Last updated on September 20th, 2024
I’ve been sailing in the Seychelles, a group of isolated islands in the Indian Ocean. Today’s shore excursion is a visit to the Vallée de Mai Reserve in Praslin National Park. The Vallée de Mai is an ancient palm forest and UNESCO World Heritage Site. While it has many important features and rare endemic species, it is most famous as the home of the coco de mer (a unique giant palm) and the endangered black parrot.
It’s a lot easier to see all kinds of palms than black parrots in the Vallée de Mai World Heritage Site. But you’ll hear the parrots!
The Vallée de Mai is one of the world’s few remaining ancient palm forests. It’s a place where visitors can get a sense of what primodial forests were like while watching for rare birds, animals, and insects. And it’s quite beautiful!
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Coco de mer is the star attraction
While the Vallée de Mai Reserve and Praslin National Park are home to quite a few plants and creatures found only in the Seychelles or only on this island, one plant stands above them all: Lodoicea maldivica – also known as the coco de mer (sea coconut), double coconut, or love nut. And it stands above everything both literaly (the largest known tree was over 180 feet high) and in the popular imagination.
Bird watchers may disagree, but for most visitors, coco de mer is the crowd favorite here!
Because the Vallée de Mai UNESCO World Heritage Site encompasses a tropical forest little changed since prehistoric times, it includes not only a few very ancient plants like the coco de mer, but the largest number of coco de mer palms in the islands. (And, therefore, in the world.) Sure, there are other rare endemic palms here, but none compete with the coco de mer as an ongoing source of fascination.
Thus, our tour begins with an introduction to this unusual palm and the lore around it.
Our tour guide telling us about coco de mer palms and their unusual seeds.
Coco de mer palms are endemic to the Seychelles, although they are now grown as ornamental trees in tropical places around the Indian Ocean. (Despite their scientific name, they are not native to the Maldives. That’s just where the once-mysterious seeds most often washed ashore.) These odd palms are likely to have developed in isolation in the Seychelles over a very, very long period of time. And they developed quite differently from other endemic palms when it comes to their size and reproduction.
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Almost everything about the coco de mer is big and slow
Besides being the tallest tree in the forest, coco de mer also holds a bunch of other records for size, growth rates, and more.
Here are a few examples (most, but not all, from the California Academy of Sciences);
- It can take 50 years for a coco de mer palm to reach maturity.
- Mature leaf fronds can reach 30 feet long.
- Female flowers are the largest of any palm (up to 4 inches, but that’s big for a palm) and the male catkins can be 6 feet long.
- Seeds take two years to germinate and the fruit is the slowest of any to ripen (it takes 6-10 years).
- The fruit can weigh 90 pounds or more, making it the largest wild fruit.
- Mature seeds (nuts) can weigh 40 pounds and are the world’s heaviest.
- It is the slowest growing of all large trees, with one tree known to have grown less than 1.3 inches per year over 140 years.
- It appears a healthy tree may be capable of producing flowers and fruits for up to 800 years!
There’s more, but you get the idea. Pretty much everything about this palm is oversized and very slow.
A nut that spawned legends
Coco de mer palms are either male or female. While that’s not unusual in the plant world, no other endemic palms in the Seychelles have plants that are either male or female. But what fascinated people originally was the shape of the coco de mer nut and its unknown origins. These were the stuff of legends for centuries. But once these mysteries were solved, the discovery of separate male and female trees gave rise to new myths.
The mysterious nut of the coco de mer palm reminded lonely European sailors of female anatomy and led to wild stories.
A mysterious floating nut
The nut of the coco de mer is roughly the shape and size of the belly, butt, and upper thighs of a small woman. An observation that Wikipedia notes was reflected in an early botanical name for the plant: Lodoicea callipyge. Callipyge being from the Greek words for “beautiful rump!”
Sailors, who spent months or even years at sea, had many stories of mysterious formations and sea creatures of every kind that were believed to be women that lived in the sea or female spirits of some kind. So it’s no surprise that the size and erotic shape of these giant seeds fascinated European saliors who discovered them rising up from below the waves to float on the sea. Even the most rational suspected they were the improbable fruit of an unimaginable tree that grew under the sea.
However, European sailors weren’t the only ones fascinated by the seeds of the codo de mer.
Rulers in the Maldives put great value in the mysterious seeds that occasionally washed up on their shores. They too found the origin of these seeds baffling. Their mysterious origins, suggestive shape, and rarity often led to the belief that they held supernatural powers. This made them the extremely valuable possessions. Only the most powerful leaders could possess them. And they were unwilling to sell them to anyone (including European kings) at any price.
The actual source of coco de mer seeds was discovered in 1743 on the uninhabited islands of the Seychelles. That solved the mystery about what they were and where they grew. It also tanked the market for them, as they were both relatively common on the few islands where they grew and easy to harvest and export.
But as Europeans took a closer look at the plants that produced these suggestively-shaped seeds, new legends arose.
The romantics of the plant world?
It is very easy to tell the diference between male and female plants when they mature.
Male coco de mer palms are, shall we say, we well endowed.
Catkins on male coco de mer palms are three to six feet long, large enough to make them a good spot for the local geckos to hang out!
The heavy fruits grow in clusters on female plants.
A female coco de mer loaded with fruit.
The fruit itself is more rounded and forms a husk that hides the erotically-shaped nut inside.
(You only see the erotically-shaped double nut when the outer husk is gone.)
Even after the basic biology of these plants was discovered, no one was sure how they were pollinated. Of course, those early explorers came up with an answer: On stormy nights male trees uprooted themselves, hiked over to a female, and made love. And, naturally, you’d go blind if you tried to spy on them.
I’m pretty sure that’s not how it works. But there still seems to be some uncertainty around pollination.
Why didn’t coco de mer grow in other places?
Unlike most familiar coconuts, coco de mer seeds won’t germinate in water. And the seed itself is far too heavy to float. Instead, when fruits that end up in the sea, both the exterior husk and the nutriant material inside the shell rot. As the interior rots, it emits gases and, as enough material rots away, the gases allow the hard shell to float. At that point the current can carry the mostly empty and completely infertile shells to other islands, but there’s nothing left to grow a new tree.
Coco de mer palms clearly developed on the Seychelles. But when and how is still a question. There is no way viable seeds could have floated there. And the plants are thought to have such ancient origins that their ancestors couldn’t have been brought over by humans, although a few scientists disagree. There is some genetic evidence suggesting the palm’s ancestors were isolated on what became the Seychelles as the supercontinent Gondwonaland split apart. But that is very hard to prove. And there are probably other theories as well. So, the coco de mer is still a little mysterious today.
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Exploring an ancient palm forest
After our initial introduction to the cooco de mer and the forest overall, we are led into the Vallée de Mai Reserve.
Time to head into the palm forest. We got to take the easy path with steps.
With about 7,000 coco de mer trees, it isn’t hard to spot mature trees of both sexes.
A female coco de mer loaded with fruit.
Our guide Michael periodically stops to inform us about everything from the geology of the Seychelles to the life-cycle of the endemic species all around us.
Learning about the palm forest and listening for birds.
It’s interesting information and I learn a lot.
But it would be nice to be here alone with the sounds of the palm fronds rattling dryly above us. They have the oddest sound, more like bamboo. A sound that is at once unnerving and peaceful.
The mix of dry palm fronds have their own song.
This really feels like being in a primodal jungle, more so than any other place I have been.
A baby coco de mer amid a variety of other ferns.
I love the fleeting glimpse of light illuminating a branch as it cuts through the dense canopy, the floor below buried deep in debris. Geckos scamper away when we get too close. Delicate ferns engage in a fight for space where the limited light reaches the ground.
Not much light reaches the forest floor and fallen leaves and fronds making it tough for small plants to grow.
It’s a magical place.
We hear, but don’t really see, the rare Praslin black parrots that inhabit the trees above us — unless a shadowy shape deep in the fronds of a tree or the flash of feathers counts!
But we do HEAR the parrots making a racket as they moved through the tree tops. We know they are there.
We hear other birds too. Most of which are very hard to spot amid the palm fronds. The bulbuls are the exception. Despite their dark color, they are pretty easy to see. as they don’t seem as shy as other birds we hear.
A bulbul getting ready to take flight. Not sure if this as endemic bulbul or not.
Plan your visit to the Vallée de Mai World Heritage Site
The Vallée de Mai isn’t a place you’re likely to just stop by on your way to somewhere else. But the Seychelles are gorgeous with many unique features. They are well worth the effort it takes to get there!
Get to Praslin from Mahé
If you’re not already sailing around the island and you aren’t on a cruise, your first task is getting to Praslin.
You have two options coming from Mahé: A flight or a ferry.
Regularly scheduled, charter, and private flights (including helicopter transfers) are available between the Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) and the Praslin Island Airport (PRI). Air Seychelles runs the only regularly scheduled service, with several flights each day. Flying time is about 20 minutes.
The Cat Cocos high-speed passenger ferry runs between Mahé (Victoria), Praslin (Baie Sainte Anne), and La Digue several times each day. The trip between Mahé and Praslin takes a little over an hour. La Digue is 15 minutes farther. The ferries are all pretty new, but they are small and the crossing between Mahé and Praslin can be a little rough.
Getting to Vallée de Mai
The Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve is located within Praslin National Park in the interior mountains on the south end of the island. Two roads provide access to the south end of end of the national park, both of which also access the Vallée de Mai Reserve. (You cannot drive to the Vallée de Mai from the north end of the national park.)
If you are already on Praslin, you can get to the Vallée de Mai via private automobile, bus, taxi, or as part of an organized tour.
I had the advantage of being part of a sailing tour, so we sailed into Baie Sainte Anne. From there we crowded into a local bus to get to the nature reserve. If you’re on your own and you don’t want to take the bus, you should be able to find a cab or driver in Baie Sainte Anne. From there the drive to Vallée de Mai is under 3 miles (4 km).
On the other side of the island, it’s about 4 miles (6.5 km) from Praslin’s airport to the UNESCO site.
Parking is available at the entrance to Vallée de Mai.
Visiting the Vallée de Mai World Heritage Site
Check the Vallée de Mai Reserve website for the most current information, but here’s a summary as of 2024:
- The reserve is open during daylight hours.
- The entrance fee in 2024 is 450 Seychelles rupees (about $34 USD) and can be paid in rupees, USD, Euros, British pounds, or most other major currencies. Credit cards and cash are both accepted.
Tickets, information, the only restrooms, and small gift and snack shops are located at the entrance to the reserve.
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Do you need a guide?
Trail maps are available. You can easily tour the reserve without a guide. The longest trail in the reserve is 2½ miles long.
However, guided tours not only provide valuable background on the reserve and its lifeforms, but also identify bird calls and point out plants and animals of note as you go. That makes it much more likely that you will actually see some of the area’s rare endemic species. Tours can be booked in advance, but are usually also available inside the reserve area. (There will also be hawkers outside the entrance. I’d check on options within the park before using one of these.) Free introductory tours are available twice each day, and private guided tours can be booked though the reserve in advance or on arrival at the site.
If you are traveling on your own and want everything arranged for you, most resorts and hotels can set that up. Or check Get Your Guide and Viator, both of which offer tours that include the Vallée de Mai UNESCO site and give you cash back from Rakuten. Get Your guide offers the most options, including day trips that include both Praslin and La Digue. Note that some of these tours do NOT include your admission fee to get into the UNESCO site, so make sure you understand the total cost before booking.
I am very glad I had a guided tour, but I would have liked to have a little more time to explore on my own. If that sounds like you, it’s really not that hard to get there on your own. Your hotel or resort can probably recommend a guide if you don’t want to take your chances when you get to the site.
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Lodging on Praslin and La Digue
Since La Digue is only a 15-minute ferry ride from Praslin, you can stay on either island and move between them on day trips. Both islands have great beaches, although those on La Digue are particularly beautiful and intriguing.
We were sailing, so split overnights between several spots on the two islands.
Options on Praslin
On Praslin we spent one night off Anse Lazio and one off Anse Volbert. Both beaches are beautiful.
Anse Lazio
Anse Lazio is a small, sort of hidden dream beach with a couple of lodging options available on Booking.com (Rakuten cash back available to members). I’m not sure what it is called or if you can book it online, but when I visited, there was a dreamy little resort right behind the beach. It would be a great spot just to relax for awhile — but it is about as far from the Vallée de Mai and still be on the same island. (You can probably get there faster taking the ferry from La Digue!) But it is a true tropical paradise.
The beautiful sandy beach has a granite outcrop at the end.
Anse Volbert
Anse Volbert beach is very wide with a small town along it. It’s not a big place, but you still have a lot more lodging, dining, and shopping options here. There’s a wider range of prices for lodging here, but most don’t offer the same sort of seclusion you get at Anse Lazio. It’s a busy spot, which is fun in its own way. (We had a great dinner here at the end of the day.)
Most of the beach-goers at Anse Volbert’s vast beach are gone by the time happy hour rolls around!
Both Booking.com and Expedia (Rakuten partners) have a few options specific to Anse Volvert, although both also list options all across the island and beyond. (Always look at their map before booking!)
Elsewhere on Praslin
Oviously, Praslin is small enough you could stay anywhere on the island. And keep in mind that there are vacation homes and small hotels and resorts that can’t be booked online. Check TripAdvisor (a Rakuten partner) for reviews of a good list of places you can book online as well as those you can’t. Booking.com has a nice list of online bookings for the island and Expedia usually also has a few rental options, although VRBO is probably easier to search if you are looking for a house or condo.
Lodging on La Digue
La Digue is the smaller island next door to Praslin. It’s a 15 minute ferry ride between the two, so it’s easy to take a day trip from one island to the other if you plan around the ferry schedule. La Digue is also stunningly beautiful, with some of the most incredible beaches you will see anywhere.
Anse Source d’Argent is regularly (and appropriately) listed as one of the 10 best beaches in the world.
The island is small enough to get around by bike. However, it also has a variety of places to eat and a bit of a nightlife. This is the one island that I’d really, really like to return to someday. So, I do recommend you spend time there!
For a small, gorgeous place, there are afordable options, but you’ll have to hunt to find them. Check Agoda, Booking.com, Expedia, and/or VRBO for the widest variety. For a wider selection, keep in mind that TripAdvisor also lists lodging that can’t be booked online. You might find a better option that way, as long as you are willing to book directly. And all of these will give you cash back through Rakuten.