Seychelles Buried Treasure, Pirates, And James Bond

Seychelles is a cluster of 115 charming islands found in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, off East Africa. The archipelago serves as a tropical, luxury honeymoon hotspot but this island nation is much more than that with its gorgeous landscapes, abundant nature, and rich culture. The waters here show off a sensational spectrum of blues, greens and everything in between.

- Charmaine de Villiers

Ian Fleming, author of the famous James Bond novels and short stories, came to the islands in 1958 in search of inspiration for a chapter in the spy saga (For Your Eyes Only) and ended up naming one of his characters, Milton Krest, after a tonic and ginger beverage that he tasted during his stay. This idyllic group of islands has a dark side to its history. Seychelles was the land of pirates, in particular Pirate’s Cove on Mahé Island and Côte d’Or on Praslin. Pirates used to seek out the islands as a hide out and it is believed that a treasure worth more than $160 000 was hidden by Olivier Levasseur at the time. It has not been discovered yet. A second treasure is believed to be buried on Moyenne Island, available within the Ste. Anne Marine National Park, but no one dares to approach it as the island is apparently haunted by a guardian spirit.

Numerous beaches, coral reefs and nature reserves continually beckon visitors to explore these islands which are blessed with wonderful weather almost all year round. The main islands of the Seychelles remain Mahé, La Digue and Praslin, with all three including a number of tourist attractions and activities such as deep sea fishing, scuba diving, kite surfing and many more!

Seychellois Creole

The majority of the people living in the Seychelles are referred to as Creole being mainly of East African and Malagasy origin. However, some are also of mixed East African, Malagasy, Indian, Chinese and French origins. African slaves, from Mauritius, were transported to Seychelles to work on sugar and coffee plantations. These were the last slaves to be introduced to the Indian Ocean.

Today, Creoles are dispersed throughout Seychelles. There are roughly 76 000 Creole, which is more than 70% of the entire Seychellois population and they are the dominant group in politics.