Things to Do in Praslin Island

Things to Do in Praslin Island, Seychelles: The diversity of the Seychelles and the Praslin Island landscape rushes up to greet you the moment your aircraft begins its descent and promises a long list of things to do.

Seychelles and in particular Praslin Island is famous for having some of the best beaches in the world, pristine and uncrowded. Some are framed by age-old granite boulders. Others offer powder-soft sands, turquoise waters and sublime opportunities for swimming, snorkeling or pure relaxation.

There are great opportunities for island-hopping beyond than just going to Praslin Island, likely you’ll also arrive in Mahe. Between the 16 islands that currently offer accommodation. These range from sumptuous 5-star resorts to rustic island lodges and cozy beachside bungalows. On your way, you will discover such gems as the legendary Vallée de Mai, home to the legendary Coco-de-Mer.

You will also find proud national monuments, beautiful Creole houses, artists’ studios, national reserves and marine parks, as well as breathtaking natural wonders above and beneath the waves. Various excursions will introduce you to the pleasures of glass-bottom boating, or enjoying a choice of water sports.

There’s also golf, horse-riding and guided nature tours where to enjoy some of the rarest species of flora and fauna on earth. Not forgetting the mellow Seychelles nightlife where you can take in a casino, some local bars and fine restaurants offering unforgettable Creole and international cuisine.

We’ll talk through a list of just a few simple things you might want to do when you visit Praslin Island, in the Seychelles.

Here’s our hot-list of the top things to do in Praslin Island:

• Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve, Praslin Island
• Anse Lazio Beach, Praslin Island
• Anse Volbert Beach, Praslin Island
• Anse Georgette Beach, Praslin Island
• Curieuse Island, Praslin Island
• St. Matthew Apostle Church, Praslin Island

Valle de Mai Nature Reserve

1. Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve, Praslin Island:

Vallee de Mai Nature reserve is a must when visiting the Seychelles…..you will experience the “real” side of the island – it’s completely forested but the reserve is a great way to see and visit Attraction type: Nature reserve; Valley; Forest If you are visiting the Seychelles islands with the intent of enjoying more than just the stunning beaches, then pack a pair of hiking boots or comfortable walking shoes for the Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve. Found on Praslin Island, which is a top Seychelles vacation destination, the Vallee de Mai earns the distinction as being one of the smaller UNESCO World Heritage Sites. A World Heritage Site it is nonetheless, and without question, it is one of the more notable Seychelles attractions. The unique flora and fauna of the reserve is a big reason why this slice of virgin forest is so renowned, and visitors come mainly to see the rare Coco de Mer palms, which are quite curious indeed. The Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve is one of just two World Heritage Sites in Seychelles, the other of which is the Aldabra Island atoll. Both are managed by the Seychelles Islands Foundation, which took over control of the Vallee de Mai in 1989. Millions of years ago, the Seychelles were part of Gondwanaland, which was a huge land mass that would eventually separate over time. Also included in the realm of Gondwanaland was India, Madagascar, and mainland Africa. Over the course of time, the relative isolation of Praslin Island would help to contribute to its unique flora and fauna. There are few places in the world where you will find the Coco de Mer palm growing in the wild. In fact, the Seychelles’s Praslin and Curieuse islands are the only places on earth where the palms are still endemic. To help conserve the Coco de Mer species, other Seychelles islands, more specifically Mahe and the Silhouette Islands, have created their own subsidiary populations. The most defining attributes of the Coco de Mer palms are their suggestive male and female structures. It’s the kind of stuff that could easily have schoolchildren and adults alike giggling with bashful innocence. Mature Coco de Mer plants can grow up to over 100 feet tall, but it’s the size of the seeds/nuts that the female plants produce that is most impressive. Weighing up to 40 pounds, these nuts are too heavy to float when not rotted, which has a lot to do with why these palms haven’t spread to other islands. There are 4 other palms that are endemic to the Seychelles Vallee de Mai Reserve, as well as various pines and other plants. Birdwatching is among the things to be enjoyed on Vallee de Mai tours, and among the animals that make their homes here are fruit bats, tree frogs, geckos, and freshwater crabs. Considered by some to be the original “Garden of Eden”, the Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve can be toured with or without a guide, and if you are going it alone, you can pick up an informative brochure at the visitors center that will help you find your way around the park. The walking trails here are kept in good order, and they are well-marked. You’ll be able to see all that you’ll want to see from these paths. In fact, straying from the paths is not encouraged, as the protection of the fragile ecosystem here is of primary concern. At the Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve, there is parking available by the visitors center should you be renting a car, and the facilities there include bathrooms, a souvenir shop, an information center, and things the like. The Seychelles Vallee de Mai opens daily at 8:00 a.m., closing around 5:30 p.m. If your visit to the Vallee de Mai is not included in your Seychelles vacation package or tour package, you can get admission tickets at the park’s visitors center office. No visit to Praslin Island would be complete without a walk through the Vallee de Mai, and some might even argue that a trip to the Seychelles would not complete without at least a quick tour here. So, include it in your Seychelles travel plans, and experience a pristine forest that, thanks to isolation and conservation efforts, has managed to maintain its primaeval state of being.

Anse Lazio Beach

2. Anse Lazio, Praslin Island:

This popular beach boasts beautiful white sand and clear turquoise water; a sheltered cove is ideal for snorkeling. Attraction type: Beach Overlooking the scenic and calm waters of Chevalier Bay on the northwest side of Praslin Island, Anse Lazio enjoys some pretty spectacular sunsets, which only help to cement its place among the top Seychelles beaches. Crescent shaped, Anse Lazio is ideally backed by dense vegetation and rising hills. Takamaka trees and palms are abundant, giving way to soft sand that encourages numerous barefoot strolls. The trees backing the beach provide excellent shade from the strong Seychelles sun, though you might keep on awares for falling coconuts. To one side of the Anse Lazio beach, the craggy boulders of Pointe Chevalier announce a dramatic boundary, while the curving island further bounds the beach on the other side. These natural boundaries, as well as the beach’s curving shape, help to give beachgoers a feeling of seclusion that is intoxicating. Perhaps even more intoxicating are the array of natural colors that Anse Lazio exhibits. The verdant green of the jungle backdrop, the soothing white hue of the sand, and the captivating, crystalline blue water with all its different shades could easily inspire you to go searching for paintbrushes and canvases. It’s almost too much to take in really, and odds are good that you will find yourself rubbing your eyes in disbelief that a destination as gorgeous as this truly exists. Sure, gobs of travel brochures have photos of the Anse Lazio beach, and amazing as these pictures are, they just can’t compare with actually being here. Anse Lazio Praslin getaways are ideal for anyone, really, and families with little ones are especially encouraged to add Anse Lazio to their Seychelles travel plans, as the water here is excellent for swimming. Anse Lazio, as well as some of the other Lazio beaches, is protected by a coral reef, which helps to make for calm waters. There is an ideal gradient for those looking to swim here, and overall, the water is relatively shallow, which helps to make it even safer. At one end of the beach, the snorkeling is excellent, and the underwater beauty does well to compliment that found above the surface. Since it’s customary in the Seychelles to leave much of the terrain in its natural state, the Anse Lazio Praslin beach is devoid of the kinds of tourist trappings that can sometimes adversely affect a beach’s overall appeal. While you can find an Anse resort nearby, there aren’t soaring hotels on the beach, and save for a beach café and a nearby restaurant, there isn’t a whole lot in the way of facilities. Of all the Praslin beaches, Anse Lazio is not the best for sporting rentals, which is just fine by most. Anse Lazio Praslin visits can be arranged as day trips from Mahe Island, but given the fact that a few good Anse resort and hotel options can be found near Anse Lazio, you might treat yourself to at least a few days here. Also among the favorable Praslin beaches is Cote d’Or, which is a good place to find some of the top Praslin hotels and/or resorts. The Cote d’Or beach is very impressive in its own rite, and the calm waters also present snorkelers with a worthy haven. Renting a car or a bicycle is a good way to get around to the various Praslin beaches, and should you explore them, you’ll be able to surmise which one best suits your tastes. Chances are good that all of the Praslin beaches will prove more than satisfactory, so making a list of favorites might just be more difficult than you may have imagined. Though it can be hard to separate yourself from the Praslin beaches, don’t forget to make time for a visit to the Vallee de Mai reserve, which is another top Praslin attraction. As a side note, golfers looking for an Anse resort to best fit their needs might check out the Constance Lemuria Resort, which has no less than three 18-hole, championship courses that are free to guests. Sure, the resort is pretty costly, but if you love golf, you won’t find comparable courses anywhere else in the country.

Anse Volbert Beach

3. Anse Volbert, Praslin Island:

Resplendent with exotic birds and trees, this crescent-shaped two-mile beach is still pristine. Attraction type: Beach Anse Volbert is about 2,5km long and lies in a large bay with various hotels along the coastline. Only a few Vouloutye bushes and coconut palms shade this fine sand and generally flat beach. Some of the natural coastal vegetation has been cleared off by tourism establishments, causing erosion as a result. Swimming is ideal all year round, however during the southeast monsoon from May to October the sea can be rough. Anse Volbert offers a panoramic view of the islets Chauve Souris, Buccaneer, St. Pierre as well as the islands Curieuse and Cousine. Curieuse and St. Pierre are part of Curieuse Marine National Park and offer excellent snorkelling.

Anse Georgette Beach

4. Anse Georgette, Praslin Island:

This small, serene beach is among the most beautiful on Praslin Island. Attraction type: Beach nse Georgette is a beach most people do not know about. Located by the Lemuria Resort in the northwest of Praslin, this beach is an ideal place for relaxation, while surrounded by beautiful trees giving you the privacy you are looking for. Along the white sand beach the local Ghost Crabs will fascinate you with hours of entertaining antics. The crystal clear water of Anse Georgette is the ideal place for honeymooners seeking solitude within one of the most secluded beaches of Praslin Island. The beach is only accessible by boat or via the entrance to Lemuria Resort. By this resort you will find a path leading to the beach that also connects the resorts nearby golf course. In addition, we can recommend lunch or dinner at the nearby Lemuria hotel restaurant. Lemuria Resort can also arrange a picnic on the beach. Anse Georgette is classified as a national park and is rated one of the top ten most attractive beaches in the world.

Curieuse Island

5. Curieuse Island, Praslin Island:

This island is strictly protected to allow Giant tortoises to prosper. Attraction type: Island Curieuse Island is a small granitic island (1.78 sq mi) in the Seychelles close to the north coast of the island of Praslin, an easy trip if you are staying at one of the Praslin Island Hotels featured here. Curieuse is notable for its bare red earth intermingled with the unique Coco de Mer palms, one of the cultural icons of the Seychelles, only being present on the two islands. It is most famous for it’s National Park – where there are sea turtles. Most visitors to the Curieuse Marine National Park disembark at Baie Laraie where the shallow water is known for its population of large humphead parrotfish growing up to 1.2 m in length. At the rangers headquarters a number of giant tortoises move about. There is a trail from Baie Laraie to Anse St. José on the other side of the island passing over the boardwalk through the thick mangrove forest. The ruins of the leper colony is now well blended into the landscape and includes Creole colonial architecture which consists of a doctor’s house turned into a museum containing all the information about Curieuse Island. On the beach in front of the Doctor’s House sea turtles lay their eggs.

St Matthew Apostle Church

6. St. Matthew Apostle Church, Praslin Island:

Catholic Church situated on Praslin Island. Come here for Mass on Sundays. Attraction type: Religious site Set amidst a stunning backdrop, this church on Praslin Island nestles with greenery and flowers. Each Sunday worshippers go to the service at this new mission on Praslin Island. Experience the difficulties of communication across the globe now being part of the past with regular convocations by priest’s from around the world at this amazing church. You can see the lead priest of this church – Father John Jean Louis. Sometimes members of the congretation bring their own seats. Lots of children, mothers and granmothers always make it here and it has a truly tropical and biblical feel.