The Seychelles Botanical Gardens, a short walk south of central Victoria on Mont Fleuri Road, were established in 1901 and contain an impressive collection of endemic and introduced tropical plants. The coco de mer palms — the tree that produces the largest seed in the plant kingdom, a double coconut that can weigh 25 kilograms — are the main draw. Several old specimens grow here alongside orchids, vanilla vines, and a collection of endemic palms found nowhere else on earth.
The resident giant Aldabra tortoises roam the grounds freely. These are old animals — some are over 150 years old — and they move with an unhurried authority that makes the garden feel ancient even by tropical standards. There is also a spice walk that identifies the plants used in Creole cooking: cinnamon, breadfruit, papaya, soursop, and a dozen others. Admission is charged; open daily.