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Discover the Garden of Eden!
Let your ecological dreams come true in the Seychelles, where Banyan Tree invites you to experience its fantastic resort. Isolated strands of granite and limestone islands - some as old as 700 million years - are home to rich eco-systems and astonishing wildlife, which are truly in a league of their own. Just imagine 46% of the country's total land area as designated Nature Reserves and National Parks, making the Seychelles a veritable Mecca for naturalists.
When General Gordon visited the Valleé de Mai on Praslin Island over 100 years ago he mistakenly believed to have discovered the original Garden of Eden because he was greeted by untouched primeval palm forest and the bizarre female pelvis-shaped coco-de-mer nut, which instantly conjured up visions of Eve. Today the exquisitely beautiful valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only place on earth where the coco-de-mer palm survives. The Jurassic palm tree can reach a respectful age of 1,000 years and carries nuts of gigantic proportions weighing up to 20kg. The nut itself has captured the imagination of many a great man both as the fruit of the tree of knowledge and as a powerful aphrodisiac, to the extent that Rudolf II of Habsburg offered two gold florins for a single nut towards the end of his life. The palm tree and its amazing nut are now protected by the government.
Another stunning ecological World Heritage Site in the Seychelles is Aldabra (reached only by private yacht), the largest raised coral atoll in existence and home to over 150,000 giant land tortoises and 2,000 green sea turtles. With five times as many tortoises roaming the wild here than on the Galapagos Islands, it is no wonder that this majestic animal now appears on the national coat of arms.
In the Seychelles, you can have memorable encounters with whale sharks, dolphins, over 900 species of fish, 3,500 species of insects, the highest concentration of lizards on earth, and some of the rarest birds in the world, including the Aldabran Rail, the only flightless bird in the Indian Ocean. Of the nation's four island bird sanctuaries, Bird Island is the most extraordinary with a spectacular colony of 1,500,000 sooty turns inhabiting its shores; while Cousin Island has become a bird-watchers paradise owned by the Royal Society of Nature Conservation.
Banyan Tree Seychelles allows you to explore nature's incredible beauty. The beaches of Mahe Island, fantastically shaped pink granite rocks glowing red in the sun, coral reefs teeming with thousands of fish and living corals, and pockets of mysterious virgin forest are the spoils of venturing beyond the comforts of your heavenly villa. Not to mention the fabled treasures hidden by notorious plundering pirates and buccaneers centuries ago. Reward yourself with an unforgettable holiday!
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