3 Best Sights in Seychelles

Cousin lies just off the southwest coast of Praslin, about 30 to 45 minutes away by boat. A nature reserve since 1968, Cousin is home to some of Seychelles' rarest birds, including the Seychelles bush warbler and the Seychelles magpie robin, and also serves as the breeding ground for thousands of lesser noddies, ferry terns, and tropic birds. Arriving on this small island, you'll see a sky darkened with the diving silhouettes of thousands of birds, and a visit gives a glimmer of an idea of what the first explorers to Seychelles might have experienced when alighting on these islands. In addition to its magnificent bird populations, the island is home to giant Aldabra tortoises, as well as being a favorite nesting site for hawksbill turtles. Your hotel can organize a trip to the island with one of the many boat excursion operators, or check out one of Masons Travel's excursions. The stop at Cousin will usually be one of three your boat will make. Be sure to bring your camera (fantastic photo ops of ground-nesting birds), mosquito spray (the mozzies can be thick in the interior), and a hat (they say it's good luck to be pooped on by a bird, but let your hat take the hit).

A 30- to 45-minute boat trip from Praslin, Aride is one of the most pristine of the Seychelles islands and is known as the "seabird citadel" of the Indian Ocean, with more than a million seabirds breeding here each year. Protected as a reserve since 1967, Aride hosts 18 species of native birds, including the world's only hilltop colony of sooty terns and the only granitic breeding sites for the world's largest colony of lesser noddies. The Seychelles warbler was introduced from Cousin in 1988, as were the Seychelles fody and magpie robin in 2002. Aride also boasts one of the densest populations of lizards on earth, as well as unique endemic plants. A beautiful reef surrounds the island, and in season it is common to see whale sharks and flying fish in the waters just offshore. Visitors to the island must land between 9:30 and 10, but then may spend the whole day on the island if desired. Numerous operators can take you to Aride, and usually include lunch in the trip; inquire at your hotel. Due to weather conditions, Aride closes to visitors from May to September, when strong winds can prevent boats from landing.

Once known as Île Rouge on account of its red earth, this rugged island was previously home to a leper colony situated at Anse St. Joseph. The resident doctor's house, which dates back to the 1870s, was converted into an eco-museum and visitor center, and Aldabra tortoises roam freely. Aside from Praslin, Curieuse is the only other island where the coco de mer grows naturally (Coco de Mers have been planted and cultivated elsewhere in the Seychelles). Curieuse also offers eight different species of mangrove. It is reachable by boat from Praslin, and often serves as a lunch spot on the various boat excursions from Praslin and La Digue.