Baie Lazare brings together nature trails and viewpoints with a different perspective on trees and wildlife. Two places bring this variety to life: Cap Lazare Nature Reserve and Fruit Garden & Trails. Both offer nature trails and viewpoints; the garden also features rows of endemic and native trees, as well as abundant wildlife.

Nature Trails, Viewpoints and Trees

Cap Lazare Nature Reserve has numerous nature trails and viewpoints, including Simone’s Lookout and Mount Lazare. Fruit Garden & Trail offers a nature trail with viewpoints and abundant wildlife. Fruit Garden & Trails features rows of endemic and native trees, including mango, guava and cinnamon.

When deciding which nature spot to focus on, the emphasis is a useful distinction: the reserve offers numerous trails and two named viewpoints, while the garden adds rows of trees. Since the garden also has a trail, viewpoints and abundant wildlife, you can combine interests rather than choosing only between trails and plant life.

A Name with a History

The district’s name also tells a story about the history of the archipelago. Baie Lazare is named after the French navigator Lazare Picault, who was sent to the Seychelles by the Governor of Mauritius in 1742. The place name thus links a specific person to a dated historical episode in the Seychelles.

More Nature and History across the Seychelles

Nature trails across the Seychelles vary in form. On Curieuse, a raised boardwalk passes through the swamp and provides access to the mangrove habitat even at high tide; a mangrove swamp borders Baie Laraie. Praslin National Park has several short trails, while Glacis Noire is the only official trail. The archipelago therefore offers everything from a boardwalk through a wetland to short park trails. The Seychelles marine parks can be reached by boat; Port-Launay can also be reached on foot.

The protected areas also differ in size and features. Vallée de Mai on Praslin covers 19.5 hectares and is one of the smallest natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world; it is also the only area in the Seychelles where all six species occur together. On La Digue, Veuve Special Reserve covers 21 hectares and is part of a 200-hectare plateau on the western side of the island. Reserve staff answer questions and help visitors find the birds.

History also shapes other places in the Seychelles. Moyenne Island, in Ste. Anne Marine National Park, is home to the remains of early settlers’ houses, pirates’ graves and a small thatched chapel; the marine park comprises six islands. Curieuse was used as a quarantine site for people with leprosy for almost a hundred years. Aldabra was inscribed as a UNESCO Marine World Heritage Site in 1982.

Discover more destinations: Au Cap, English River, Outer Islands, Anse Boileau, Bel Ombre, Les Mamelles, Beau Vallon, Anse Royale

For the main travel overview: Seychelles.