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Country Guide > Africa > Seychelles | |
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Social Profile Food & Drink Seychellois Creole cuisine is influenced by African, Chinese, English, French and Indian traditions. The careful blending of spices is a major feature and much use is made of coconut milk and breadfruit. Local specialities include kat-kat banane, coconut curries, chatini requin, bourgeois grillé, soupe de tectec, bouillon bréde, chauve-souris (fruitbat), cari bernique, salade de palmiste (made from the ‘heart’ of the coconut palm and sometimes known as ‘millionaire’s salad’) and la daube (made from breadfruit, yams, cassavas and bananas). Breadfruit is prepared in similar ways to the potato (mashed, chipped, roasted and so on) but has a slightly sweeter taste. Other locally produced fruits and vegetables include aubergines, calabashes, choux choutes, patoles, paw-paws (papaya), bananas, mangoes, avocados, jackfruits, grapefruits, guavas, lychees, pineapples, melons, limes and golden apples. Lobster, octopus, pork and chicken are used more frequently than beef or lamb, which must be imported. Most restaurants offer a few items of what is termed ‘international’ cuisine, generally with a bias towards preparations of fresh fish and shellfish, as well as the Creole delicacies mentioned above. There are Italian and Chinese restaurants on Mahé. Some of the main hotels have bakeries and home-baked bread is also a feature of some of the small guest houses and lodges. Waiter service is the norm. All restaurants which are members of the Seychelles Restaurateurs’ Association quote an average price per person for a three-course meal inclusive of two glasses of wine and coffee. Prior notice should be given in restaurants for groups of four or more and advance bookings should be made for restaurants on Round and Cerf and for La Réserve restaurant on Praslin. A wide range of wines, spirits and other alcoholic beverages is available in the Seychelles. Seybrew, a German style lager, is made locally. The same company produces Guinness under licence and soft drinks. Local tea is also popular – see below under Shopping. A hotel licence permits hotel residents to drink at any time. Alcohol can be sold to anyone between Mon-Fri 1400-1800, Sat 0800-1200 and 1400-1800. Other bars open 1130-1500 and 1800-2200. It is illegal to drink alcohol on any road or in public. Nightlife Largely undeveloped and unsophisticated. There is, however, much to be enjoyed in the evenings, and a speciality is the local camtolet music, often accompanied by dancers. Several hotels have evening barbecues and dinner dances. Theatre productions are often staged (in Creole, English and French) and there are cinemas in Victoria and casinos at Beau Vallon Bay Hotel and the Plantation Club. Shopping Local handicrafts include work with textiles (such as batik), fibres (such as basketwares, table-mats and hats) and wood (such as traditional furniture, ornaments and model boats). Pottery and paintings may also be bought. Special souvenirs might include jewellery made from green snail shells. Tea-growing and manufacturing in the Seychelles is done on a small scale. Local tea can be bought in the shops or when visiting the tea factory on Mahé, where many blends of tea may be sampled at the Tea Tavern. Vanilla is cultivated as a climbing plant around the base of trees as it can be pollinated by hand. Pods can be bought in shops and used as flavouring. Cinnamon grows wild on all the islands. It can be bought as oil or in quills made from dried bark which can be freshly grated before use. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1600, Sat 0800-1200. Some shops close weekdays 1200-1300. Special Events For a full list of events, contact the Seychelles Tourist Office (see Contact Addresses section). The following is a selection of special events occurring in the Seychelles in 2005: Jan 25 Kavadi Thaipoosum. Apr Rotary Annual Fishing Tournament; Seychelles Art Festival. May FetAfrik: Africa Day Celebrations. May 19-22 SUBIOS, annual underwater festival. Jun Agricultural and Horticultural Show, Mahé. Jul Round Table Annual Regatta, Mahé. Aug 15 Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Sep Vinayagar Chadurthi. Sep 27 World Tourism Day. Oct Festival Kreol. Oct 9 Mahé-Praslin Windsurfing Race. Dec Christmas Show, Mahé. Social Conventions The people live a simple and unsophisticated island life and tourism is carefully controlled to protect the unspoilt charm of the islands. Before the international airport opened in 1971, the islands could be reached only by sea, and since they are miles from anywhere, visitors were few and far between and the people were little influenced by the outside world. They developed their own language and culture which – like so many things on the islands – are unique. Shaking hands is the customary form of greeting. The Seychellois are very hospitable and welcome guests into their homes. When visiting someone’s home, a gift is acceptable. A mixture of imperial and metric systems operates. For example, petrol is dispensed in litres, whilst bars sell bottled and draught beer in half-pint measures. Casual wear is essential and formal clothes are only worn by churchgoers. Swimwear should only be worn on the beaches. Tipping: Tips in restaurants, hotels, to taxi drivers, porters and so on are usually already included, as 5 to 10 per cent of the bill or fare. All hotel and restaurant tariffs include a service charge, but payment is not obligatory. |