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The Seychelles islands are the oldest ocean islands on earth. The archipelago is a micro-continent, isolated millions of years ago, and has evolved its own unique flora and fauna - from which man and all land mammals were absent - over the centuries. Seychelles' human history, however, only began a few hundred years ago - in 1609 a small landing party of English sailors exploring the Indian Ocean made the first recorded landing in Seychelles and declared the islands "an earthly Paradise". These early explorers couldn't have described Seychelles better: there are spectacular beaches framed by hulking granite boulders, world-class diving, snorkelling and fishing, tiny islands teeming with rare birds and other fauna, a nature reserve that has been declared a World Heritage Site, and a charming island lifestyle that is reminiscent of an earlier era.
Seychelles is a young nation, dealing with the inevitable problems a small and isolated island population faces when struggling to keep up with the outside world. The characteristic "maņana" syndrome is in some conflict with the need to modernise and perform to the standards of a faster, busier world beyond the coral beaches. But it's precisely this relaxed attitude to life that appeals to visitors who come here in search of a stress-free environment and unrivalled natural beauty. The Seychellois are proud of their spectacular country, and happy to share it with visitors. They have a certain reserve on first acquaintance, but when relaxed are incredibly warm and generous. |
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