Cousine Island

Island Private island nature reserve for seabirds and turtles

Cousine Island, near Praslin in the Seychelles, operates as a private conservation reserve with strict visitor limits. Travelers come for guided birdwatching, endemic species programmes, protected beaches and coral snorkelling.

Cousine Island is a small granitic island in the Inner Islands of the Seychelles, close to Praslin, that is managed primarily as a nature reserve. The island is internationally noted for conservation programs aimed at restoring native vegetation and recovering threatened bird species.

The island’s highlights are dense native scrub and forest patches, seabird colonies and beaches used by nesting marine turtles, together with active habitat restoration projects. Guided visits and ecotourism are restricted to minimise impact and support conservation work.

Conservation management over recent decades has focused on invasive species control, habitat restoration and species reintroductions to rebuild native fauna and flora. The island carries out ongoing monitoring of breeding birds and turtle nesting.

Cousine lies close to Praslin in the central Seychelles archipelago and is reached by short boat trip from neighbouring inhabited islands.

Conservation focus: Managed as a protected conservation reserve focused on seabirds, land birds and marine turtle protection, with limited visitor numbers to reduce disturbance.
Access: Only a small resident conservation staff live on the island; most visits are by arrangement with the reserve managers.

How to Get to Cousine Island #

Cousine Island is reached by speedboat transfers from Praslin Island in the Seychelles. Most visitors travel to Praslin via a short domestic flight from Mahé or by ferry, then transfer to the private boat that serves Cousine. Arrangements are handled through the island’s reservation office.

Tips for Visiting Cousine Island #

Book in advance if staying at the island's small eco-lodge - accommodations are limited and often reserved well ahead of high season.
Walk the trails early in the morning to see Seychelles warblers and giant tortoises when they are most active.
Respect conservation rules: Cousine is a strictly managed nature reserve with limits on visitor numbers and strict biosecurity measures.