Valle De Mai One Of The Last Surviving Remnants Of Prehistoric Forestry

The Seychelles is considered one of the most coveted tropical holiday destinations in the world

. The archipelago of 115 islands found off the coast of Madagascar are mostly uninhabited and its pristine beauty unsullied by the cankers of human industry. Ribbons of white beaches strewn with boulders loop the islands at whose heart rise lush jungles, forests of palm and stunning waterfalls cascading down scenic hills. Vibrant gardens of coral and fascinating undersea life peer from beneath the translucent aquamarine waters. Added to its many charms is the fact that, despite being a notable hub of eco- tourism, the islands are mostly secluded and free of the tourist masses that infringe on the solitude of the more popular beaches in the world.

Secreted within the island of Praslin, one of the three main isles of the Seychelles is found a beautifully preserved forest of indigenous palm whose flora is a throwback to the ages of prehistory. This forest is a remnant of a time when the Seychelles, Africa, India and Madagascar yet belonged to one uninterrupted land mass known as Gondwanaland. Once the terrains of Seychelles broke away and became isolated from the rest of the continents, the unique community of flora and fauna thrived and evolve on their own. As a result of this, certain areas of vegetation within the Seychelles still hold the same primeval appearance they bore since before the age of the dinosaurs. The Valle de Mai forest of Praslin is one such area which boasts some of the best-preserved prehistoric flora ever discovered.

At the heart of the Praslin National Park, the palm forest of Valle de Mai nestles within a quiet valley. This forest is mainly famous for the Coco de Mer palm, an endemic tree which bears the largest seeds recorded within the plant kingdom, some of which weigh over 20 kilograms.

This palm was once believed to grow in the depths of the ocean and is surrounded by fantastic myths and legends of local folklore. The twin-lobed seeds and the strangely symbolic shapes taken on by the male and female trees indubitably provided fodder for the imagination of the ancients. Male palms rise to height of 30 feet and it is the female which produces the renowned seed.

The rehabilitation and regeneration of the forest was begun after it was declared a national reserve in 1966. The forests original primeval appearance began to re-emerge as the foreign and invasive species of flora were removed and maintenance of the reserve was begun in earnest. As a consequence of these efforts, the Valle de Mai nature reserve was entered into the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1981. It is one of the smallest natural preservation lands recorded in the list.

The Coco De Mer is only the main highlight of the ancient forest. Four other types of endemic palm are also found here, which are known as Latannyen Lat, Latannyen Fey, Palmis, and Latannyen Milpat. Indigenous screw pines such as the Seychelles Pandanus and Horne's Pandanus also grow here in abundance as do tropical plants such as Jackfruit, vanilla, birds nest fern and philodendrons.

The park is also home to a variety of indigenous birds and animals. Endemic avian life includes the rarely-seen Seychelles Black Parrot, native blue pigeons, swiftlets and sunbirds as well as the Bulbul. Many species of mammals and rare crustaceans such as freshwater crabs can also be spotted by keen-eyed travellers, as can native amphibians such as the Seychelles Skink and the Bronze- Eyed Gecko.

Today, both the Valle de Mai forest and Aldabra Atoll, the countrys other UNESCO World Heritage Site, fall under the management of the Seychelles Islands foundation. Dedicated to furthering the conservation, research and maintenance goals of the islands natural bounty, this ecological foundation encourages tourists by providing them with necessary facilities and keeping the pathways of the forest trails clear and comprehensively marked.

The visitor centre hands out brochures and maps for tourists, which indicate special sites of interest. The viewpoint of the Northern shelter which affords panoramic views of the surrounding scenery and the beautiful waterfall near the visitor centre are two of the most popular tourist stopping points in the park.

The Raffles Praslin Seychelles is an accommodation choice suggested to visitors searching for the ideal Seychelles hotel from which to explore the mysterious of this ancient forest as well as the other delights of the islands. This Seychelles resort offers luxurious villas overlooking the Indian Ocean, as well as stellar service and facilities that stay true to the international reputation of the Raffles brand name.

by: Pushpitha Wijesinghe

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