Fodor's Expert Review Cousin Island

Cousin lies just off the southwest coast of Praslin, about 30 to 45 minutes away by boat. A nature reserve since 1968, Cousin is home to some of Seychelles' rarest birds, including the Seychelles bush warbler and the Seychelles magpie robin, and also serves as the breeding ground for thousands of lesser noddies, ferry terns, and tropic birds. Arriving on this small island, you'll see a sky darkened with the diving silhouettes of thousands of birds, and a visit gives a glimmer of an idea of what the first explorers to Seychelles might have experienced when alighting on these islands. In addition to its magnificent bird populations, the island is home to giant Aldabra tortoises, as well as being a favorite nesting site for hawksbill turtles. Your hotel can organize a trip to the island with one of the many boat excursion operators, or check out one of Masons Travel's excursions. The stop at Cousin will usually be one of three your boat will make. Be sure to bring your camera (fantastic photo ops of ground-nesting birds), mosquito spray (the mozzies can be thick in the interior), and a hat (they say it's good luck to be pooped on by a bird, but let your hat take the hit).