Cousine Island

Set a few degrees south of the equator this island is the “Cousine” of the more renowned “Cousin” of Bird Life fame. Cousine’s proximity to Cousin island has made it a second haven for some rare species of bird life. The surrounding “satellite” islands provide the perfect “springboard” to explore other activities such as diving, discovery tours, etc. Cousine Island is situated only a few kilometers from Praslin and can be reached exclusively by helicopter. A helicopter ride from Mahe takes 10 to 15 minutes and the approach is quite spectacular as one gets to discover the “paisley” shaped island looming out of the blue with a rocky spine and lush green interior forest. A large stretch of beach borders the plateau where the villas and other quaint “colonial” houses are strewn.

With an area of only 25 hectares, Cousine is one of the smallest in the granitic Seychelles group. The island is a private nature reserve, home to five of the Seychelles endemic birds and a nesting haven for a variety of seabirds and hawksbill turtle as well as a variety of other endemic flora and fauna.  Between September to January, Hawksbill turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. The Seychelles Magpie Robin, on of the world’s rarest birds is found on the island. There are only 70 birds left in the world - 12 are to be found on Cousine. Other endemic birds are the Seychelles Brush Warbler, Blue Pigeon, Sunbird and Fody. Thousands of seabirds nest on the island throughout the year. These include Noddy and Fairy Terns, shearwaters and Tropicbirds. The conservation officer is available to take guest on guided walks and explain about various aspects of interest. The mission of the Cousine island owner is to promote and practice nature conservation and their aim is to share this philosophy with their guests.

The guestrooms comprise of four individual and luxury villas nestling amongst the natural vegetation, just 30 meters from the beach. Each villa is positioned to ensure maximum privacy. A maximum of 10 guests are accommodated at any one time and share the island with its natural inhabitants, offering some of the greatest nature watching available in Seychelles.

The dining room, bar, lounge and air-conditioned library are found in the “Pavilion” which overlooks a large fresh water swimming pool. Private dining can be arranged on request in the villas, snorkeling equipment is also available.

The four villas are 175 sqm and provide the ultimate in comfort  with spacious bedrooms, separate lounge, large bathroom with jacuzzi bath and separate shower, front and rear patios. Each villa is equipped with a kitchenette area including fridge, ice maker, tea and coffee making facilities. This area is used mostly to facilitate the “private dining” catering service that can be offered to the guests. The bedroom reflects a “colonial” feel with walk-in dressing room and spacious bathroom. The villas are all air-conditioned with ceiling fan, hairdryer, multi channel TV, VCR, mini CD/Cassette player, telephone, and personal safe.