A small yet valuable article for tourists about the Seychelles people. Learn about locals who live here, their characteristics, and how they treat tourists. Tips and information will help you better prepare for your journey. Yes, this knowledge won’t save you money, but it will certainly ease communication with the local residents.

Seychelles People: General Information

Summarily, the key points about the people of Seychelles. These facts will paint a clear picture in your mind:

  • Seychelles is a very small country. The entire population of the country is only 95 thousand people.
  • Seychelles consists of 115 islands, 33 of which are inhabited. Almost 85% of the population lives on the main island, Mahé. If we consider the three most populous islands: Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue, 95% of the country’s population resides here. On the third most populous island, La Digue, there are only about 4000 people.
  • It’s important to note that Seychelles is part of Africa. More details on this can be found in the article: where Seychelles is located on the world map.
people of seychelles
Street in the center of Victoria.

Important to know:

When Europeans discovered Seychelles in 1502, the islands were completely uninhabited. There was no indigenous population, like the Native Americans in America, the descendants of Indian tribes who lived before Columbus. The first inhabitants of Seychelles were Europeans, Africans, and later, Indians. These people started forming a new ethnic group in Seychelles.

For those interested in the country’s history in more detail, what remains on the islands as a legacy from the British and the French can be found in the article linked.

Today, the entire population of the country is divided by nationality into:

  • 80% Seychellois Creoles.
  • 10% Tamils. Tamils are a South Asian ethnic group, mainly from India and Sri Lanka. Externally, Tamils seem like Indians to me; pardon me, Tamils 🙂 However, I cannot distinguish a Tamil from an Indian. By the way, almost all Tamil population in Seychelles works in grocery stores. For information on shopping, markets, and stores, read here.
  • The remaining 10% consists of Europeans, Chinese, and Africans. By the way, there are quite a few Africans among them.
seychelles creoles
Miss Seychelles – this is how Creole girls in Seychelles look like.

Who are the Creoles:

Creoles exist all over the world, these are ethnic groups that emerged as a result of racial mixing. In this case, 200-300 years ago, when Europeans began to actively colonize uninhabited Seychelles, they brought slaves from Africa here first. Seychellois Creoles today are the descendants of French settlers and African slaves.

And here’s what their faith is, read in the article about religion in Seychelles. For Tamils, everything is clear; they all adhere to Hinduism.

How local residents treat tourists

This section is interesting, and not everything is so straightforward. Here are the main theses:

  • Seychelles is a relatively expensive country. In a nutshell, the government’s program sounds something like this: no budget tourism! The government openly states that they are not welcoming budget tourists. Sometimes, it may seem like tourists are not liked here. But that’s not true. By the way, read more about prices and this government program in the article: prices in Seychelles for tourists.
  • In reality, tourists are loved here, and they are welcome everywhere. Whether you live in an expensive hotel and dine in expensive restaurants or rent budget apartments and cook for yourself, everyone will smile at you.
  • Creoles and Tamils are honest and law-abiding. They don’t overcharge or deceive tourists; they give change down to the last penny. It’s very pleasant that in Seychelles, no matter how much the government tries to attract wealthy tourists, they don’t see you as just a wallet.
  • A distinctive feature of Creoles: they are unintrusive. This applies to shopping in a souvenir shop, excursions, and so on. Sometimes it seems like you need to buy more than they need to sell. That’s why there’s not much bargaining here. Well, you can negotiate a bit for a taxi, and when you buy 5 magnets at once. And even then, the discounts are purely symbolic.
seychelles people
Sometimes you might feel like you’re in Jamaica. Reggae culture and Bob Marley are very popular in Seychelles.

As mentioned earlier, Seychelles has many descendants of Africans and migrants from African countries; reggae culture and the ideas of Bob Marley are popular here. When you get here, you’ll understand it yourself. And all questions about safety in Seychelles are often associated with them. Nothing critical, but thefts do happen on the islands. Read more about what to be wary of and how to stay safe in the article: safety in Seychelles.

But there’s no need to worry; overall, Seychelles is a very calm and safe country. It’s definitely safer here than in the center of Paris or Rome.

Travel Tips

I can give simple tips to tourists.

  • Don’t hesitate to ask for help, ask for directions; everyone is happy to help a tourist just for a smile. No one will chase after you shouting “give me a dollar.”
  • Children are genuinely happy to give a high-five to tourists.
  • By the way, all the country’s residents, including children, speak English and Creole, and many also know French. Everything about the national language in Seychelles and the necessary vocabulary for tourists.
  • If you plan to stay in a villa or apartment rented by locals, bring a couple of chocolates from your country. Give them as a gift when checking in. Seychellois people have a sweet tooth, and they will be extremely pleased. Not every guest brings them something, so you will be treated with special attention. What else to take to Seychelles.

In conclusion: almost the entire population in Seychelles are Creoles, people who are open and positive. They are always happy to see you, ready to help in any situation, and Creole unobtrusiveness is beyond praise. Seychelles is not the poor Africa we saw on TV or the bazaars of the East with persistent vendors where everyone wants to extract dollars from you. Seychelles is closer to Europe than Africa in terms of communication and mentality.

IMPORTANT: essential links to organize your dream trip to the Seychelles:

  • FLIGHTS: WayAway – direct flights and best deals.

  • CAR RENTAL:
    • Mahe and Praslin, no deposit required – LocalRent

    • The most famous car rental company – DiscoverCars.

  • TOURS and EXCURSIONS:
    • GetYourGuide – 90+ activities and tours in the Seychelles.

    • Viator – 130 + activities in Seychelles.

  • TRAVEL INSURANCE: EKTA.

  • HOTELS, VILLAS, APARTMENTS:
    • TripAdvisor compares prices among a dozen other services and platforms and offers to choose the best one.

    • Trip.com – one of the most popular accommodation booking platforms.

  • PACKAGES: from budget to luxury – CheapOair.

  • AIRPORT TRANSFER: Intui.

  • INTERNET: eSIM of local telecom operator – Airalo.