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Witness / Attend in Vallee de Mai
A 19.5 hectare palm forest in the heart of Praslin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 and one of only two places on earth where the coco de mer grows wild. A short, near-primeval walk through the ancestral home of the world's largest seed.
Why here
The Vallee de Mai is a pocket of primeval forest that feels older than everything around it, and for good reason. This 19.5 hectare valley on Praslin is one of only two places on earth where the coco de mer palm grows wild, the species that bears the largest and heaviest seed in the plant kingdom, a double-lobed nut that can top twenty kilograms. Under the canopy live five other endemic palms and the Seychelles black parrot, the national bird, which nests almost nowhere else. General Gordon once argued this was the original Garden of Eden. You come to witness a forest that has changed little in millions of years, walking gravel paths in an hour or two while the endemic palms creak overhead. The Seychelles Islands Foundation, which also guards the far Aldabra atoll, manages the reserve and funds its wardens from entry fees.
Best months
The reserve is open daily through the year, with the drier, less humid stretch from May to October the most comfortable for walking. Mornings are quieter and better for spotting the black parrot and endemic geckos. Paths are gentle and well made; the visit is about looking closely rather than covering ground.
Getting there & around
The Vallee de Mai sits in the centre of Praslin, reached by ferry or a short flight from Mahe and a taxi or bus from the coast. Buy the entry ticket at the gate, where guided walks and a self-guided trail leaflet are available. Allow one to two hours, and go early to beat the tour groups and the midday heat.
Skill levels: beginner
Schools & guides (1)
Seychelles Islands Foundation
OrganizerThe Seychelles Islands Foundation is the public trust that has managed the Vallee de Mai since it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, and it also runs the far Aldabra atoll. Its wardens protect the 19.5 hectare palm forest and its endemic coco de mer, the palm that bears the largest seed in the plant world, along with the Seychelles black parrot that breeds almost nowhere else. Entry fees fund the conservation work.