Praslin & La Digue

Things to do on Praslin

Praslin, the second-largest island in Seychelles, combines a World Heritage palm forest with some of the country's best-known beaches and a string of offshore islands: tortoises on Curieuse, seabirds on Cousin and Aride, reefs around St Pierre.

Last verified 16 September 2026

Vallée de Mai

The Vallée de Mai is a 19.5 ha palm forest, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and managed by the Seychelles Islands Foundation. It holds the largest intact forest of coco de mer in Seychelles, and it is home to the Seychelles black parrot, which lives only on Praslin. Walking routes run from about 1.5 km to 4 km. It opens 8:30 to 16:30, with last entry at 15:30, and entry is SCR 450 (Seychelles Islands Foundation, checked 16 September 2026).

Praslin National Park and Fond Ferdinand

Praslin National Park covers 324 ha of upland around the Vallée de Mai and rises to 367 m. Its one official trail, Glacis Noire, climbs for up to an hour from the main road to a fire tower with views to La Digue, Félicité, Marianne and, further off, Mahé and Frégate. It opens 8:00 to 16:00, and non-residents over 12 pay SCR 100 (SPGA, checked 16 September 2026). Fond Ferdinand, in the south-west of the island, is an area dedicated mainly to protecting coco de mer palms.

Beaches

Anse Lazio in the north-west is the tourism board's most famous beach on Praslin. Anse Volbert and Côte d'Or form the island's longest beach and main resort strip, with water sports. At Anse Georgette on the west coast, the tourism board says entry must be arranged with Constance Lemuria, and its top beaches article also describes a trail of about an hour. Anse La Farine in the south-east is reached only by boat.

Boat trips

  • Curieuse: 20 minutes from Côte d'Or, with hundreds of Aldabra giant tortoises, a tortoise nursery and a boardwalk through mangroves at Baie Laraie. Open 9:00 to 17:00 daily; SCR 300 for non-residents over 12 (SPGA, checked 16 September 2026).
  • St Pierre: a granite islet 5 minutes by boat from Curieuse, used for snorkelling and diving.
  • Cousin Island: a bird reserve 2 km offshore, with five of the country's 11 endemic land birds. Open Monday to Friday, 9:45 to 12:30; SCR 600 for non-residents, free under 12 (Nature Seychelles, checked 16 September 2026).
  • Aride: 9 km north of Praslin, open to visitors from October to May (Island Conservation Society, checked 16 September 2026). Ten seabird species have been recorded breeding there.

Diving, snorkelling and golf

Whitetip Divers and Octopus Dive Centre operate from Côte d'Or, and UDive runs a PADI centre at Constance Lemuria. The tourism board recommends Anse Petite Cour, on the north coast, for snorkelling over coral. Constance Lemuria has an 18-hole course, which it describes as the only 18-hole championship golf course in Seychelles.

Where to go

Questions

How much does the Vallée de Mai cost?
Entry is SCR 450, payable in rupees, euros, US dollars or pounds, in cash or by card, according to the Seychelles Islands Foundation (checked 16 September 2026).
How do I get to Curieuse?
Book a boat through a Praslin tour operator or boat charter. The crossing from Côte d'Or takes about 20 minutes.
Can I visit Cousin Island at the weekend?
No. Nature Seychelles opens Cousin to visitors Monday to Friday, from 9:45 to 12:30 (checked 16 September 2026).
When can I visit Aride?
The Island Conservation Society opens Aride to visitors from October to May. Only its own boats land visitors, and booking is essential.
Is there a hiking trail on Praslin?
Yes. Glacis Noire, the official trail in Praslin National Park, takes up to an hour from the main road to a fire tower viewpoint.

Sources

Details last verified 16 September 2026.