Throughout its history, the Seychelles has been a melting pot of ethnic diversity – a brilliant, multi-coloured tapestry representing the fusion of peoples from the four corners of the earth, encompassing, at one time or another, every nation and race imaginable.

Centuries after passing visits from early Arab seafarers, Phoenicians and Polynesians and the pirates who sought temporary refuge among the islands’ myriad of secret coves and bays, the Seychelles was finally settled by the French in 1772. The French arrived with their slaves, quite a few Malabar Indians and other members of their entourage and these early settlers represent the cornerstone of what makes up the population of the islands today.

In time, others followed in their footsteps: African slaves, Indian and Chinese traders, Arab and Persian immigrants and European fortune seekers. To this burgeoning population, over time, were added adventurers and colonials from every nook and cranny of the world along with a number of British exiles after the British Empire took control of the islands after the defeat of Napoleon. Early on, Roman Catholicism was established as the dominant faith, a trend that continues to today, co-existing in harmony alongside the Protestant and smaller Hindu, Bahá’i and Muslim communities.

From this great fusion of peoples, religious beliefs, customs and traditions the Seychellois nation was born, bringing diverse influences to bear upon the local architecture, arts, music, recreation and, of course, cuisine. Seychellois Creole gastronomy gives a classic example of this co-mingling of cultures, blending the subtlety and innovation of French cuisine with piquant flavours and the exotic culinary combinations of the East across a fascinating spectrum of textures, tastes, colours and ingredients.

Today’s vibrant, welcoming, Seychelles society is the story of these contrasts and how they have been successfully assimilated into a way of life that is a welcome antidote to the stresses and strains of modern living.

Among all that it has to offer, perhaps the Seychelles’ most enduring attraction is its enviable, island-style way of life, enjoyed by all amid the innate tranquillity and multi-racial harmony of the islands. Here, cocooned within the reassuring atmosphere of a giant family there is still time to savour the rhythms of nature and also to enjoy, the finer, simpler things in life.