The Seychelles Islands Present an Exotic Adventure for the Gluten Free Traveler
November 13, 2017
You've probably heard of the Seychelles Islands. Their pristine, unspoiled beaches are often mentioned among the world's best. Located off the eastern coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, this archipelago is made up of 115 islands. Many of the Seychelles islands are uninhabited and are nature reserves.
Ellen Morse, one of our gluten free travel specialist partners (and who is gluten free herself) just had some clients return from a trip she planned for them to this exciting and exotic destination. They absolutely raved about the experience, and Ellen is eager to share the itinerary she planned for them with more clients. On this journey, which is not a group tour and can be taken at any time, you'll visit three of the main islands: Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. She has worked with local tour companies who do business in the Seychelles to ensure all meals will be safely gluten free. Imagine seeing this beautiful part of the world while relaxing and having all your dietary needs taken seriously!
Like many island nations, the people of the Seychelles enjoy a wide variety of fresh fish, seafood, and fruits. Rice flavored with curry, coconut, or saffron is another common staple. There are many other specialties influenced by the people and cultures that have settled the Seychelles over the years (French, Chinese, Indian, and African), making their food a unique and wonderful melding of flavors.
Since the temperature in the Seychelles only varies from 75-86 °F throughout the year, you have the ultimate flexibility in choosing when to travel. If you prefer the slightly cooler temperatures of the 70s, July and August are the best (keep in mind, it's the southern hemisphere). Pleasant trade winds blow from May though November.
The government and residents of the Seychelles take their responsibility to protect its fragile island ecosystem very seriously, and almost half the land is under natural conservation. You will have the opportunity to see giant tortoises, bronze geckos, blue pigeons, the rare black parrot, and numerous unique plant species and marine life. It's a snorkeling and diving paradise, with more than 1,000 species of fish.
Ellen's suggested itinerary, which you can read about in more detail on the Seychelles Islands page of our website, can be done as either a first-class or luxury vacation. As always, you can also decide when to go, how long to stay, and the various activities you wish to partake in. There is plenty of free time built into the schedule to enjoy a variety of diversions...or simply relaxation time on a beach. You'll visit Victoria, the capital city, to see its markets, historical sites, and artists' studios. You'll enjoy various catamaran cruises of marine parks and crystal blue waters, a rainforest reserve with exotic wildlife, some of the most photographed beaches in the world, and fascinating historical sites throughout the islands.
I encourage you to give Ellen a call, whether it's for more information about this particular destination...or one of the many other spectacular spots around the world that she has helped make accessible to gluten free travelers (see our Gluten Free Getaways page). And please let us know if there are any other destinations you'd like to travel to that haven't been covered. Ellen has decades of experience booking happy clients on both traditional journeys and up-and-coming adventure travel.