Discover Praslin Island Seychelles

"My first holiday on Praslin and why I keep going back
Some say it's the Garden of Eden; some say it's heaven..."

Years ago I visited Praslin Island, one of my favourites among the Seychelles Islands, for the first time. This is a subject very dear to me. Frankly no visit to Seychelles is complete without a trip there.

This one, of all the islands, is what makes Seychelles what it is. Some say it's the Garden of Eden; some say it's heaven! There are two main attractions on the island of Praslin... Let me tell you of my first visit to this paradise isle.

On a most glorious weekday morning as a teenager I set out to explore Praslin Island on foot. I was 17 years old. As a visitor to this enchanting island of Seychelles it was a privilege to be there. I was so excited.

I was on a journey of discovery of all the best-kept secrets of this jewel. It is often referred to as the second biggest island of the Seychelles. This is not so. It is actually the third, but the second in economic importance after Mahe, and it ranks second in head count too.

On my first visit Praslin Island had a population of around 6000 divided equally between Grand Anse in the west and Baie St Anne / Cote Dor on the east coast. A 4-mile cross-island road that snakes its way through the mountain connects those two communities.

The island is small enough that you can walk around it in one day quite easily, although I hasten to add I haven't done it yet, in spite of the fact that I like hiking and have even twice attempted a trek around the much bigger Mahe. The reason: I got distracted by the incredible beauty around.

Praslin Island is 6 miles long and 2 miles across - about a quarter the size of Mahe. It is a granite island too, like the latter and Silhouette Island, but it's not as high. And for its size it appears to have more flat coastal plains than the main island.

I'm actually thinking of the big Cote Dor and Amitie plains. The hills are still high - up to 350 metres above sea level, but relatively low compared to the much smaller Silhouette Island, which rises to over twice that.

I was ready and raring to go that morning. Being on holiday I was going to spend a week on the island of Praslin. I had arrived there just the day before by ferry from Mahe. That was before the days of inter-island flights, but Praslin Island hasn't changed much since then anyway.

The population is now closer to 8,000 and there is an airstrip now and a much faster ferry. The airport has a paved runway and light aircrafts land there frequently during the day. It's a 15-minute flight from Mahe's Seychelles International airport, 21 miles away. The ferry journey now takes one hour from Victoria, the capital.

I visit Praslin Island quite often now because of what I discovered on that first trip years ago. I still remember it as if it were only yesterday. On that glorious sunny morning I picked up some homemade sandwiches and a canteen of water, stuffed them into my bag and set out to explore.

I had decided to trek over some trails through the hills from Grand Anse that day. This would hopefully take me to the sea on the opposite coast.

Now perhaps I should mention that the afternoon before, I had taken another walk, which took me to the enchanting prehistoric forest reserve of the famous Vallee de Mai (May Valley) on this island. There I found the Garden of Eden. But that's another story...

...Surely nothing could compare with that. But I was to be proved wrong the very next day. This island had so much more to offer.

After following a footpath through the forested hills, 90 minutes later I witnessed the most spectacular sight far down below... Translucent turquoise blue sea, and a magnificent deserted fine white sand strip lay down there in the distance beckoning.

Anse Kerlan Beach on Praslin Island Seychelles
Anse Kerlan - another nice beach on
Praslin Island Seychelles

Yes, I had to get there. The first sighting turned into an experience beyond words or pictures when I finally reached it. I think I ran down part of the way. I couldn't wait.

Some 30 minutes later I was walking the Anse Lazio Beach - talcum powder white sands and the sea the most amazing shade of azure blue you can imagine. I didn't know its name then, as I didn't even have a map and hadn't expected to find anything like that.

Anse Lazio is a small cove with a 400-metre beach fringed with huge takamaka trees while granite boulders stand guard at either end. The rustling of the leaves in the wind and the gentle murmur of the surf complemented the whole scene.

A typical Creole long sleek black flat-bottomed fisherman's canoe, called a pirogue here, lay on log rollers ready for launch. It lay there under an open shed with a thatched canopy just beyond high-water mark and the waves that washed the beach.

The whisper of the leaves in the gentle breeze the murmur of the surf, the rocks that frame the beach, and the various other heavenly sounds and sights from nature combined to contribute to the whole ambience.

It was indeed something to behold. Anse Lazio is certainly an amazing beach. And it's not surprising that well-travelled visitors rank it among the best in the world.

As for myself, to put this in perspective, I had already walked the beach of Bird Island, one of my favourites and one of the most beautiful islands in the Seychelles, and this too has a spectacular long beach, but Anse Lazio was in a league of its own...

And I had already been to all the best beaches of Mahe, but that beach I had just discovered on Praslin Island beat them all hands down.

At that time Anse Lazio was beyond compare. Since then I have returned many times to that beach by car. It hasn't changed much except the fishing boat and shed are gone. There is a café nearby now and access is much easier, so it's not deserted anymore, but we're still talking about a dozen people at most.

Is it still my favourite beach? Perhaps not... Much later I discovered the absolute best of all the beaches in the Seychelles. No it's not on the island of Praslin. It's on yet another amazing island. That one is indeed the best of the best beaches of Seychelles.

I'll take you there in my story: A trip to the best beach in Seychelles. There are a number of stunning beaches on Praslin. Here are the more popular ones:

Anse Lazio Beach
Cote d'Or Beach
Anse Volbert Beach
Anse Kerlan Beach
Anse La Blague Beach
Anse Georgette Beach

I go back to Praslin Island often now because of what I discovered during that week on my first trip there. And I still believe if ever there were a Garden of Eden, then it must have been this island.

To really appreciate Praslin Island Seychelles you'll need to stay a few days. I suggest at least two. There is accommodation for only about 900 visitors - some villas, standard hotel rooms and suites.

Listed below are some of the better-known Praslin hotels and resorts. And you should also check out our Seychelles hotel directories for more information.

Le Duc de Praslin Hotel
Berjaya Praslin Beach Resort
La Reserve Hotel
Paradise Sun Hotel
Chateau de Feuilles Hotel
Les Villas d'Or
L'Archipel Hotel
Lemuria Resort
Coco de Mer Hotel

Now then...

Have you been to Seychelles? Do you have an island that you love? Why not rave about your favourite island here? And read what others say about their own preferred island. What's yours?