The popular holiday island of Praslin lies 21 miles (34km)
north-east of Mahé in the Seychelles archipelago, a popular stop
for cruise liners and a vacation destination for honeymooners and
beach lovers. The island's favourite beach, Anse Lazio, is one of
the world's most exquisite, but the entire island is ringed with
beautiful secluded beaches, sporting coral reefs and crystal clear
waters. Praslin is known for being the exclusive home of the rare
'coco de mer' palm, that produces the world's largest nut, and
delights ornithologists with glimpses of some of the world's rarest
birds, like the black parrot and fruit pigeon. Several large resort
hotels have been developed on the island, but this has not
interfered with the natural beauty or abundant flora and fauna, or
its reputation as being as close to the Garden of Eden as one can
get. There are a few villages sprinkled across the island, housing
the permanent population of a few thousand souls, most of whom work
in the hotels and resorts or depend on fishing for a
livelihood.
