About

"Praslin Island is somewhat quieter and less developed than the main island of Mahé; it boasts an exotic paradise of dense vegetation..."

One of the most visited and largest islands after Mahé is Praslin, only fifteen minutes by a 20 seater "Twin Otter" plane from Mahé, or one hour by sea on the "Cat Cocos," which can carry 159 passengers. This is an air conditioned catamaran, and it travels from Mahé to Praslin and back up to three times a day. Praslin Island is somewhat quieter, and less developed than Mahé, but boasts an exotic paradise of dense vegetation and lush coconut groves.

Almost 100 years ago, General Gordon (of Khartoum) visited this island and became convinced that he had found the original Garden of Eden. He developed this theory when he saw the strange shape of the infamous "Coco de Mer." The enormous coconut is shaped like a female pelvis, which he then identified with Eve. These coconuts only grow on the ancient giant palm trees in the Vallée de Mai nature park and are used locally as an aphrodisiac drink. They can be seen along with the insect-eating pitcher plant, vanilla orchids, and some of the earth's rarest birds: the Seychelles bulbul, fruit pigeon, and the black parrot on the nature trails when walking through the forest.

Praslin Island in the Seychelles is famous for its soft white sandy beaches, and there are far too many to name, with the exception of Anse Lazio, which has consistently been voted one of the world's best beaches. Most beaches offer safe bathing and excellent snorkelling among the living corals, which are home to an amazing nine hundred species of fish. One can either hire a bicycle, a taxi, go on an organised trip round the island, or hire a self-drive car from "Le Baron," and maybe even stay at his small, air conditioned Praslin hotel on Grande Anse beach.

Two unique features of Praslin island are it is the only island in the Seychelles with a Championship Golf course, and the only island outside Mahé with a Casino. It is also an excellent jumping off point to visit other islands like La Digue, Cousin, Curieuse and St. Pierre. These beautiful islands are inhabited by thousands of birds and turtles, and their waters possess beautiful coral reefs where snorkelers can see a variety of fish.