Cousin, Curieuse and St Pierre Islands Day Trip from Praslin

Cousin Island nature reserve

Cousin Island is a small granite island a few kilometres off the west coast of Praslin, bought in 1968 to save the Seychelles warbler, a songbird that had dwindled to a few dozen individuals on this one island. It is now one of the most successful nature reserves in the Indian Ocean, run by conservation wardens who meet every boat and lead visitors around a fixed trail. Visits take place on weekday mornings, which is why the day starts early. The island's waters are a no-take marine zone and its beach is an important hawksbill turtle nesting site.

On the guided walk you move slowly beneath trees full of fairy terns, white-tailed tropicbirds, lesser noddies and bridled terns nesting at eye level, while magpie robins and warblers hop along the path and giant tortoises rest in the shade. The wardens explain the island's recovery and point out skinks and geckos. Birds and tortoises are observed, never touched. The Cousin entry fee is paid locally in cash and is not included.

Curieuse Island and its giant tortoises

From Cousin the boat crosses in about thirty minutes to Curieuse Island, a national park just north of Praslin whose reddish soil once earned it the name Île Rouge and whose former leper colony left it largely untouched. The landing at Baie Laraie brings you straight to the ranger station, where a large colony of giant Aldabra tortoises, part of a breeding programme begun in the late 1970s, grazes freely on the grass and wanders along the beach. Some are over a century old and weigh well over two hundred kilograms.

A Curieuse Island tour is among the top things to do in Seychelles for families because the animals come so close, but they are to be watched and photographed only, not fed or touched. The island also has a mangrove boardwalk and the restored doctor's house at Anse St José for those who want a short walk before lunch. The Curieuse entry fee for visitors aged twelve and over is paid locally by card and is not included.

Beach barbecue lunch on Curieuse

Lunch is a barbecue prepared on the beach at Curieuse: freshly grilled fish and chicken, rice, Creole salads and fruit, served under the takamaka trees with water or a soft drink included. It is the most relaxed hour of the day, with the sea a few steps away for a swim and the tortoises often ambling past the tables. If anyone in your party is vegetarian or has an allergy, tell us when booking so the crew can prepare accordingly.

After lunch there is time to swim in the calm, shallow bay or to walk a little along the shore before the boat leaves for the last stop of the day. Towels are not provided, so bring your own, together with sandals or water shoes for the sandy landing.

Snorkelling at St Pierre islet

St Pierre is a tiny granite islet off Praslin's Côte d'Or coast, a few boulders topped with palms, reached only by boat. Its sheltered shallows are a marine park with easy snorkelling: coral heads close to the rocks, parrotfish, surgeonfish, butterflyfish, sergeant majors and, with luck, a hawksbill turtle. Snorkelling equipment and life jackets are provided on board, and the crew keeps an eye on everyone in the water, so beginners and children who can swim are welcome.

The best time for a St Pierre snorkelling stop is the calm season from November to April, when visibility is at its best; the islet is sheltered enough to be visited most of the year. Non-swimmers can stay on the boat and watch the fish from the surface. From St Pierre the boat returns to Praslin, where our driver takes you back to your accommodation.

Praslin boat trip practicalities

The trip departs from Praslin, the second-largest island of the Seychelles and the natural base for a Praslin boat trip to the nearby reserves. We pick you up at 08:15 from one of fourteen pickup points around the island chosen when you book, from the Côte d'Or and Anse Volbert area to Grand Anse, Baie Ste Anne and Anse Kerlan; please be in the lobby ten minutes early. The boat is a small one with a maximum of ten guests, which keeps the landings quick and the day relaxed.

Sea conditions are usually gentle between October and May; from June to September the south-east trade winds can make crossings choppier, and the crew adapts the order of the stops to the weather. Because Cousin Island opens to visitors on weekday mornings only, the trip runs Monday to Friday; ask us about the best day for your stay.