You cannot understand Curieuse without the coco de mer, and you cannot appreciate the coco de mer fully without the Vallée de Mai. This small valley in the centre of Praslin protects one of the last intact stands of the palm forest that once covered the island, and it is where the giant palms grow in their thousands, some of them very old, with the famous double nuts hanging from the female trees.
Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, it covers only 19.5 hectares — one of the smallest natural sites on the list — and is managed by the Seychelles Islands Foundation. Besides the coco de mer, all of the Seychelles’ other endemic palms grow here, and it is the main stronghold of the Seychelles black parrot, the country’s national bird. In the nineteenth century General Gordon, visiting Praslin, became convinced this was the Garden of Eden.
What to see and do: Vallée de Mai
Walk the trails
Well-marked paths of different lengths loop through the forest; the shortest takes under an hour and the longer circuits two to three hours. The light under the canopy is green and dim, the air cool, and the only sounds are the creak of fronds and the calls of birds.
See the coco de mer up close
Male and female trees are separate: the males carry long catkins, the females the huge nuts, which take years to mature. A coco de mer seed is the largest in the plant kingdom. Information boards and guides explain their slow, strange life cycle.
Look and listen for black parrots
The parrot’s whistling call carries through the forest. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to see one; guides often know where they are feeding.
Take a guided tour
A guide brings the forest to life. Join a scheduled guided walk on site, or book a guided visit with transfer.
How to get to Vallée de Mai
- The reserve lies on the road across the middle of Praslin between Baie Sainte Anne and Grand Anse. Praslin’s public buses stop at the entrance; taxis and hire cars reach it easily from anywhere on the island.
- There is a substantial entrance fee for foreign visitors; check current prices and opening hours with the Seychelles Islands Foundation before you go.
Insider tips
- Arrive early for cooler air, fewer people and more birdlife.
- Wear proper shoes; trails can be damp and rooty after rain.
- Buying a coco de mer nut as a souvenir requires an official export permit — buy only from licensed sellers who provide one.
- Pair it with a morning on Curieuse one day and an afternoon here the next, so you see the coco de mer both in the wild hills of Curieuse and in mature forest.
Best tours & tickets for Vallée de Mai
These top-rated experiences pair well with a visit to Vallée de Mai:
Small-group land tour from €65 Praslin: Vallée de Mai and Anse Lazio Beach Full-day Tour
The perfect companion to a day on Curieuse. The Vallée de Mai is the other home of the coco de mer — a UNESCO-listed palm forest where you can see the giant nuts on the trees — and the tour ends at Anse Lazio, often called the most beautiful beach on Praslin. Entrance fees: check what is included.
- The coco de mer forest of the Vallée de Mai
- A chance of the Seychelles black parrot
- Afternoon at Anse Lazio
Guided nature walk from €88 Praslin: Vallee de Mai Guided Hike with Transfer
A two-hour guided walk in the Vallée de Mai with transport from your hotel. A guide makes a great difference here: they know where the black parrots feed and can explain the strange biology of the coco de mer.
- UNESCO World Heritage palm forest
- Endemic plants and animals explained
- Hotel transfer
Private guided walk from €75 Praslin: Private Tour of Vallée de Mai with a Live Guide
A private 90-minute guided visit of the Vallée de Mai, the “Garden of Eden” of legend. Check on the listing whether the park entrance fee is included.
- A private guide in the coco de mer forest
- Go at your own pace
- Rated 4.7
Island tour from €189 Praslin: Tour Valle de Mai, Cote d’Or Museum & Anse Lazio
A day around Praslin at your own pace: the Vallée de Mai palm forest, the small Praslin Museum, a stop on Côte d’Or beach and the afternoon at Anse Lazio. Rated 4.9.
- Vallée de Mai
- Praslin Museum near Côte d’Or
- Swim at Anse Lazio
