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More and more airlines are flying to the Seychelles, so it's worth checking with your travel agent to see if you can get a direct flight. There are flights from Australia via Singapore, from Africa and Mauritius and direct from London. Travellers from Continental Europe can also fly direct - most take package holidays. Lots of cruises pass through Victoria, but there are no direct passenger services. There is a $20 departure tax.

• Budget meal: US$7-10

• Mid-range restaurant meal: US$10-20

• Top-end restaurant meal: US$20 and upwards
  
  

• Budget room: US$50-80

• Mid-range hotel: US$80-150

• Top-end hotel: US$150 and upwards

The Seychelles is not a budget destination. Accommodation is regulated by the tourist board; camping is forbidden and prices, availability and the standard of accommodation are fixed. If you keep to the less expensive guesthouses, avoid watersports and eat lean, you might be able to get by on US$55 a day. If you've come all this way, though, you probably want to induldge at least a little - a budget of US$100 a day is more realistic if you want to do some diving, eat the country's fabulous seafood and maybe stay in the occasional mid-range hotel. If you've got money to burn, the Seychelles is a great place to do it. If you are thinking of staying in the fancier hotels, consider a package tour, which will work out a fair bit cheaper.

You'll get a better rate for travellers cheques than for cash. No restrictions apply on taking rupees in or out of the country, but you'll get a much better rate in the Seychelles than you will anywhere else. Victoria is well endowed with banks, and in villages where they're further apart you can usually change money at the bigger hotels (though the rate probably won't be the best).

Tipping is welcomed but not obligatory. A 10% service charge is added to your bill in hotels and restaurants. In general, there's a relaxed approach to bargaining. You might be able to get a discount on your car rental, but prices in shops are seldom negotiable. Markets are more open to a bit of friendly haggling.