Curieuse Island

A short walk from Praslin Island through the tropical ambience and you will reach one of the most scenic islands of Seychelles, Curieuse Island which is spread in 3 square km area. Also, one of the nation's Inner Islands, Curieuse Island is famous for its red earth and is a bio-reserve. Marine Parks Authority of Seychelles manages this island. Curieuse is also known for being a cultural icon of the island nation and a place for coco de mer palms. A paradise landmass which floats on the Indian Ocean, this island is a wonderful weekend gateway for people who want to escape from the routine life and want to experience the nature.

The fresh air and the mangrove trees will make you feel alive like never before. Flora and fauna of this beautiful island are captivating enough to make you stay here for long. Every moment you spend here and each memory you create, is meant to be treasured forever. The aura of this island will not only soothe your heart with happiness but your soul also.

Things to Do at Curieuse Island

From Coco de Mer to long trail of mangrove trees, jungle, green sea turtles, Curieuse Island eye-catching attractions which makes it an amazing place for spending some time in the lap of nature. Hawksbill, Aldabra tortoises, takamaka trees, etc. make this place a unique island. The wildlife here not just unique but interesting as well which will captivate your heart.

Go for Excursions

One can enjoy excursions from any of Seychelles' islands. The very first mesmerizing and awe-inspiring feature of this place is the perfect combination of red earth and green foliage. Reach the Baie Laraie in the harbour after a boat ride. It takes around 2 minutes to reach Curieuse Marine National Park from Praslin. It is really a thrilling experience to see giant hump head parrotfish. These parrotfish can grow up to whopping 12 metres which is a wonder in itself. Also, you will get to live a lifetime experience where you will get to feed the giant tortoises.

Explore Historic Buildings

Though this island doesn't have much infrastructure, there is Doctor's House Museum which is a restored colonial villa. The building is a nice symbol of the Creole colonial architecture. This restored villa is an ecology and history museum of Curieuse island. You will find the nests of hawksbill turtles on the beach in front of the building. Visit this during November to December, and you will be lucky to see baby sea turtles.

Walking Trails

You can enjoy walking trails, the one which starts at Baie Laraie and ends at Anse St Joseph. Walking through green mangrove forests holding the hand of your loved one is such a romantic experience which every couple would want to live. The cacophony of the nature, the soothing ambience and the serenity will touch you deep. This is perhaps the most beautiful sight you can have on this island. Take a walk to the giant granite cliffs. The air and the rain water scrub these cliffs down which results in stunning passage of red and blue colours. While you cross the mangrove trail, you will get to witness skinks, geckos, sea snails and a lot of other birds.

You can also take a walk to the rocky trail to reach the island summit. The walk isn't that easy and comfortable considering that there is no shade around, but the view which you will get after reaching there is worth capturing and treasuring in your memories. The park rangers provide free guided walk tours around the island (twice a day).

Witness the Marine Life

The island has rich marine life in the surrounding area which is protected strictly. It is maintained and controlled by Seychelles Centre for Marine Technology Marine Parks Authority. Pointe Rouge is a nice coral garden which is located at the island's eastern coast. Known as a diving spot, this coral garden has numerous fishes. Excursions to this garden are provided by diving schools which are in La Digue and Praslin.

The fifth largest island, Curieuse is a perfect place for people who love wildlife and also for the wildlife photographers. Experience the moments spent in the nature with giant tortoises which roam freely in front of you and the long coco de mer trees - this island stores a unique aura for the visitors who come here from different corners of the globe. Thought Curieuse island was destroyed by the fire in the 1970s, a great effort has been put forward to bring back nature and to create the ecological balance here. Presently, this bewitching island houses around 500 Aldabra giant tortoises. Around 300 tortoises live around the ranger stations while 200 are found in the forest. A conservation project took place in the 1970s to bring these animals to Curieuse from Aldabra.