Places to Visit in Victoria, Seychelles, East Africa, Africa

Places to Visit in Victoria, Seychelles, East Africa, Africa

Victoria is the capital city of the African island country, Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean. It is located on Mahe, the largest and most populous island of Seychelles. The city of Victoria was founded during the British colonial rule as the seat of the government and since then, Victoria has been serving as the economical, administrative and cultural capital of Seychelles. Victoria is one of the prominent tourist destinations in Seychelles, holding a wide range manmade and natural tourist attractions, including the Victoria Botanical Gardens, Vauxhall Clock Tower and the Victoria National Museum of History. The geographical coordinates of Victoria are 4°37′00″ S 55°27′00″ E.

Connectivity to Victoria:

Victoria is catered by the Seychelles International Airport with scheduled flights from Dubai, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Mauritius, Paris, Frankfurt, Abu Dhabi, Nairobi, Colombo and many other world destinations. The distance of 11 km between the airport and city centre can easily be crossed by taxi or rental car.

Buses are the primary options to get around Victoria and other convenient options to move within the city are taxis and rented bicycles, the latter one can be hired at local shops.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Victoria:

Like the rest of Seychelles, Seychellois Creole is a widely spoken language in Victoria and some people also communicates in French and English.

Victoria Central Market is a place where everything can be bagged including traditional handicrafts to jewelry. Victoria is famous for seafood, especially for curries and grilled fish.

What to do in Victoria?

Hiking
Visiting museums and botanical gardens
Exploring market
Shopping

What to see in Victoria?

Victoria Botanical Gardens:

Founded in 1901 by Mr. Paul Evenor Rivalz Dupont, the Victoria Botanical Gardens originated with the objective of conserving national environmental features. It is not only home to plant species but also houses several Giant tortoises that are very friendly. Coco de Mer tree with the largest seed in the world should not be missed here.

Seychelles Natural History Museum:

The Seychelles Natural History Museum is the place where visitors can get complete history of the natural wildlife of the Seychelles. It is small but interesting, charging SCR50 as an entrance fee. It is situated at Independence Avenue near Albert Street in Victoria.

Victoria Clock Tower:

The Victoria Clock Tower is nearly same in shape that of Vauxhall Clock Tower in London. It is situated in the heart of the city at Independence Avenue, well surrounded by restaurants, cafes and modernized shops.

Victoria Market:

The Victoria Market is the centre of Seychelles’s shopping, highlighted by vibrant fish and fruit markets. There is also a restaurant within the market building, where visitors can have a nice coffee and some local crunchy and crispy snacks as well.

Kenwyn House and Gallery:

The Kenwyn House and Gallery is a perfect place in the city to bag typical Seychellois handicraft and jewelry. One can also spot many exotic pictures on the walls. The gallery is located on Francis Rachel Street in Victoria.

Other places of interest in Victoria include:

National Library and Art Gallery
French Cultural Center
Cassedent
Trois Freres Trail
Copolia Trail
Mission Lodge Lookout
Morne Blanc hiking trail
Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Temple
Kot Man-Ya Exotic Flower Garden

When to visit Victoria?

Victoria is a year round destination, can be visited in any month of the year. The most preferred time to visit Victoria is from May to October.

Where to stay in Victoria?

Victoria is a city for all types of travelers but budget travelers have to just turn their head towards the outskirts of the city to find suitable accommodation for them both in budget and facilities. Some well known and recommended hotels in Victoria are as follows: