What to expect
The Seychelles National Botanical Gardens lie in Mont Fleuri, on the edge of Victoria. They have existed for more than a century (since 1901), which makes them one of the oldest national monuments in the Seychelles. Covering 6 hectares, they hold a large collection of old, exotic and endemic plants, tended in a beautifully laid out tropical garden. The park management cites more than 280 plant species.
Besides the palms, the Botanical Garden has a large number of spice plants and fruit trees, most of which you can only admire here. You can also see giant tortoises from Aldabra Atoll, some of them more than 150 years old. Fruit bats feed or sleep in the big trees, and they are on show too. Another stop is the orchid house, with a collection of colourful orchids, including the native varieties.
For most visitors the tortoises are the highlight: you may feed them, and the grass for feeding grows around the enclosure. Nearby stand coco de mer palms, which occur in this form only in the Seychelles, along with a Thai garden and a Chinese garden. A café in the garden serves drinks for a break.
History and nature
The garden was founded in 1901 by the Mauritian agronomist P. R. Dupont as an agricultural experimental station. At first the plantings were timber trees, palms, spices, fruit trees and aromatic plants, in short everything that could be of economic use to the colony. By the middle of the 20th century it had become a public park.
For a long time, visiting heads of state also planted trees here. The best known is the Duke of Edinburgh, who planted a coco de mer seedling in 1956. Today the garden also serves species conservation and environmental education. It is easy to reach, close to the capital.
Getting there
By car
Directions: From Victoria drive south and, at the roundabout with the Unity Monument (4 swordfish), turn onto Mont Fleuri Road. Just before Victoria Hospital you will see the wooden sign to the Botanical Garden on the right-hand side of the road. There is a car park right in front of the gate.
By bus
The garden is on the route of most buses heading south from Victoria. According to Karl's list, these routes stop at the Botanical Garden:
- Route 1: Anse aux Pins
- Route 2: Les Canelles
- Route 4: Anse Boileau via Mt Posee
- Route 5: Baie Lazare via Takamaka
- Route 6: Baie Lazare via Les Canelles
- Route 9: Port Launay via Les Canelles
- Route 11: Baie Lazare via La Misere
- Route 13: Port Launay via La Misere
Routes marked "via Highway" do not stop at the Botanical Garden. Route numbers and times change from time to time, so ask at the bus station in Victoria or check the timetable of the Seychelles Public Transport Corporation.
On foot from Victoria
From the centre of Victoria it is roughly a 20 to 30 minute walk. The route follows the road with no shortcut, so allow a little more time in the heat.
Opening hours and entry fee
| Information (as of November 2026) | |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Daily 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, last entry 4:30 pm |
| Admission | SCR 250 for non-citizens (as of November 2026) |
Duration, best time and tips
The garden is small enough for a short visit and works well for a morning in Victoria, or for a rainy day when the beach is out of the question. The shady paths are pleasant to walk. There are few signs identifying individual plants. If you want to learn more about them, it is best to book a guided tour or prepare beforehand.
Other sights in Victoria combine well with a visit: the market, the National Museum of History, the Natural History Museum and the clock tower. You can find out more about the island on the page about Mahé.
