Many people dream of visiting Seychelles for its stunning beaches. However, this island nation holds secrets that go far beyond white sand. For instance, it was once a lawless hideout for notorious pirates. Furthermore, it is home to the heaviest land tortoise in the wild. Consequently, the history here is as colorful as the coral reefs. Therefore, read on to discover the hidden wonders of this Indian Ocean archipelago.
Seychelles
Seychelles was a famous pirate hideout. In fact, the legendary pirate La Buse supposedly buried a massive treasure worth millions here. Nobody has found it yet.
This nation is home to the Coco de Mer. This palm tree produces the largest seed in the entire plant kingdom. Interestingly, it looks exactly like human buttocks.
A tortoise named Esmeralda lives on Bird Island. Surprisingly, despite the female name, Esmeralda is actually a male. He weighs over 600 pounds.
Uniquely, the country is a matriarchal society. This means mothers rule the household and control most of the spending. Men often have a peripheral domestic role.
Legend says if you eat breadfruit here, you will return. Locals believe this distinct fruit has a magical pull on visitors. Therefore, be careful what you snack on.
Victoria is the smallest capital city in the world. You can explore the entire city on foot in less than one day. It is incredibly tiny.
Unlike most ocean islands, these are not volcanic. Instead, they are made of granite. They are actually the only mid-ocean granitic islands on Earth.
Originally, Seychelles had no indigenous population. In fact, they remained uninhabited until the French arrived in the 1700s.
The local Moutya dance is UNESCO recognized. Slaves created this dance to express their suffering and hope. They performed it around bonfires at night.
Massive coconut crabs live here. These “robber crabs” are strong enough to crack coconuts open. They even steal shiny objects from people occasionally.
Fortunately, Seychelles are completely malaria-free. Because there are no Anopheles mosquitoes, you can sleep safely without a net.
The government protects nearly half its land. Specifically, over 50% of the country is a designated nature reserve. This preserves the rare wildlife.
The granite rocks are ancient. Geologists estimate some boulders on La Digue are 750 million years old. They date back to the dinosaur era.
Locals use a “Stone of Possession” to mark territory. The French laid the first one in 1756 to claim the islands. It still symbolizes their history.
Finally, rare “jellyfish trees” grow here. Sadly, fewer than 100 of these unique trees exist today. Botanists are working hard to save them.
