Cousin Island Special Reserve
Cousin Island Special Reserve
4
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
About
This island protects the tiny population of the endemic Seychelles warblers Acrocephalus sechelllensis.
Features animals
Learn more about animal welfare in tourismSuggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Full view
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
106 reviews
Excellent
68
Very good
16
Average
8
Poor
5
Terrible
9
Jasmine38Chichester UK
Chichester, UK1,891 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
We visited as part of the three Island tour with Saggitarius. The island itself is beautiful with some wonderful endemic birds that you can get very close to, as well as a few giant tortoises and small wildlife, like skink and crab. You must take a guided walking tour which lasts about an hour and was very good. Do cover yourself in insect represent though as there are so many mosquitos.
However, the organisation for getting on and off the island was not so great. You have to be collected from your excursion boat by the island boat, which only seats about 10 people. A lot of people arrived at once the day we visited and it took an age to ferry everyone back and forth. There was a lot of hanging around, which unfortunately took some of the shine off the experience, hence by 4 star rating.
However, the organisation for getting on and off the island was not so great. You have to be collected from your excursion boat by the island boat, which only seats about 10 people. A lot of people arrived at once the day we visited and it took an age to ferry everyone back and forth. There was a lot of hanging around, which unfortunately took some of the shine off the experience, hence by 4 star rating.
Written March 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kathryn w
21 contributions
Oct 2022
We visited Cousin Island and really enjoyed it. Jules was our tour guide and he was excellent, very knowledgable and very patient with all of our questions. We saw four different bird species as will as Aldabra tortoises. I highly recommend this experience
Written October 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Miki
Bucharest, Romania10,491 contributions
Apr 2013 • Couples
Cousin Island should not be missed by nature and bird lovers. It is located on western part of Praslin and can be combined with Curieuse and St Pierre in a one day trip which costs around 115 euro (including landing fees on Cousin and Curieuse). Most of the trips start from Anse Volbert or Anse Possession beaches, the boats will take you first to Curieuse (dropping here the tourists which do not have Cousin Island on their trip list) and then to Cousin. During dry season (June-September) the trip from Curieuse to Cousin is very bumpy due to roughness of the seas. During April it was very enjoyable and from the boat you can see the beach jewels of Praslin: Anse Lazio and Anse Georgette. The boat operator will not take you to the shore, they will stop 75-100 m from the shores in order to avoid the arrival of rats on the island which is predator free. You will be transported to Cousin with Cousin's boat. After arrival you will receive mosquito repelent (we had also ours - No Bite and we had no bites) and you will learn the island rules.
A guide will take you for 1.5 - 2 hours in the universe of birds and giant tortoises. April is a great month to visit Cousin because lots of birds have already chicks (fairy terns, white tailed tropicbirds) and other which migrate from Mauritius (like Lesser Noddies) are during the breeding season. You will find also rare birds like Seychelles Magpie Robin, bird population reaching around 300,000 during April on the 27ha granitic island. You will meet also George, one of the old inhabitants of The Earth, a male giant tortoise of 160 years old which was in a really great shape when we were there. We have also seen a drunk blue pigeon which ate too much fruits from the banyan tree.
It was one of the best day trips we had in Seychelles and I advise you to go for it even if Cousin Island landing fee is one of the most expensive in Seychelles - 500 Rs (35 euro).
During December-January you have also the chance to see sea turtles (hawksbill mainly) which make their nests during the day.
Miki DE Seychelles
A guide will take you for 1.5 - 2 hours in the universe of birds and giant tortoises. April is a great month to visit Cousin because lots of birds have already chicks (fairy terns, white tailed tropicbirds) and other which migrate from Mauritius (like Lesser Noddies) are during the breeding season. You will find also rare birds like Seychelles Magpie Robin, bird population reaching around 300,000 during April on the 27ha granitic island. You will meet also George, one of the old inhabitants of The Earth, a male giant tortoise of 160 years old which was in a really great shape when we were there. We have also seen a drunk blue pigeon which ate too much fruits from the banyan tree.
It was one of the best day trips we had in Seychelles and I advise you to go for it even if Cousin Island landing fee is one of the most expensive in Seychelles - 500 Rs (35 euro).
During December-January you have also the chance to see sea turtles (hawksbill mainly) which make their nests during the day.
Miki DE Seychelles
Written May 5, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rogier1983
Noordwijk, The Netherlands13 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
We looked very much forward to our trip to Cousin and where already warned that visitors where allowed just two hours on the island. But due to the system they use to bring the visitors to the island (which is understandable to prevent unwanted animals to arrive there) you already loose a half hour before you actually can start walking and the same system is also happening on the way back and also takes half an hour so that you are technically on the island for just one hour. They know this very well as every step you take there is guided and the tour lasts just one hour. Still this attraction is advertised as a two hour thing. The tour itself is very hurried. Taking a decent photo is not promoted and something as basal as using a tripod is forbidden as they think using a tripod makes you a professional photographed (they really have to learn the definition of professional there I think). The groups are also to big to have a good look as visiting the island is apparently still cheap enough for non nature minded tourist to spend some random time (expect group sizes over 20 people per guide and many of these groups) so you are literally standing in line to see a bird). The island itself though is amazing with many common and rare species being very easy with the amount of people staring at them. I just wish we had some more time to actually see the behavior of the birds and the interaction between the different species.
Written December 21, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ZinamonKveen
Colombo, Sri Lanka786 contributions
Jun 2017 • Family
The island is home to lots of birds who can be seen at close quarters, which is a novel experience. You'll also find tortoises wandering around or wallowing in waterholes. Being harmless animals you can get close and observe them. Based on previous comments it appears we were quite lucky because though we did have a bit of a wait to get to and from the island, it wasn't significant and we had ample time to observe the animal life and take photographs.
Written June 23, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Holzmiche5
Aachen, Germany62 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
We visited the island as part of a daytrip starting from Praslin. We heard and read about the project and wanted to take a look for ourself. So from our boat which was parked off the shore, we were picked up by a warden in a small boat and brought to the island (since there is no possibility to carefully land the boat on the beach, the warden smashes the beach with high speed, which is pretty much fun to start out with). The picking up off the shore is done to keep rats and other animals off the isalnd which may be on other boats. Once on the beach we had to wait a bit in a shelter until the passengers of the remaining boats ( about 6 boats to be unloaded that way) and could use the provided mosquito repellend, which worked out pretty good, I think I got stung twice. Then we were split up into about 7 groups, based on the language the tour would be held in (you could choose between french and english). The tour itself was very interesting and we saw lots of different birds, lizzards and several tortoises. We also learned a lot about different kinds of plants, trees and the ecological system on Cousin. And the tour was also fun, because our guide (Jules) did the tour with lots of passion, fun and humor. The tour itself took about one hour and after that we were returned to our boat to continue our trip.
It was a great stay at the island and the project that these guys are doing is just great. Not only making the enviroment better but also educating with lots of fun. Keep it up guys!
My only (small) complain would be, that the time you wait before the tour for the other passengers and after the tour until you are taken back by the boat is quite long. Maybe it would be possible to start the bringing back to the ships as soon as a group returns and not wait until all groups have returned. But as I said that is just a small idea ;)
It was a great stay at the island and the project that these guys are doing is just great. Not only making the enviroment better but also educating with lots of fun. Keep it up guys!
My only (small) complain would be, that the time you wait before the tour for the other passengers and after the tour until you are taken back by the boat is quite long. Maybe it would be possible to start the bringing back to the ships as soon as a group returns and not wait until all groups have returned. But as I said that is just a small idea ;)
Written November 14, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ThisIsBadax
96 contributions
Jun 2015
I give it three stars not just for the mosquitoes but for the time management. They make you wait for so long in a little shack and it doesn't have to be so stretched. Please improve. Other than that, fantastic birds on the island though.
Written June 9, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Clive M
Southampton, UK699 contributions
Dec 2015
Only here can you see so many endemic Seychelles birds in one tiny island: Seychelles Warbler; Seychelles Fody; Magpie Robin, Blue Pigeon. And then you add the breeding fairy terns (too cute at all stages of their growth) and white-tailed tropic birds all the year around.
We were also lucky to see a hawksbill turtle laying her eggs.
We were exceptionally lucky to be here on a rare, mosquito-free day, so do come with full cover and anti-mosquito kit.
We were also lucky to see a hawksbill turtle laying her eggs.
We were exceptionally lucky to be here on a rare, mosquito-free day, so do come with full cover and anti-mosquito kit.
Written January 12, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nada E
10 contributions
Nov 2015 • Friends
Loved seeing the turtles on this island. They were astonishing. But prepare yourself, if you are planning on walking the trail you need shoes, not flip flops and if you have young kids prepare to carry them too on that 45 minutes up and down hike. Other than that it is a beautiful little paradise.
Written November 23, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
phmontoya
Colombia38 contributions
Sep 2015 • Friends
I have been fortunate to work around, visit and stay in Cousin Island Special Reserve. This island is beautiful and a conservation success for birds, tortoises and corals. The wardens really know the island. The will take you walking around the island, sharing their knowledge and successful conservation stories. It is a must for anyone who visits the Seychelles. There is only one thing to keep in mind: stock up on mosquito repellent as these are known to be wild on the island.
Written October 20, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cobbo14
328 contributions
Buon pomeriggio,
Vorrei sapere con quale operatore avete effettuato questa escursione. Stiamo cercando di prenotare l'escursione Cousin,Curieuse e St Pierre ma tutti quelli che abbiamo trovato fanno solo Curieuse e St Pierre senza Cousin.
Grazie!
cobbo14
328 contributions
Ciao,
L’abbiamo prenotata tramite l’hotel Les Lauriers con Barracuda Boats
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listingCousin Island Special Reserve - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Cousin Island Special Reserve
- Cousin Island Special Reserve is open:
- Mon - Fri 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Cousin Island Special Reserve Information
Excellent Reviews | 68 |
|---|---|
Very Good Reviews | 16 |
Cousin Island Special Reserve Photos | 316 |