Curieuse Island Seychelles

Curieuse Island is a small granitic island close to the north coast of the island of Praslin. Curieuse is notable for its bare red  earth intermingled with the unique coco de mer palms, one of the cultural icons of the Seychelles, only growing on the two neighboring islands. It is the home of the Aldabra giant tortoise, some staying around the Ranger’s Station and the rest roaming around elsewhere on the island. They are very active and like to come very close to the visitors.

On the southern part of the island is a mangrove swamp that is traversed by a walkway for park visitors. The island is also known for coco de mer palms, giant takamaka trees, a large hawksbill turtle rookery and several bird species, such as the rare Seychelles black parrot Coracopis nigra barklyi, a parrot found only here and on Praslin. Among the plant species on the island, several are native and endemic to Curieuse; Porcher (Cordia subcordata), Bois Chandelle (Dracaena), Lalyann dile (Secamone schimperiana, Bwa bannann (Gastonia sechellarum) and Bois Cassant de Bord Mer (Guettarda speciosa).
Most visitors to the Curieuse Marine National Park disembark at Baie Laraie, where the shallow water is known for its population of large humphead parrotfish, growing up to 1.2 m in length. There is a trail from Baie Laraie to Anse St. José on the other side of the island passing over the boardwalk through the thick mangrove forest. The ruins of the leper colony is now well blended into the landscape and includes Creole colonial architecture which consists of a doctor’s house built for Dr. William Macgregor in 1973, now turned into a museum containing information about Curieuse Island’s history. On the beach in front of the Doctor’s House, sea turtles lay their eggs.