Seychellen | Praslin | Curieuse
Many visitors combine Praslin and La Digue, which - after Mahé - are the largest islands in the Seychelles. Praslin has been added to UNESCO's World Heritage List and is the ultimate Bounty Island in every respect. Time seems to have stood still on La Digue and Anse Source d' Argent Beach is regarded as the icon of the Seychelles.
Lazare Picualt, the French explorer famed for exploring the Seychelles, named Praslin the 'Isle de Palmes' in 1744, and with good reason: the lush coconut plantations form an important ingredient for the 'Bounty feeling' that catches you unawares when you arrive on this island. At only a short distance from Mahé, Praslin is even more sparsely populated that the main island and consequently also more laid back. It is a real exotic paradise, with white sandy beaches and vast vegetation. Praslin is a great destination for walkers: various different walking routes have been marked out, ranging from easy to difficult, and different nature trails take you past the endemic plants and animal species on the island.
The island has countless beautiful beaches, the largest of which are Cote d'Or on the north coast and Grand Anse on the south. The wide and idyllic Anse Lazio Beach in the far north-west also deserves a special mention, as it has been voted one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. You can swim and snorkel here in safety, among the live coral and estimated 900 species of fish.
Vallée de Mai National Park is virtually the only place on earth where the famous 'Coco de Mer' grows, which is the enormous coconut tree that is said to have once grown on the bottom of the ocean. This is also why UNESCO has added this natural park to the World Heritage List.
A walk through this park and under the shade of the enormous, endemic trees is like visiting the set of Jurassic Park. The huge palm leaves of the 'Coco der Mer' makes it immediately discernible and its fame is due in particular to the tree's suggestive nut. You may also encounter the rare, endemic Black Parrot in Vallée de Mai.
There are numerous smaller islands off the coast of Praslin that can be visited by boat. For example, St Pierre, which is an excellent spot for snorkelling, or Cousin Island, which has been a nature reserve since 1968 and is a true paradise for bird lovers. This island is home to more than 250,000 sea birds and endangered species, such as the Seychelles Magpie Robin, the Seychelles Warbler and the Seychelles Fody.
Another great place to visit is Curieuse, which forms part of a marine reserve. A colony of around 250 giant turtles from the Aldabra Atoll has been reintroduced here. A number of different footpaths have been marked out on this island.
Another day trip that can be taken from Praslin is to Aride, which was bought by the Royal Society for Nature Conservation in 1973. After Aldabra, Aride is the most important island with respect to nature conservation. You won't encounter this many breeding sea birds anywhere else in the Seychelles. Under the guidance of a nature expert, you can walk up to the highest point, where hundreds of frigate birds circle above the azure blue waters. Aride is also the only island in the world on which 'Wright's Gardenia', or 'bwa citron', grows.
From Praslin, you can easily cross over to La Digue, which goes some way to explaining why the two islands are such an attractive combination. On La Digue, the smallest of the three main islands, time seems to have stood still: there are hardly any vehicles or roads. The inhabitants mainly get around by bike, on foot or by ox-drawn carts. Boats are still built and copra is still extracted from coconuts using traditional methods, and fishers still line the fish market in La Passe, selling their morning catches among the hustle and bustle.
You will discover incredible unspoilt nature between the red granitic rocks on La Digue, which makes the island not only a great beach destination, but also an ideal place for live wires.
A very recommendable walk is up to Belle Veu, where diehards can carry on and enjoy the stunning views of La Digue and the surrounding islands. With a bit of luck, you'll come across a Seychelles Black Paradise Flycatchers on the way, which is one off the rarest species of bird in the world. Other biological treasures include waxbills, paradise flycatchers, swift bills, Chinese bitterns and two different types of mud turtle. In the forests you will find beautiful orchids and vanilla pods.
A bicycle trip to the east of the island is also very worthwhile: here you will discover unspoilt beaches that are washed by high waves, such as Grande Anse, Petite Anse and the stunning Anse Coco.
The most famous icon of the Seychelles is without a doubt 'Anse Source d'Argent', which is also one of the most photographed beaches in the world. The silvery sands and swaying palms trees give it an almost magical appearance.
