July 11, 2017

Visiting the Vallee De Mai With kids

If you are a regular reader if my blog you will know that we are huge fans of the Valllee de Mai.  It is definitely one of the best things to do here with young kids.  We go with the boys ALL  the time!  It’s undoubtedly our favourite place for a family walk!

The Vallee de Mai

The Vallee de Mai is a UNESCO world heritage site that is managed by the Seychelles Island Foundation (SIF)

It’s home to the world famous Coco De Mer (the one that looks like a life-size bum, no i’m not joking!!) , the worlds largest seed and many other endemic plants and animals including the Black Parrot.

 

Visiting the Vallee de Mai With Kids

From the impossibly tall trees, the musical whistle of the black parrot, lots of bugs and reptiles to look out for and of course the world famous coco de mer. There is so much to see for kids in the Vallee de Mai!  Parents can relax knowing the paths are well maintained throughout, its a welcome relief from the sun, and there is nothing living in there thats dangerous!

visiting the vallee de mai with kids

 Ticket Cost

For tourists the ticket price is 20 euros each.  It is free for under 12’s (with proof of ID)

Opening times

The Vallee de mai is open every day from 8:30am – 4:30pm

How long is the walk

There are 3 main trails.  They are advertised as taking 1,2 and 3 hours.
Honestly I would say even with kids those times are rather generous! I guess maybe if you stopped and read every sign and did a selfie with every Coco de Mer tree you walked past then you could take that long!
Also if you decide to take a tour guide that will obviously increase the length of the walk (more on that further down)
When we go with Arthur and Freddie we tend to do the shortest route (cutting through Ceder Path, see the map below) as their legs won’t hold up to much more than that.  With a long stop at the little bridge to throw stones into the river we probably still don’t quite take an hour to get round.  To be fair though, apart from the stop, they do pretty much run the whole rest of the time!
There are benches dotted throughout all of the trails so you can stop and take a break if the kids get tired.

Map

Here is a digital version of the map you receive in the Vallee de Mai.  You can see the different trails.  It would be great if you saved this image to your phone so you don’t need to use the paper version! Map of the Vallee de Mai

Thanks to Seychelles Island Foundation for allowing me to share this map

Tips for visiting the Vallee de Mai with kids

  • Earlier is better, it’s a bit cooler and quieter in the mornings.
  • Don’t take a pushchair. While the trails are very well maintained, they are not pushchair (or wheelchair) friendly.
  • Get the kids to use the toilets at the entrance, there are no others once you are inside!
  • The whole area is shaded by the trees so you don’t have to worry about sunburn!
  • The guided tours are fantastic and very informative. They may not be suitable for young kids that could get bored listening to someone talk.
  • Mosquitos are not as much of a problem there as you might think, but you may want to use some spray just in case – citronelle is a great natural mosquito repellent if you’re worried about using chemicals.
  • There is no smoking in the Vallee de Mai (not that i’m suggesting your kids smoke, but you might!!)
  • At the entrance there’s a nice cafe selling snacks and drinks, the prices are pretty reasonable.

 

I hope you have an amazing time visiting the  Vallee de Mai with kids.  Id love to hear your experiences, or if you think I’ve missed anything off?

If you have any questions feel free to contact me

3 thoughts on “Visiting the Vallee De Mai With kids”

  • Hello, you have a nice And sweet family, and amazing pfoto of seychelles.
    Thanks for anwser me at my e-mail a few months ago.
    My name is Cristina i live in Norway with my family, but i am from Portugal.
    When i was ask you about living in Seychelles! it was about a change, we want to change our lifes, we need sun And light! Norway is a great place ,but too dark too cold.
    We have to plan, to see how to do with jobs And all rest , we are tree, my son Gabriel have 7 years great kid And Open for this change.

    I wich you all the best,

    Kind regards,
    Cristina

    Reply

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