The Seychelles islands are world famous for their pristine splendour, with white sandy beaches surrounded by glimmering azure waters. For adventure travellers who want to explore the beautifully unique landscapes of the islands, to the couple looking for a romantic break at a luxurious Resort in Seychelles such as the AVANI Seychelles Barbarons Resort & Spa, the tropical islands have something to suit everyone’s needs perfectly.
Along with the main islands, there are several smaller islands that are worth visiting, like Cousin Island, a protected nature reserve, 2 kilometres off the coast of Praslin island. Cousin and the neighbouring Cousine Island, both hold major ecological importance in the Seychelles. Originally used as coconut plantations, all alien plant life was subsequently removed from the islands to make way for indigenous plants to thrive. The islands are home to several species of endangered native flora and fauna. Despite covering only 27 hectares with a high hill in the centre, Cousin has numerous habitats and species to uncover. The forest located on the hill has several kinds of native trees and several species of birds like moorhens, terrapins, shearwaters and bridled terns as well as frigate birds can be found in abundance here.
The Islands are also an important nesting site for hawksbill turtles, with turtles numbering between 30 to a 100, swimming ashore to lay their eggs every year. What makes it even more unique is the turtles lay their eggs during the day, as opposed to other areas where they lay their eggs in the night. The island is also home to Aldabra giant tortoises, four varieties of skinks and an indigenous green gecko.
The blue waters around the island is safe for swimming and snorkelling, however, there are strong tides here so swimming alone is not advised. In addition, most guides will tell you to wear aqua shoes to prevent injuries to your feet from sharp coral, urchins and scorpion fish. Travellers can visit Cousin Island during the day from Monday through Friday. The island is closed to visitors during weekends and public holidays.
Auburn Silver is a travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world. Google+
