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Obscure Country Profile #3: Seychelles

By Mark Grueter

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“When your marriage begins in Paradise, how could you not end up living happily ever after?” - The Government of Seychelles' Website

Ever seen a flying fox? How ‘bout a fruit bat? What about a skink? Man, I’m telling you you’ve never seen the tropics and you don’t even know what exotic means until you’ve visited the wild isles of Seychelles, located off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. Beautiful people, beautiful weather.

Seychelles offers the greatest marriage package in the world; it is like some undiscovered variation of diamond. I admit, I was very skeptical at first; before we left for Seychelles I told my girlfriend she was a stooge for tourist propaganda. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Now, believe me when I tell you about how truly fucking awesome it is there. Oh, what a wedding! We had close friends fly out and everything.

Seychelles is very civilized because it was a French colony for many, many years and then it became a British colony for many more years until the natives staged a coup - or something - in 1976. Only 16 Seychellian babies died per 1,000 live births in 2002, the country is a member of the United Nations and the government signed the un-ratified Kyoto Protocol.

Image Courtesy of www.islands.com

We met the US ambassador, Harold Winter or Walter and he introduced us to Chris Gill, who is the head of the New Democratic Party. It was neat. The Republic of Seychelles is very democratic; President Albert Rene has held office since the country became independent in 1977 - he was last re-elected in 1998 with a resounding 70 percent of the vote.

But getting back to weddings...services are performed between the hours of 2pm and 5pm Monday through Friday, except on holidays. Make sure to bring copies of the first six pages of both passports, birth certificates, divorce decrees, death certificates of former spouses and any name change documents. Remember now, copies of the first six pages - not seven, not five. Six.

Most hotels offer the whole wedding package for “one convenient fee.” But if you want bonuses like a wedding cake, champagne, a hairstylist, hours d’oeuvres, flowers and video and/or still photography you have to pay extra.

The total area of Seychelles is 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C., but is only populated by 80,000 people! So avoid the bustle - come and enjoy this unspoiled haven complete with white, sandy beaches, snorkeling and abundant wildlife. Spot a giant tortoise or bird-watch for a magpie robin. Ornithology is big in those parts so don’t forget to pack the binoculars. Go buck wild!

I’ve gone and saved the best for last. Ready? There’s no tipping on the island; it’s all included in a service charge so that you and your partner can relax and avoid any debates on the subject. And, the government does not recognize any religious ceremonies. So if you’re some sort of sky-godder (you know, you believe there’s a God up in the sky) looking to get hitched then go somewhere else. Seychelles is not for you.

By the way, some hotels charge a minimum nights’ stay. For instance, the Marriott downtown requires that you pay for at least two weeks, so pack heavy. You’re gonna love it.

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Mark Grueter lives in New York City, where he is pursuing his master's in Liberal Studies at the New School University's Graduate Faculty of Political and Social Science.  He can be contacted at [email protected].

© 2003 Me Three