While travelling to Seychelles, you will have chance to enjoy some of the world's most delicious cuisines that is actually a fusion of flavours from African, French, Chinese, Indian and English cooking. For a long time, spices have been combined to create an unique...
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Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve
Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve
Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve (“May Valley”) is a nature park and UNESCO World Heritage Site on the island of Praslin, Seychelles. It is a 19.5 ha area of palm forest which remains largely unchanged since prehistoric times. The island of Praslin consists of a well-preserved palm forest consisting of flagship species of endemic coco de mer, as well as five other endemic palms. Coco de Mer or sea coconut is endemic to the islands of Praslin and Curieuse in Seychelles. It has become extinct in other parts of the world. The male flowers continue to produce pollen over a ten-year period. The fruit takes 6–7 years to mature and a further two years to germinate. Coco de mer is the largest seed in the plant kingdom weighing up to 42 kilograms. The palms can grow to the height of 25–34 metres.
The property is protected under national legislation and is managed by the Seychelles Islands Foundation, a public trust. The management adopted a management plan in 2002. Fire is the major hazard to the property. Tourism managed by the public trust, makes a significant financial contribution to the protection and management of the property. Illegal removal of the seeds is a serious problem that affects future regeneration. The seeds should be collected and planted before they are stolen and sold.
The fruits are sold at a price ranging between €200 and €600. Officially around 1,000 units are sold each year, but through poaching and theft the real number is larger.
The present conservation measures aim to weed out invasive plant species, as well as those introduced by humans such as coffee, pineapple, and ornamental palms and to consistently ensure the original character of the valley as home to the Coco de Mer.
Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve is a scenically attractive area with a distinctive natural beauty. The natural beauty and near-natural state of the Vallée de Mai are of great interest, even to those visitors who are not fully aware of the ecological significance of the forest. The reserve is an outstanding example of an earlier and major stage in the evolutionary history of the world’s flora.
Air Seychelles
Air Seychelles
Air Seychelles is the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles. It operates inter-island and international flights and charter flights.
In February 2012 the United Arab Emirates national carrier, Etihad Airways, invested US$45 million in Air Seychelles for a 40% share in the airline following problems of management and profitability.
In January 2018, Air Seychelles closed its sole long-haul Paris route to focus on its regional network in order to ensure its long-term profitability and sustainability.
Victoria, Seychelles
Victoria Clock tower
Victoria is the capital and largest city of the Republic of the Seychelles.
The principal exports of Victoria are vanilla, coconuts, coconut oil, fish and guano. Guano is the accumulated excrement of seabirds and bats. As a manure, guano is a highly effective fertilizer due to its content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium. Guano was also, to a lesser extent, sought for the production of gunpowder and other explosive materials.
The Mont Fleuri campus of the University of Seychelles is in Victoria. There are two cathedrals in Victoria, Roman Catholic Immaculate Conception Cathedral and Anglican St Paul’s Cathedral. There are also Baptist and Pentecostal churches, mosques and Hindu temples.
Seychelles International Airport is located in Victoria. The inner harbor in the east of the town serves the tuna fishing and canning industry. There is a clock tower in the city which is modeled after Little Ben in London.
Victoria market is the heart of the capital. It was built in 1840 and renovated in 1999. People buy local fruits, vegetables, spices and fish from this market.
To the north of the market is Revolution Avenue, where more snack restaurants, travel agencies, and a large supermarket are found.
To the south of Victoria is Eden Island, which is a more up-market residential area, offering contemporary design, luxury villas, elegant bars and restaurants, a marina, and a shopping centre.
One of the most visited attractions in Victoria is the colorful Hindu temple at Quincy Street.
Seychelles – Vallée de Mai National Park
Vallée de Mai
This cool and shady National Park, in the granitic island of Praslin, is one of the best places to visit in Seychelles for nature lovers. The Vallée de Mai is a 19.5 ha area of palm forest which remains largely unchanged since prehistoric times.
There is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the island of Praslin. This park preserves a prehistoric forest that contains at least 4,000 examples of the rare giant coco de mer fruit palm, which is endemic to Seychelles. The park features other plants such as vanilla orchids, palmist, latanier, splayed traveller’s palm, and Chinese fans. There are plenty of wild animals and creatures in the park.
One can access the park by public bus, taxi, rented car, organized tour or walking. A fee is payable to visit the island.
A Visitor Center provides information to the tourists. There are free guided visits at 9 am and 2 pm. But a private tour which lasts 11/2 to 2 hours is considered to be better.
Seychelles – Anse Volbert
Anse Volbert
Anse Volbert (also known as Côte d’Or) is one of the island’s most popular beaches in Praslin. The calm waters are suitable for swimming with small children. Sun-seekers and snorkelers visit this beach which is not crowded. A visitor can enjoy surfing, windsurfing, scuba diving, fishing, and sailing, with plenty of rentals and excursions available. This is one of the main resort areas. There are hotels and restaurants lining the beach. There are parking spaces all over the adjacent road, and the bus also stops along this beach.
One can visit the shore at any time, free of charge. More information on this beach can be found on Seychelles Tourism Board’s Anse Volbert page.
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