From Praslin: Cousin, Curieuse & St Pierre Islands Day Tour

Full-Day Cousin, Curieuse, and St Pierre Islands tour. Start with a transfer to Baie Ste Anne jetty for the 2-km crossing to the Special Nature Reserve of Cousin island. A cruiser moors off-shore and tourists are taken to the island on a Reserve boat to prevent accidental introduction of pests to the island.

It is highly recommended that tourists come prepared to wrap their belongings in water-proof bags, and that they respect the safety regulations of donning life jackets and remaining seated until the craft is beached.

A warden leads the tour of the island with its abundance of species and habitats, from the coast with its protective mangroves, to the wetlands which attract dragonflies, moorhens, caecilans & Seychelles terrapins; on to the rejuvenated forest on the hill plateau which provides ideal nesting sites for large populations of shearwaters and bridled terns amongst its endemic trees - mapou, Indian mulberry and bwa sousouri. Endemic birds found on Cousin Island are the Magpie Robin, Sunbird, Fody, Blue Pigeon and the Warbler.

The tour continues with a 30-minute boat ride to Curieuse Island, where a splendid BBQ lunch is served on the beach. Curieuse island has a large population of giant tortoises, some can be seen next to the natural pond on the coast, whilst the majority range across the island freely and can sometimes be tracked by their vociferate calls of intimate congress.

The tour ends with snorkeling off the tiny island of St. Pierre. For the un-initiated, our crew is on hand with lightweight snorkelling vests to ensure that no-one misses the chance to view the abundant marine life.