18 Interesting Facts About Seychelles You Need to Know
Bindu swetha
Blessed with white sandy beaches and blue water, the 'Paradise on Earth', the island of Seychelles has gained popularity as a tourist destination in the recent years!
Some 200 million years ago, the entire Seychelles island was one large continent - Gondwana! Due to earth's tectonic movements, the land got separated and the island of Seychelles was formed!
1
Out of the large cluster of islands, about 42 are inner islands and 73 are coral islands! The Mahe and Praslin islands are made up of granite.
2
The 42 inner islands in the country are the only ones in the world that don't have any volcanic or coral elements!
3
With a long coastline and 115 islands in the country, Seychelles has the least population among all the independent African countries!
4
Victoria, the capital of Seychelles is the smallest capital in the world. The city is so tiny that you can explore the entire place in a day, on foot!
5
The heaviest tortoise on the planet, Esmeralda, which weighs about 670 pounds is an inhabitant of the Bird Island.
6
The second-largest atoll in the world, Aldabra Atoll, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is home to 152,000 giant tortoises and thus, visitors must seek Government permission to visit the place!
7
The island is home to some of the rarest bird species such as the bare-legged Scoops Owl. This unique bird was thought to be extinct before it was rediscovered in 1959.
8
The largest and heaviest seed in the world, the Coco de mar (sea coconut or double coconut) is native to the island. There are about 400 of these at the Praslin island!
9
The average weight of the Coco de mar seed is about 15 to 30 kgs, with the heaviest one recorded at 42 kgs!
10
One of the popular legend says that anyone who eats the popular Breadfruit while on the island will return to the island someday!
11
The Breadfruit can be eaten in many ways - baked, cooked, fried or roasted. When cooked, it has the same taste as freshly baked bread or a potato!
12
The island was once a popular pirates hideout spot due to the nautical outlaws after it was discovered in 1502 by Vasco Da Gama!
13
The famous pirate, Olivier leVasseur, is said to have left a huge treasure worth some $1.4 billion on the island that is still intact! It is believed to be at Anse Forbans on Mahe and the Côte d’Or on Praslin island.
14
As per another legend, the treasure buried on the Moyenne island in the Saint Anne Marine National Park is looked after by a spirit! No one dares to search for the treasure as they believe the island is haunted.
15
Seychelles is the only African place to offer free education! With an education model that makes learning compulsory until 18 years of age, the island achieved a literacy rate of 94% in 2012.
16
The famous writer, Ian Fleming of the James Bond novels' fame, wrote one of the chapters of the novel, For Your Eyes Only at the island. He drew inspiration from the ginger and tonic beverage and named one of the characters as Milton Krest!
17
Seychelles has emerged as a popular honeymoon destination. Prince William and Kate Middleton spent their honeymoon at the North Island of Seychelles. Earlier Victoria and David Beckham had chosen this spot for their honeymoon.