Cousin Island is a 27-hectare nature reserve two kilometres off Praslin’s west coast, owned and run by Nature Seychelles. There are no buildings beyond a ranger station, no swimming is allowed, and you only get on or off the island in a small boat that has been beached on the sand — there is no jetty.
What it offers, very rare in the Indian Ocean, is a fully working seabird breeding colony. White-tailed tropicbirds nest under the bushes, lesser noddies stream overhead in their thousands, Seychelles warblers (extinct everywhere else in the 1960s until Cousin’s recovery programme saved them) hop on the path beside you. Sea turtles also nest here.
Best for
Birders, conservation-minded travellers, anyone interested in how a near-dead island ecosystem can be brought back. Half-day visits only.
When to go
Open Monday to Friday only, with guided visits between 10am and 12pm. Closed weekends and public holidays. The sooty tern breeding colony peaks April to October.
How to get there
By licensed tour operator from Anse Volbert on Praslin. Cousin is often combined with Curieuse and St-Pierre on a single boat day — a common itinerary. Landings are time-limited; the rangers organise everyone.
What’s nearby
Curieuse (a 15-minute boat hop) and Aride (further north) are the other two protected islands of the Praslin group. Pair the three across a few days for a complete picture of Seychelles’ bird recovery story.
