Praslin Travel Guide: Best Things to do in Praslin Island

Praslin is the second biggest island in the Seychelles and as expected, is quite beautiful. The coastline is stunning, and the tropical forest is unique, leaving no shortage of things to do in Praslin. The island is less than 15 square miles, but it is very hilly and there are not many sidewalks, so we wouldn’t say it’s a very “walkable island.” This is one of the biggest differences with the other popular island, La Digue.

We heard that the bus system is reliable and easy to navigate, but we decided to rent a car. We went with the same company we used in Mahe, and again really appreciated the fact that they had someone at the ferry port waiting with the car for us. The roads are generally in good condition, but they are very narrow and winding, and often very close to the ocean.

We spent 3 days in Praslin and thought it was the right amount of time. It rained heavily for a few hours during 2 of the days we were there, but again, wasn’t disruptive and only added to the experience in our opinion. Even with a few rain delays, 3 days is enough time to enjoy the good food and explore the beautiful beaches in Praslin, and at the same time take a boat ride to visit some of the smaller islands nearby.

Where to Stay in Praslin

There are lots of hotels in Praslin, and the prices really vary from less than $100 a night to over $1,000. There isn’t really a bad area, but it does make a difference where you choose to stay.

We went with Colibri Guesthouse, in Baie Ste Anne. We found this to be a good central location, close to the ferry port and easily accessible to all areas we were hoping to visit. It’s right in the middle of the main road that circles the island, so we could get to both Anse Lazio and Grand Anse (at the end of the island) easily. Note that the road doesn’t connect at the northwest of the island, so it’s not really a full circle.

The hotel is up on a hill so it’s not really possible to get to many places by foot, but it wasn’t a problem with the car. The hotel is built overlooking the bay and offers incredible views of the coast. This means it doesn’t have beach access, but you can walk into the water through some stairs. The rooms can be a bit dark, but the balcony was perfect. They also did a great job with the grounds around the hotel. There are lots of flowers and plants throughout the whole area and the restaurant offers great views of the coast as well. Some of the common areas like the lobby were a bit outdated, which made it feel less fancy overall. For us, it was the right location and price, but it may not be the best option for someone looking for a more overall luxurious feel.

Another great location is in Anse Volbert Village. It’s close to Cote D’Or beach, probably the longest beach in Praslin and one of the most popular. The area also has most of the restaurants in the island and it’s not as mountainous, making it easy to get around by foot. It’s also close to the road that connects you to the Vallee de Mai forest.

The Anse Lazio beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, which can make this an incredible area to stay at. However, we would not recommend staying in this area if you’re looking to see most of the island in a short amount of time. The roads are even more winding and hilly in this part of Praslin and the road will essentially dead-end at one point, meaning you have to turn around to get back to the center of the island or do a whole loop to get to the other side. 

Lastly, the area near Anse Takamaka has what we think are the best sunsets in the island. It is a beautiful part of the island, close to the Vallee de Mai and Fond Ferdinand forests. However, it is a bit further away from Anse Volbert Village, where most of the restaurants and bars are located.

Where to Eat in Praslin

One of our favorite things to do in Praslin is to eat. The food in Praslin is great, and although fish and curry do tend to dominate the menu, there is some variety across the island. However, we didn’t get to try as many restaurants as we would have liked since some of them were still closed because of Covid-19. Here are our favorites:

Les Rochers: We saved this restaurant for our last night in Praslin and it was one of our favorites. The view and the sunset are some of the best on the island, the food was incredible, and the service was lovely. It is a bit pricier than other spots, but well worth it. Our recommendation is to make a reservation a bit before sunset. There are small tables right on a small peninsula that juts into the ocean where you can get a drink before your meal. They will also bring out the most amazing coconut and banana chips. Then you can head into the actual restaurant (still outdoors) for an incredible meal. We ordered a couple of different fish dishes and they came out with several delicious sides.

Café des Arts: The atmosphere in this restaurant is incredible. There are lots of different areas to sit in, from indoors, to outside on a terrace to right next to the ocean. A reservation is key if you want one of the better tables. We came here for lunch and had a great time with the DJ and the music. But do note that it can get loud, so check in before about live music or DJ if you’re looking for a quieter meal. The food is a bit pricey, but we thoroughly enjoyed the spot.

Les Lauriers: This is a beautiful restaurant, with incredible lighting at night. They offer what we hear is a very delicious Creole Buffet, but it wasn’t available the night we went for dinner. We ordered some fish dishes and the octopus curry a la carte instead and really enjoyed it.

La Pirogue: We came here our first night, after a long day of travel and it was exactly what we needed. It’s a quiet restaurant, tucked away from the busier areas. The atmosphere is traditional, with a small menu and quick service. It is not the most exciting restaurant on the island, but the food is great, the staff is friendly, and the prices are reasonable.

Things to Do in Praslin

Check out the beautiful beaches: As you can imagine, there are lots of stunning beaches across Praslin. The top two we would recommend are Anse Lazio and Cote D’Or Beach. Anse Lazio is probably the most famous beach in the island, and justifiably so. The water is clear and calm, there are incredible rock formations around it, and nice palms that provide much-needed shade. We recommend staying here until sunset as the beach is located perfectly for this. It is a bit further away from the center of town, and there aren’t that many restaurants or shops nearby so come prepared if you plan to spend the day. On the other hand, Cote D’Or Beach is a much longer beach, surrounded by lots of restaurants and bars and perfect for different water activities. 

Go snorkeling: To really experience the magic of the Seychelles, you need to get on a boat. You can book the excursion directly here. We took a four-hour boat ride across the islands and got to snorkel around Little Sister, Big Sister, and Felicité. The advantage of coming in spring is the water is crystal clear and there are tons of fish to spot. We even saw a few turtles, which were incredible to watch. Just make sure you wear enough sunscreen or even a shirt – we chose to do this on our first day and got very burned! Looking back, we feel like 4 hours out the snorkeling was a bit too much and may have stuck with 2 or 3 total.

Visit Curieuse Island: When it comes to things to do in Praslin, we would highly recommend taking a boat ride out to this island. It was used as a leper colony in the 1800s and you can still see ruins of the leprosarium and the doctor’s home. The island is known for its bare red earth and the unique coco de mer palms (they only grow here and in Praslin). In the late 1970s, a conservation project relocated the Aldabra giant tortoise to Curieuse, and today there are over 300 of them living on the island.

They are incredible creatures that love to be petted on their neck and fed fruits. We spent a few hours exploring and walking around the island, and it was one of the most memorable parts of our trip. Make sure to ask the people arranging your boat tour and they may be able to prepare a delicious lunch for you at Curieuse Island. You can check out all the details of the tour here.

Go scuba diving: Neither of us had ever been scuba diving before – but now we are hooked! We chose to go with the Octopus Diving Center and honestly can’t recommend them enough. They are knowledgeable, patient and so friendly. We were a bit nervous since it was our first time, but they made us feel so confident and comfortable. Our guide knew the water so well too and was able to spot so many different types of creatures that we would have never seen, including an octopus and even a shark.

Visit Vallée de Mai: This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a must on the list of things to do in Praslin. It is an incredibly stunning nature park with the endemic coco de mer. These are massive palm trees with coconuts bigger than your head (and with the largest seeds of any plant in the world), that only grow in Praslin and in Curieuse Island. The walk took us a couple of hours, but it wasn’t very demanding. There are a few other trees to see and some incredible birds to spot like the black parrot. There is a fee to enter and we were offered a guide at the beginning, but for a very expensive price (€50). We chose to pass on that and were happy we did. For this walk, you certainly don’t need a guide.

Visit Fond Ferdinand: This is a less famous version of Vallée de Mai, with the incredible coco de mer and many of the other fascinating plants. It opened in 2013 and since it’s not yet widely known, it is cheaper than Vallée de Mai and you even get a guide for free. It’s 6 times bigger too! We were not able to do this visit because there are no tours after 1pm and we arrived too late, but from what we read and heard, we would highly recommend it. It can be a longer and more challenging hike, as they offer a two-hour journey up to a viewpoint that oversees Praslin and a few of the nearby islands. So, come prepared with water and comfortable shoes if you choose to make the visit. 

Sunset picnic on a rock: Praslin and the Seychelles in general have some of the coolest rock formations we have ever seen. For our last night, and before our dinner at Les Rochers, we made ourselves some Takamaka Rum drinks and found ourselves our own private rock to watch the sunset. We don’t know the exact location, but it was between Pointe Cocos and the Coco de Mer Hotel. The trick is to be able to find a spot where the roads are wide enough to park your car and then a rock that’s easy to hike to. Can be a bit of a challenge, but it’s worth it!

Rental Car Options

If you’re looking to embark on this road trip, we recommend renting a car. Most of the roads are in good condition, but some of the back roads, particularly around the mountains, tend to be narrow and windy. We went with a local rental car company and were impressed with the service that Macael Rent a Car provided. But if you’re looking for a larger option with more variety, we recommend using Discover Cars. The site is very user-friendly and aggregates all types of vehicles and prices to make sure you find the best deal. 

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