Explore The Top National Parks In Exotic Seychelles This Year

Known for its idyllic beaches, waving palm trees and luxury resorts, Seychelles also has another side in its beautiful national parks. In fact, the island nation has three terrestrial national parks to explore, along with six marine national parks. Each national park is administered by Seychelles National Environment Commission (SNEC) under the Department of the Environment. Read on to find out the best national parks to explore this year in Seychelles and what they have to offer.

National Parks in Seychelles

Seychelles consists of 115 islands, located off the coast of mainland East Africa. Meanwhile, the island nation is considered to be a global leader in sustainable tourism. Each new tourist-related project must be scrutinized to ensure it meets the environmental standards set in the country. Moreover, it is one of the top countries in the world by percentage of protected areas, as 42.1 percent of the total land area of Seychelles is protected territory.

1. Morne Seychellois National Park

Located on Mahe, the largest island of Seychelles, Morne Seychellois National Park covers an area of 3,045 hectares or 20 percent of the total island. Meanwhile, the national park is worthy of visiting for the sheer diversity, with high mountains, mangroves and tropical forests to explore. The park’s aim is to protect the island’s biodiversity from human interference.

To this aim, the national park features an extensive network of hiking trails, where visitors can explore without any danger to the environment. Here, bird lovers can spot 12 endemic terrestrial birds, including the Seychelles kestrel and the Seychelles scops-owl.

More experienced hikers can head up to the 3,000-ft peak of Morne Seychellois (pictured above), where numerous cultural sites can be seen, as well as panoramic views over the surrounding landscape.

2. Curieuse Marine National Park, Seychelles

Established in 1979, this marine national park is renowned for its diverse flora and fauna. While it is a marine park, it also includes Curieuse Island and its surrounding waters. One of the major species on the island is the giant tortoise, as well as the coco de mer plant that produces the world’s largest nut.

Meanwhile, Curieuse Marine National Park offers guided nature trails, bird-watching activities, scuba diving and snorkeling. Meanwhile, the mangrove swamp has been made accessible to hikers, offering a boardwalk through the swamp.

Of interest to note, Curieuse Island was historically used to quarantine leprosy sufferers and the ruins of the leprosarium can still be seen today. Moreover, the Doctor’s House is another historical building, now acting as a national museum.

3. Praslin National Park

Praslin National Park is the second-largest terrestrial national park of the Seychelles and is located on the island of Praslin. Also established in 1979, the national park includes a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Vallée de Mai.

Meanwhile, the national park varies in elevation, offering varied landscapes and well-planned hiking trails. One that is popular among visitors is the Glacis Noire Trail which ends with a panoramic view over the surrounding ocean and the islands. Moreover, a range of fauna can be seen including the unusual black parrot.

Get out into nature this year while exploring the beautiful national parks of Seychelles. Read more about the parks on the official Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority website here.