Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve

Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve is a jewel of Seychellois ecology that contains all six of the country's endemic palm species. The Vallée de Mai itself is a valley in the centre of the Praslin National Park on Praslin island in Seychelles. All of 18 hectares in size, it was untouched by humans until the 1930s and still retains a primeval palm forest in almost totally natural state. It was declared a World Heritage Site on ecological grounds.

The palm forest includes the anomalous coco de mer, famous for being the bearer of the largest nut in the world. Called by many names (coco fesse, double coconut, sea coconut, Seychelles nut), the mature fruit weighs between 15 and 30kg and contains the largest seed in the plant kingdom.

Five other endemic plant species are found in the Vallée de Mai, which is the only place in the Seychelles where all five occur together. The reserve is also home to an endemic species of black parrot, Coracopsis nigra barklyi, which is totally dependent on the Vallée de Mai and its palm forest. The reserve supports a rich and diverse range of fauna and flora, including many other endangered species.

Moreover, the Vallée de Mai is a kind of natural museum; it represents the kind of tropical palm forest that would have existed in other parts of the world before the evolution of more advanced plant species. It's therefore an excellent example of an earlier stage in the evolution of the world's flora.

Guided walks are available on the footpaths that wind through this dense and beautiful nature reserve.

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