Praslin

Seychelles, Seychelles

The second island, home to the UNESCO Vallée de Mai palm forest and the stunning Anse Lazio beach. A greener, slower island escape.

Places in Praslin

Praslin & La Digue beach restaurants The beach restaurants of the smaller islands serve Creole seafood buffets and grills steps from the sand. Simple, fresh and beautifully sited.
Resort & sunset lounges The island resorts' bars and cliff-top lounges offer polished cocktails with spectacular ocean sunsets. The upscale evening option.

Best time to visit: April, May, October and November are the calm 'in-between' months with the best diving and sea conditions. The northwest monsoon (December–March) is hotter and wetter; the southeast trades (May–September) are cooler, windier and good for surfing and walking.
Getting around: On Mahé, hire a car or use taxis and the cheap local buses. Fast ferries connect Mahé, Praslin and La Digue; small planes serve Praslin and the outer islands. On car-free La Digue, everyone cycles or takes ox-carts.
Currency: Seychellois Rupee (SCR)
Language: Seychellois Creole, English and French.
Timezone: SCT (UTC+4)
Current trends: A growing wave of design-led boutique and eco-resorts alongside the big names; a rising farm-and-sea-to-table Creole dining movement; a focus on conservation and protected marine parks; and island-hopping ferries making multi-island trips easy.

Victoria (Mahé) — One of the world's smallest capitals, a low-key town of a colourful market, a little clock tower, botanical gardens and a Hindu temple. The islands' hub, worth a morning.
Beau Vallon (Mahé) — The main island's liveliest beach, a long sweep of sand with resorts, restaurants, water sports and a lovely Wednesday fish-and-craft market. The social heart of Mahé.
La Digue — A tiny, car-free island of ox-carts and bicycles, home to Anse Source d'Argent, often called the world's most photographed beach. Paradise at its most languid.