SEYCHELLES NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDENS
Hightlight
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Car parking
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Non smoking
A century-old garden on the edge of Victoria where coco de mer palms, giant tortoises and fruit bats sit five minutes from the capital. The gentlest introduction to the islands’ extraordinary plant life.
Scenic botanical preserve featuring coco de mer palm trees, giant tortoises & a spice grove.
A hundred years of collecting
The National Botanical Gardens are one of the oldest cultivated spaces in the Seychelles, laid out at the start of the twentieth century on a green slope at Mont Fleuri, just south of central Victoria. For over a hundred years the gardens have gathered the plants of the islands and the tropics into one calm, shaded place, and they remain the easiest way to meet the strange and beautiful flora of the Seychelles without setting foot on a mountain trail.
Mature trees give deep shade, paths wind gently downhill and up, and the whole visit is easy enough for any age or fitness. It is a favourite of botanists and casual strollers alike, and a welcome pocket of quiet a short walk from the noise of town.
Coco de mer, tortoises and bats
The gardens hold a fine stand of coco de mer palms, so if a trip to the Vallee de Mai on Praslin is not on your plans, this is where you can see the famous giant nut and its towering palms up close. A pen of giant Aldabra tortoises is always a favourite, and overhead the huge Seychelles fruit bats hang and wheel through the trees at dusk.
Elsewhere the collection runs through spice trees, an orchid house, palms of every kind, and endemic species found nowhere else on earth. Labels and a little time turn a pleasant walk into a proper introduction to why these islands matter so much to naturalists.
Know before you go
| Where | Mont Fleuri, on the southern edge of Victoria, Mahe |
| Type | Historic botanical garden, over a century old |
| See | Coco de mer palms, giant tortoises, fruit bats, orchid house, spice trees |
| Effort | Easy, gentle paths, suitable for all ages |
| Entry | A modest admission fee per adult |
| Time to allow | Around one to two hours |
| Best time | Morning for cooler air, or dusk for the fruit bats |
What visitors say
★ 4.2 · 2,054 Google reviews★★★★Visited Seychelles National Botanical Gardens and it was a lovely experience. It’s a nice place for a peaceful natural walk with beautiful views and well-maintained gardens. One of the highlights was seeing the giant tor…
Aruna nair · via Google
★★★Very underwhelming and could really benefit from an infusion of money and care. Very little signage to explain the gardens and different plants we were looking at. Additionally, the grounds were not very well maintained.…
Franklin Coopersmith · via Google
★★★★★Beautiful botanical garden in Victoria established in 1901. It’s home to the famous Coco de Mer tree, which produces the largest seed in the world, and the Aldabra giant tortoises that can live over 150 years. A peaceful…
Mahima Patel · via Google
★★★★I love botanical gardens. And this one sure hit the spot with its rustic natural. Not too much man-made manicured corners. Love the exotic flowers and trees. Garden is a 1 hr walk and it has elevation too. However Lots o…
Tas A · via Google
The gardens sit on the edge of Victoria and pair naturally with the market, the temple and the old town on a walking tour of the capital. Stay in Victoria to see it all on foot.
See the capital on footPrivate Victoria city walking tourfrom €69 per groupBook this tourTours via Viator, stays via Booking.com. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Nearby Victoria Clock Tower · Sir Selwyn-Clarke Market · Hindu Temple
If Praslin is not on your itinerary, come here to see the coco de mer palms up close. Arrive early for the cool of the morning, or stay until dusk to watch the fruit bats fill the trees.
