Curieuse Island is home to a giant tortoise sanctuary with over 500 of the magnificent animals only found in the Seychelles Islands and is also home to the famous Coco de Mer tree. The island is located 35 mi/55 km northeast of Mahe.
The Aldabra tortoises found on Curieuse are similar to Galapagos tortoises and were likewise studied by Charles Darwin. Visitors to the sanctuary can get close to the tortoises and even feed them palm leaves and grasses. The sanctuary has a modest interpretive center and rangers on site.
On the other side of the island, the former doctor's residence at Anse Jose that was once a leper colony is now a free museum. A 1.5 mi/2 km walking trail crosses the island from Anse Jose to the tortoise sanctuary. The trail passes granite outcroppings and uses a series of boardwalks to cross over a mangrove.
There are no accommodations on the island, but you can visit on a day trip from Praslin.
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