récemment le tchitrec des Seychelles qu’on ne trouvait auparavant qu’uniquement à La Digue. Le founingo rougecap des Seychelles y abonde également. Les jardins potagers et la ferme de bétail de l’île ainsi que les mers environnantes approvisionnent suffisamment la cuisine de l’hôtel.

Pour vous y rendre: Une heure de vol à partir de Mahé . Il n’y a qu’un seul vol par semaine au cours de la saison de pêche à la mouche qui dure sept mois (octobre à avril).

Mort, separates Alphonse from picture perfect Bijoutier and the lagoon of St. Francois. A feature of St. Francois is the number of shipwrecks, standing as grim reminders of the perils of the sea.

Both are very popular for fly-fishing.

Where to stay: Alphonse Island Resort is the only hotel on the island.

LAGUNES MAGIQUES, HORIZONS SOLITAIRES Une île minuscule triangulaire, Alphonse est à 400 kilomètres au Sud-Ouest de Mahé.

Autrefois une plantation productive de noix de coco, très peu reste de cette époque à part quelques vieux bâtiments et le cimetière de l’île près de Pointe Huto. La conservation est une grande priorité et une équipe de

Ce qu’il y a à voir et à faire: L’hôtel se spécialise en pêche à la mouche. D’autres attractions sont la meilleure plongée dans l’océan Indien, avec des forêts de gorgones ou éventails de mer, d’énormes bancs de poissons pélagiques et beaucoup de poissons multicolores de récifs. Un court tronçon de l’océan, sinistrement nommé Canal de Mort, sépare Alphonse de la photogénique Île Bijoutier et du lagon de St François. Une caractéristique de St. François est le nombre d’épaves, sombres souvenirs des périls de la mer. Les deux sont très populaires pour la pêche à la mouche.

Hébergement: Alphonse Island Resort est le seul hôtel de l’île.

A la Découverte des les

MADAME ZABRE

Settlement DEUX COCOS

R AI

Desroches Island Lodge

P RI ST

DEUX RIDEAUX

LA POINTE PIMENT

INDIAN OCEAN

ISLANDS OF THE ADMIRAL

LES ÎLES DE L’AMIRAL L’Île Desroches est la plus grande des îles Amirantes, et fait partie des îles périphériques des Seychelles. Elle est située à 230 kilomètres au Sud-Ouest de Mahé. Elle mesure 6 km de long et a une superficie de 3 km2. Les programmes de conservation sont gérés par la Société pour la conservation de l’île.

Getting there: 45 minutes by air from Mahé.

Desroches is famous for the Desroches Drop with its fantastic caves, which may be explored under the supervision of a PADI dive-master. There is also a small settlement, where there is a plantation providing much of the island’s requirements. Since 2009, a full time team of scientists and rangers from the Island Conservation Society is employed to monitor and protect the terrestrial and marine life.

What to see and do: Guests can enjoy sailing, cycling, canoeing, windsurfing, snorkeling deep-sea fishing and diving.

Where to stay: Luxurious Desroches island Lodge is the only hotel on the island.

Ce qu’il y a à voir et à faire: Les visiteurs peuvent faire de la voile, du cyclisme, du canoë, de la planche à voile, de la plongée

Desroches Island is the largest island of the Amirantes, part of the Outer Islands of the Seychelles. It is located 230 kilometres southwest of Mahé. It is six kilometres long and has an area of around three kilometres squares.

Conservation programmes are managed

by Island Conservation Society.

Pour vous y rendre: 45 minutes par avion de Mahé.

en apnée, de la pêche en haute mer et de la plongée sous-marine. Desroches est célèbre pour Desroches Drop avec ses fantastiques grottes qui peuvent être explorées sous la supervision d’un PADI Divemaster. Il y a aussi une petite colonie, avec une plantation qui couvre une bonne partie des besoins de l’île. Depuis 2009, une équipe à plein temps de scientifiques et garde-forestiers de la Société pour la conservation de l’île est employée pour contrôler et protéger la vie terrestre et marine.

Hébergement: Luxurious Desroches Island Lodge est le seul hôtel de l’île.

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 41

Discover Seychelles

Baie Chevalier Anse Lazio SAVOIE

INDIAN OCEAN Anse Boudin

Anse Boudin Anse Anse Takamaka Petit Anse Cour Possession ANSE PETITE COUR PASQUIERE

NEWCOME JALOUSIE

Anse Kerlan

Anse Volbert PROVIDENCE

ST AI R

Anse Kerian

RIP

PLAIN HOLLANDAISE Grande Anse

Grande Anse

SALAZIE

NOUVELLE DECOUVERT Fond de L’ Anse

Anse Volbert

Anse Matelot

COTE D’OR

VALEE DE MAI

Anse Anse Madge Bonnet Carre

NATIONAL PARK FOND AZORE

Anse Citron Anse Bateau

Grande Anse

Baie St. Anne

Baie St. Anne Anse L’ Amour

FOND DALBARETZ

PRASLIN

Thirty-seven square kilometres in size, Praslin measures 11 kilometres in length and five-and-a-half across at its widest. The island is a mere 15 minute’s flight from Mahé via Air Seychelles’ domestic airline and one hour by fast, inter-island catamaran ferry. Helicopters are also available for charter through Zil Air. A ferry operates throughout the day between Praslin and neighbouring La Digue.

Getting around: There are several different types of car hires available and a taxi rank at the airport. A bus service runs between 0530 and 1900 hours with a special Sunday service.

Island Excursions: There are regular boat excursions to Praslin’s neighbouring islands such as St. Pierre,

42 | Silhouette Vol 26 No 1

Anse La Farine îLE RONDE

ST. SAUVEUR

Anse St. Sauveur Anse Takamaka CONSOLATION Anse Cimitiere Anse Anse Bois Marie de Rose Louise Anse Consolation

Located 40 kilometres north of Mahé, Praslin is Seychelles’ second largest island and is also home to the archipelago’s second largest population of around 7,000. Apart from its sublimely beautiful beaches, some of which are regularly ranked among the best in the world, Praslin is perhaps best known for its Vallée de Mai, one of Seychelles’ two UNESCO World Heritage Sites where the legendary double-lobed coconut, the coco-de-mer grows on towering palms in an ancient, hidden glade.

Petite Anse

a tiny rock island popular for its spectacular coral reef and rich marine life and biodiversity hotspots Curieuse Island, Cousine and Aride.

Where to stay: Praslin boasts several excellent 5-Star hotels as well as a rich assortment of smaller hotels, islandstyle beach villas, guesthouses and self-caterings to give the visitor a flavour of the Seychellois Creole way of life.

Petite Anse

What to see and do: The island is well served by roads especially along the northern, south and south-western coasts and also by frequent ferries to La Digue. The island is criss-crossed by a network of footpaths of which the most beautiful of all is through the Vallée de Mai, managed by Seychelles Islands Foundation and open from 0830 to 1630 hours. The entrance and Visitors Centre can be found on the road from Grand Anse to Baie St. Anne. Paths are well maintained and clearly marked, and nature trails lead you to all the interesting botanical species. Praslin is also home to the endemic Seychelles black parrot, the national bird of Seychelles, as well as to the beautiful Seychelles blue pigeon, among others.

Shopping: You can find a range of souvenirs in Praslin’s nooks and crannies as well as in the main town of Baie St. Anne, the airport and at the larger hotels. These include the fabulous coco de mer whose exportation requires a special licence alongside paintings, jewellery and sculptures.

Beaches: Praslin’s beaches are of legendary beauty: golden sanded Anse Volbert, or Cote d’Or on the east coast; Anse Boudin and Anse Kerlan; Anse Lazio at the island’s northern most tip considered by many to be the most beautiful beach in the world and excellent for both swimming and snorkelling and Grand Anse, on the west coast. Baie Pasquiere, Anse Volbert and Baie St. Anne all have natural harbours.

A la Découverte des les

L’île est sillonnée par un réseau de sentiers dont le plus beau passe par la Vallée de Mai, géré par la Seychelles Islands Foundation et ouvert de 08h30 à 16h30. L’entrée et le centre d’accueil aux visiteurs se trouvent sur la route de Grand Anse à Baie St. Anne. Les chemins sont bien entretenus et clairement marqués, les sentiers de nature vous mènent à toutes les espèces botaniques intéressantes.

Praslin abrite aussi l’endémique perroquet noir des Seychelles, l’oiseau national des Seychelles, ainsi que de le beau founingo rougecap des Seychelles, entre autres.

© Raymond Sahuquet/STB PRASLIN

Située à quarante kilomètres au Nord de Mahé, Praslin est la deuxième plus grande île des Seychelles et abrite la deuxième plus grande population de l’archipel, soit environ 7000 âmes.

Hormis ses plages paradisiaques, dont certaines sont régulièrement classées parmi les meilleures au monde, Praslin est peut-être mieux connue pour sa Vallée de Mai, l’un des deux sites des Seychelles classés au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO où la légendaire noix de coco bilobée, le coco de mer, croit sur des palmiers imposants dans une ancienne clairière cachée.

Avec 37 km2 de superficie, Praslin mesure 11 km de long et 5,5 km de large. L’île n’est qu’à quinze minutes de vol de Mahé sur un vol intérieur d’Air Seychelles et à une heure par ferry catamaran rapide inter-îles. Les hélicoptères sont aussi disponibles pour affrètement auprès de Zil Air. Un ferry opère tout au long de la journée entre Praslin et La Digue voisine.

Déplacement: Il y a plusieurs types de voitures de location disponibles et une station de taxis à l’aéroport. Un service de bus effectue la liaison entre 5h30 et 19h, avec un service spécial le dimanche.

Excursions sur l’île: Il y a des excursions régulières en bateau aux îles avoisinant Praslin comme St. Pierre, une petite île de rocher populaire pour son récif de corail spectaculaire et la richesse de son milieu marin et ses zones les plus riches en biodiversité, à savoir: les îles Curieuse, Cousine et Aride.

Hébergement: Praslin possède plusieurs excellents hôtels 5 étoiles, ainsi qu’un riche assortiment de petits hôtels, villas de plage de style des îles, auberges avec leurs propres installations de restauration pour donner au visiteur un parfum du mode de vie créole Seychellois.

Ce qu’il y a à voir et à faire: L’île est bien desservie par un réseau routier en particulier le long des côtes du Nord, du Sud et du Sud-Ouest et également par des ferrys fréquents vers La Digue.

Courses: Le visiteur peut trouver une gamme de souvenirs dans les coins et recoins de Praslin de même que dans la ville principale de Baie St. Anne, à l’aéroport et dans les plus grands hôtels.

La gamme comprend le fabuleux coco de mer dont l’exportation nécessite un permis spécial à côté de peintures, sculptures et bijoux.

Plages: Les plages de Praslin sont d’une beauté légendaire: Anse Volbert au sable doré, ou Côte d’Or sur la côte Est; Anse Boudin et Anse Kerlan ; Anse Lazio à la pointe Nord de l’île que d’aucuns considèrent comme la plus belle plage au monde, excellente tant pour la natation que le snorkelling, et Grand Anse, sur la côte Ouest. Baie Pasquiere, Anse Volbert et Baie St. Anne ont toutes des ports naturels.

Discover Seychelles

A la Découverte des les

A WORLD ALL ITS OWN

GLACIS CAFOULE

Anse Victorin

GROS BOIS NOIR

Getting there: 12 minutes from Mahé by Air Seychelles.

What to see and do: With over 10 kilometres of roads and trails, the island is easy to explore on foot or by electric buggy.

Frégate is the stronghold of the critically endangered Seychelles magpie-robin (less than 200 birds in the world), saved from extinction by the intervention of BirdLife International. Recently the Ministry of Environment and Island Conservation Society established successfully on Frégate another highly threatened endemic bird, the Seychelles white-eye (500 individuals in the world). The island boasts the world’s only population of giant tenebrionid beetle, as well as about 2,000 free-range giant tortoises. Tens of thousands of native trees have been propagated and replanted since 1995, totaling several dozens of hectares restored. There are superb beaches, such as Anse Victorin, which some say is the prettiest in Seychelles. It is also a walker’s paradise, with wooded paths leading through plantations and groves. There is also a private harbour & Yacht Club with a PADI Dive Centre.

Where to stay: Frégate Island Private Resort, a holiday preserve for guests. There are 16 large residences (400-700 square metres) with private pools and exclusive whole island rental also available.

Anse Bambous

Anse Maquereau

INDIAN OCEAN PLAINE MAGNAN

MONT SIGNAL

IP TR RS AI

Frégate is the most isolated of the granite islands. It has romantic associations with the world of pirates and hidden treasure.

Today, it is home to an exclusive upmarket resort and conservation programmes have been implemented to restore the splendor of this beautiful island.

Plantation House

Grande Anse AU SALON

Petite Grande Anse

Anse Parc

Anse Felix

Pointe Sud

Anse Coup de Poing

UN MONDE À PART Frégate est la plus isolée des îles de granit.

Elle a des associations romantiques avec le monde des pirates et trésor caché.

Aujourd’hui elle abrite une station balnéaire exclusive haut de gamme et des programmes de conservation ont été mis en œuvre pour restaurer la splendeur de cette magnifique île.

Pour vous y rendre: 12 Minutes de Mahé par Air Seychelles.

Ce qu’il y a à voir et à faire: Avec plus de 10 kilomètres de routes et de pistes, l’île est facile à explorer à pied ou en voiturette électrique.

Frégate est le bastion du shama des Seychelles gravement menacé d’extinction (moins de 200 oiseaux dans le monde), sauvé de l’extinction par l’intervention de BirdLife International. Récemment le ministère de l’environnement et la Société pour la conservation de l’île ont établi avec succès sur Frégate un autre oiseau endémique extrêmement menacé, le Zostérops des Seychelles (500 individus dans le monde).

L’île abrite la seule population de scarabées ténébrionides géantes, ainsi qu’environ 2 000 tortues géantes vivant en liberté. Des dizaines de milliers d’arbres indigènes ont été propagés et replantés depuis 1995, totalisant plusieurs dizaines d’hectares restaurés. Il y a des plages superbes, comme Anse Victorin, considérées par certains comme la plus jolie des Seychelles. C’est aussi un paradis pour les promeneurs, avec des coursives en bois qui mènent à travers plantations et bosquets. Il y a également un port privé et Yacht Club avec un centre de plongée PADI. Hébergement: Frégate Island Private Resort, des vacances sous le thème de la conservation pour les clients. Il y a 16 grandes résidences (400-700 m2) avec piscines privées et la possibilité de location exclusive de l’île entière existe également.

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FESTIVAL: HONG KONG

Red The East is

Chinese New Year

w

hile virtually all the societies around the world celebrate some form of new year, surely none do so more heartily than the Chinese. The fun and celebrations last no mere evening, but continue for 15 days over a period known as Spring Festival, during which families get together for enormous banquets, lions and dragons dances in the streets, and fireworks displays light up the night sky.

The last day of celebrations, Lantern Festival, is a good excuse for final round of partying under the glow of lucky red lanterns.

The fireworks – along with the din of a thousand exploding firecrackers and the banging of drums and cymbals – are designed to scare away evil spirits for the coming year. (As firecrackers are banned in places such as Singapore, people relay the sounds of exploding firecrackers through loudspeakers instead.) Chinese New Year is about hope, happiness and renewal, and its most important focus is the family.

Chinese homes are decorated for the occasion with tangerines – symbolic of enduring friendship – and with ‘trays

of togetherness’ containing tangerines, lychees (harmony), and candied melon (good health). This New Year, which falls on 19 February, bodes well on the family front, since it ushers in the Year of the Sheep, a creature commended for its honesty, is intimate and can be easily moved by the misfortunes of the others.

The traditional Chinese calendar runs on lunar months, so New Year falls any time between late January and February, on the first day of the first lunar month.

It’s a time of celebration, superstition, strange omens and symbolic greetings and goodbyes, and all about making a fresh start by attracting as much good luck as you can for the year ahead. At the heart of all the celebrations is an abundance of food in the hope that this will set the pattern for the future.

Much of the food served for Chinese New Year is rich in symbolism and cultural associations. Black seaweed and red dates (prosperity), abalone (abundance), oysters (success in business), lotus seeds (fertility) and noodles (longevity) are all favoured.

These associations are often related to the names of these ingredients. Red dates, for example, are considered

auspicious not only for their lucky colour but because their Chinese name, hong zao, also sounds like the phrase ‘prosperity comes soon’. In Korea, where the lunar New Year is also celebrated, chestnuts and pine nuts are the traditional snack, and rice wine is drunk chilled, where it’s generally enjoyed warmed at other times.

Equally, certain plants are also symbolic.

Bamboo shoots aren’t only eaten but presented in pots as gifts, and represent long life. Flower shops serving Chinese communities around the world dazzle with a kaleidoscopic display of colour at this time of year. Plum blossoms, bamboo, sprigs of pine, water lilies, kumquats and narcissus are the plants traditionally associated with Spring Festival. If you can get your plants to bloom right on New Year’s Day, then you’re sure to be exceptionally lucky in the coming year.

In Vietnam, where Chinese New Year is called Tet, the yellow blossom of the hoa mai flower is favoured for decoration. Families also ‘plant’ a tree or branch in front of their homes from which all the leaves have been removed; the tree is then wrapped or decorated

STORY BY BRIAN JOHNSTON | PHOTOS © PETER HOLTHUSEN

Main picture: Hong Kong is famed for its lavish Chinese New Year celebrations, which culminates in a spectacular fireworks display over the harbour and Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront.

Getting there: Air Seychelles flies thrice a week to Hong Kong from Mahé.

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 47

PHOTOS © PETER HOLTHUSEN

FESTIVAL: HONG KONG

Chinese New Year is about hope, happiness and renewal, and its most important focus is the family.

with red paper, remaining there until the final day of New Year.

Red has long been considered a lucky colour in Chinese societies, representing good luck and happiness.

It’s for this reason that the Chinese get married in red, and keep carp and goldfish as pets. (One of the carnivallike pastimes of New Year markets is the very tricky task of trying to catch goldfish using a net made of tissue paper.) Over Spring Festival, the thresholds of houses are hung with strips of red paper on which prayers or poems celebrating spring are written.

The giant red Chinese characters for ‘spring’ and ‘luck’ proliferate. Money in red envelopes is handed out to children and unmarried friends, signifying the transmission of good fortune and good wishes.

Superstitions and traditional beliefs have always imbued Chinese New Year.

These days they’re more likely to be observed among Chinese communities overseas, since many have fallen into abeyance in mainland China, where New Year has become very secularised.

Among observances, many avoid bad language and unlucky words, knives and scissors (which will ‘cut’ your luck), and even fresh tofu because it’s white, the traditional colour for Chinese mourning. People try not to fall, stumble or cry, as this will only set the pattern for the coming year. This is also a time to pay off debts and be nice to dogs: according to tradition, the second day of New Year is every dog’s birthday. In Korea, footwear is hidden away, since ghosts are supposed to enter the house in order to take away the best pair of shoes – should they be able to find them.

crowds gather for the sounding of the gigantic Chonggak bell, one of the most significant moments of New Year. In Yokohama in Japan, one of the world’s liveliest Chinatowns is presided over by the Kantei-byo Shrine, beautifully decorated and wonderfully illuminated at night. Dedicated to the Chinese god of prosperity and business, it buzzes with energy over New Year as visitors prayer for success.

Meanwhile in Singapore, the muchloved God of Prosperity presides over a New Year parade and sprinkles gold dust over the crowds, bringing fortune for the year ahead. At Thian Hok Keng Temple, where guardians with scimitars and angry eyes goggle at you as you step over the threshold, visitors place lighted cigarettes into the outstretched hands of two statues known as the Gambling Brothers in the hope they’ll influence lucky lottery numbers.

Parades and public events mark Chinese New Year around the world. Hong Kong has the best fireworks display with the harbour and laser-lit skyscrapers as backdrop. In Taiwan, the Lantern Festival is marked by a giant parade of floats decorated with lanterns and displaying mechanised heroes from Chinese legend, including the God of Happiness. And in Singapore, the Chinagay parade is the culmination of Spring Festival, featuring 3,000 street performers, rock bands and dragon dancers.

Chinese New Year is also increasingly a major event in cities across the world with large Chinese immigrant populations.

Sydney’s three-week Chinese New Year celebrations are the largest outside Asia, centred on its Chinatown and involving food markets, dragon boat races on the harbour and a parade that shuts down the main thoroughfare in the city centre.

Melbourne, Vancouver, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Paris and London are other good spots to be for the occasion.

Expect more parades, dancing Chinese lions, beauty pageants and plenty of good food. Even Buenos Aires gets in on the act, with a Chinese New Year parade through its compact Chinatown and colourful decorations on shop facades.

For a moment, it seems the whole world turns Chinese – and red – in the spirit of a happy New Year.

Below: Wherever you find a Chinese community, you will be able to join the spectacular Chinese New Year Celebrations. The sights, sounds, colours and events during this time are not to be missed.

In Korea, bells toll 108 times on the stoke of midnight, a Buddhist ritual which is said to free you from the 108 earthly desires. In Seoul, huge

48 | Silhouette Vol 26 No 1

Getting there: Air Seychelles flies thrice a week to Hong Kong from Mahé.

AIR SEYCHELLES CHARTER SERVICES In addition to our daily scheduled flights to Praslin, Air Seychelles’ charter service allows you to charter flights to some of our domestic destinations on our modern fleet. Create your itinerary to suit your needs with our competitively priced fares.

Our destinations are: Bird Island | D’Arros | Denis Desroches | Praslin | Frégate To book a charter or for more enquiries, please email us on HMCharters@airseychelles.com or call us on 00248 4391068.

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 49

FEATURE: ARIDE ISLAND

Aride an island Restored

Seychelles has come a long way since the International Airport opened for business. Whilst the country as a whole has been transformed by the resulting human development, Aride is an exception because it has been travelling back through time, moving closer to being the Eden that existed here before humans discovered these beautiful islands, says Adrian Skerrett.

i

n 1972, tourism arrived in Seychelles. A onceisolated population embraced the modern world. New roads replaced dirt tracks; new hotels and buildings were constructed.

Seychelles grew from having a relatively poor subsistence economy into a middle-income country with a prosperous way of life. The beauty of Seychelles remains undeniable but progress always comes at a price. Increased pressure on nature has been inevitable. However, Seychelles has done much to preserve and protect the thing that makes it unique and attracts so many visitors, and in particular its environment. Aride is a shining example of the way in which progress and prosperity can go hand in hand to create a more natural, richer world.

When Aride came up for sale in 1973 with a price tag of £40,000 (equivalent to almost one million pounds at today’s values) it was saved for posterity by the philanthropist, Christopher Cadbury. He gifted the funds to UK’s Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) who

50 | Silhouette Vol 26 No 1

PHOTO © SEYCHELLES TOURISM BOARD (STB)

purchased the island just one year after the airport’s ribbons had been cut and ran it successfully for many years before passing responsibility to the local Island Conservation Society (ICS). Today, ICS owns and manages Aride Island and their conservation staff are Aride’s only inhabitants.

come directly on to the shore is limited.

This factor (plus a little bit of luck) meant that Aride is the largest island in Seychelles never to have suffered from the scourge of rats. Despite exploitation, birds and plants survived so that the seeds of recovery were all there. Aride was bruised, but not beaten.

Even in 1973, Aride was regarded as something special though it had, like other islands, suffered from exploitation.

The original forest had been removed, cats had been introduced and seabird’s eggs were collected and shipped to Praslin. Fortunately rats never arrived and the absence of streams (hence the name Aride) made the island much less attractive to settlers than others. Landing can be difficult and consequently the size of boats that can

Since Christopher Cadbury stepped in, the number of birds, the variety of species, the native forest and the overall biodiversity of the island have increased in spectacular fashion. Today Aride is a fragment of a lost world, dominated by birds and reptiles that existed before the arrival of man. It is not just another island: it is the best island on which to experience Seychelles as it was before any human footprint appeared on these shores. What is more, because

it requires a little more effort to reach than the easily accessible satellite islands of Mahé and Praslin, it receives fewer visitors. For the discerning tourist this affords the opportunity to escape the crowds and experience something special, for Aride is one of the finest tropical nature reserves in the world.

At the same time you do not need to be a nature enthusiast to appreciate how different Aride is. Visit Aride for a taste of Seychelles as it was centuries ago: pristine, stunningly beautiful and positively bursting with life.

Aride is home to more breeding seabirds of more species than the other 40 granitic islands of Seychelles added together. There are land birds unique to Seychelles, a beautiful gardenia shrub found nowhere else, a fabulous coral

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 51

FEATURE: ARIDE ISLAND

Among the breeding birds of Aride are the world’s largest populations of two species: lesser noddy and tropical shearwater. Noddies nest in trees all over the island, their calls resonating through the forest during the day. A speciality of the Indian Ocean, they get their name from their curious nodding courtship rituals. By contrast, shearwaters are nocturnal, emerging from their burrows just before dawn to climb trees and launch themselves into the air. Other breeding seabirds include roseate terns of a distinctive race found only in the western Indian Ocean. Named arideensis after the island, Aride is of course its stronghold and is the only viable breeding ground in all the granitic islands.

When Aride was purchased by RSWT none of the 12 land bird species unique to granitic Seychelles was present there.

Today there are five. Seychelles warblers were transferred to the island in 1989 and it is now the world’s stronghold for the species, with greater numbers living here than on all its other island homes combined. Later, Seychelles magpie-robins were transferred and a new population established for a species once described as the rarest

52 | Silhouette Vol 26 No 1

Right: Magpie Robin.

Visit Aride for a taste of Seychelles as it was centuries ago: pristine, stunningly beautiful and positively bursting with life. in the world. Magpie-robins suffered a massive decline following human settlement until fewer than 20 remained, all confined to Frégate.

Today, thanks to translocations to other islands, including Aride, numbers have increased more than ten-fold. Later,

Below: A fairy tern.

© COLLIN BELL

reef and one of the highest densities of lizards in the world. At the pinnacle of the nature trail you will find the most spectacular view in granitic Seychelles.

Reaching the summit requires some effort but at the top there is a wonderful reward which makes the exertion worthwhile: the cliffs drop away at your feet, the breeze cools the face and the glitter of ocean dazzles the eyes. Delicate white fairy terns flutter curiously almost within touching distance and beyond there are spirals of majestic frigatebirds climbing upwards on two-metre wingspans. Curiously, frigatebirds do not breed on Aride despite the huge numbers present.

Aride represents a staging post on their long cyclical foraging journeys from Aldabra and perhaps even further afield.

Seychelles fodies were also successfully transferred and, in the meantime, two other species, Seychelles blue pigeons and Seychelles sunbirds did not wait for human assistance: incredibly they flew across open ocean to found new colonies on Aride themselves.

Hand in hand with the recovery of bird populations has come the restoration of the natural forest. Approaching Aride from the sea it is noticeable that, unlike the other islands, coconut palms are confined to the shoreline. Introduced plants have been virtually eliminated and native plants have thrived. Among these is Wright’s gardenia, a beautiful shrub with fragrant flowers, found in its natural state only here. Two and a half centuries since the establishment of the first settlement in Seychelles, Aride is the ultimate island for those looking for a window on a world that existed before any human footstep touched these shores.

Trips to Aride can be arranged through Praslin boat operators, tour operators and larger hotels. Alternatively call Aride on 2719778 for advice.

PHOTOS © SEYCHELLES TOURISM BOARD

FESTIVAL: SEYCHELLES

t

he Carnaval International de Victoria is getting geared up for its 6th edition, due once again to take the streets of the capital, Victoria, by storm between 24 - 26 April 2015.

The carnival has been a popular addition to Seychelles’ calendar of events since its first appearance in 2011, when it first caught the public’s imagination with three days of island-style festivities, earning considerable coverage by the international media for its theme ‘melting pot of cultures’. Participants from all over the world seized on this unique opportunity to raise the profile of their respective cultures in a display of much-needed international harmony and goodwill.

In 2011, Seychelles’ very own carnival saw a grand procession of some 60 floats and over 20 foreign participants snake its way from Roche Caiman through the streets of Victoria, thronged by some 30,000 people comprising locals, visitors and contingents from visiting navy ships.

Since its beginning, the carnival has ensured that Victoria comes alive in a way seldom before witnessed in its entire history and over the years has

preparing for its 6th edition swelled to embrace a growing number of participants and also members of the press who in 2014 reached well over 100.

Echoing its epithet ‘carnival or carnivals’ the Carnaval International de Victoria has so far seen participation from such international carnival heavyweights as Brazil, the Notting Hill carnival of UK, Dusseldorf, China, India, Italy, Indonesia, Russia, France and Trinidad & Tobago while special guests have included singing legend Dionne Warwick and UNWTO Head Talib Rifai.

The 2015 edition promises to pack the same punch as every year, offering a raft of entertainment options with live music bands from across the world keeping the crowds entertained until well into the night. The format is expected to follow the now established tradition of commencing with an official opening in central Victoria, followed by speeches by the organisers and visiting dignitaries after which the evening will explode into Seychellesstyle carnival extravaganza. The second day will feature the carnival procession itself, snaking through the streets of the capital with its vibrant displays of colour and sound, to be followed by an evening of live music, great food and

unforgettable atmosphere. The third day – the long-awaited family fun day, will allow the crowds to mingle with the carnival participants and also soak up the carnival ambiance with its live music performances and even a special ‘Kiddies Carnival’ to make certain that festivities end on a high note.

FOOD – TRAVELLERS’ TALE

The Butcher of Panzano

by James Michael Dorsey

O

n a sunny Tuscan hilltop, in a speck of a village in Chianti, there is a tiny restaurant that sums up Italy, but the word ‘restaurant’ is inadequate. This is the story of a way of life and not just a place to eat.

It does not advertise, and yet the tables are always full and the phone is always ringing because it is not just the food that draws people but an ambience where the Italian soul is on display, animated by a larger-than-life personality.

In this land where people talk as much with their hands as their mouths, dining is a living work of art. Life in Italy is pursued and not just lived, and eating is an integral part of the national psyche where each bite is to be savoured and prolonged. At Mac Dario, known locally as Solo Ciccia (Only Meat), food is as appreciated as a fine painting and one can relax and watch others close their eyes and smile as they slowly chew and swallow. Entire conversations will take place between bites, and if you just want to sit and sip your Chianti, no one is watching the clock. Dinner is meant to take all night.

Dario Cecchini is the proprietor and arguably Italy’s most famous butcher.

That is quite a claim in a land where butcher’s shops proliferate on almost every corner. But he is listed in multiple guidebooks as a personage and an experience not to be missed. To see him at a butcher’s block with a cleaver in his hand is akin to visiting the studio of a master artist, a title he himself would not dispute. To Dario, meat is a calling.

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He makes no apologies to vegetarians, believing man was meant to consume meat. His website says that dinner will be ten courses of meat, all selected by him, and no steak will be served because it requires no creativity.

At his side is his wife and secret weapon, Kim, an American expatriate who provides the charm to Dario’s gusto.

Together, they have created not just a restaurant but a gathering place where people come from around the world to experience “Il vita.”

I came to meet Dario by chance, through an e-mail from a friend while waiting for my flight from Germany to Florence. She had just heard I was going to Italy and told me her best friend lived in Tuscany, was engaged to a famous butcher, and that I should make a point of looking him up, adding a link to his website.

Needless to say, wandering through the countryside in search of a butcher was quite low on my travel list, so I filed the information away as something to do if bored.

A few minutes later I received an e-mail from the butcher’s then fiancé, Kim, inviting my wife and I to dinner. Apparently she had been been contacted by my friend and told I was coming.

At this point I began to think that perhaps some grand cosmic scheme had been put in motion to bring it all together. I had to admit to a predilection to such things, whenever I am on the road. We decided to act as pawns and

allow the giant hand of fate to guide us.

Tuscany is the heart of Italy and Chianti is the soul of Tuscany. Local people will tell you that Dario is the heartbeat.

Mr. Cecchini resides in Panzano, Chianti, a town of near-vertical cobbled streets that has remained unchanged since the time of the Medici. It lies halfway between Florence and Siena, straddling a hilltop, visible from miles away, its church steeple dominant as a chess piece, and reachable by a twisting back road that meanders through the countryside, offering post card views in every direction. Looking up at medieval stone villas under billowing cumulus clouds and surrounded by miles of vineyards, one can almost imagine hooded monks wandering past on donkeys. This is old Italy, Italy as it was when Michelangelo made his way through this valley on his way to fresco the Sistine in Rome, and it is the Italy where time is unimportant.

It is a town where laundry hangs outside and stone terraces are swept each morning. Everyone knows everyone else and all are used to directing visitors to Dario.

It is in this village, where time stopped centuries ago, that Dario Cecchini has spent 35 years honing his skills as a butcher while becoming a master restaurateur. He actually owns three superb eateries in this town the size of a postage stamp. But it is a disservice merely to call them eateries when they are in fact gastronomical and cultural oases.

PHOTOS © JAMES MICHAEL DORSEY

Life in Italy is pursued and not just lived, and eating is an integral part of the national psyche where each bite is to be savoured and prolonged.

Su Richiesta and Accoglienza cater to the upscale crowd for whom dinner means a coat and tie and an entire evening at table, while Mac Dario – a takeoff on McDonalds – handles what Dario calls, tongue-in-cheek, the “Fast food crowd”.

The bright red and white stripes of Mac Dario stand out against the brown stone of Panzano and, if you still have trouble finding the place, just look for the blue cow painted all over with flowers that stands directly across the street.

The oversized personality of Dario himself greets everyone who wanders into the tiny butcher shop where it is not unusual to find an entire carcase of beef suspended from the ceiling chain and Dario carving away at it like a renaissance sculptor. He is clearly a man who loves his work and, in his red trademark pants, often attracts a crowd of gawkers at his window watching him carve.

Right: Restaurant sign.

Below: Author with Darios and Kim.

forgiving as they would flag me down before I killed someone, then I would roll down the window and say, “Dario Cecchini”, and they would point.

We parked in front of the gaily-painted cow just as the skies parted and a deluge of rain greeted me in my dash across the street.

I burst into his shop, soaked to the bone, and rattling on about a friend of a friend, before realizing he spoke little English and had no idea who or what this mad tourist was ranting about in his store.

But that aside, he put his arm around me, handed me a delicious glass of wine

and pointed to a table spread with food, ordering me to eat while he attended to the crowd of customers and answered the telephone that rang off the hook.

That is how he treats everyone.

He will wipe his hands on his apron then crush yours in a shake, before pouring you a glass of local Chianti and directing you to the table of bread, cheese and olive oil, watched over by the life-sized statue of a minotaur. To Dario, people are not just customers; they are friends.

It is here that visitors congregate while waiting for the hidden wall door to open and be summoned up the aging stairs, past the poster of Mona Lisa holding a large slab of steak, and into the main dining room. People come and go constantly as Dario alternates between bear hugging and talking on the telephone, and everyone talks to everyone else. He will whack you on the shoulder while yelling an order to a waiter, then turn to wave at somebody passing outside, without ever breaking your conversation: the local celebrity,

We pulled into Panzano under threatening black clouds where the only problem we had in locating Dario was my inability to decipher Italian traffic signs that kept leading us down one way streets. The local folk were more than

clearly at ease in the eye of the storm.

Diners are seated at long benches, shoulder to shoulder with travellers from the far reaches, a situation that facilitates conversation even if there is no common language. Waiters scurry about, carrying one plate at a time, leaving trails of subtle aromas in their wake.

To sit back and watch while Dario and Kim both work the room, talking to everyone and catering to all, gracious hosts full of old world charm, and to be in this animated scenario full of sights, smells, and sounds, is to know the essence of Italy.

Getting there: Air Seychelles flies twice a week to Rome via Abu Dhabi.

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HISTORY

The Seychelles Hospital at 90

Seychelles Hospital on the day of the inauguration.

Built during the early 20th century, and now a decade short of its century, is one of Seychelles’ most iconic colonial edifices. But its construction was not all plain sailing, writes TONY MATHIOT.

O

n Sunday 30 November 1924, an important event took place in the colony of Seychelles. This was the inauguration of the New Seychelles Hospital at Mont Fleuri by the governor, Sir Joseph Aloysius Byrne.

The chief medical officer, Dr. John Thomas Bradley, made the reception address in which he reminded all those present of the problems that had plagued the construction of the building.

In a roundabout way, the hospital owes its existence to celebrations marking the end of the First World War. In mid-1919 activities were planned to celebrate the signing of the Peace Treaty, as they were to be held in all British Colonial Territories. The total sum collected for this purpose from public donations amounted to Seychelles Rupees (SCR) 2,596.70 cts.

A few months later, in January 1920, it was decided at a meeting at Government House that a hospital would make a splendid permanent memorial. It was Governor Eustace Edward Twistleton-Wykeham Fiennes who

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Governor Byrnes .

put the idea forward. His idea of a memorial hospital, a medical establishment that would cater for the needs of all the inhabitants be erected, met with hearty agreement. The unused balance of SCR488.88 cts left from the peace celebrations were placed in the Government Savings Bank to the credit of the New Hospital Fund. At that meeting, which was attended by about 60 citizens who were of independent means, a subscription list was circulated and the sum of SCR7,500 was raised.

Indian residents donated the sum of SCR3,655. The Chinese community gave SCR626. La sociéte de L’Ile Silhouette gave SCR100.

Residents of La Digue – 139 of them – gave SCR90.47 cts, whilst 15 Praslin residents gave SCR10.60 cts. Governor Fiennes soon realised that funds raised locally would not be sufficient so he appealed to various colonial organisations, and quite a few responded generously. The British Red Cross society gave SCR30,000. The British India Steam Navigation Company gave SCR5,000. The Eastern South African Telegraph Company gave SCR376 and Mauritius, of which Seychelles had been a dependency until 1903, gave SCR10,000.

The site chosen to build the hospital was at Hermitage, and it was acquired from its owner, Adolphe Emmerez de Charmoy at an approximate cost of SCR10,000. In March of 1920, work commenced and on 12th June 1920 Governor Fiennes laid the corner stone.

After blasting work, foundations and basements were prepared and building operations began.

Shortly afterwards, subscription lists were sent to all the districts.

In February and March 1920. There were collections in all churches and chapels.

The inhabitants were aware that a new hospital was urgently needed. A small hospital named St. John of God Hospital, which had been built in 1866 and stood on the slope where the National House is now located, was in a pathetic state of dilapidation.

In May 1921, a new superintendent of Public works was appointed: Major Harold Kenworthy. When he arrived, work was making excellent progress since prison labour was used in the construction of the foundations. By then, the total amount of money raised by public subscription was SCR68,837.

However, Kenworthy estimated that cost of completing the hospital was about four times that figure. By August of 1921 the sum of SCR57,353 had been expended, and the cost of materials ordered through the Crown Agents was estimated to be SCR149,184. The odds were insurmountable and at the end of August all the building work was stopped.

Various communities were eager to contribute, and they gave generously. The

At that time the colony of Seychelles was in the throes of a hookworm

PHOTOS © TONY MATHIOT

epidemic. Tuberculosis and leprosy were also prevalent. Most inhabitants did not have access to medical facilities. The grim outlook was that Seychelles would not have its modern hospital after all.

Early in 1922 the Legislative Council debated the possibility of revising the original plans but the idea was quashed.

For 16 months, the unfinished structure stood in forlorn dereliction, overgrown with weeds.

In September 1922 Fiennes’s successor, Sir Joseph Aloysius Byrne, assumed the administration of the colony. He was soon exchanging lengthy dispatches with Downing Street, regarding the completion of the hospital.

Work recommenced on 16 February 1923 and, some 20 months later, a huge and magnificent building became the object of admiration at Hermitage.

It was a splendid creation of exquisite geometry, from the ironwork pattern of the balcony to the wafer-white masonry walls and the arched doorways. It consisted of a main frontage with wings on either side. The upper story of the south wing was the resident surgeon’s quarters. The upper story of the north wing was the maternity section. Large, spacious verandahs attached to each wing imparted a lofty appearance to the building. There were four wards: two first class, one second and a third class ward making a total of 84 beds. There was a modern theatre with overhead lighting.

Two Coleman lamps giving 1,200 candle power provided illumination for nocturnal operations. There were five bathrooms: two for male and three for female patients.

The hospital had indeed proved to be a triumph for all those who had the vision and drive to see it through to completion.

Department so that the inhabitants could have access to an excellent health service. Born of Anglo-Irish descent, and with an endearing character, he had arrived in Seychelles in 1901 at the age of 31 years. During the many years that he spent here, the inhabitants had learned to appreciate his scrupulous character and strong resolve. Having decided to make Seychelles his home, he had the colony’s health at heart.

Since the new hospital had a maternity section, the old maternity home, located elsewhere, was closed. In the Maternity section there were 16 beds in the 3rd class, six in the 2nd and two in the 1st class.

There were various outhouses including a boiler house and a kitchen with a range able to cook for 100 patients.

It was Harold Kenworthy’s wife who designed and laid out the ornamental gardens of flowers and shrubs at the entrance where there was a fountain surrounded by rockery in which seats were provided. The quadrangle in the centre of the building was laid out in grass with palms and ferns in the centre and four sides.

The hospital was provided with running water by galvanised iron piping that

The total cost of the construction of the Seychelles Hospital was SCR265,700.

Materials used included 885 casks of cement and 1,875 corrugated iron sheets for roofs, ridges, rain gutters and downpipes. Timber was obtained locally: 1379.5 metres (4,526 feet) of capucin, 993 metres (3,259 feet) of bois rouge and 635.50 metres (2,085 feet) of casuarinas. It was indeed a monumental achievement that was a tribute to Kenworthy’s dogged determination.

Now that he had a modern medical establishment at his disposal, John Thomas Bradley, who had been appointed Chief Medical Officer in June 1923, was eager to reorganise the medical

Seychelles Hospital as it is now.

connected to a reservoir fed by a stream in the hills of Hermitage. Despite all its modern amenities, there was no X-ray apparatus in the hospital. It was not until 1929, that an X-Ray and electrotherapeutic department started to function. This was at the initiative of Dr Maxime Paul Lanier, who was then the Resident Surgeon. It was badly needed because without radiographic examinations many patients could not be properly treated. At that time, there was also diathermy treatment and ultraviolet irradiation with a Quartz mercury vapour lamp. This was applied in various cases of chronic inflammation of internal organs. Ultra-violet irradiation was given to patients after surgical operations.

The first person to be born in the new hospital was a baby girl, Francoise Alcide on 7 December 1924. The first person to die there was a 46 year-old labourer, Victor Rachel. In 1925, there were 731 patients and 29 deaths. The 1925 budget was SCR545,257.

The first matron was Sister Lucy who, in 1926, was succeeded by Sister Catherine.

In 1924, there were five hospital nurses who were sisters of the Order of St Joseph de Cluny. They were assisted by five probationary nurses. There were four male attendants, two ward maids, one midwife, one dispenser and a chief clerk.

In 1931, a tuberculosis ward was built in the grounds of the hospital; later the Princess Elizabeth Nurses’ Home opened to accommodate young Seychellois girls who were keen to join the medical profession and took courses in medical, surgical and maternity nursing. In 1949, a children’s ward with 22 cots opened and a new store and laundry were built. In 1955, a hand-operated lift was installed.

In 1966 the outpatient clinic was completed. The first Seychellois matron – Nell Marie Therese Mathiot – was appointed in September of 1966.

In his medical report for 1925 Dr John Thomas Bradley wrote “…the grounds of the hospital are now well-planted and laid out, the building is one of the show places of the island, and is one of the Principal edifices that catch the eyes of the passengers on steamers arriving at the port of Victoria. The hospital had indeed proved to be a triumph for all those who had the vision and drive to see it through to completion.

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NEW DESTINATION

Gateway to Tanzania

Dar es Salaam

by Kate Nivison.

O

ne fact to know from the start is that Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city by far, is not the official capital. That’s Dodoma, and has been since the 1970s, but for most arrivals, Dar is still the first port of call, whether your visit is for business or pleasure.

And what a port it is – the third largest in Africa, set beside the gleaming blue Indian Ocean on one of the continent’s finest harbours. In the early morning, there’s something timeless about the scene along the famous Kivukoni waterfront where it’s still possible to imagine how it must have looked in the days when trading dhows laden with spices and ivory dominated the Swahili coast.

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Now that Dar es Salaam is third on the list of Africa’s fastest growing cities, the illusion of salaam (peace) that gave the port its name doesn’t last for long. One in ten Tanzanians live in the greater city area, where the population has rocketed from 2.4 million in 2005 to 4.3 million (2012). It is projected to reach 5.1 million by 2020. This is a city on the move where the infrastructure can hardly keep pace. But if you know what to expect and where to look, there are still plenty of magical moments to be found.

Kiswahili and English are the official languages, although there is still some architectural evidence of German rule (1885-1918).

BEST TIME TO GO Temperatures are rarely uncomfortably hot and sticky as there is always the chance of a sea breeze, even before the main rains arrive (March to May). The monsoon winds at that time mean that the sea, while still warm enough for swimming, loses its sapphire blue clarity and can be murky and even dangerous. Driest months are June and July. The ‘little rains’ are patchier and tend to fall from November through to January.

Getting there: Air Seychelles flies to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania twice times a week.

PHOTOS © CAMERAPIX Ltd

Opposite page: Dhow on cerulean waters.

Left: Bird’s eye view of Dar es Salaam.

WHERE TO STAY • There are clusters of hotels of all prices along the airport road into the city centre and culminating in the old waterfront area with such well-known landmarks such as the New Africa Hotel, the Peacock, Southern Sun and The Kilimanjaro. This area is very convenient for city sight-seeing and also the Zanzibar ferry terminal.

GETTING AROUND • If you are not being met, experienced travellers advise is avoiding taxi touts operating inside the airport.

Head straight for the official taxi rank outside with a destination firmly in mind.

• Further north and along the coast are more hotels well-located for Oyster Bay and Coral Beach where the accent is on ocean views, white-sand beaches, sailing and other marine activities.

• Enhanced screening is now in place at Julius Nyerere International Airport to help prevent the spread of diseases.

• The southern beaches of Kigamboni are also developing fast, with a good variety of accommodation from highend to back-packer basic.

• Leave plenty of time to get anywhere, especially at rush hours. Dar’s centre is notoriously congested, and the new DART operates Bus Rapid Transport system (BRT) is currently under construction.

• Shared minibuses (dalla-dallas) ply regular routes and will stop on request anywhere along the way. Expect some noisy competition as to how many will be sharing, and don’t expect to see much of the scenery.

• Frequent cheap local ferries run across the harbour area to the southern beaches of Kigamboni. It’s worth it just for the experience and views of the port and ocean.

WHAT TO SEE KIVUKONI WATERFRONT Above: Tanzania’s major city, Dar es Salaam (Haven of Peace), with one of the finest natural deepwater harbours in the world.

• Be aware that many streets lack name signs, and some have been renamed – just one example, Ocean Road along the northern sea front is now Barack Obama Drive.

Getting there: Air Seychelles flies twice a week to Dar es Salaam from Mahé.

If time is limited, a stroll along here is a must. Until this century, brick-red tiles the colour of the Azania Lutheran Church spire, or older pan roofing used to dominate the skyline, but now the Roman Catholic (St Joseph’s) Cathedral and mosque minarets are increasingly dwarfed by glitzier structures that are more Dubai than Dar. Fortunately, some of the older buildings with their shady verandah, overhanging balconies and wooden shutters have been restored, so that old and the new rub along together in a bewildering mix of styles so typical of much of the city.

Beneath the spreading shade trees, informal markets have sprung up all along the waterfront, with plenty of hectic activity around the local and Zanzibar ferry terminals.

If you want to snap the ‘bend-down’ fruit and vegetable pitches or the coconut sellers’ loaded bikes, it’s only polite to buy a little something to seal the deal. The main fish market is a boisterous place when the afternoon catch comes in, with banter and laughter from haggling housewives and mini-bus drivers. Cooking smells get more enticing as evening approaches. Whole families come out in search of a cool drink and something spicy from the barbeques. Just take extra care as the sun goes down.

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REAL ESTATE

No. 9 Kingsgate Travel Centre, Independence Avenue, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles t: +248 422 6088 | f: +248 422 6086 | m: +248 271 1711 | e: info@arrivaseychelles.com

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www.arrivaseychelles.com

GATEWAY TO TANZANIA: DAR ES SALAAM

THE REST OF THE CITY • Enjoy the ambience of the Asian district with its temples, mosques and small shops, or the hectic haggling of Kariakoo, said to be the largest covered market in Africa.

• Shopping malls include the Mlimani City Mall, Tanzania’s first fullyenclosed air-conditioned shopping complex, with an office park, a hotel and upmarket residential properties.

• The National Museum on Samora Avenue, the Askari Monument at the nearby roundabout which marks the city centre, and the Botanical Gardens near the Holiday Inn are all good photo opportunities.

DAR ES SALAAM EATING OUT • Cosmopolitan Dar is full of interesting possibilities. Indian cuisine dominates, but Chinese is catching up, followed by Italian, Japanese, Thai, Korean . . .

• Fresh fish in delicious sauces are a speciality, served in increasingly trendy ‘fusion’ style at the more up-market restaurants and hotels.

Kariakoo market.

• For African dishes try the waterfront or Kariakoo for nyama choma, the hearty traditional beef barbeque. For informal meet-ups, ice cream parlours and coffee shops are popping up in downtown, and most malls have eateries.

OFF SHORE ISLANDS & MARINE PARKS

OUT OF TOWN & LONGER STAYS

Everyone knows about wonderful Zanzibar, reached by ferry from the Dar waterfront or a 30 minute flight.

Mbudia Island for snorkelling and scuba diving and Bongoyo Island for camping are nearer, but don’t forget traditional Pemba and Mafia Island as well.

Take a trip along what is now Barack Obama Drive (formerly Ocean Road) to the hooked-shaped peninsula that is home to State House, prestigious hospitals, the golf course and Palm Beach with its upmarket villas and hotels.

Some of Africa’s best coral reefs are accessible from Dar and protected by the Marine Park.

Head further north past Oyster Bay and Coco Beach to the Msasani Peninsula, long noted as an escape from city bustle. Dar es Salaam Yacht Club is here, and Slipway – a venue for the sailing and water sports crowd – with good shopping, waterside eating and laid-back-luxury hotels. Some have private beaches and water-skiing, canoeing, sail-boarding and kite-surfing are growing in popularity.

Getting there: Air Seychelles flies twice a week to Dar es Salaam from Mahé.

SOUVENIR SHOPPING Local specialities: expertly intricate Makonde carvings, Maasai beadwork, distinctive Tinga Tinga paintings.

In the Asian quarter, bazaar-style shops and larger stores have gorgeous Indian fabrics, jewellery, brass work and inlaid stoneware.

Colourful kangas or kikoys (skirt-length cloth) are everywhere, often bearing political or other slogans in Kiswahili. Haggle, of course, but ask what they mean first!

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“AMIRANTES” JOINS THE FLEET Air Seychelles got off to a grand festive season in 2014 as it welcomed a third Airbus aircraft into its fleet on Sunday, 30 November. Coming in for landing at 9:20 am, the newly-painted A320 was met by a throng of excited spectators who had gathered to witness its muchanticipated coming.

After touching down at the Seychelles International Airport, the 136-seat plane was treated to a traditional water-cannon salute, after which it taxied to a red carpet to be welcomed

by President James Michel, Vice President Danny Faure and other guests.

Speaking at the arrival ceremony, Manoj Papa, Air Seychelles’ Chief Executive Officer said: “For the CEO of an airline,

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there isn’t much that can top the feeling of welcoming a brand new aircraft to your fleet – particularly when your plans for it are as grand as ours.”

A BUSY BIRD During the first week of December 2014, Air Seychelles’ new A320 took to the skies to launch new services to Antananarivo, Dar es Salaam and Mumbai, as well as enable schedule upgrades on existing services to Abu Dhabi and Mauritius.

The service and network enhancements have taken Air Seychelles’ regional operations to a new level, making the Indian Ocean, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent

more accessible to leisure and business travellers than ever before, while connecting the archipelago to important new tourism markets.

Minister of Home Affairs and Transport, Joël Morgan, and Chairman of Air Seychelles, said: “Watching the A320 descend on Mahé with our bold livery on its tail fin was a proud moment for all of us. It is the third Airbus to join our fleet in as many years, and I am thrilled by the opportunities it brings for our national carrier, as well as for the wider economy and the people of Seychelles.”

Configured with 16 Business Class and 120 Economy Class seats, the A320

is named “Amirantes” after a group of remote Seychelles islands first sighted

by Portuguese explorers in the 16th century. It is a wet-lease from equity partner Etihad Airways.

As the best-selling single-aisle aircraft in the world and a member of the Airbus family, the A320 shares the same cockpit design and several operational commonalities as its wide-bodied variant, the A330-200. It offers guests a world-class flying experience, from ergonomic seating to on-demand entertainment systems, all wrapped together by the carrier’s award-winning Creole service.

FIRST ROUTE LAUNCH

DAR ES SALAAM Two days after welcoming Amirantes to its fleet, Air Seychelles launched a twiceweekly service to Dar es Salaam, the cultural and economic heart of Tanzania.

The inaugural passenger flight – HM 777 – took off from Seychelles International Airport on Tuesday, 2 December at 9:30 am, arriving in the East African city two-and-a-half hours later.

In keeping with time-honoured tradition, the A320 was welcomed by a water-cannon salute at Julius Nyerere International Airport and met on arrival by a delegation of VIPs including the Tanzanian Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mahmood Mgimwa, Tanzanian Deputy Minister of Transport, Charles Tizeba, Seychelles Honorary Consul to Tanzania, Maryvonne Pool, and a group of African dancers and other guest. Also onboard were a group of high-performing Air Seychelles staff who were treated to their first inaugural event.

Manoj Papa, Air Seychelles’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “Dar es Salaam is a great addition to our network and represents a new growth phase for our airline. With a population of over 4 million people, the second-largest port in East Africa, and great connections to popular game parks and tourism attractions, such as snow-capped Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam is wellpositioned to stimulate tourism and commercial activity on both ends.”

NEW OPPORTUNITIES Joël Morgan, Minister of Home Affairs and Transport and Chairman of Air Seychelles, said: “We are delighted to introduce our new service to Dar es Salaam, one of the world’s fastest-growing cities. This is the start of an exciting new chapter for our national carrier and will significantly deepen our existing bilateral ties as well support our mandate to be an

economic enabler for the Republic of Seychelles.”

The twice-weekly flights allow guests travelling with Air Seychelles to plan twin-centre holidays that combine superb beach getaways to Seychelles with unparalleled safari experiences in Tanzania, which is home to over 10 popular game parks, including the Serengeti, famed for an annual migration where more than a million wildebeest go on a 2,000 km pilgrimage in search of fresh grazing and water.

In addition, the flights have a bellyhold capacity of over 370 tonnes per year, offering an exciting opportunity to increase the volume of trade between Seychelles, its trading partners in East Africa, and beyond.

Dar es Salaam

The twice-weekly service has an annual capacity of over 28,000 seats, enabling Air Seychelles to strengthen trade and tourism into Seychelles and position Mahé as an efficient hub for linking East Africa to regions such as the Middle East, Asia and the Indian Subcontinent.

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SECOND ROUTE LAUNCH

MUMBAI

A few hours after returning to base from its inaugural flight to Dar es Salaam, Air Seychelles’ new A320 jetliner took off once again - this time heading for Mumbai, the financial and economic powerhouse of India. The historic maiden flight, operating under code HM 260, left Seychelles at 8:45 pm and landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport early the next morning.

Touching down at 2:55 am, the flight was treated to a ceremonious watercannon salute, after which there was a cake cutting ceremony with airport officials. Aboard the inaugural flight was a VIP delegation from Seychelles, including Chief Executive Officer of the Seychelles Tourism Board, Sherin Naiken, Chairman of the Seychelles Hospitality & Tourism Association, Freddy Karakaria, Chairman of the Seychelles Hindu Kovil Sangam Society, Veerapandiyan Pillay and members of the tourism and trade community. The celebrations continued the next evening, when Air Seychelles held a gala cocktail at the renowned Palladium Hotel, allowing guests to experience Creole culture and in particular, a traditional form of dancing in Seychelles called “sega”.

Speaking about the new flights, Manoj Papa, Air Seychelles’ Chief Executive Officer, said they would meet growing demand for business and leisure travel between India and Seychelles, as well as the Indian Ocean and East Africa.

“Mumbai is the 6th most-populated city in the world and represents a key strategic addition to our growing route portfolio. Our three weekly services, which have a capacity of over 42,000 annual seats, will increase the flow of tourism and trade from India into Seychelles and help boost traffic to our archipelago from the wider Asia region.”

A GATEWAY TO INDIA Situated on India’s west coast, Mumbai has a population of approximately 21

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million and is considered the largest and wealthiest urban centre in India, with a rising tourism market.

As a popular gateway city, Air Seychelles has optimised its flight schedule to offer seamless two-way connections from Mumbai to cities such as Chennai, Delhi and Hyderabad, simplifying travel options for both inbound and outbound guests. In addition, the carrier is working closely with Etihad Airways and Jet Airways to offer even further improvements and easier access to other points in the country.

Joël Morgan, Minister of Home Affairs and Transport and Chairman of Air Seychelles, said the thrice-weekly service was a “natural and exciting development” for both the island carrier and the country.

“Our national connection to India was forged in the late 18th century and has since developed into a defining characteristic of our demography and culture today. These flights will strengthen these existing bilateral ties while stimulating the level of economic and commercial activity between Seychelles and India.”

As a premiere honeymoon destination and a choice filming location for Bollywood, the new sub-five hour flights are also expected to increase the level of inbound tourism to Seychelles from India.

Mumbai

THIRD ROUTE LAUNCH

ANTANANARIVO After returning from Mumbai on the morning of Wednesday, 3 December, Air Seychelles’ A320 departed on a third and final route launch to Antananarivo, the bustling capital of Madagascar. The maiden flight, HM 755, took two-and-a-half hours to reach Ivato International Airport, making this incredible island the carrier’s fourth point in its Indian Ocean and Africa network.

The inaugural flight was received by a traditional water-cannon salute and a high-profile delegation from Madagascar that included Madagascar’s Minister of Transport, Ulrich Andriatiana, and Minister of Tourism, Benjamina Ramanantsoa, Seychelles Honorary Consul to Madagascar, Sylvain de Comarmond and other aviation and tourism officials. Onboard the flight was a second group of lucky staff who were rewarded for their high performance by enjoying their first inaugural flight.

Manoj Papa, Air Seychelles’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to launch this twice-weekly service to Antananarivo, a rapidly growing city of over two million people and the heart of Madagascar. With an annual cargo capacity of over 370 tonnes on our Airbus A320, this service will facilitate not only increased flows of tourism into Seychelles, but also

larger volumes of trade. This reinforces our commitment to grow the national economy of the Seychelles.”

ONE-OF-A-KIND With Air Seychelles’ new twice-weekly service, guests can now enjoy convenient access to the world’s fourth-largest island, a renowned wildlife hotspot and an outdoor lover’s dream. Over 5% of the world’s plant and animal species can only be found here alone.

Joël Morgan, Seychelles’ Minister of Home Affairs and Transport and Chairman of Air Seychelles, said he was delighted to see the launch of a new connection between Mahé and Antananarivo, as it coincides with the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations being established between the two states.

“Our bilateral ties have deepened and widened across many different sectors over the last two decades and with this service we can look forward to enhancing our relations further, with more cultural exchanges, technical cooperation and people-to-people contact,” he said.

“Madagascar is currently experiencing a boom in ecotourism and accelerated economic growth. With our new service we are well-poised to cater to the growing demand for air connectivity between Madagascar, Seychelles and beyond.”

Antananarivo

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NEWS

THE NEW AIRBUS A320: A MAJOR STEP FORWARD FOR AIR SEYCHELLES

TRANSIT EXPERIENCE FOR PARIS FLIGHTS ENHANCED

Air Seychelles has introduced an Airbus A320 into its growing fleet, named Amirantes in honour of a group of coral islands in the Seychelles archipelago.

Air Seychelles has secured approval for passengers flying between Seychelles and Paris to remain onboard the aircraft during their transit stop in Abu Dhabi, making life more convenient for the travelling public.

President James Michel cuts a ribbon to welcome the new aircraft Airbus A320 to Seychelles.

The new Airbus A320 enables the airline to launch three new routes, including Mumbai, Dar es Salaam and Antananarivo, representing the fastest rate of expansion our airline has ever seen. In addition to the new services, the delivery of Amirantes has allowed the airline to offer significant schedule upgrades on its existing network.

AIR SEYCHELLES AND ETIHAD CELEBRATE GROWTH

From centre left: Manoj Papa, Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, Alain St. Ange, Minister for Tourism and Culture, Jöel Morgan, Air Seychelles Chairman, and Minister for Home Affairs and Transport, and James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, pose for a photograph at the cocktail reception.

Air Seychelles and equity alliance partner Etihad Airways hosted a cocktail reception at the Banyan Tree Resort to celebrate the on-going success of their partnership and the growth of the island carrier. The event brought together more than 100 guests from the travel trade, local businesses, government and the diplomatic community, who were treated to a memorable evening that combined the warm Creole hospitality of Air Seychelles and the sophistication of Etihad Airways.

ETIHAD AIRWAYS PARTNERS UNVEILED Etihad Airways has unveiled ‘Etihad Airways Partners’, a new brand which brings together like-minded airlines to offer customers more choice through improved networks and schedules and enhanced frequent flyer benefits.

Initially, six airlines are participating in the new partnership – airberlin, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, India’s Jet Airways, Darwin Airline, and Etihad Airways.

The key emphasis for Etihad Airways Partners is a strong commercial partnership and shared values.

The Etihad Airways Partners logo will be displayed on aircraft and on branded materials by a group of airlines working together to connect travellers around the world to harmonise standards in the air and on the ground.

Frequent flyers will also benefit from the formation of Etihad Airways Partners as it will remove the difficulty and confusion that exists within the global alliances.

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From left to right: Air Seychelles Chief Executive Officer Manoj Papa, Seychelles Minister for Home Affairs and Transport and Air Seychelles Board Chairman Joel Morgan, and Air Seychelles Vice Chairman Kevin Knight, mark the airline’s return to Paris with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

This means that business and leisure travellers travelling in either direction now have the option to continue to relax onboard the aircraft instead of having to disembark or transfer to another aircraft during the scheduled transit in Abu Dhabi. However, passengers may occasionally be required to disembark for technical, operational or security reasons.

AIR SEYCHELLES AND HONG KONG AIRLINES SIGN CODESHARE AGREEMENT

Manoj Papa, Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, and Li Dianchun, Commercial Director of Hong Kong Airlines, sign a codeshare agreement between the two airlines.

Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, and Hong Kong Airlines, an internationally-acclaimed SKYTRAX 4-star airline, signed a codeshare agreement to provide travellers with enhanced connections in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Under the codeshare agreement, Air Seychelles will place its ‘HM’ code on Hong Kong Airlines’ flights between Hong Kong and the capital of Thailand, Bangkok. In return, Hong Kong Airlines will place its ‘HX’ code on Air Seychelles’ flights between the Seychelles and Hong Kong, as well as between Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates.

ROLL-OUT OF NEW STAFF UNIFORMS Air Seychelles has re-designed uniforms for frontline ground staff to match the signature blue fishtail designs worn by their cabin crew, a design that is symbolic of their warm service and unique Creole spirit. The VIP lounge staff, housekeeping staff, and porters are wearing this iconic look.

Manoj Papa, Chief Executive Officer thanked the Supply Chain/Procurement and Human Resources departments along with the 11-person Uniform Committee that worked over many months in ensuring this is the best quality uniform that can be provided and most importantly employees have a uniform that makes them look and feel their best.

AIR SEYCHELLES PROMOTES SEYCHELLOIS PILOTS

FREQUENCIES INCREASED ON SEYCHELLES – ABU DHABI ROUTE Air Seychelles and Etihad Airways have made changes to their flight schedules that offer guests more choice and greater flexibility when travelling between Abu Dhabi and Mahé.

Under the new schedules Air Seychelles have added two services per week and Etihad Airways one service per week, bringing the combined number of weekly return flights to Abu Dhabi from 10 to 13.

The extra frequencies provide an additional 217 weekly connections to key destinations across the Gulf region, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, North Asia, and Australia, including Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul.

Excellent connectivity will be maintained to and from Europe via Etihad Airways’ hub in Abu Dhabi.

Manoj Papa, Air Seychelles’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “Business and leisure travellers will benefit from more travel options when flying between Mahé, Abu Dhabi and beyond, as our schedule has been designed to offer seamless connections to onward flights on our respective networks at each end.”

BRIGHT NEW FUTURE

Air Seychelles’ historic first flight, HM 260 touches down in Mumbai.

The flag of Seychelles is proudly waved from the cockpit windows.

Manoj Papa, Air Seychelles’ Chief Executive Officer (right), fastens commander’s epaulettes on Captain Mein (top left), Captain Morel (top right) and Captain Romain (above left).

(Above right) Alan Renaud, General Manager Corporate Affairs, Allen Dubignon, Chief Pilot Domestic and Captain Sandy Benoiton, Head of Crew Training, pose with Manoj Papa, Chief Executive Officer, and Captain Granger Narara, Head of Flight Operations for a souvenir photograph.

Air Seychelles has promoted three pilots on its domestic operations to the rank of Captain.

Captains Bertrand Mein, Russell Morel, and Juan Romain were presented with their commander’s bars at the airline’s head office in Anse des Genêts.

Manoj Papa, Chief Executive Officer thanked all the staff for the successful launches of the new destinations and their hard work. He continued by saying, “We recently celebrated a momentous occasion as we welcomed our first A320 aircraft, named Amirantes to our fleet.

“The arrival of Amirantes marks a historic moment for us, a turning point towards a new and brighter future. It is the third Airbus to join our fleet in as many years, and I am thrilled by the opportunities it brings for our national carrier, for you, as well as for the wider economy and the people of Seychelles.

“Our successful launches have been a real team effort and I want to thank each of you for contributing to this success. It is a testament to your hard work and dedication.

“Our new routes are a natural and exciting development for Air Seychelles that build on the competitive advantages of our archipelago’s geographic position and will provide a solid foundation on which to build the future of our airline – together.

We will continue to work closely with our equity partner, Etihad Airways, which has a strong and growing presence in India and Africa, our other Etihad partners, including Jet Airways, and our tourism stakeholders to ensure our on-going success in these exciting new markets.

Thank you again to all of our staff for your contribution to this effort.”

Manoj Papa, Air Seychelles’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “Attaining the rank of captain is a proud milestone for any pilot, and I am delighted that Bertrand, Russell and Juan have achieved it at such a young age. Our domestic business is a great career path for talented Seychellois, and I am particularly pleased that the training was carried out by our very own pilots.”

The new Twin Otter commanders were promoted after successfully completing an intensive Command Upgrade Programme which included refresher courses on aircraft technical data, emergency procedures, Crew Resource Management (CRM), decision-making and leadership.

Mr. Papa added, “Our new twin otters have been well-received by the public, and with the new business they have generated, we have cemented the long-term career prospects of our employees. We are able to offer our Seychellois pilots a robust training programme that includes local instruction as well as access to world-class training facilities in Abu Dhabi, thanks to our equity partner Etihad Airways. This ensures the needs of our airline are well supported into the future.”

Air Seychelles currently employs 54 Seychellois pilots: 28 in its domestic operations and 26 in its international operations.

SAFETY AUDIT SUCCESSFUL Air Seychelles successfully completed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) for 2014.

The audit, which is done every 2 years, was carried out across eight operational areas, including Flight Operations, Cargo and Security. The new certification is valid until 20 October 2016.

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NEWS

AIR SEYCHELLES COLLECTS TROPHIES AT THE WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS

NEW EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PROGRAMME LAUNCHED

Air Seychelles collected two trophies for ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline – Business Class’ and ‘Indian Ocean’s Leading Cabin Crew’ at the World Travel Awards presentation ceremony held in London on 4 November 2014.

Named Mersi, the aim of this programme is to show appreciation to individuals and teams who excel in their efforts and achievements.

The awards, established in 1993, recognise the very best travel organisations in the world through a global vote by travel professionals from 171 countries.

Joël Morgan, Seychelles Minister for Home Affairs and Transport and Air Seychelles Board Chairman, said: “To receive these two awards is testament to the outstanding efforts of the entire team at Air Seychelles, our strategic partnership with Etihad Airways, and the innovative approach we have taken to being the best at what we do.

World Travel Awards President, Graham Cooke, said: “Air Seychelles has carved out a niche for itself as a boutique airline to the Indian Ocean, achieved through partnerships with a far reaching international footprint.”

AIR SEYCHELLES LAUNCHES HEALTH AND FITNESS PROGRAMME

Staff nominated for a ‘Mersi’ award take part in a ceremony marking the first flight from Seychelles to Dar es Salaam.

The scheme is for Air Seychelles staff at all levels and in all areas of the business, who best exemplify the airline’s values.

Staff may be considered for a Mersi award if they: • perform above and beyond expectations; • deliver greater-than-expected results with significant costsavings; • show spontaneous acts of leadership that make a difference; • achieve positive outcomes under tight constraints; or • act as a role model for Air Seychelles’ values in difficult conditions.

Managers will nominate and recipients will receive a gift and have the achievement recorded on their employee profile. The first batch of nominees got to see the Dar es Salaam and Antanarivo flights.

AIR SEYCHELLES REGISTERS SOLID PERFORMANCE IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2014 HALF YEAR HIGHLIGHTS: • revenue increases 20 per cent, • passenger numbers grow 25 per cent, • cargo tonnage up 35 per cent, • and significant expansion of codeshare partnership with Etihad Airways.

Air Seychelles achieved a strong first half-year 2014 financial performance, with double digit growth in revenue, passenger and cargo volumes, reflecting continued solid success in the airline’s business strategy.

Air Seychelles has launched a health and fitness programme to promote the well-being of its workforce.

The ‘Commit to be Fit’ campaign was launched at the airline’s headquarters at Pointe Larue, where staff received a health check from the Ministry of Health and had their baseline weight, body mass index, blood sugar and blood pressure levels recorded.

The three-month campaign will encourage staff to improve their health by participating in a programme of weekly activities that include Zumba and aerobics classes, nature walks and talks on nutrition and cardiovascular health delivered by the Ministry of Health.

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The airline posted total revenues of US$50 million (up from US$42 million in 2013), an increase of 20 per cent.

A total of 184,101 passengers flew with Air Seychelles in the first six months of 2014, an increase of nearly 25 per cent compared to the same period in 2013 (146,980 passengers). Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs), reflecting network seat capacity, rose 46 per cent to 727.4 million in H1 (496.7 million).

Manoj Papa, Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, said: “Our strong performance in the first half of 2014, and growth in revenue, passenger and cargo figures, reflects the continued success of our business model, our partnership with Etihad Airways, and the hard work and dedication of our staff.”

Seychelles Plus Joins Etihad Guests Loyalty Programme We are pleased to announce improved benefits, services and flexibility for our valued and loyal travellers. Since 16 June 2012, the Air Seychelles Plus Programme has been fully integrated into Etihad Guests, the award winning loyalty programme of Etihad Airways.

All members of the Air Seychelles Plus Programme have automatically become new Etihad Guest members, earning eight Etihad Guest Miles for every Seychelles Plus point in their account as at 15 June 2012.

Their current Seychelles Plus tier level has been carried over to their new Etihad Guest membership. For example, Air Seychelles Plus Gold Members have automatically been enrolled as Etihad Guest Gold members.

On becoming an Etihad Guest member, they now enjoy more benefits and rewards, including: •

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Immediate rewards - with the 1 Mile Redemption feature, fly once and enjoy instant rewards.

Anytime availability - all seats on a flight, including the very last seat, are available at any time. Redeem open seats at a mileage cost equivalent to the commercial price of the seat on any Etihad flights.

The widest choice - redeem for flights, products or services using the exclusive Etihad Guest Reward Shop.

Expanded network - redeem and earn points on over 3000 routes worldwide, with Etihad Airways and its partner airlines, including Air Berlin, Virgin Australia and American Airlines.

Also, as Etihad Guest members, our Guests can automatically earn and redeem Etihad Guest Miles with the entire Etihad Guest Partner network worldwide, which includes international hotel chains, car hire companies and retailers as well as 15 airline partners.

Guest Programme This level enables the member to enjoy permanent membership to the programme after earning 500 miles.

Guest Enjoys • Earn Etihad Guest/Tier Miles for journey • Redeem Etihad Guest Miles for journey/ upgrades/ excess kilos • Seat selection upon availability • Redeem open seats at a mileage cost equivalent to the commercial price of the seat on any Etihad flights

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Silver Tier Guest Enjoys • Waitlist priority • Lounge access • 10 kgs excess baggage • Earn Etihad Guest/ Tier Miles for journey • Redeem Etihad Guest Miles for journey/ Upgrades/excess kilos • Seat Selection upon availability • 25% Tier Bonus Miles

Gold Elite Tier Guest Enjoys • 20 kgs excess baggage • Priority Check-in • Lounge Access • Priority Boarding • Fast track immigration/baggage • 75% Tier Bonus • Earn Etihad Guest/ Tier Miles for journey • Redeem Etihad Guest Miles for journey/ Upgrades/ excess kilos • Seat selection upon availability • Third Party nominations • Gold Discretionary Nomination

Gold Tier Guest Enjoys • 15 kgs excess baggage • Priority Check-in • Lounge Access

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Priority Boarding Fast track immigration/baggage 50% Tier Bonus Earn Etihad Guest/ Tier Miles for journey Redeem Etihad Guest Miles for journey/ Upgrades/ excess kilos Seat selection upon availability Third Party nominations

For more information call us on +248 4391069 / 4381016 / 4391366 / www.airseychelles.com/guest

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Air Seychelles Plus rejoint le programme de fidélisation Etihad Guest Nous sommes heureux d’annoncer une amélioration de prestations, de nos services et de la flexibilité pour notre fidèle clientèle.

Depuis le 16 Juin 2012, le programme Air Seychelles Plus a été entièrement intégré dans celui d’Etihad Guest, le programme de fidélisation primé d’Etihad Airways.

Tous les membres du programme d’Air Seychelles Plus deviennent automatiquement des nouveaux membres d Etihad Guest, obtenant huit miles d’Etihad Guest pour chaque point sur leur compte au 15 Juin 2012.

Les membres d’Air Seychelles Plus conserveront le même statut dans le nouveau programme d’Etihad Guest. Par exemple, les membres Gold d’Air Seychelles ont été automatiquement inscrits comme membres d’Etihad Guest Gold.

En devenant membre d’Etihad Guest, ils vont maintenant bénéficier de plus d’avantages et de récompenses, y compris: • Des récompenses immédiates – avec la formule 1 Mile Redemption, voyagez une fois et de profitez des récompenses immédiatement.

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Disponibilité à tout instant - tous les sièges sur un vol, y compris le dernier, sont disponibles à tout moment. Échangez vos miles pour les open seats à un coût equivalent au prix commercial du siege par kilométrique sur n’importe quels vols Etihad Airways.

Le plus grand choix – échangez vos miles contre des billets d’avion, des produits ou services en utilisant la boutique exclusive Etihad Guest Reward Shop.

Un réseau étendu – échangez et accumulez des points sur plus de 3000 destinations à travers le monde, avec Etihad Airways et ses partenaires, dont Air Berlin, Virgin Australia et American Airlines.

Par ailleurs, en tant que membres d’Etihad Guest, nos clients peuvent obtenir automatiquement et échanger leurs milles avec l’ensemble de ses partenaires à travers son réseau mondial qui comprend des chaînes hôtelières internationales, les compagnies de location de voitures et les boutiques, ainsi que 15 compagnies aériennes.

Guest Programme Ce statut permet de devenir membre permanent du programme après avoir obtenu 500 miles.

Avantages • Optenez des miles pour chaque voyage • Echanges de miles contre des billets d’avion/surclassement/ excédent de bagages • Échangez vos miles pour les open seats à un coût equivalent au prix commercial du siege par kilométrique sur n’importe quels vols Etihad Airways.

Silver Avantages • Liste d’attente prioritaire • Accés au salon • 10 kgs d’excédent de bagages • La sélection de sièges selon disponibilité • 25% de bonus sur les miles • Gagnez des miles pour chaque voyage • Echanges de miles contre des billets d’avion/surclassement/ excédent de bagages

Gold Tier Avantages • 15 kgs d’excédent de bagages • Priorité au Check-In • Accès au Salon • Embarquement prioritaire • Trace rapide immigration/bagage • 50% de bonus sur les miles • Gagnez des miles pour chaque voyage • Echanges de miles contre des billets d’avion/ surclassement/ excédent de bagagess • Sélection de siège selon la disponibilité • Tiers candidatures Gold Elite Tier Avantages • 20 kgs d’excédent de bagages • Priorité au Check-In • Accès au Salon • Embarquement prioritaire • Trace rapide immigration/bagage • 75% de bonus sur les miles • Gagnez des miles pour chaque voyage • Echanges de miles contre des billets d’avion/ surclassement/ excédent de bagages • Sélection de siège selon la disponibilité • Tiers candidatures • Nomination discrétionnaire pour le statut ‘Gold’

Pour plus d’informations appelez-nous au +248 4391069/4381016/4391366 / www.airseychelles.com/guest

HEALTHY TRAVELLING

These gentle exercises, which you can carry out easily during your flight, will help blood circulation and reduce any tiredness or stiffness that may result from sitting in one place for several hours. Check with your doctor first if you have any health conditions which might be adversely affected by exercise.

Foot pumps:

Knee lifts:

Start with both heels on the floor and point feet upward as high as you can. Then put both feet flat on the floor. Then lift heels high, keeping the balls of your feet on the floor. Continue cycle in 30-second intervals.

Lift leg with knees bent while contracting your thigh muscles. Alternate legs. Repeat 20 to 30 times for each leg.

Knee to chest:

Forward flex:

Bend forward slightly.

Clasp hands around the left knee and hug it to your chest. Hold stretch for 15 seconds.

Keeping hands around knee, slowly let it down.

Alternate legs.

Repeat 10 times.

With both feet on the floor and stomach held in, slowly bend forward and walk your hands down the front of your legs towards your ankles.

Hold the stretch for 15 seconds and slowly sit back up.

Shoulder roll:

Overhead stretch:

Hunch shoulders forward, then upward, then backward, then downward, using a gentle, circular motion.

OTHER TIPS FOR A COMFORTABLE FLIGHT • For your own comfort try and travel light.

Raise both hands straight up over your head. With one hand, grasp the wrist of the opposite hand and gently pull to one side. Hold stretch for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Shoulder stretch:

Ankle circles:

Reach right hand over left shoulder. Place left hand behind right elbow and gently press elbow toward shoulder. Hold stretch for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Lift feet off the floor, draw a circle with the toes, simultaneously moving one foot clockwise and the other foot counterclockwise.

Reverse circles. Do each direction for 15 seconds.

Repeat if desired.

Arm curl:

Neck roll:

Start with arms held at a 90-degree angle: elbows down, hands out in front. Raise hands up to chest and back down, alternating hands. Do this exercise in 30-second intervals.

With shoulders relaxed, drop ear to shoulder and gently roll neck forward and to the other side, holding each position about five seconds. Repeat five times.

• Wear loose clothing and elasticated stockings made of natural fibre.

• Increase your normal intake of water and only if need be, drink alcohol but in moderation.

• Use moisturising cream to keep your skin from drying out.

• Take off shoes in the plane to prevent your feet from swelling up or wear shoes that will cope with expanding ankles.

• Avoid heavy meals during the flight.

• Short walks once every two hours are excellent for circulation.

• Try to touch your toes when waiting in the aisle to stretch your hamstrings.

• On arrival at your destination, have a hot shower or a relaxing bath.

• On arrival a quick jog, brisk walk, or a vigorous scrub will help stimulate your circulation.

Air Seychelles disclaim any responsibility in the unlikely event that you may suffer an injury as a direct result of these gently exercises.

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Welcome Aboard Air Seychelles is pleased to welcome you aboard this flight and hopes that you will enjoy our services. Your cabin crew will do everything possible to make your journey pleasant.

Should you need any assistance or information, please do not hesitate to call the cabin crew by pressing the call button located on the armrest of your seat.

IMPORTANT

For your information, use of the following equipment on board is strictly prohibited under any circumstances: • FM/AM/TV transmitters or receivers • Citizens Band Transceivers • Full size Computer Printers • Portable Telephones, (not part of the approved aircraft installation) • Remote Control Toys • Satellite Receivers • Scanners • Walkie Talkies • Wireless Microphones There is growing evidence that the above devices generate interference that could directly affect aircraft navigation and control systems.

HAND BAGGAGE Please note that one piece of hand baggage, in addition to a handbag and small camera, may be taken on board.

For your own safety, you must place your hand baggage either in the overhead storage compartment or under the seat in front of you. The Cabin Crew will remove hand baggage from passengers seated in exit row areas and this will be returned after take-off should it be required in-flight. Please ensure that the contents do not include any prohibited goods and also ensure contents do not spill out, to avoid injuries to you and your fellow passengers.

INFANTS AND CHILDREN Cabin Crew will assist in preparing baby foods. When possible, baby cots are available for infants.

SPECIAL MEALS Air Seychelles offers a selection of special meals to suit the dietary and religious needs of passengers provided they are requested prior to the flight, preferably at the time of booking. If you wish to order a special meal for your return flight, please make your request when you re-confirm your flight. Special meals are also available for children, if requested in the same way.

SMOKING Smoking is not permitted on all Air Seychelles flights.

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SAFETY Safety is our first priority. Please watch attentively the safety video or safety demonstration given by the flight attendants and read the Safety Instruction Card located in the seat pocket in front of you. Seat belts must be fastened for takeoff and landing and when the seat belt sign is illuminated during the flight.

SEATING Whilst your seat is adjustable, it has to be in the upright position, with the foot-rest and tray table stowed, for take-off and landing. Each seat has an individual reading light, enabling you to read at night without disturbing your neighbour.

COMFORT For your comfort, blankets, pillows, socks and eyeshades are available on all overnight flights.

PERSONAL BELONGINGS Before leaving the aircraft, please ensure that you have all your personal belongings with you, remembering to check the overhead lockers as well as the seating areas.

LABOUTIK DUTY FREE SALES: Sales of duty free goods are conducted on all international flights, time permitting.

Please consult the Laboutik Duty Free Brochure in the seat pocket in front of you.

This brochure details the range available and the currencies and credit cards that are accepted.

ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT Passengers are requested not to make use of any electronic equipment that could interfere with the navigational equipment on board the aircraft. Please ask the Cabin Crew for assistance.

SPRAYING Health regulations at Seychelles International Airport require that the aircraft must be sprayed. The spray used conforms to international regulations and presents no danger to your health.

However, we suggest you cover your nose and mouth should you feel you may be inconvenienced by the spray.

IN-FLIGHT SERVICE Our menus are designed to include the wide range of flavours from the Seychelles.

Depending on the duration of your flight, one or two meals are served. We offer free drinks on all our flights.

UNRULY/DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOUR ONBOARD AIR SEYCHELLES’ OWNED/OPERATED AIRCRAFT In terms of International Civil Aviation legislation and regulations, it is an offence for any person to: • Constitute any action that jeopardises or may jeopardise the safety of an aircraft, passenger and/or crew • Disobey valid instruction from a crew member (safety officer)* • Interfere with the normal operation of the aircraft • Assault or wilfully interfere with any member of the crew of the aircraft in the performance of his/her duties • Ignore warning signs and/or safety signs within the cabin of the aircraft • Wilfully cause damage to an aircraft which renders it incapable of flight or which is likely to endanger its safety in flight • Communicate any information which he/she knows to be false, thereby endangering the safety of an aircraft in service • Commit any nuisance or any disorderly or indecent act or to be in a state of intoxication or behave in a violent or offensive manner to the annoyance of any other person on the aircraft, or use abusive, indecent or offensive language.

In terms of Seychelles legislation it is an offence to smoke on any Seychelles registered aircraft. Smoking in the toilet compartments of an aircraft is deemed a safety risk and is lawfully punishable.

Any person committing any of these offences while on board an Air Seychelles flight may be arrested at his/her point of arrival and prosecuted in accordance with the applicable Civil Aviation legislation. Such prosecution may result in the imposition of a fine and/or imprisonment.

It is the policy of Air Seychelles, in the interest of the safety of the travelling public and our employees, to lay the necessary criminal charges against unruly passengers and to aggressively pursue the successful prosecution of such persons.

PLEASE NOTE: In terms of International Civil Aviation legislation, the Commander (Captain) of the aircraft is authorised/empowered to take any action deemed necessary, including restraint, of any person who jeopardises the safety of the aircraft or of persons or property on board. In terms of this authority the commander may request and/or authorise any member of the crew to render assistance in terms of restraint or action against such offenders.

In terms of Air Seychelles’ right of refusal of carriage, Air Seychelles reserves the right to refuse boarding to any person who is intoxicated or who, under reasonable grounds, is believed to pose a potential danger to the safety and/or good order and discipline on board its aircraft.

The primary function of a crew member is to act as a safety officer on board an aircraft. All Air Seychelles crew members are trained and licensed as safety officers in terms of International Civil Aviation regulations.

We now invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy the Air Seychelles in-flight service.

Bienvenue á bord Air Seychelles est heureuse de vous accueillir à bord et espère que vous serez satisfaits de nos services. Notre équipage de bord fera son possible pour rendre votre voyage agréable. Pour tout renseignement ou aide, n’hésitez pas à appeler les membres de l’équipage en pressant le bouton situé sur l’accoudoir de votre siège.

IMPORTANT Pour votre information, l’usage des équipements suivants est formellement interdit à bord sous aucun prétexte: • Emetteurs ou récepteurs FM/AM/TV • Emetteur-récepteur de la citizen band • Imprimantes • Téléphone mobile • Jouets télécommandés • Récepteurs satellitaires • Scanneurs • Talkies-walkies • Micro sans fil Il devient de plus en plus évident que ces appareils créent des interférences qui peuvent atteindre les réseaux de navigation et de contrôle de l’avion.

BAGAGE EN CABINE Un seul bagage à main, en plus d’un sac à main et un petit appareil photo, est autorisé à bord. Pour votre confort et votre sécurité, il doit être placé soit dans le compartiment à bagages soit sous le siège juste en face de vous. Les membres de l’équipage s’occuperont des bagages des passagers assis près des portes de sorties. Ils leur seront restitués après le décollage ou pendant le vol en cas de besoin. Veuillez vous assurer que votre bagage à main ne contient pas de marchandises interdites susceptibles de présenter un danger pour vous ou les autres passagers.

BÉBÉS ET ENFANTS EN BAS ÂGE Une hôtesse vous assiste pour la préparation des repas pour bébé et installe un berceau selon la disponibilité à bord.

REPAS Air Seychelles vous propose une sélection de menus convenant à votre régime alimentaire (ex. régime végétarien) à condition que vous en fassiez la demande lors de la réservation de votre billet. Si vous désirez un menu spécial ou un menu enfant, veuillez informer votre compagnie aérienne ou votre agent de voyage lorsque vous confirmez votre voyage.

INTERDICTION DE FUMER Tous les vols Air Seychelles sont non-fumeurs.

MESURES DE SÛRETÉ Votre sûreté est notre priorité. Nous vous conseillons de suivre bien attentivement la vidéo sur nos écrans ainsi la démonstration de sécurité effectuée par notre personnel de bord avant le décollage. Il vous est également conseillé de lire les consignes de sécurité sur la fiche rangée dans la poche du siège situé en face de vous. Votre ceinture de sécurité

doit être obligatoirement bouclée lors du décollage et de l’atterrissage ou pendant le vol, lorsque le petit voyant, situé au-dessus de votre siège, est allumé.

SIÈGES Vous pouvez ajuster la position de votre siège en appuyant sur le bouton situé sur l’accoudoir. Cependant, lors du décollage et de l’atterrissage, votre siège doit être obligatoirement redressé, le repose-pieds et la tablette en face de vous, relevés. Chaque siège est pourvu d’un éclairage individuel qui vous permet de lire la nuit sans déranger votre voisin.

PRÉVENTION DES COMPORTEMENTS PERTURBATEURS ET DES INDISCIPLINES À BORD DES AÉRONEFS APPARTENANT À AIR SEYCHELLES OU EXPLOITÉS PAR AIR SEYCHELLES. D’après les règlements de l’Aviation Civile Internationale (OACI), toute personne qui: • Entreprend une action qui met ou est susceptible de mettre en danger les passagers, l’équipage et/ou l’appareil • Refuse de se conformer à une injonction d’un membre de l’équipage (officier de sécurité) • Perturbe le déroulement normal du vol • Agresse un membre d’équipage

CONFORT Pour votre confort, une couverture, un oreiller, des chaussettes et un masque sont mis à votre disposition.

• Perturbe sciemment le travail de l’équipage

EFFETS PERSONNELS Avant de débarquer, assurez-vous que vous êtes bien en possession de tous vos effets personnels en vérifiant notamment le compartiment à bagages et votre siège.

• Cause volontairement des dommages à l’appareil qui le rendent inexploitable ou qui mettent à risque la sécurité du vol

LES BOUTIQUES DE VENTE HORS TAXES: Les marchandises exemptes de droits existent sur tous les vols internationaux, si le temps le permet. Consultez, s’il vous plait, la brochure concernée qui se trouve dans la pochette du siège qui vous fait face. Cette brochure donne des détails sur le choix des produits disponibles, les devises et les cartes de crédit qui sont acceptées.

UTILISATION D’APPAREILS ÉLECTRONIQUES Les passagers sont priés de ne pas utiliser d’appareils électroniques susceptibles d’interférer avec les appareils de navigation aérienne à bord. Pour tout renseignement, veuillez vous adresser au personnel de cabine.

DÉSINSECTISATION Le règlement sanitaire de l’Aéroport de Mahé exige que l’appareil soit désinsectisé.

Le produit utilisé est conforme aux normes internationales et ne présente aucun danger pour la santé; cependant, si vous pensez qu’il peut vous incommoder, nous vous prions de bien vouloir vous couvrir la bouche et le nez avec un mouchoir.

A BORD Nos menus vous feront découvrir en avantgarde les saveurs uniques des îles Seychelles.

Selon la durée de vol, un ou deux repas seront servis à bord. Pendant toute la durée du vol, le service bar vous propose gratuitement des boissons fraîches.

• Ne tient pas compte des consignes de sécurité, des signaux lumineux en cabine ou des instructions verbales de l’équipage

• Communique sciemment des informations fausses, mettant ainsi en danger un vol, son équipage et ses passagers • A un comportement gênant, perturbateur, indécent, fait preuve de violence à l’égard d’autres personnes, profère des insultes ou des obscénités COMMET UNE INFRACTION PASSIBLE DE POURSUITES Le règlement de l’Aviation Civile Seychelloise stipule qu’il est interdit de fumer à bord de tout avion immatriculé aux Seychelles. Fumer dans les toilettes constitue un risque pour la sécurité et est puni par la loi.

Quiconque commettra l’une ou plusieurs de ces infractions sera arrêté à destination et poursuivi en vertu des règles de l’aviation civile concernée et du règlement du transporteur.

Ces poursuites peuvent conduire à une amende ou une peine de prison, voire les deux.

La politique d’Air Seychelles, dans l’intérêt de ses passagers et de ses employés est de porter systématiquement devant la justice les cas de passagers perturbateurs et d’obtenir leur condamnation.

VEUILLEZ ÉGALEMENT NOTER QUE: D’après les règles de l’Aviation Civile Internationale (OACI), le Commandant de Bord est habilité et a le pouvoir de prendre toutes les mesures nécessaires pour assurer la sécurité des personnes et de leurs biens ainsi que celle de l’appareil, y compris la privation de mouvement pour quiconque pourrait menacer cette sécurité. Dans le cadre de ses fonctions, le Commandant de Bord peut demander à un ou plusieurs membres d’équipage de l’assister dans cette tâche, voire la déléguer pour neutraliser ceux qui commettraient des infractions.

Air Seychelles s’octroie également le droit, conformément à ses conditions générales de transport de refuser l’embarquement à toute personne qui serait sous l’emprise de la drogue et/ou de l’alcool, ou qui représente un danger pour la sécurité, l’ordre et la discipline à bord.

La première fonction des navigants est d’agir comme «officier de sécurité» à bord.

Tous les membres d’ équipages d’Air Seychelles sont formés et certifiés «officier de sécurité» au sens des règlements de l’Organisation Internationale e l’Aviation Civile.

Nous vous invitons à vous installer confortablement, Vous détendre et profiter du service à bord d’Air Seychelles.

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 75

International Route Map Codeshare Route Network

Airbus A320

Airbus A330-200

(Amirantes)

Aircrafts: 1 Cruise speed: 840 k/hr Business Class seats: 16 Economy seats: 120 Wing span: 111ft 9in Length: 123ft 3in Maximum range: 2930 nm

(VallĂŠe de Mai, Aldabra)

One aisle passenger cabin Pearl class: 2-2 four abreast Economy: 3-3 six abreast

Aircrafts: 2 Cruise speed: 870 k/hr Business Class seats: 18 Economy seats: 236 Wing span: 197ft 10in Length: 191ft 5.5in Maximum range: 4200 nm at maximum payload

Two aisle passenger cabin Pearl class: 2-2-2 six abreast Economy: 2-4-2 eight abreast

Bird Island

Denis Island

Domestic Route Map

Praslin Island

Route Network Fregate Island

Mahé Island

D’Arros Island

Desroches Island Alphonse Island

IN DIAN

OC E AN

SHORTS 360-300 Aircraft: 1 • Seat Capacity: Total 36 Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 12,292 kgs Range: 630 nautical miles (1,165.5 km) Engines: Pratt and Witney PT 6A-67R Sea Level Thrust: SHP 1281

DHC-6 (TWIN OTTER) Aircraft: 4 • Seat Capacity: Total 19 Max. Gross Weight: Take Off, 5,669 kgs; Range: 490 nautical miles ( 907.5 km) Engines: Pratt and Witney PT 6A-27 Sea Level Thrust: SHP 680

ONLINE OFFICES

South Africa

Capital: Pretoria Languages: English, Afrikaans, Currency: Rand Area: 1,221,037 km2, Population: 45,919,000 Air Seychelles destination: Johannesburg

Lu Dowell Representations, Greenstone Hill Office Park Emerald Boulevard, Building 1, Unit F4. Modderfontein, Edenvale, South Africa Tel: (0027-11)-452-0244, Fax: 0866578741 or (0027-11) 781-2144 Email: airseychelles@ludowell.co.za

Mauritius

Capital: Port Louis Languages: French, English, Creole, Currency: Rupees Area: 2,040 km2, Population: 1,243,000 Air Seychelles destination: Plaisance Airport

Rogers & Company Ltd, Rogers House 5 President John Kennedy Street, PO Box 60, Port Louis, Mauritius Tel: (00230) 202 6671, Fax: (00230) 208 3540 Email: hm@rogers-aviation.com

United Arab Emirates

Capital: Abu Dhabi Languages: Arabic, English, Currency: Emirati Dirham (AED) Area: 83,600 km2, Population: 8, 264,070 Air Seychelles destination: Abu Dhabi

Omeir Travel Agency, Shk. Khalifa Street PO Box 267 Abu Dhabi Tel: (00971 2) 612 3470, Fax: (00971 2) 622 6799 Email: Info-Abu@Airseychelles.Com

Hong Kong

Capital: Hong Kong Languages: Cantonese, English, Currency: Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) Area: 1,104 km2, Population: 7,173,900 Air Seychelles destination: Hong Kong

Walshe Group Suite 906, Orient Tower 33 Lockhart Road Wan chai Hong Kong Tel: 00852 3979 3488 or 00852 3979 3489 Email: airseychelleshkg@walshegroup.com

France

Capital: Paris Languages: French, Currency: Euro Area: 543,965 km2 Air Seychelles destination: Paris

India

Capital: New Delhi Languages: Hindi, English, Currency: Indian Rupee Area: 3,287,590 km2, Population: 1,263,830,000 Air Seychelles destination: Mumbai

Jet Air Pvt Ltd 2-A Stadium House, 82 Veer Nariman Road, Churchgate, Mumbai 400 020 Tel: +91 22 22040685 / 82 Email: hmsales@jetair.co.in / hmres@jetair.co.in

Madagascar

Capital: Antananarivo Languages: Malagasy, French, Currency: Malagasy ariary Area: 587,041 km2, Population: 21,842,167 Air Seychelles destination: Antananarivo

Rogers Aviation (Madagascar) Ltd Lalana Solombavanbahoaka Frantsay 77, Antsahavola Antananarivo 101, Madagascar Tel: (261) 20 22 359 90 Email: nash@rogers-aviation.mg

Tanzania

Capital: Dodoma Languages: Swahili, English, Currency: Tanzania shilling Area: 947,303km2, Population: 47,421,786 Air Seychelles destination: Dar es Salaam

Global Connect Aero Ltd P O Box 5182, 1st Floor, Uhuru Heights, Bibi Titi Road, Dar es Salaam Tel: +255-22-2135470/71 Email: reservations@airseychellestz.com / info@airseychellestz.com

WORLDWIDE OFFICES HEADOFFICE Seychelles Air Seychelles Ltd International Airport P.o. Box 386 Victoria, MahĂŠ Seychelles Tel: +248-39 10 00/ Fax: +248-39 13 50 Fax: +248-22 59 33 (sales and reservations) Email: info@airseychelles.com Email: marketing@airseychelles.com Email: airseyrr@airseychelles.com Web: www.airseychelles.com EUROPE France Air Seychelles Ltd Paris Office 27 rue de Berri 75008 PARIS Tel: +33 (0) 17110 33 21 E-mail: HMFrance@airseychelles.com Web: www.airseychelles.fr Abu Dhabi Lisie Agripine Sales Executive International /Commercial Division Tel: +971 2 6177739/Fax: +971 2 621761 M +971 50 6624230 Email: lagripine@airseychelles.com Taiwan Golden Foundation Tours Corp. Suite 502, No.142, Sec.4, Chung-Hsiao East Road, Taipei, Taiwan Tel: +886-2 2773 3266/Fax: +886-2 2776 5704 Email: hm.tpe@gftours.com.tw Contact: Daisy Chang Mobile:+886-932 136 326 Email: daisy@gftours.com.tw Contact: Reservations and Ticketing Ms. Anne Tsai Email: annetsai@gftours.com.tw Hong Kong The Walshe Group Ltd. Suite 906, 9/F, Asia Orient Tower, 33 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Tel: +852 3979 3488/Fax: +852 3979 3499 Email: airseychelleshkg@walshegroup.com Contact: Stephen Leung Mobile:+852 90287535

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Email: Stephen.leung@walshegroup.com Contact: Reservations and Ticketing Ms. George Chau Email: George.Chau@walshegroup.com MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA Abu Dhabi Omeir Travel Agency Shk. Khalifa street P o Box 267 Abu dhabi Tel: +971-2 6123 470/Fax: +971-2 622 6799 Sita: AUHRRHM E:mail info-abu@airseychelles.com Email: marketing@omeir.ae Contact: Ganesh Ullal- Marketing Manager Email: ganesh@omeir.ae Bahrain Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Wll Al khalifa road Building #302, block 304 P o Box 45 Manama Tel: +973- 17 220 800/Fax: +973- 17 213 458 Email : info-bh@airseychelles.com Contact: Kadhem Al Hamad Email: kadhem@ybakano.net Dubai Asian Air Travel and Tourism P o Box 65006 Dubai Tel: +971-4 286 8008/Fax: +971-4 283 2115 Mobile: +971-50 2244713 E-mail: info-ae@airseychelles.com Email: airsey@emirates.net.ae / asttrvl@eim.ae Contact: Mr Abbas Abdulla General Manager Asian Air Travel And Tours Agency Email: abbas_atta@nrlgroup.ae Emergency cell : 00971503404425 Kuwait Pan Arab Travels Co P o Box 2842 Safat pc 13029 Tel: +965- 241 5554/241 5556 Fax: +965- 241 0873/Sita: KWITOHM Email: info-kw@airseychelles.com Email: patravel@qualitynet.net Contact: Ms Ghadeer Al Shawa Deputy General Manager Direct tel: +965- 5241 0830 Email: ghadeer@patravels.com

Mauritius Rogers & Co Ltd Rogers House 5, President John Kennedy St Po Box 60 Port Louis Mauritius Tel: +230- 202 6671/Fax: +230- 208 3540 Sita: MRURRHM Email: hm@rogers-aviation.com Contact: Samiira Golamhossen-Counter Agent Direct tel: +230 2026670/1/3 Mobile: +230 4972503/Fax: +230- 208 3540 Email: hm@rogers-aviation.com Contact : Amrita Koonjul- Help desk supervisor Email: amrita.koonjul@rogers-aviation.com Contact: Yvans Mestry- Operation Coordinator Tel: +230- 2026676/Fax: + 230- 2083540 Mobile: +230- 4972504 Email: yvans.mestry@rogers-aviation.com Contact: Priscille Tuher- Sales representative Direct tel: +230- 202 6680 Mobile: + 230 4972501/Fax: + 230- 2111 411 Email: pricille.tuher@rogers-aviation.com Contact: Annick Corroy- Marketing manager Direct tel: +230- 202 6662 Fax: +230 212 8886 Email : annick.corroy@rogers-aviation.com Contact: Soorya oogarah – Manager of Operations Direct tel: +230- 2026688 Fax: +230- 2128886/Mob: + 230 497 2525 Email: soorya.oogarah@rogers-aviation.com Oman United Travel Llc P o Box 599 Muttrah postal code 114 Sultanate of oman Tel: +968- 24780057/24780061 Fax: +968- 24780094/Sita: MCTSLLX Email: info-om@airseychelles.com Contact: Cshio Vettom Tel: +968- 703 303/ 791 710/ 94 54 707 Mobile: +968- 933 7937 E:mail: cashio@btioman.net Qatar Qatar Tours P o Box 1683 Doha Tel: +974- 4411414/ 4436002/ 4419753 Fax: +974- 4433 197/ 4351926 Sita: DOHRRTW

Email: info-qa@airseychelles.com Email: qatartours@dtco-qatar.com Contact: Shaji John/Mohammed Asghar Direct tel: +974 436 2703/583 0824 Saudi Arabia Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo P o box 37 Dammam 31411 Eastern province Airline Centre P o box 1878 Al khobar 31952 Tel: +9663- 8355832/Fax: +9663- 835573 Email: info-sa-e@airseychelles.com Contact: G. Venugopal- Business Development manager Mobile: +966- 50- 5859629/ Email: gvenu@kanoosa.com Western province Kanoo Centre Kilo 7 Madinah road P o Box 812 Jeddah 21421 Saudi arabia Tel: +9662- 263 2959 ext.121/108/Fax: +9662- 263 2948 Email: info-sa-w@airseychelles.com Contact: Jamaan Al-Zahrani Mobile: +966- 508 498093 Email: jamaan@jed.kanoosa.com Central province Kanoo Building One block off king Abdul Aiz road P o box 753 Riyadh 11421 Tel: +9661- 4772228 ext. 288/305/Fax: +9661- 2833041 Email: info-sa-c@airseychelles.com Email: othergsa@ruh.kanoosa.com Contact: Mohd Charles Madria South Africa Border Air Lu Dowell Representations 280 Oak Avenue Randburg 2125 JOHANNESBURG Reservations contact numbers for Air Seychelles: +011 326 4440/4443/4388 Fax: +011 781 2215 /Sita: JNBSZHM Email: reservations@border-air.co.za Email: airlinesres@border-air.co.za Email: Airseychelles@border-air.co.za

ENGLISH-CREOLE

Hello How are you?

I am well Thank you Very much Goodbye Hotel Room Bed Food Coffee Beer Cold Hot Tea Meat Fish Bread Butter Sugar Salt Bad Today Tomorrow Now Quickly Slowly Hospital Police Mr. Mrs. Miss.

I Mon

Bonzour Konman Sava?

Byen Mersi Mersi Mersi bokou orevwar Lotel Lasanm Lili Manze Kafe Labyer Fre So Dite Lavyan Pwason Dipen Diber Disik Disel Pa bon Ozordi Demen Konmela Vitman Dousman Lopital Gard Msye Madanm Manmzel

You’re welcome Where do you come from?

I come from.......

What is your name?

My name is....

Can you speak Kreol?

Only a little I would like to learn more How do you find Seychelles?

I like it here The weather is hot, isn’t it?

Where are you going?

I am going to...

Please stop here How much?

Wait a minute I have to get change Excuse me Where is the toilet?

In the back Where may I get a drink?

You He, She We They What?

Who? Where?

When?

How? Why? Which?

Yes No To eat To drink To sleep To bathe To come To go To stop To buy To sell Street/road Airport Shop Money Cent One Two Three Four Five Six

Pa dekwa Kote ou sorti?

Mon sorti......

Ki mannyer ou apele?

Mon apel.....

Ou kabab koz Kreol?

Zis en pe Mon oule apran ankor Ki mannyer ou war Sesel?

Mon kontan isi Sesel Letan i so, wi?

Kote ou pe ale?

Mon pe al......

Aret isi silvouple Konbyen?

Esper mwan en pti moman Fodre mon ganny larzan sanze Ekskize Kote kabinen i ete sivouple?

Deryer lakour Kote mon kapab ganny en keksoz pou bwar?

Ou Li Nou Zot Kwa? /Ki? Ki? /Lekel?

Kote?

Kan? Ki mannyer?

Akoz?

Lekel?

Wi Non Manze Bwar Dormir Bennyen/Naze Vini Ale Arete Aste Vann Lari/Semen Erport Laboutik Larzan Sou Enn De Trwa Kat Senk Sis

Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty-one Twenty-two Twenty-three Twenty-four Twenty-five Thirty Forty Fifty Sixty Seventy Eighty Ninety One hundred Where is the hotel?

Good morning Good afternoon Good evening Please come in Please sit down

How much does this cost?

That’s quite expensive Help!

No, thanks Please You’re welcome No problem Ok That’s right!

A little bit Is everything ok?

Not now Attention/watch out!

We are looking for...

I’m very thirsty I am hungry Where are we?

How old are you?

What do you need?

What do they call that in Creole?

How do they say... in creole?

Set Wit Nef Dis Onz Douz Trez Katorz Kenz Sez Diset Dizwit Diznef Ven Venteen Vennde Venntwa Vennkat Vennsenk Trant Karant Senkant Swasant Swasanndis Katreven Katrevendis San Kote lotel i ete silvouple?

Bonzour Bonnapremidi Bonswar Antre silvouple Asize silvouple

Konbyen i vann?

I ase ser Ed mwan! / O Sekour!

Non, mersi Silvouple Pa-de-kwa Napa problenm oke Wi i bien!

Piti piti Tou keksoz i oke?

Pa kounye-a Atansyon!

Nou pe rod Mon swaf Mon lafen Kote nou ete?

Ki laz ou anan?

Ki ou bezwen?

Koman zot dir sa an Kreol?

Koman zot dir an Kreol ?

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 79

TRAVEL FACTS

Currency

Language

The Seychelles Rupee (SCR1 = 100 cents). Notes SCR 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500.

Coins SCR 1, 5 and Cents 1, 5, 10, 25. Most credit cards and travellers’ cheques are accepted. There is no restriction on the import and export of domestic and foreign currency in the country. Banks and Bureaux de Change are authorised dealers in foreign currency. For rates of exchange contact authorised dealers for which information can be obtained on Central Bank’s website at www.cbs.sc

Creole, English and French are the official languages of the Seychelles.

Restaurant bills normally include a service charge. Although not widely expected, tips are warmly received for personal service.

Clothes

Credit Cards American Express, Mastercard, Diners Club and Visa cards are widely accepted.

Time Seychelles is four hours ahead of GMT and three hours ahead of Central European Time.

Public Holidays New Year Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday Labour Day Corpus Christi Liberation Day National Day Independence Day Assumption Day, (festival on La Digue) All Saints Day Immaculate Conception Christmas Day

Tipping

January 1 April 3, 5 & 6 May 1 June 4 June 5 June 18 June 29 August 15 November 1 December 8 December 25

Climate 26°-29° C all year round. Annual rainfall totals approximately 90 inches, with heavy showers between November and February. As the Islands lie beyond the cyclone belt, high winds and thunderstorms are rare.

Electricity 240 volts AC 50 Hz. Adaptors are provided by hotels.

Tourist Information The Seychelles Tourist Office is located in Independence House, Victoria, Mahé.

Very casual. For men, shorts and T-shirts during the day, and slacks for evening.

Jackets and ties are rarely worn. For women, cotton wrap-arounds or shorts for daytime, cool dresses for evening wear.

Transport: An efficient bus service operates on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue between 0530-1900. Taxis are available and cars can also be hired on Mahé and Praslin and bicycles on La Digue. A valid international license is required for selfdriving. Air Seychelles operates flights between Mahé and Praslin throughout the day. Charter flights are also operated to other islands. An inter-island ferry service operates daily between the islands of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.

L’Air Dezil operates a shuttle service between Mahé, Praslin and La Digue and other islands.

Customs Duty Free items are permitted for up to: - 200 millilitres of Perfume and Eau de Toilette.

- 2 litres of beverages with less than 16% alcohol i.e beer, wine.

- 2 litres of beverages with more than 16% alcohol i.e whisky, gin, rum etc.

- 250 grammes of tobacco or 200 cigarettes.

- Personal goods worth SCR 5000 for adults and SCR 3000 for under 18 years.

For more information visit www.src.gov.sc

Accommodation Seychelles offers a variety of accommodation, from international resorts and medium-sized hotels with all facilities to guest houses, lodges and chalets on the smaller islands. Camping is not allowed.

Sports and Watersports

The Emergency number for fire, police or ambulance is 999.

Victoria Hospital: 4388000.

Many hotels have excellent facilities for watersports centres offering a wide range of activities. Some also have dive centres and tennis courts. There is an 18-hole golf course at Lemuria Resort on Praslin and Seychelles Golf Course, a 9-hole golf course at Anse aux Pins, Mahé.

Medical Services

Museums and Libraries

Emergency Services

Victoria has a large and efficient hospital and most islands have health clinics.

Some hotels provide duty nurses. Private doctors are available on call at all hotels – contact reception.

Post Office The central office in Victoria is open from 0800-1600 Monday-Friday and 0800-1200 Saturday.

Telecommunications Cable & Wireless Seychelles (CWS), the islands leading communications provider, is the operator of choice across mobile (3G+), broadband and fixed services. As a subsidiary of Cable & Wireless Communications PLC (listed on the LSE), the company delivers first rate business and consumer solutions including turnkey solutions for major international investors. CWS’ mission is “To provide world class communication services and solutions wherever and whenever people work, play and have fun”. No one knows Seychelles better.

Telecom (Sey) Ltd, AIRTEL. Provider of Mobile GSM Telecom Services with 3G & Edge Network, Mobile broadband Data Services for High Speed Internet Access. Roaming with over 200 operators worldwide. Prepaid starter kits & recharge options available at Airtel Centres in Victoria, Providence, Praslin & selected retail outlets on main islands. Coverage on Mahè, Praslin, La Digue, Inner Islands, Fregate & Coetivy.

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The History Museum is situated on Francis Rachel Street, Victoria in the National Library Building. The Natural History Museum is situated on Independence Avenue, Victoria near to the Post Office. Kenwyn House directly opposite the main entrance to the National Library on Francis Rachel Street is one of the best preserved 19th century buildings of Victoria, renovated in 2005.

Shopping Local handicrafts include basketware, table-mats, hats, jewellery and paintings. Shops are open from 0800-1700 hours Monday-Friday and 0800-1200 hours Saturday. Some open Sunday morning.

Restaurants A range of cuisine is also available, from traditional Creole and French cuisine to Chinese. In addition to hotels and restaurants, several take-away outlets can be found in Victoria.

Nightlife Most hotels offer programmes for evening entertainment ranging from barbecues and dinner dances to folk singing. There are two cinemas in Victoria. Theatrical productions are sometimes staged in Creole, English and French.

INFORMATIONS UTILES

Devise

Une roupie seychelloise = 100 sous. Il existe des billets de 10, 25, 50, 100 et 500. Il existe de la monnaie à 1 et 5 roupies, 1, 5, 10 et 25 sous. La majorité des cartes de crédit et des chèques de voyage sont acceptés. Il n’y a pas de restriction sur l’importation et l’exportation de devises étrangères et locales dans le pays.

Les banques et les bureaux de change sont autorisés pour toutes les transactions en devises étrangères. En ce qui concerne les taux d’échange, prenez contact avec les courtiers autorisés qui obtiennent leurs informations de la Banque Centrale; site web: www.cbs.sc

Cartes de crédit Les cartes American Express, Mastercard, Diners Club et Visa sont généralement acceptées.

Décalage horaire Les Seychelles ont trois heures d’avance sur Paris.

Jours fériés

Nouvel An Vendredi saint, Dimanche de Pâques Fête du travail Fête Dieu Jour de la Libération Fête Nationale Fête de l’Indépendance Fête de l’Assomption (La Digue) Toussaint Immaculée Conception Noël

1 janvier 3, 5 & 6 avril 1 mai 4 juin 5 juin 18 juin 29 juin 15 août 1 novembre 8 décembre 25 décembre

Climat Entre 26 et 29 degrés Celcius, tout au long de l’année. Saison des pluies entre novembre et février (env. 200mm de précipitation). Les Seychelles étant hors de la zone des cyclones, les tempêtes sont rares.

Electricité Courant alternatif 240 volts.

Les hôtels mettent des adaptateurs à disposition.

Information Touristique L’office du tourisme est situé à L’Independence House à Mahé.

Urgences Pour toutes urgences (ambulance, police, pompiers), il faut composer le 999. Victoria Hôpital: 4388000.

Services médicaux Victoria est dotée d’un hôpital tandis que la plupart des îles possèdent une clinique. Certains grands hôtels ont un service d’infirmerie.

Bureau de poste Les heures d’ouverture du bureau de poste à Victoria sont: de 8:00h à 16:00h, du lundi au vendredi et de 8:00h à 12:00h le samedi.

Télécommunications

Cable & Wireless Seychelles (CWS), le principal opérateur de télécommunications de l’archipel, propose des services de téléphonie fixe, mobile (3G+) et internet (ADSL). En tant que filiale du Groupe Cable & Wireless Communications PLC (coté à la bourse de Londres), la société offre des prestations innovantes pour les entreprises et les particuliers, ainsi que des solutions intégrées pour les grands comptes internationaux. Notre mission est “de fournir des solutions et services parmi les meilleurs au monde, partout et pour chaque instant de la vie”. Personne ne connaît mieux les Seychelles que nous.

Telecom (Sey) Ltd, Airtel propose des Réseaux GSM, 3G, et Edge avec couverture intérieure/extérieur dans les îles de Mahè, Praslin, La Digue, Frégate et Coetivy. Des cartes de téléphone cellulaires sont disponibles dans les bureaux d’Airtel et des locaux spécifiques. L’accès au réseau ‘roaming‘ avec plus de 200 opérateurs internationales.

Langues Le créole, l’anglais et le français sont les langues officielles des Seychelles.

Pourboires

Le service est compris dans la plupart des restaurants. Bien qu’ils ne soient pas obligatoires, les pourboires sont toujours reçus avec un grand sourire.

Tenue vestimentaire Décontractée. Pour les hommes le port du short et du T-shirt la journée et du pantalon le soir. Pour les dames le port du short ou d’une jupe en coton la journée et robe légère le soir.

Transport: Un service de bus efficace fonctionne sur Mahé, Praslin et La Digue entre 5h.30 et 19 heures. Des taxis et des voitures en location sont aussi disponibles sur Mahé et sur Praslin et des bicyclettes peuvent être louées sur La Digue.Un permis valable de conduite international est exigé en cas de location de voiture sans chauffeur.

Air Seychelles fournit des vols entre Mahé et Praslin durant la journée. Des vols charter sont aussi organisés vers les autres îles. Un service de ferry inter-îles fonctionne aussi entre les îles de Mahé, Praslin et La Digue. L’ »Air Dezil » propose aussi une navette entre Mahé, Praslin, La Digue et d’autres îles.

Les produits hors-taxe sont limités à: -

200 ml de parfum et eau de toilette 2 litres de boisson contenant moins de 16% d’alcool, par ex. la bière, le vin.

2 litres de boisson contenant plus de 16% d’alcool, par ex. le whisky, le gin, le rhum etc.

250 grammes de tabac ou 200 cigarettes. des biens personnels pour une valeur de 5.000 Rs par adulte et de 3.000 Rs pour les jeunes de moins de 18 ans. Pour plus d’informations, visitez notre site: www.src.gov.sc

Hébergement Les Seychelles disposent d’une grande diversité d’hébergement – allant des hôtels de grande, moyenne et petite capacité aux “lodges», chalets et bungalows sur les plus petites îles.

Sports et sports nautiques Beaucoup d’hôtels ont d’excellents centres de sports nautiques offrant une large gamme d’activités. Certains ont également des clubs de plongée et des courts de tennis. Il y a un golf de18 trous à l’hôtel Lémuria à Praslin, et le Seychelles Golf Course, un neuf trous à Anse aux Pins, à Mahé.

Museums et librairies Le Musée d’Histoire est situé dans la rue Francis Rachel, à Victoria, dans le bâtiment de la Bibliothèque Nationale. Le Museum d’Histoire Naturelle est situé dans la rue de l’indépendance, à Victoria, près du bureau de Poste. Kenwyn House, en face de l’entrée principale de la Bibliothèque Nationale dans la rue Francis Rachel, est l’un des bâtiments du 19ème siècle les mieux préservés à Victoria. Il fut rénové en 2005.

Shopping L’artisanat local offre des travaux en fibre (chapeaux, paniers etc.) en coquillages, en nacre ou encore en or (bijoux et objets décoratifs) ainsi que des œuvres d’artistes locaux. Les heures d’ouverture des magasins sont de 8:00h à 17:00h du lundi au vendredi et de 8:00h à 12:00h le samedi. Certains commerces restent ouverts le dimanche matin.

Restaurants Les Seychelles offrent une cuisine variée: créole et internationale. En dehors des établissements hôteliers et des restaurants, des services traiteurs sont à votre disposition à Mahé (Victoria) ainsi qu’à Praslin.

Vie nocturne La plupart des hôtels organisent des spectacles nocturnes: danses traditionnelles, dîners dansant ou barbecues sur la plage. Il y a deux cinémas à Victoria. Régulièrement, des pièces de théâtre en français, en anglais et en créole sont à l’affiche. Il existe aussi des boîtes de nuit à Victoria et Beau Vallon ainsi qu’à Praslin.

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 81

DINING OUT

A LA CARTE Al Mare Restaurant Beau Vallon Tel: +248 462 02 40 / 251 21 17 / 251 21 13 Email: almare@email.sc CREOLE Anse Soleil Cafe Anse Soleil, Mahé Tel: +248 436 17 00 Boat House Beau Vallon Mahé Tel: +248 424 78 98 Mobile: +248 251 0898 Email: richardmancienne@live.com Cap Lazare Tel: +248 428 01 00 / 252 46 42 Email: info@creoletravelservices.com Chez Batista Restaurant Takamaka, Mahé Tel: +248 436 63 00 Email: batistas@seychelles.net Domaine Du Soleil Restaurant Tel: +248 428 55 55 Email: sun@seychelles.net Katiolo Anse Faure Tel: +248 4375 453 Fishtail Restaurant Tel: 4322214 Email: fishtail@seychelles.net Le Marinier Restaurant Inter Island Quay Victoria, Mahé Tel: +248 422 49 37 Le Reduit Restaurant Tel: +248 436 61 16 / 436 62 25 Email: lereduit@seychelles.net Marie Antoinette Restaurant Serret Road St Louis Tel: +248 426 62 22 News Cafe 1st floor, Trinity House Victoria, Mahé Tel: +248 432 29 99 CHINESE Le Canton Chinese Restaurant Berjaya Beau Vallon Tel: +248 428 72 87 Email: bhrseysm@berjayaseychelles.com The Wok Chinese Restaurant Coco D’or Hotel Tel: +248 424 73 31 Email: reservations@cocodor.sc GOURMET Cyann “Signature Cousine” Constance Ephilia Resort Tel: +248 4395 001 Maia Restaurant Luxury Resort Spa Tel: +248 4390 000 Email: reservations@southernsun.sc Chilli Bar & Steakhouse La Louise Tel: +248 4344 155 Zez Restaurant Four Seasons Resort Tel: +248 4393 000 ext. 1902 Email: Restaurants-Reservation.SEY@fourseasons.com

82 | Silhouette Vol 26 No 1

INDIAN Mahék Indian Restaurant Coral Strand Hotel Tel: +248 462 10 00 Email: info@coralstrand.sc Berjaya Beau Vallou Tel: +248 428 72 87 Maharajas Restaurant Tel: +248 434 68 69 Email: rm@themaharajasseychelles.com SOUTH ASIAN Kannel Four Seasons Resort Tel: +248 4393 000 ext. 1902 Email: Restaurants-Reservation.SEY@fourseasons.com

Doubleclick Seychelles Maison La-Rosiere Palm Street Tel: +248 461 05 90 Email: bureau@seychelles.net

La Voliere Mahé Beach Resort Tel: +248 438 53 85 Email: bmbsm@seychelles.net

Helios Restaurant Constance Ephelia Resort Tel: +248 4395 140 Email: info@epheliaresort.com

Lazare Picault Restaurant Lazare Picault Hotel Tel: +248 436 11 11 Email: lazarpco@seychelles.net

Kaz Zanana Revolution Avenue Tel: +248 4324150

Le Bourgeois Restaurant Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove Tel: +248 467 70 00 Email: reservations.fishcove@lemeridien.sc

Konoba Restaurant Bar Launge Angel Fish Bayside Marina Tel: +248 4345 400, Email: contact@konoba.sc

JAPANESE Teppanyaki Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Beach Resort & Casino Tel: +248 428 72 87 Email: bhrseysm@berjayaseychelles.com

La Scala Restaurant Tel: +248 424 75 35 Email: silscala@seychelles.net

INTERNATIONAL/CREOLE Anchor Cafe Anse a la Mouche, Mahé Tel: +248 437 12 89 Email: keith@seychelles.net

Uncle Will’s Pizzeria Coco D’or Hotel Tel: +248 424 73 31 Email: reservations@cocodor.sc

Au Jardin D’Epices Banyan Tree Seychelles Tel: +248 438 35 00 Email: reservations@banyantree.com Aubergine Restaurant The Wharf Hotel & Marina Providence, Mahé Tel: +248 467 07 00 Email: thewharf@seychelles.net Le Jardin des palmes Tel: 248 438 91 00 Email: jardindespalmes@email.sc Baobab Pizzeria Restaurant Beau Vallon, Mahé Tel: +248 424 71 67 / 258 38 68 Beach Side Bistro Coral Strand Hotel Tel: +248 429 10 00 Email: mail@coralstrand.sc Bel Air Restaurant Tel: +248 422 44 16 /46 16 Email: belair@seychelles.net Bravo Eden Island Tel: +248 4346 020 Email: bravo@seychelles.net BoardWalk Bar & Grill Eden island Marina Tel: 248 251 57 86 Email: boardwalk@email.sc Carefree Guesthouse & Restaurant Anse Aux Pins Mahé Tel: +248 437 52 37 Email: honey@seychelles.net Chez Plume Resturant Tel: +248 435 50 50 Email: plume@seychelles.net Docklands Pizzeria New Port -Victoria Tel: +248 4610 888

The Sea Shell Port Launay Tel: +248 4324026/2523968

Lounge 8 Vista bay Glacis, Mahé Mobile: +248 2746808 Green Valley Anse aux Pins Tel: +248 437 1670 The Hilltop Restaurant Hilton Seychelles Tel: +248 429 90 00 Email: reservations@ thenortholmehotel.com Jolie Rose 2 Restaurant Selwyn Selwyn Clarke Market Tel: +248 422 54 51 Kaz Kreol Restaurant Anse Royale Mahé Tel: +248 436 16 80 Email: chefinparadise@hotmail.com La Belle epoque Eden Plaza Tel: +248 434 67 65 Email: labelleepoque.seychelles@gmail.com La Cocoteraie Restaurant Le Meridien Barbarons Hotel Tel: +248 467 30 00 Email: reservation.barbarons@ lemeridien.sc

Le Cardinal Restaurant Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove Tel: +248 467 70 00 Email: reservations.fishcove@lemeridien.sc Le Jardin du Roi Domaine de L’enfoncement Anse Royale Tel: +248 437 13 13 Email: brymich@seychelles.net Le Mangrovia Restaurant Le Meridien Barbarons Tel: +248 467 30 00 Email: reservation.barbarons@lemeridien.com Le Rendez Vous Restaurant Tel: +248 432 35 56 Email: lerendezvous.seychelles@gmail.com Le Surmer Restaurant Le Surmer Hotel Pointe Conan, Mahé Tel: +248 424 18 11 Email: prgpalms@seychelles.net Les Cocotiers Restaurant Tel: +248 429 90 00 Email: reservations.seychelles@hilton.com Maia Luxury Resort & Spa Tel: +248 4390 000 Email: reservations@southernsun.sc Manresa Restaurant Manresa Small Hotel Tel: +248 424 13 88 Montezuma Restaurant Mahé Beach Resort Tel: +248 438 53 85 Email: bmbsm@seychelles.net The Parrot Berjaya Beau Vallon Tel: +248 428 72 87 Email: bhrseysm@berjayaseychelles.com The Board Walk Lounge & Bar Eden Island Tel: +248 443 63 03

La Palma Restaurant Coco D’or Hotel Tel: +248 424 73 31 Email: reservations@cocodor.sc

The Havana Eden Plaza Tel: +248 441 13 18 Email: havana.edenisland@gmail.com

La Plaine St Andre Tel: +248 4372010 Email: reservations@laplaine.sc

Pirates Arms Tel: +248 422 50 01 Email: pirates@email.sc

La Plage Restaurant Beau Vallon Beach Tel: +248 4620240 Email: info@laplage.sc

Pizzeria Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort & Casino Tel: +248 428 72 87 Email: sales@berjayaseychelles.com

La Perle Noire Restaurant Beau Vallon Tel: +248 462 02 20 Email: laperlenoire@seychelles.net

Porto Cervo Eden Plaza Tel: +248 261 20 25 Email: vesta7525@mail.ru

DINER A L EXTÉRIEUR Saffron Banyan Tree Seychelles Tel: +248 438 35 00 Email: reservations@banyantree.com Sam’s Pizzeria Tel: +248 432 24 99 / 32 34 95 Email: samad@samspizzeria.sc Seselwa Bar Constance Ephilia Resort Tel: +248 4395182 Email: info@epheliaresort.com Sea View Restaurant Coral Strand Tel: 248 421000 Email: Mail@coralstrand.sc Sey si bon Eden Plaza Tel: +248 434 6833 / +248 251 5591 Email: sesibon@gmail.com www.sesibon.com Silhouette Restaurant Sunset Beach Resort Tel: +248 426 11 11 Email: sunset@seychelles.net Skychef Ltd Seychelles International Airport Tel: +248 438 17 63 Email: skychef@seychelles.net Sundown Restaurant Port Glaud, Mahé Tel: +248 437 83 52/ 25 88 999 Surfers beach restaurant Anse Parnell Tel: +248 278 3703/ 437 11 00 Email: surfersbeach@seychelles.net Takamaka Restaurant Tel: +248 437 20 10 Email: infobox@seychelleshotel.com The Sea Shell Port Launay Tel: +248 4324026/ 2523968 Tyfoo Restaurant La Plaine St. Andre Au cap, Mahé Tel: +248 437 14 85 Vye Marmit Domaine de Val de Pres Au Cap, Mahé Tel: +248 437 61 55 / 437 61 00 Zez Lounge Four Seasons Resort Tel: +248 4393222 Email: Restaurants-Reservation.SEY@fourseasons.com

RESTAURANTS – PRASLIN CREOLE Capricorn Restaurant Islanders Guesthouse Anse Kerlan, Praslin Tel: +248 423 32 24 Email: islander@seychelles.net Coco Rouge Baie Ste Anne, Praslin Tel: +248 423 22 28 Le Chevalier Bay Restaurant Anse Lazio, Praslin Tel: +248 423 23 22 Email: lechevalierbay@seychelles.net

Les Lauriers Restaurant Les Lauriers Petit Hotel Cote D’or, Praslin Tel: +248 423 22 41 Email: laurier@seychelles.net INTERNATIONAL/CREOLE Acajou Hotel Restaurant Cote D’or, Praslin Tel: +248 423 24 00 Email: acajou@seychelles.net Beach Bar and Grill Lemuria Resort Anse Kerlan, Praslin Tel: +248 428 10 91 Email: fnb@lemuriaresort.com Beach Bar Restaurant Acajou Hotel Cote D’or, Praslin Tel: +248 423 24 00 Email: acajou@seychelles.net Black Parrot Restaurant Black Parrot Suites Tel: +248 429 05 55 Email: cocodeme@seychelles.net Bonbon Plume Anse Lazio, Praslin Tel: +248 423 21 36 Bonm Ange Hotel L’Archipel Anse Tel: +248 428 47 00 Email: archipel@seychelles.net Britannia Restaurant Britannia Hotel Grand Anse, Praslin Tel: +248 423 32 15 / 423 39 15 Email: britania@seychelles.net

Le Beach Restaurant Paradise Sun Hotel Anse Volbert, Praslin Tel: +248 429 32 93 Email: paradise@seychelles.net Le Dauphin Hotel Le Duc de Praslin Tel: +248 429 48 00 Email: leduc@seychelles.net Le Kato Noir Palm Beach Hotel Grande Anse, Praslin Tel: +248 429 02 90/429 02 92 Email: palmbeach@seychelles.sc Legend Restaurant Lemuria Resort Anse Tel: +248 428 10 88 Email: fnb@lemuriaresort.com Octopus Diving Center Berjaya Praslin Beach Hotel Anse Volbert, Praslin Tel: +248 423 22 22 Mobile: +248 271 54 41 Email: bpbfc@seychelles.net Pool Deck Restaurant Lemuria Resort Anse Tel: +248 428 10 88 Email: fnb@lemuriaresort.com Pool Grill Restaurant La Reserve Anse Petit Cour, Praslin Tel: +248 429 80 00 Email: resa@lareserve.sc Port Side Cafe Baie St. Anne Jetty, Praslin Tel: +248 277 35 18

Chateau de Feuilles Pointe Cabris, Praslin Tel: +248 429 00 00 Email: info@chateaudefeuilles.com

Sea Horse Restaurant & Bar Lemuria Resort Anse Kerlan, Praslin Tel: +248 428 12 81 Email: resa@lemuriaresort.com

Feuille d’Or Hotel L’Archipel Anse Gouvernement, Praslin Tel: +248 428 47 00 Email: archipel@seychelles.net

Tante Mimi Restaurant Cote D’or, Praslin Tel: +248 423 25 00 Email: desisles@seychelles.net

The Fregate Berjaya Praslin Beach Tel: +248 428 62 86 Email: praslin.rsvn@berjayahotel.com The Britannia Grand Anse Tel: +248 423 32 15 Email: britania@seychelles.net Hibiscus Restaurant Coco de Mer Hotel Tel: +248 429 05 55 Email: cocodeme@seychelles.net Indian Ocean Lodge Grand Anse, Praslin Tel: +248 423 33 24 / 23 34 57 Email: iol@seychelles.net The Jetty Restaurant La Reserve Hotel Anse Petite Cour, Praslin Tel: +248 429 80 00 Email: resa@lareserve.sc Kannel restaurant Four Seasons Resort Seychelles Tel: +248 4393222 Email: Restaurants-Reservation.SEY@fourseasons.com

Touchdown Restaurant Amitie Airport Praslin Tel: +248 423 36 55 Village de Pecheur Praslin Tel: +248 423 20 00 RESTAURANTS LA DIGUE CREOLE Bernique Anse Reunion Tel: +248 423 42 29 Patatran Restaurant Patatran Village Anse Patates, La Digue Tel: +248 429 43 00 Email: patatran@seychelles.net Tournesol Tournesol Guesthouse La Passe, La Digue Tel: +248 423 41 55 Email: tournesol@seychelles.sc Villa Authentique Restaurant & Bar Villa Authentique La Passe, La Digue Tel: +248 423 44 13 Villa Mon Reve Anse Reunion, La Digue Tel: +248 423 42 18 Email: vmonreve@hotmail.com

Zerof Restaurant Anse Reunion, La Digue Tel: +248 423 44 39 INTERNATIONAL/CREOLE Cafe Le Monde Grand Anse Tel: +248 278 11 21/ 252 03 11 Cafe Le Monde Baie St Anne Tel: +248 423 21 11 Chateau St Cloud La Passe, La Digue Tel: +248 423 43 46 Email: stcloud@seychelles.net La Vanille Anse La Blague Tel: +248 423 21 78 La Digue Island Lodge Anse Reunion Tel: +248 429 25 25 L’Ocean Anse Patates Tel: +248 423 43 33 Pool Side Restaurant La Digue Island Lodge Tel: +248 429 25 25 Email: reservation@ladigue.sc Pecheur Restaurant La Digue Island Lodge Tel: +248 429 25 25 Email: reservation@ladigue.sc Restaurant Le Dauphin C/o Le de Praslin Hotel Tel: +248 429 48 00 Restaurant Patatran Hotel L’Ocean Anse Patates, La Digue Tel: +248 429 43 00 Email: patatran@seychelles.net Tarosa Restaurant La Passe, La Digue Tel: +248 423 44 07 Email: patatran@seychelles.net PIZZERIA/CAFE-BAR Gregoire’s comples Tel: +248 429 25 25 SEA FOOD Cafe Des Arts Cote D’or Tel: +248 429 48 00 Email: café@seychelles.net RESTAURANTS OTHER ISLANDS CREOLE Jolly Roger’s Moyenne Island Tel: +248 429 70 00 Email: info@creoletravelservices.sc INTERNATIONAL/CREOLE L’habitation Restaurant Tel: +248 432 31 11 Email: habicerf@seychelles.net

Please send updated information to creative@camerapix.co.ke

Silhouette Vol 26 No 1 | 83

PUZZLES

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13. Move (5) 14. Mistake (5) 15. Entrance to a house (5) 16. Bedeck (5) 18. Drive (5) 19. The least (7) 21. Find (6) 22. Long step (6) 23. Antenna (6) 25. Therefore (5) 26. American autumn (4) 28. Colour (3)

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Answers across 1. Trust 6. Meter 9. Popular 10. Acorn 11. Tiger 12. Since 13. Special 15. Pea 17. Here 18. Second 19. Mitts 20. Florin 22. Scar 24. Tor 25. Heathen 26. Fixer 27. Madam 28. Rigid 29. Lurched 30. Realm 31. Deals

CLUES DOWN 2. Prescription (6) 3. Conifer (6) 4. Heavy weight (3) 5. One who is taught (5) 6. Corresponds (7) 7. North American Lake 8. Football team (6) 12. Shiny material (5)

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Answers down 2. Recipe 3. Spruce 4. Ton 5. Pupil 6. Matches 7. Erie 8. Eleven 12. Satin 13. Shift 14. Error 15. Porch 16. Adorn 18. Steer 19. Minimum 21. Locate 22. Stride 23. Aerial 25. Hence 26. Fall 28. Red

CLUES ACROSS 1. Faith (5) 6. Measuring device (5) 9. Liked (7) 10. Oak tree seed (5) 11. Big cat (5) 12. Relating to time past (5) 13. Distinguished (7) 15. Green vegetable (3) 17. Present (4) 18. After the first (6) 19. Gloves (5) 20. Old British coin (6) 22. Mark of an injury (4) 24. Hill (3) 25. Ungodly (7) 26. Arranger (5) 27. Lady (5) 28. Stiff (5) 29. Staggered (7) 30. Kingdom (5) 31. Business arrangements (5)

Sudoku

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Place a number from 1 to 9 in every empty cell so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains all the numbers from 1 to 9. No number can appear twice in a row, column or 3x3 box. Do not guess – you can work it out by a process of elimination. Good luck!

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1 3 1 9 5 9 7

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WE WANT YOUR VIEWS! We aim to keep Silhouette as interesting and informative as possible to a wide cross-section of readers. Please let us have your views on the contents of this magazine. What do you like about it? Is there anything that you do 84 like? | Silhouette Voltopics 26 No 1 you would like to see more of? With your not Are there any that feedback we can make the magazine even better in future.

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Please drop a line to the publisher: Camerapix Magazines Ltd. Email: rukhsana@camerapix.co.ke, creative@camerapix.co.ke, camerapixuk@btinternet.com Thank you.

Rukhsana Haq, Editorial Director

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