Vallee De Mai National Park, home to rare flora’s in the world

Blingy white sands, lush greens, tall palm trees, and many beaches waiting to be discovered in the land of Seychelles. Located 900 miles from the coasts of Africa, is a timeless beauty filled with tranquillity. In Seychelles, you can find water in all shades of blue. Being the only granite island in the world, it is a tropical paradise to all tourists. Seychelles is one of the oldest islands, with a series of islands chained to it. One such island is the Praslin island. Praslin Island is quite famous for its pristine beaches and fantastic resorts and hotels. Praslin island is also home to Vallee De Mai National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the remarkable places on Praslin island.

Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve

Located in the middle of Praslin island, is the reserve, that boasts on being the home to some of the rarest floras. The reserve’s main attraction is the widespread palm forest with one of the endemic species coco de mer. An interesting fact about coco der mer is that it takes 50 odd years to grow, and it takes close to seven years for the seed to grow. The seeds of coco de mer are known as the double-nut and it weighs upto 5kgs and is roughly 20-30 meters in height.Not just coco de mer, the park is also home five other endemic plant species, few are, Dillena Furruginea, also known as bwa rouz, and Northea Hornei. These trees can only be seen here. So don’t miss your chance.

Things to do at Vallee de Mai National Park

• The park is also famous for its wildlife and bird watching. Get your sunscreen and hats on, and spot some animals or rare birds like the black parrot, blue pigeon, bulbul, sunbird.
• Take pictures with the largest seeds of a tree that ever exists in the world.
• The reserve also has three different hiking trails in it. So spend some quality time with your loved ones exploring the reserve in tropical weather.
• There are more than 4000 species of palm trees planted here, gain and test your knowledge by throwing little quizzes to your family with the facts you come to know.
• Be a participant at the free guided tours that are available at the reserve.

How to get there?

Hopping between islands is easy at Seychelles. You can take ferries or flights to reach the connecting islands. Getting around Praslin island is again easy. You can use the local buses or shuttle services from the resort to wandering around the island.

Entry Fee & Timings

Anyone can visit the reserve between 10 AM – 6 PM on any day during the week. To enter the reserve, there is an entry fee. It approximately costs 900INR for kids below 12 years and 1600 INR for adults.

Travelling is not a want but a need. Take the time off your busy schedule and visit the beautiful places on earth with Pickyourtrail. After all, you might learn a thing or two from it too. Check out the Seychelles packages available to make your dream trip to Seychelles come true!