Praslin & Curieuse – Tortoise Encounters & Marine Sanctuaries

Praslin is Seychelles refined—curves of beach, lush hills, a pace between leisure and adventure. From here, you board a boat to Curieuse, once a leper colony, now a sanctuary for Aldabra giant tortoises. Dozens roam freely, their shells massive, their eyes ancient and kind. You kneel to feed one hibiscus leaves, feeling its leathery mouth tug gently from your hand. The island is more than tortoises—it is mangrove forests humming with life, trails to viewpoints where sea and sky meet, ruins of colonial homes crumbling into green. Back in the water, snorkeling reveals another world. Coral gardens bloom with parrotfish, rays drift like shadows, turtles glide with effortless grace. Visibility stretches meters, every color amplified by light. The experience is layered—wildlife above and below, history and renewal, silence and wonder. By afternoon, you return to Praslin sun-drenched, salt on your skin, carrying the memory of encounters that feel primordial, humbling, rare.