Cousin Island Special Reserve
A world-famous conservation success near Praslin, where an entire island was saved for its birds. Vast seabird colonies, rare endemics and nesting turtles, visited only by guided boat trip.
Wooded islet & nature reserve with native seabirds, lizards & giant tortoises, open for tour visits.
An island saved
Cousin is one of the great conservation stories of the Indian Ocean. In 1968 the whole island was bought to save the Seychelles warbler, then down to its last few dozen birds, and in the decades since it has been restored into a thriving nature reserve managed by Nature Seychelles. Today the warbler and other endemics have been pulled back from the brink here, and Cousin stands as living proof of what careful protection can achieve.
The result is astonishing. The island teems with breeding seabirds, tens of thousands of them, alongside rare land birds like the Seychelles magpie robin, the fody and the delicate white fairy tern. Giant tortoises roam the interior, and the beaches are one of the most important hawksbill turtle nesting sites in the region.
Visiting the reserve
Cousin is a strict reserve, not a beach stop, so it is visited only on organised, guided boat trips, usually run from Praslin as part of a Cousin, Curieuse and St Pierre island day. Landings happen only when the sea is calm enough, which makes trips weather-dependent, and a landing fee goes directly to the conservation work. Rangers guide every visit along set paths to protect the birds and their habitat.
For anyone with an interest in nature, it is deeply rewarding, a rare chance to walk through a wild seabird colony and see the endemic birds that this island was rescued to save.
Know before you go
| Where | A granitic island off the west coast of Praslin |
| Status | Strict nature reserve managed by Nature Seychelles |
| See | Huge seabird colonies, endemic land birds, giant tortoises, nesting turtles |
| Access | Guided boat trip from Praslin, calm seas only |
| Note | Weather-dependent, landing fee funds conservation, no overnight stays |
| Best time | The calmer season, and the seabird breeding months |
What visitors say
★ 4.5 · 66 Google reviews★This island is a tourist trap. Stay away!! Insane amounts of bloodthirsty mosquitoes Disclaimer: my family and I visited in April during other months the conditions may be different. The arrival to the island is by a s…
Alexander Merzlak · via Google
★★★★★The beach is so clean and well maintained. Never give up on a once in a lifetime experience of seeing the different varieties of exotic birds. The bird reserve tour is a guided one and you get to see crabs and tortoises…
Eber Shibin · via Google
★★★★★Otherwise known as Bird island, a conservation success story where an island was bought out for the purpose of saving a unique bird habitat and endemic species like the Seychelles warbler. Lots of mosquitoes, be prepared !
Eugen Frantiu · via Google
★★★★★Visited Cousin Island as a part of Cousin, Curieuse & St. Pierre Island day tour. The island is quite beautiful and is known for bird watching. We stopped by for some snorkelling points around island..as it has beautifu…
Prateek Singh · via Google
Cousin is reached only by guided boat from Praslin, usually on a Cousin, Curieuse and St Pierre island day, and only when the sea allows. Stay on Praslin to catch the right weather window and make the most of the trip.
Tours via Viator, stays via Booking.com. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Nearby Curieuse Marine Park · Aride Island · Anse Lazio
Go for the birds and the story, not a swim. Cousin is a working reserve, so follow your ranger, keep to the paths and take the chance to see, up close, an island that was quite literally bought back from the edge.
