Grand Anse Praslin: Nature around Vallée de Mai

Grand Anse Praslin is considered the home of the Black Parrot and the endemic Coco de Mer. On Praslin lies Vallée de Mai, a living relic of ancient palm forests and the island’s green heart.

Palm Forest and Natural Heritage

Vallée de Mai covers 19.5 hectares and is one of the smallest natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world. It was inscribed as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site in December 1983. At the same time, it contains the largest continuous forest area in the Seychelles, with endemic Coco de Mer palms. The area and forest cover describe two different measures: the 19.5 hectares refer to the size of Vallée de Mai, while the forest figure sets a comparison within the Seychelles.

Millions of years of isolation in Vallée de Mai led to the development of unique species found nowhere else in the world. It is the only place in the Seychelles where all six species occur together.

Hiking Trails on Praslin

There are several hiking trails around Vallée de Mai, ranging from about 1.5 to about 4 km in length. This range provides a practical basis for planning: you can fit your preferred distance into your stay and compare shorter options with longer ones. This adds a practical measure for planning your day to the natural and World Heritage perspectives.

In the wider travel destination of the Seychelles, Praslin National Park offers a different trail-related point of reference: it has several short paths, and Glacis Noire is the only official trail. While approximate lengths are given for the trails around Vallée de Mai, the status of the trail is the focus at Praslin National Park. Trail length and official trail status are therefore different points of reference. Praslin National Park is also home to various insects and other animals.

More Nature and History in the Seychelles

In the wider travel destination of the Seychelles, Curieuse offers its own focus on nature and history. A mangrove swamp borders Baie Laraie; a raised boardwalk runs through it and provides access to the mangrove habitat even at high tide. Curieuse was used as a quarantine site for people with leprosy for almost a hundred years. The landscape and its historical use reveal different sides of the place, adding to the travel region beyond Praslin’s palm forest.

Ste. Anne Marine Park comprises six islands. On Moyenne Island are the remains of early settlers’ houses, pirate graves, and a small thatched chapel. In the wider travel region of the Seychelles, marine parks can be reached by boat; Port-Launay can also be reached on foot. These details add further ways to get around the wider travel region to its nature and history themes.

Discover more destinations: Grand Anse, Cousin, Anse Kerlan, Saint Louis, Plaisance, Anse Boileau, Outer Islands, Mont Fleuri.

Back to the main travel overview: Seychelles.