THE LARGEST ISLAND in Seychelles is Mahé, measuring 27 km long and 8 km wide, which, for most visitors, will be their first experience of this holiday paradise.

Mahé is the economic centre of Seychelles and contains the capital, Victoria. Both the international airport and seaport are located on Mahé, which acts as a transit point for visitors en route to other islands.

Some 65,000 people - about 90 per cent of the population - live on Mahé. The island is scattered with idyllic beaches, over 75 of them, with soft white sand fringed by swaying palm trees and lapped by the beautiful deep-blue Indian Ocean.

Running the length of the island is a mountain range in which the highest peak, Morne Seychellois, reaches 905 metres.

Mahé offers all kinds of attractions, from strolling around the market town of Victoria to visiting the botanical gardens and enjoying a variety of night-life venues including two casinos and a range of first-class hotels. For the more energetic, there are nature trails and water sports galore, including several well-run diving centres.