Hostels in VICTORIA, SEYCHELLES

City of Victoria in Seychelles – Famous Port with Beautiful Beaches

City Victoria in Seychelles which is also known as Port Victoria is the capital city of Seychelles. It is the smallest among the African capitals. Located on the north eastern side of Mahe Island, the city is served by Seychelles International Airport that was completed in 1971.

Accommodation
Accommodation in Victoria is usually small, exclusive as well as luxurious. One of the main attractions besides the usual hotels, hostels, and guest houses is beach front villas available in the city. Thai massage of 90 minutes and open air spa are some attractions at these accommodations. Though there are few bed & breakfast facilities in Victoria, some of the apartments and lodgings on rent can serve purposes. In addition, there are also a few budget hotels around. Private islands are major attraction for those on honeymoon or exclusive visits.

Brief Background
Originally settled in 1778 by the French, the city was finally named after Queen Victoria. Old part of town has narrow streets and broken down colonial buildings. New part of the city has wider roads as well as tropical gardens. Established as the seat of British Colonial Government initially, the population of the city is around 26,000. Originally a colonial domain, Victoria is well known for vanilla, coconuts, coconut oil, soap, guano, and tortoise shells. Victoria encompasses three districts of Seychelles in all. These are English River, Mont Fleuri and Saint Louis. Greater Victoria adds five more namely, Bel Air, Les Mamelles, Mont Buxton, Roche Caiman and Plaisance to it.

Getting Around 
One can get around Victoria using Seychelles International Airport that has flights to most of the leading cities in Africa and Europe. Smaller planes also fly as domestic transport. For a hassle free tour to the city, you can rely upon a professional guide. Ferry services are also available but are not very reliable. Besides public transport and taxis, one can use rented cars and bicycles for moving around.

Points of Interest
The city has a clock tower modelled on the Vauxhall Clock Tower in London. Its courthouse, the Victoria Botanical Garden, Natural History Museum, National Museum of History, Sir Selwyn Clarke Market are some of the major attractions in the city. Home to national stadium of Seychelles as well as a polytechnic institute, the city is also a port. Its harbour is located towards the eastern side of the city. Tuna fishing and canning are major local industries in the port town. Its largest bridge was however destroyed in the Indian Ocean earthquake of 2004. A lively place is the morning market.

Currency in Victoria
Seychelles Rupee is the official currency in the city of Victoria. Looking for news on currency exchange rates checking would be good because currency exchange market is highly volatile.