SHOPS IN SEYCHELLES

Those who travel to Seychelles expecting major retail malls and shopping centers may be disappointed. Victoria, Seychelles' little city, has a few stores worth browsing, and Eden Island has a modest retail center, but there isn't much more on offer

The fun of being in a new nation is going on a grocery spree. This, however, was not possible in Seychelles. The local stores are quite small and narrow, with very few things. They are useful for purchasing bread and bottled water. On Mahé, the biggest island, there is an STC supermarket as well as a newly established hypermarket. The costs were so high that I was surprised to find a can of tomatoes for 22 Seychelles rupees (1.5 euro) or fresh pineapple for over 7 euros. Even a bag of 'cheap' cookies costs about 4 euros. Everything in Seychelles is imported, which explains the exorbitant pricing. The milk was French, the apples were Belgian, the frozen fish was Vietnamese, and the noodles were Romanian.

Small booths along the streets sell fresh fruit, vegetables, and seafood. If you're lucky, you might be able to buy freshly caught fish from the fisherman when they return in the afternoon. Locals choose to shop at the Sir Selwyn Selwyn Clarke market in Victoria (Mon-Sat: 10:00 - 18:00). If you're seeking souvenirs, there's a great assortment of jewelry, spices, woodwork, and other items here. On Saturdays, the market is also an excellent spot to meet and watch the Seychellois go about their everyday lives.