Apart from the rare plant and wildlife found within this hidden palm forest, there lays its most famous discovery, the rare ‘Coco de Mer’. Surrounded in myth and legend this majestic palm was once believed to have grown in the depths of the sea.

Growing up to 98 feet in height it produces the world’s largest seed, which delights visiting ornithologists due to the attraction of some the world’s rarest birds, namely the Seychelles black parrot. There is so much to see within these lush green hillsides that a guided tour through the treasures and trails of Valle de Mai is often advised, expect to see fruit bats, geckos and tree frogs in abundance as you traverse the granite slopes.