Of the 115 islands that make up the Seychelles, one stands out as having its most iconic features and distinctions: Praslin, the “Isle of Palms,” as christened by explorer Lazare Picault in the mid-1700s. On this small but stunningly diverse island, the beaches merely scratch the surface of the wonders to be found here.

And what you might have thought was simply a sun, sea and sand holiday destination soon gives way to the notion that there’s a much more primal, even mystic, quality about the island – one that defies explanation for most.

The famous British general, Charles George Gordon, could be counted among those who would attempt to figure out why, and he arrived at a startling conclusion. During his time in the Seychelles, he became convinced that the Vallée de Mai, the ancient palm forest on Praslin which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the original Garden of Eden.

Praslin, with a population of 6,500 people, is Seychelles’ second largest island.

Of the 115 islands that make up the Seychelles, one stands out as having its most iconic features and distinctions: Praslin, the “Isle of Palms,” as christened by explorer Lazare Picault in the mid-1700s. On this small but stunningly diverse island, the beaches merely scratch the surface of the wonders to be found here.

And what you might have thought was simply a sun, sea and sand holiday destination soon gives way to the notion that there’s a much more primal, even mystic, quality about the island – one that defies explanation for most.

The famous British general, Charles George Gordon, could be counted among those who would attempt to figure out why, and he arrived at a startling conclusion. During his time in the Seychelles, he became convinced that the Vallée de Mai, the ancient palm forest on Praslin which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the original Garden of Eden.

Praslin, with a population of 6,500 people, is Seychelles’ second largest island.