The Seychelles consist of more than 100 islands some of which are comprised of granite and others of coral. The coral islands are flat with elevated coral reefs at different stages of formation. They have no fresh water and human life can be sustained on them only with difficulty.

The principal islands are Mahé, Praslin, La Digue and Desroches.

• Mahé consists of 42 granite islands, all within a 56-kilometer radius of the main island of Mahé. These islands are rocky, and most have a narrow coastal stripe and a central range of hills rising above 900 meters.
• The island of Desroches offers some of the best diving in the Seychelles. Situated on the southern side of a huge atoll, diving “off the wall” of an ancient limestone reef is spectacular with dramatic caverns, caves, tunnels and overhangs. These have been sculpted by waves and weather over the centuries and created a backdrop to scuba diving which is quite unlike any where else in the Seychelles.
• Even more spectacular diving can be found at Alphonse Island: this dive site is very special dividing naturally into three areas - on the shallow plateau there is a beautiful coral garden leading to a wall 20-40m with huge overhangs, overgrown with soft corals and gorgonian fan corals; nurse sharks or sleeping sting rays can be found in small canyons; beyond is the "Abyss" a steep wall descending 500m.
  For serious anglers Alphonse Island is famous for having some of the world’s best saltwater fly fishing. Anglers have the opportunity to target a myriad of different species in the flats off the island, from abundant bonefish, three species of trigger fish, five species of trevally, and perhaps the most challenging of all, the fabled milkfish.
• Bird Island is the most northerly island of the Seychelles archipelago; a coral island best known for the one and a half million sooty terns which nest here from May to October. Although a paradise for ornithologists, with populations of fairy and noddy terns, cardinals, ground doves, mynahs, crested terns and plovers also being found here, Bird Island offers much more. A unique private island completely surrounded by pristine white beach backed by coconut palms that shelve gently to turquoise waters where hawksbill turtles come to nest.
• North Island has been turned into a sanctuary for both discerning travellers and wildlife, and is a leading example of responsible tourism at its best. Craftsmen have created a 'Robinson Crusoe luxury paradise' unlike any other on this spectacular, unspoiled private island. There are granite hills with fabulous view points, hundreds of coconut palms and takamaka trees and giant tortoises wandering about. The beautiful coastline has four gently sloping white beaches which provide nesting places for both green and hawksbill turtles and offshore reefs are rich with tropical fish, offering superb opportunities for fishing, diving and snorkelling.

The Seychelles are a living museum of natural history and a sanctuary for some of the rarest species of flora & fauna on earth. With almost 50% of its limited landmass set aside as national parks and reserves, Seychelles prides itself on its record for far sighted conservation policies that have resulted in an enviable degree of protection for the environment and the varied ecosystems it supports.

The Seychelles are also home to two U.N.E.S.C.O World Heritage Sites: Aldabra, the world’s largest raised coral atoll and Praslin’s Vallée de Mai, once believed to be the original site of the Garden of Eden.

From the smallest frog to the heaviest land tortoise and the only flightless bird of the Indian Ocean, Seychelles nurtures an amazing array of endemic species within surrounds of exceptional natural beauty.
The country’s economy is largely driven by the tourism and tuna fishing. Farming and small-scale manufacturing also contribute significantly.