Experience the best of Victoria

Victoria sits on the north-east coast of Mahé, the largest island of Seychelles, between a sheltered harbour and the green granite mountains of Morne Seychellois National Park. It is one of the smallest capitals in the world, with a few busy streets, a replica of London's Little Ben clock tower in the centre, and a colourful Hindu temple. The market, named for Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke, is filled with fish, spices, fruit and crafts.

The Botanical Garden has giant tortoises and coco de mer palms, whose double-lobed nut is the largest seed in the world. The National Museum of History and the Natural History Museum are in the centre, and Beau Vallon, a long white beach, lies north-west across the hills. Morne Seychellois has forest trails to the highest peak of the islands, at 905 metres, and ferries from the harbour reach Praslin and La Digue.

Creole cooking relies on fish, coconut and spices: grilled fish with red chilli sauce, octopus curry, breadfruit chips and a coconut dessert called ladob. The islands are warm all year, with the south-east trade winds blowing from May to September and the north-west monsoon bringing rain from December to February.