Seychelles: how the parks, the foundation and the border system shape a visit

The Seychelles look the way they do because a small number of institutions say no. A parks authority that sets the rules for the marine reserves, a foundation that controls access to two World Heritage Sites, and a border system that will not let you board without a form. For a traveller who arrives by private jet or yacht, these are not obstacles to be managed around. They are the reason the trip is worth making, and the itinerary works best when it is built around them.

Before you leave: the travel authorisation

The Government of Seychelles operates an Electronic Border System that "all travelers to the Seychelles are required to complete prior to departure." It covers "Travel Authorisation and immigration forms for citizens, residents and visitors," and the site warns that "failure to comply may lead to a penalty fee upon arrival." Whatever else your passport entitles you to, there is no arrival without the authorisation. Sage places it on the pre-departure checklist next to the passport.

Tourism Seychelles, the government department that "spearheads the development and growth of the country's tourism industry," runs a Sustainable Seychelles programme "to encourage tourism establishments in Seychelles to mainstream sustainability practices." Ask any hotel whether it participates; the answer tells you something.

In the water: the parks authority's rulebook

The Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority manages the marine national parks — Curieuse, Ste. Anne, Baie Ternay and Port Launay, and Île Cocos — as well as a network of trails on Mahé (Copolia, Trois Frères, Morne Seychellois, Anse Major, Glacis Noire), the Veuve Reserve on La Digue, and the National Botanical Garden. Its visitor rules are short and they apply to everyone, including guests of the resorts that sit beside the parks:

• "Do not fish or collect shells, plants, corals or other aquatic life."
• "Anchor or moor in designated areas so as not to damage the reef."
• No "water skiing, speed-boat racing or any motorised water sports" inside the parks.
• No spear guns or fishing gear within the park vicinity.
• "Do not litter."
• Certain nesting beaches on Ste. Anne and the northern coast of Curieuse are closed to visitors.

Entry tickets are required for non-residents over twelve, and the authority publishes its fees in Seychelles rupees — a scale from Rs100 to Rs300 per person depending on the site, Rs250 per yacht for an overnight mooring, and separate permits for professional photography (Rs500) and filming (Rs3,000). For a charter yacht the mooring rule is the one that matters: the designated buoys are the only places to spend the night inside a marine park, and the skipper will know where they are.

On land: the foundation's two World Heritage Sites

The Seychelles Islands Foundation "manages and protects the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Aldabra Atoll and the Vallée de Mai as well as the Fond Ferdinand nature reserve."