Roaming Praslin’s Palm Forest

A palm forest on Praslin where the largest seed of any plant grows and General Gordon once placed the Garden of Eden.

Vallée de Mai, Praslin

Vallée de Mai covers roughly 48 acres in the middle of Praslin, and most of the walking is under forest canopy. UNESCO inscribed the reserve in 1983, which makes it one of the smaller natural World Heritage Sites. It is the world’s stronghold for the coco de mer, and a walk through takes a couple of hours.

Stepping Under the Canopy

Within a few steps of the entrance you are under a roof of palms. Fronds can reach more than 30 feet in length, and the trunks climb between 80 and 110 feet, so the light reaches the ground in patches.

The Palms and the Parrot

Six palm species grow here, all endemic to the Seychelles, and this is the only place where all six grow together. The coco de mer dominates. Its double-lobed seed is the largest of any plant, and a few are displayed near the entrance so you can pick one up. Before the trees were found on Praslin in 1743, nuts washed up on distant shores, and people assumed the tree grew under the sea, which is where the name “sea coconut” comes from.

Male and female trees are separate, and only the female trees bear fruit. Look at the dead standing trunks as well. The Seychelles black parrot nests almost exclusively in them, and the species lives only on Praslin. Listen for its call as you walk. A higher trail leads to a viewpoint over the canopy.

General Gordon’s Eden

In 1881, Major General Charles Gordon, then stationed in Mauritius, visited Praslin and became convinced he had found the Garden of Eden. He decided the coco de mer was the tree of knowledge and that the breadfruit tree, introduced to the island, was the tree of life. In a letter to a horticulturalist in Mauritius, he wrote that he had “no doubt of the site of Eden.” He also designed a badge for a Seychelles flag that year, showing a giant tortoise in front of a coco de mer tree wrapped by a serpent.

Timing Your Walk

A coco de mer takes about two years to germinate and decades to flower, so the reserve suits an unhurried pace. Morning is the cooler part of the day. A guide adds a good deal, because the palms and the parrot are easier to find with someone who knows where to look. Your Out Of Office specialist can arrange a private guide around your hotel schedule.

Good to Know

An entrance fee is paid at the gate in Seychelles rupees, and it supports the foundation that manages the Seychelles’ World Heritage Sites. Rates have changed over the years, so confirm the current figure before you go. Wear closed shoes and bring water and a rain layer. Praslin is reached from Mahé by ferry or a short domestic flight.

Same-sex relationships have been legal in the Seychelles since 2016, and workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited, though same-sex marriage is not recognized. Resorts on Praslin are used to international honeymooners and welcome same-sex couples as couples. There is no gay scene here, and affection is best kept low-key in villages, since Seychellois society is warm but fairly conservative.

Out Of Office is a luxury LGBTQ+ travel specialist that plans tailor-made Seychelles trips around each traveler’s dates and pace.

Planning Your Visit

Out Of Office plans tailor-made trips to the Seychelles, including stays on Praslin at Constance Lemuria. You can browse luxury hotels in the Seychelles or read about island hopping in the Seychelles to see how the islands fit together.