Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
422 conservation
islands in the
seychelles
The Seychelles are a
celebrated honeymoon
destination and as the high
cost of accommodation
and getting there has kept
mass tourism away, you
can still expect to find
pristine, palm-fringed
beaches and glassy waters
without the crowds. Such
enduring natural riches
have inevitably attracted
the wealthy, who come here
to enjoy five-star luxury in
a five-star setting. With all the excess at these
exclusive hideaways, you might think there's
little consideration for the environment - yet
look beyond the infinity pools and you'll find
that some use the income from tourism to fund
admirable conservation work. These hotels
match their opulence with some eye-watering
prices, but if you're looking to splash out then
you can live in the lap of luxury while helping to
protect the exotic wildlife.
Three islands in particular are synonymous
with conservation. The private island of
Fregate has all you could wish for on a tropical
island: beautifully crafted sea-front villas, lush
vegetation and seven pearl-white beaches.
Cousine Island, to the northwest, is smaller but
more spacious: with only four villas (each for two
persons) you're likely to have a whole stretch of
sandy beach to yourself; while in the far north
Bird Island has 24 spacious bungalows owned
and managed by a Seychellois family.
On all three islands resident ecologists will
take you on guided nature walks. Over the last
decade, eighty thousand native trees have been
planted on Fregate Island; you can expect to
see giant tortoises wandering across the paths
and exotic birds including the Seychelles blue
pigeon. On both Fregate and Cousine, keep an
ear out for the song of the endangered Seychelles
magpie robin, which has been re-established on
both islands. Cousine Island's beaches are also
important nesting sites for over 250 hawksbill
turtles (from mid-December to mid-February).
In terms of the sheer numbers of birds, the
largest conservation work is - as you'd perhaps
expect - on Bird Island, which is a breeding
ground for almost two million sooty terns. The
villas are in the south of the island, well away
form the birds' nesting areas, but you can go
on a guided tour to the north where you'll see
thousands of eggs laid on the ground. All the
various stages of development are on view,
from the newly hatched young to overconfident
juveniles attempting to fly for the first time. The
island is also home to Esmeralda (aged 237), one
of the largest giant tortoises in the world.
Hawksbill turtle on Bird Island
Need to know Fregate Island: W www.fregate.com;
T +49 6986 0042 980; Cousine Island: W www.
cousineisland.com; T +248 (0) 321 107; Bird
Island: W www.birdislandseychelles.com; T +248
(0) 224 925. Rainbow Tours organizes holidays
on all three islands; for prices and reservations see
W www.rainbowtours.co.uk; T +44 (0) 207 226
1004.
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