| The capital of the Seychelles, Victoria on Mahe Island | | | | various other crafts and baked goods. |
| has prominence. However, it still retains a small town, | | | | Victoria frequently stages theatrical productions in the |
| very intimate feel. Walking down the street, it seems | | | | national theatre and also has a choice of eateries |
| everybody knows everybody and smiles as they go. | | | | offering Creole, Chinese and Japanese Cuisine in |
| Though it was originally settled in 1778 by the French | | | | addition to international varieties. |
| and still retains much French colonial flavour, it was | | | | Victoria is also the place to shop with a good range |
| eventually named after Queen Victoria when the | | | | of locally produced wares on offer. Beyond Victoria, |
| Brits occupied the town. | | | | a favourite haunt is to the tea factory close to Port |
| Visitors will be charmed by the old part of town with | | | | Glaud, or a glass bottom boat ride around Ste Anne, |
| charming, narrow streets and rather worn down but | | | | Baie Ternay or Port Launay Marine National Parks. |
| authentic colonial buildings. The newer part of the city | | | | Saint Anne National Marine Park was designated in |
| has the new deluxe hotels, garden parks, cafes and | | | | 1973 and was the first such park in the Indian Ocean. |
| wider streets. In the very centre of the city is the | | | | It encompasses six islands off the coast of Mahe |
| characteristic and monumental clock tower. It is a | | | | near Victoria. The island is dominated by a large |
| cute replica of the Little Ben that stands outside | | | | mountain peak which rises to eight hundred feet, |
| Victoria station in London, but looks decidedly out of | | | | surrounded by thick tropical vegetation. St Anne is |
| place in this quaint town. Thus, it stands statuesquely | | | | now one of the most important nesting sites for |
| by the court house. | | | | Hawksbill turtles. |
| Other interesting sites are the Anglican and Roman | | | | Three languages are spoken on the island English, |
| Catholic cathedrals and the Capuchin House, which is | | | | French, and Creole, which derives from French and is |
| quite unique in architecture and served once as a | | | | widely spoken in former French colonies. |
| seminary for priests. | | | | Weather is warm and humid, averaging 29 |
| Tourists who thirst for a history and culture will not | | | | throughout the year with more rain around |
| hesitate to visit the National History Museum, which | | | | November to end of January. From May to |
| has interesting displays of the birds, which draw | | | | September when it is drier, breezier, and slightly |
| multiple bird watchers to the island, marine life and | | | | cooler than during the remainder of the year. There is |
| culture of the Seychelles islands. Also, there is a lively | | | | quite a lot of rain at all times of the year, but this |
| morning market, which draws visitors to view the | | | | mostly occurs in brief showers followed again by |
| rows of tropical fruits, seafood in chilled ice and | | | | tropical sunshine. |