Seychelles: souvenirs
The Seychelles grows the world's strangest seed - the coco de mer - and sells the islands' craft around it, permit and all. Here is what travellers bring home from Seychelles, where the good versions live, and the export questions worth a look - alongside our 44 written places.
The classic buys
Coco de mer, with permit
The famous double coconut may only be bought from licensed sellers WITH an export permit sticker - no permit, no flight; the polished halves are the legal marvel.
Vanilla and cinnamon
Plantation pods and bark from the spice heritage of the islands.
Takamaka crafts and model boats
Local-wood carvings and the pirogue models of the boatbuilding tradition.
Creole spices and chutneys
The pantry of island cuisine in jars and packets.
Virgin coconut oil and soaps
Small-producer oils from the copra tradition.
Local art and textiles
Island painters' bright canvases and batik pareos from studios.
Check before you buy
- Coco de mer without the official permit is confiscated - only licensed vendors can sell export-legal nuts; keep the certificate with your luggage.
- Shells, coral and turtle products are protected - the reef stays.
- Sand and beach 'souvenirs' are prohibited exports.
✗ Better left behind
- Any coco de mer offered cheap without paperwork - poached from protected palms.
- Coral and shell jewellery of unknown origin.
Markets shift, workshops close and open, and the best souvenir is still the one with a story you were there for. Buy from makers where you can, keep receipts for anything substantial, and when a deal feels too good, it usually is.