Praslin
Encyclopedia
Praslin is the second largest island (38 km²) of the Seychelles
, lying 44 km north east of Mahé
. Praslin has a population of around 6,500 people and comprises two administrative districts; Baie Sainte Anne
and Grand' Anse (Praslin)
. The main settlements are the Baie Ste Anne, Anse Volbert and Grand' Anse
.
It was named Isle de Palmes by explorer Lazare Picault
in 1744. During that time it was used as a hideaway by pirates and Arab merchants. In 1768 it was renamed Praslin in honor of French diplomat César Gabriel de Choiseul
, duc de Praslin.
Praslin is known as a tourist destination with several hotels and resorts, as well as a number of beaches such as Anse Lazio
and Anse Georgette. It also has substantial tracts of tropical forests with birds such as the endemic
Seychelles Bulbul
and the Seychelles Black Parrot
. The beautiful Vallée de Mai
Nature Preserve is known for the unique coco de mer
and vanilla orchids. It has been reported that General Charles George Gordon
of Khartoum (1833-1885) was convinced that Vallée de Mai was the Biblical "Garden of Eden
".
Praslin is home to Praslin Island Airport
, while surrounding islands include Curieuse Island
, La Digue
, Cousin Island
, Cousine Island
and Aride Island
. There are also a few near offshore islets including Round Island
(.193 km²) and Chauve Souris (.007 km²); both of which have hotel accommodations.
Although stunningly beautiful, the beaches of Praslin are not without their risks. Twice in two weeks in August, 2011 bull sharks entered the so-called 'safe bathing' area inside the coral reef of Anse Lazio
and attacked and killed swimmers less than 100 feet from shore.
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
, lying 44 km north east of Mahé
Mahé, Seychelles
Mahé is the largest island of the Seychelles, lying in the north east of the nation. The population of Mahé is 80,000. It contains the capital city of Victoria and accommodates 90% of the country's total population...
. Praslin has a population of around 6,500 people and comprises two administrative districts; Baie Sainte Anne
Baie Sainte Anne
Baie Sainte Anne is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Praslin....
and Grand' Anse (Praslin)
Grand' Anse (Praslin)
Grand'Anse Praslin is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Praslin....
. The main settlements are the Baie Ste Anne, Anse Volbert and Grand' Anse
Grand' Anse (Praslin)
Grand'Anse Praslin is an administrative district of Seychelles located on the island of Praslin....
.
It was named Isle de Palmes by explorer Lazare Picault
Lazare Picault
Lazare Picault was a French explorer known for his exploration of islands in the Seychelles. Although Arab, Portuguese and British sailors visited the Seychelles prior to Picault, he was the first to do any extensive exploration....
in 1744. During that time it was used as a hideaway by pirates and Arab merchants. In 1768 it was renamed Praslin in honor of French diplomat César Gabriel de Choiseul
César Gabriel de Choiseul
César Gabriel de Choiseul, duc de Praslin was a French officer, diplomat and statesman.On 30 April 1732, he was married with Anne Marie de Champagne de Villaines de la Suze....
, duc de Praslin.
Praslin is known as a tourist destination with several hotels and resorts, as well as a number of beaches such as Anse Lazio
Anse Lazio
Anse Lazio is a beach situated in the northwest of Praslin Island, Seychelles, considered by Lonely Planet to be the best beach on Praslin, and one of the best in the archipelago...
and Anse Georgette. It also has substantial tracts of tropical forests with birds such as the endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
Seychelles Bulbul
Seychelles Bulbul
The Seychelles Bulbul, Hypsipetes crassirostris, is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. The species is related to the Comoro Bulbul. It is a common endemic species of the Seychelles, breeding on Mahé, Praslin, La Digue and Silhouette as well as some smaller islands...
and the Seychelles Black Parrot
Seychelles Black Parrot
The Seychelles Black Parrot, Praslin Parrot or Kato Nwar is a sombre-coloured, medium-sized parrot endemic to the Seychelles. It is usually treated as a subspecies of the Lesser Vasa Parrot, though it is sometimes considered a full species...
. The beautiful Vallée de Mai
Valle de Mai
Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve is a nature park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the island of Praslin, Seychelles. It was officially declared a nature reserve on 18 April 1966. It consists of a well-preserved palm forest made up of the endemic Coco de Mer, as well as five other endemic palms...
Nature Preserve is known for the unique coco de mer
Coco de mer
The Coco de Mer , the sole member of the genus Lodoicea, is a palm endemic to the islands of Praslin and Curieuse in the Seychelles. It formerly also was found on St Pierre, Chauve-Souris and Ile Ronde in the Seychelles group, but has become extinct on these islands...
and vanilla orchids. It has been reported that General Charles George Gordon
Charles George Gordon
Major-General Charles George Gordon, CB , known as "Chinese" Gordon, Gordon Pasha, and Gordon of Khartoum, was a British army officer and administrator....
of Khartoum (1833-1885) was convinced that Vallée de Mai was the Biblical "Garden of Eden
Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden is in the Bible's Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, lived after they were created by God. Literally, the Bible speaks about a garden in Eden...
".
Praslin is home to Praslin Island Airport
Praslin Island Airport
Praslin Island Airport also known as Iles des Palmes Airport, is an airport located at Grand Anse on Praslin Island in the Seychelles. The airport is currently only serviced by Air Seychelles, who fly scheduled flights to Mahé and charters to the other islands off the Seychelles...
, while surrounding islands include Curieuse Island
Curieuse Island
Curieuse Island is a small granitic island in the Seychelles close to the north coast of the island of Praslin. Curieuse is notable for its bare red earth intermingled with the unique Coco de Mer palms, one of the cultural icons of the Seychelles, only being present on the two islands.- History...
, La Digue
La Digue
La Digue is the fourth largest inhabited island of the Seychelles, lying east of Praslin and west of Felicite Island. It has a population of about 2,000 people, who mostly live in the west coast villages of La Passe and La Réunion. It has an area of 10 km²...
, Cousin Island
Cousin Island
Cousin Island is a small granitic island of the Seychelles, lying 2 km SSW of Praslin. It is a nature reserve protected under Seychelles law as a Special Reserve and is run by Nature Seychelles, a national non-profit organization and Partner of BirdLife International .Until 1968, Cousin...
, Cousine Island
Cousine Island
Cousine Island is a small granitic island in the Seychelles 6 km west of Praslin Island. It is a combination luxury resort and since 1992 a nature preserve....
and Aride Island
Aride Island
Aride Island is the northernmost granitic island in the Seychelles and is 10 km north of Praslin. It is 68 hectares in area and is a nature reserve. Aride is leased and managed by the Island Conservation Society of Seychelles. The only human inhabitants are the reserve's staff; currently four...
. There are also a few near offshore islets including Round Island
Round Island
Round Island may refer to:Australia:* Round Island , Frankland Islands* Round Island , Hogan Group, northern Bass StraitCanada:* Round Island, Nova Scotia* Round Island Hong Kong:...
(.193 km²) and Chauve Souris (.007 km²); both of which have hotel accommodations.
Although stunningly beautiful, the beaches of Praslin are not without their risks. Twice in two weeks in August, 2011 bull sharks entered the so-called 'safe bathing' area inside the coral reef of Anse Lazio
Anse Lazio
Anse Lazio is a beach situated in the northwest of Praslin Island, Seychelles, considered by Lonely Planet to be the best beach on Praslin, and one of the best in the archipelago...
and attacked and killed swimmers less than 100 feet from shore.
