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Tag: Seychelles News

Get the latest LGBT+ Seychelles news from THEGAYUK. Breaking news, features and interviews from the gay community in the Seychelles.

  • Are The Seychelles Gay-Friendly?

    Are The Seychelles Gay-Friendly?

    When you think of dream beach getaways and idyllic honeymoon destinations there are a few locations that spring to mind. You might consider the Caribbean, plan to bounce over to Bermuda, or maybe even the Maldives. Unfortunately, the sad truth is all those countries still class being gay as a criminal act. So there’s one clear winner when it comes to the best place to go for a gay beach vacation, the Seychelles aka the GAYchelles!

    Gay/LGBT rights in the Seychelles

    In May 2016, the Seychelles Parliament voted to amend Section 151 of their Penal Code that named sodomy a felony that was punishable with up to 14 years in prison. While the news wasn’t especially well-received by religious leaders, it was a landmark decision that gives gay travel enthusiasts added confidence in visiting the stunning 115-island country off the East African coast, making it one of the few African countries to decriminalize the gays.

    With male-male intercourse now legal (lesbian sex was always fine apparently) the Seychelles have even legalised same-sex marriage, and gay residents are able to legally adopt children as a couple. That being said, the predominantly Catholic country is still fairly conservative, operating a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy to all visitors, but with any hostility directed more towards locals than tourists.

    Gay travel in the Seychelles

    Tourism is one of the Seychelles’ most lucrative industries, so it relies on doing it well. The islands are scattered with high-end resorts, catering to the luxury escape fantasy that fills most of our minds when we think of a trip to the Seychelles.

    I was lucky enough to stay at the luscious Eden Bleu resort which has always been welcoming of LGBT travellers, offering discrete private beaches and villas long before it was all decriminalized.

    While the country is now more accepting of LGBT visitors and locals, it’s still a long way from having any kind of gay scene. The capital city of Victoria can be walked in about 30 minutes (40 if you stop to take photos) so don’t expect a bustling social scene of any kind. That’s not really what tourists come to the Seychelles for.

    Two of the islands, Mahe and Praslin, are a little more vibrant and are home to a few nightclubs, bars and discos (oh yeah, discos). While there are no actual gay-only venues local sources say that Barrel is probably the best place to go if you’re looking for an LGBT-accepting crowd and a place to dance the night away before you pass out on a beach.

    The Seychelles are a great beach holiday for any gay traveller, and the locals will go out of their way to make you feel welcome. I visited the Seychelles as part of an LGBT press trip, and even wandering around with a big group of gays I never encountered anything but friendly, genuine welcome attitudes.

    When to visit the Seychelles

    The Seychelles has a tropical climate and has warm temperatures all year round so you’ll never need to pack anything warmer than shorts. The downside being that there are rainy seasons, which is great if you like swimming in the rain or if, like me, your ginger skin is not designed for sunbathing.

    Otherwise, April – May or October – November are the sunniest times to go … if you’re into all that sunshine, beaches, and sailing stuff. ?️‍?

  • Seychelles Gay-Friendly Hotel: Eden Bleu Resort

    Seychelles Gay-Friendly Hotel: Eden Bleu Resort

    When visiting the Seychelles, I was lucky enough to stay at the stunning Eden Bleu Resort, situated on the east coast of the island, Mahé. Eden Bleu sits on a man-made private island and is surrounded by a marina with multi-million pound yachts in every direction and a few minutes from the airport, and a quick 10-minute drive from the capital, Victoria.

    Despite its sprawling grounds, the resort manages to remain fairly boutique in feel, designed to look like a plantation house that feels more in-keeping with the local surroundings.

    The typical guest to Eden Bleu is surprisingly corporate, as the resort caters to a large number of visiting professionals either attending conferences or escaping for the weekend from South Africa and Mauritius. There are, of course, plenty of loved-up couples (a few of which were gay), and there is a distinctive absence of families (and therefore hardly any children!!!).

    Staff and facilities

    As expected the staff are amazing, with buckets of local charm and advice for those looking to see the surrounding sights. There’s a 24-hour front desk, a concierge, and Wi-Fi throughout, however I would advise downloading a load of Netflix shows before you leave home as internet speeds across the island are notoriously slow and prone to stopping entirely if/when it rains.

    Unlike typical tropical resorts, Eden Bleu is not beach-based, forcing you to venture off the resort grounds in order to find some sand to sunbathe on (a definite plus in my book as I don’t really like to sit still on a trip). The resort runs complimentary shuttles throughout the day to locations such as Beau Vallon and Anse Royale beaches, as well as arranging sightseeing trips or a shuttle to the ferry so that you can visit some of the other islands.

    Food & drink

    A classic buffet breakfast is on-hand for all guests in the Marlin Bleu Restaurant which overlooks the pool deck and offers veranda seating so that you never need miss a drop of sunshine while you’re there. There are plenty of local favourites and plenty of dishes that marry Creole and modern styles.

    A small note would be the limited vegetarian selection which, while delicious, can get quite repetitive if you’re dining there nightly. I’m pescatarian so eventually tried the red snapper, the national favourite, and it was frickin delicious!

    Nightly rates

    Seven nightly prices on a bed & breakfast basis in the Presidential Suite from £3975 per person based on 2 people sharing, and a Luxury Marina View Room for £1915 per person for two people sharing at the Eden Bleu Hotel. A nightly rate on a bed & breakfast basis in a six bedroom villa cost from £1100 for 12 people per night

    Contact Details:

    Southall Travel

    Tel: +0800 408 8042

    Email: info@southalltravel.com

    Seychelles Tourist Office – UK & Ireland

    132 Buckingham Palace Road, Ground floor

    London SW1W 9SA

    United Kingdom
    t: + 44 (0) 207 730 0700
    e:seychelles@uksto.co.uk | www.seychelles.travel

  • Seychelles End Legal Ban On Gay Sex

    The Seychelles’ government have passed a bill which repeals the ban on sex between gay men.

    The Seychelles has decriminalised homosexuality in a historic move which the government hopes will lead to a growth in LGBT travellers to the region.

    The  Seychelles, which is made up of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean was part of a number of countries where homosexuality is illegal. The law, which was introduced in 1955 was a hangover from British colonial rule – although convictions were very rare, but those found guilty could be sentenced to prison for up to 14 years.

    Female same-sex relationships were not legislated against.

    Section 151 of the Penal Code read,

    Any person who –

    (a) has carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature; or

    (c) permits a male person to have carnal knowledge of him … against the order of nature,

    is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for fourteen years.

    ALSO READ: Places in the world that still have the death penalty for homsexuality

    ALSO READ: Surprisingly homophobic holiday destinations

    The government signalled their intent in 2011 to remove the ban, but the penal code amendment has only just taken place, without a referendum.

    According to the Seychelles News Agency (SNA), 28 members of the National Assembly were present for the vote on Section 151’s amendment.

    Fourteen voted in favour of scrapping the homophobic law, whilst Fourteen abstained. Four members did not show for the vote.

    Parti Lepep, a representative from the ruling party said, as well as appreciating diversity in terms of race and religion, politicians also needed to fight for sexual orientation equality.

    The founder of The Seychelles’ only advocacy group for LGBTS, Fabianna Bonne,
    told SNA,

    “The loudest message that abstaining sent was that they were not going to stand in the way of this change of law happening and we at LGBTI Seychelles appreciate that,” said Bonne.

    “Our focus will now be more on educating all of our society about LGBTI as we have noted that misconceptions and negative stereotyping is very widespread on this subject. Our aim however remains full equality across all aspect of citizenship for after all, we pay our equal share of taxes and participate actively in the development of our country,”