Seychelles islands for a Day Visit

The beauty of Seychelles encourages you to explore new locations. There are 115 islands in the archipelago. Few of them are inhabited, but there are more than enough wildlife reserves. Excursions to small islands, most of which have no hint of infrastructure, are the most exciting entertainment in the Seychelles . Local tour operators offer all the possibilities for compact trips visiting several interesting places in one day. Which islands to choose as part of a one-day tour in order to cover as much of the Seychelles as possible ? Read on.

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Curious Island

Not far from the northern coast of Praslin there is one of the island reserves, where the pilgrimage of tourists does not stop all year round. All because of the giant turtles, of which there are a decent number here. In special enclosures at Tortoise Park The Sanctuary is inhabited by young individuals and children, while older ones roam the island unhindered. The behavior of Curieza turtles is in many ways similar to cats. They are so accustomed to hands and treats that, when they see people, they begin to cheerfully become active.

On Curieuse, as on Praslin , the Seychelles palm grows with the largest nuts in existence. Mature Coco de mer can reach a weight of 25-30 kilograms. By the way, these are the only places in the world where you can see them. In addition, Curiosity has a very unusual history. Two centuries ago it was made a quarantine island, where those infected with leprosy were taken. The Doctor's House will tell the story, with a small collection of memorabilia.

One day tour to Curieuse

• Meeting the Aldabra tortoises .
• Nature trails through mangroves and jungle.
• Harvesting the world's largest coconut.
• Wild beaches with white sands and rock formations.
• Snorkeling in crystal waters with a variety of tropical life.
• A hearty Creole picnic on the coast.
• Boat trip.

Excursion cost : 40-50 euros. You can also rent a boat and visit Curieuses on your own.

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Saint Pierre Island

The very tiny granite island of Saint-Pierre is located just along the route to Curieuse. As part of the excursion, you will definitely visit them as a “doublet”. Tourists are brought to Saint-Pierre for a fabulous snorkeling. ​The underwater world here is very diverse, and the water is incredibly clean, with good visibility. From a distance the island itself will seem like a pile of ocean-hewn rocks overgrown with tropical trees. Boats always drift over the coral reefs near St. Pierre , as this place is one of the best in the Seychelles for scuba diving .

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Cousin Island

From the west coast of Praslin you can take an exciting trip to Cousin Island. This is an amazing reserve that is privately owned. An endemic ecosystem has been preserved here , with endangered species of birds and plants, a beautiful reef and a beach of unprecedented beauty, even for the Seychelles . On Kuzin you can stay at the only hotel Cousine Island Resort , which accepts no more than 10 guests at a time. A paradise of relaxation in a secluded atmosphere, which is called the most romantic on the islands.

Most often, Cousin is included in one excursion tour along with a visit to the turtle sanctuary on Curieuse and snorkeling off St. Pierre .

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Arid Island

The northernmost corner of Seychelles , located 10 kilometers from Praslin . In terms of the number of feathered inhabitants, Arid breaks all records, in comparison with other, even larger islands in the Seychelles . There are excellent living conditions for more than a million seabirds of the Indian Ocean. The island's ecosystem is carefully protected. There is no way to walk along it on your own, only accompanied by a guide. This will be even more interesting, because you can find out more interesting information about everything you see around.

The island is almost deserted. Only a few employees of the bird sanctuary live permanently on Arida . Sea turtles like to lay eggs on narrow coastlines. And on the slopes, the unique Wright’s gardenia, which grows exclusively on Arida , blooms several times a year .

Tours depart from Côte des Ors beach on Praslin . Duration - about 7 hours, that is, the whole day. The price usually varies from 30 to 50 euros per person. This is a fairly popular day tour in the Seychelles , so we recommend booking a few days in advance.

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Bird Island

Once upon a time there were cotton and coconut plantations, but today it is a real bird sanctuary with a huge number of permanent and migratory inhabitants. There are about 100 species in total, many of which are observed on the island during the transition seasons - October-November and April-May. Another popular island resident is turtles. One of them is included in the Guinness Book as a record long-liver and the largest of all turtles discovered on the planet. At the age of 170, Esmeralda's weight exceeded 300 kilograms. You can visit Bird Island as part of an excursion or even stay here for a couple of days. On Berd there is a simple 3-star Bird Island Lodge , which is maintained by the hospitable family of the island's owner. The infrastructure consists of only 20 eco-lodges , a dining room, a bar and a local farm. Communication with wildlife, quiet and atmospheric evenings, Creole cuisine and a complete reboot.

An excursion to Bird will be comfortable only with a flight, because the boat transfer from the main islands of Seychelles lasts about 8 hours. We recommend staying in an authentic hotel-reserve for a couple of days.

Bird Island

Silhouette Island

If you are staying on Mahe , go to the picturesque island 20 kilometers from the northwestern coast of the resort area of Ba Vallon. Silhouette is one of the four large islands of Seychelles , but its population is no more than 200 people. There is a real balance between wild nature and civilization here. Lush vegetation, picturesque mountains, rich flora and fauna, exceptional snorkeling , the most beautiful beaches in the world with stone boulders and azure coasts - all this is about Silhouette.

Tourist infrastructure consists of one luxury hotel, Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa , a small base of several lodges and restaurant La Belle Tortue Lodge , as well as a couple of authentic restaurants.

What not to miss at Silhouette

• Snorkeling . The usual phrases about crystal waters and snow-white beaches will not work to describe the Silhouette. This is something much greater and indescribably beautiful. The same can be said about underwater inhabitants.
• Anse Beach La Passe . The coast with the most beautiful panoramas on the island.
• Restaurant Grann Kaz . A wonderful combination of sophistication and simplicity in the interiors and menu.

to Silhouette from Mahe three times a day. Travel time is about 40-50 minutes. Ideal for a day trip. You can also get there by helicopter from Mahe International Airport (15 minute flight).

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Moyen Island

Off the northeastern coast of Mahe is the Sainte-Anne National Marine Park , which includes several small islands, including Moyenne . This is a wildlife sanctuary renowned throughout the world. This is where British journalist Brandon Grimshaw lived alone for 50 years, which he devoted to preserving the island's flora and fauna, cultivating fertile soils and caring for turtles. The legendary Robinson of the Seychelles passed away in 2012, at the age of 86. Today tourists are greeted by a caretaker and giant turtles. Tropical nature, Grimshaw's old house , an authentic atmosphere and interesting history make Moyenne one of the most sought-after day trips in the Seychelles .

The organized excursion includes visiting several islands of the Sainte-Anne Park , snorkeling on colorful reefs and a picnic.

Aldabra Island

This place is not included in the list of duty tourist reserves of Seychelles . Aldabra is the most remote and wildest marine oasis in the Indian Ocean. The island is not only uninhabited, but is a closed, protected UNESCO reserve. The main representatives of the Aldabra fauna are the world's largest land turtles, which live up to 200 years. About 150 thousand of these amazing animals live on the atoll. The island can be called a paradise for bird watchers. There are countless seabirds of different types and forms here.

to obtain permission to visit Aldabra from the Seychelles Foundation, but not everyone is given it - you need to indicate the purpose of the visit. The paperwork process requires money, time and effort. If the issue is resolved positively, you need to organize a transfer to the island yourself. The distance from Mahe is more than 1100 km. Flight by plane is only available to Assumption Island, then by boat about 30 km.

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