Curieuse Island Day Trip: Is It Worth It? Our Honest Review, Exact Cost and What to Expect
I knew the giant tortoises would be the headline of our Curieuse Island day trip, but I did not expect one of them to have a better travel story than us. Obama had taken four months to walk to the other side of the island, the rangers carried him back, and then he made the same journey again in three weeks. Honestly, I was obsessed with him!
We visited Curieuse from Praslin during our twelve days in Seychelles and it became my favourite paid experience of the whole trip. The tortoises were incredible, but the day also included the mangrove walk, the Doctor's House, coco de mer palms, a Creole barbecue and snorkelling around St Pierre in some of the bluest water we saw anywhere.
This is exactly what our Curieuse Island day trip cost, what was included, what the day felt like and what I would want to know before booking it.
Curieuse Island Day Trip: My Quick Answer
Yes, Curieuse Island is absolutely worth visiting, especially if you are already staying on Praslin. If I could keep only one paid Seychelles activity, this would be it.
We booked this exact Curieuse and St Pierre Island tour with a Creole barbecue lunch. It cost us A$111 per person and included pickup and drop-off from our Praslin accommodation, the boat trip and lunch. We then paid the separate protected-area fee of SCR150 per person when we arrived.
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| Our Curieuse cost | Per person | For two |
|---|---|---|
| Tour | A$111.00 | A$222.00 |
| Protected-area fee during our visit | About A$14.72 | A$29.43 |
| Total | About A$125.72 | A$251.43 |
Prices and inclusions can change, so check the current product details before booking. The useful bit is that the main tour price covered nearly everything we needed for the day.
The Exact Curieuse Island Tour We Booked
Our tour left from Praslin and collected us directly from Chez Rona, which removed the annoying part of coordinating a taxi with a boat departure. At the end of the day, they dropped us back at the accommodation too.
The experience combined Curieuse Island with snorkelling around St Pierre. That is the version I would choose again because Curieuse itself is much more than a quick tortoise stop, while St Pierre adds the clear-water snorkelling people picture when they think about Seychelles.
The tour included:
- pickup and drop-off from our Praslin accommodation;
- the return boat journey;
- time with the giant tortoises;
- the walk across Curieuse;
- a Creole barbecue lunch; and
- snorkelling around St Pierre.
The protected-area fee was separate. We could pay it by cash or card during our visit, but I would still carry some Seychellois rupees in case the payment setup changes or the connection is having a moment.
Meeting the Giant Tortoises on Curieuse Island
This was the reason I booked the day and it still exceeded what I had pictured. The giant Aldabra tortoises roam around beneath the trees rather than sitting behind a fence, so standing beside them is when you understand how enormous they really are.
We learned that male tortoises have a curved underside to their shells, which helps them mount the female, and that these animals can weigh hundreds of kilos. The fact that completely blew my mind is that tortoises float when they swim. Looking at their legs, shells and sheer size, that honestly does not seem possible.
The guides gave the encounter much more context than simply pointing at a group of tortoises. That is why I would choose an organised Curieuse tour over trying to arrange only a quick boat transfer.
The Story of Obama the Tortoise
Obama was the tortoise I could not stop talking about afterwards. He had wandered away from the main group and crossed to the far side of Curieuse, a walk that takes people around thirty minutes.
It took Obama four months. The rangers eventually carried him back to the main area, which must have been a serious operation given his size. Then he turned around and walked all the way back again in only three weeks.
I love that story because it made the animals feel like individuals rather than part of a wildlife attraction. Obama had clearly decided where he wanted to live and was not accepting feedback from anybody!
Walking Across Curieuse Island
Curieuse is not a place where you meet the tortoises, take one photo and immediately leave. The walk across the island is a big part of the day and changes the pace completely after the excitement of arriving.
We passed mangroves, natural coco de mer palms and the Doctor's House. Coco de mer grows naturally only on Curieuse and Praslin, which made seeing it here feel much more meaningful than finding one displayed somewhere away from its habitat.
The Doctor's House dates to 1873 and was built by a Scottish doctor who wanted to live alongside the patients he was treating. That history gave the island a completely different layer from the tropical day trip I had expected.
Wear shoes you are comfortable walking in, even if you spend the rest of your Seychelles trip in slides. The heat and humidity make an easy walk feel warmer, and I would bring water rather than relying only on whatever is available with lunch.
Our Creole Barbecue Lunch
Lunch was included in our tour and came at exactly the right point in the day. It was a Creole barbecue rather than a little packaged snack, which meant we could sit down for a substantial meal and then continue without carrying lunch from Praslin.
This is one reason the A$111 tour price made sense to us. By the time we added hotel transfers, the return boat, the guided island experience and lunch, it felt like a complete day rather than a transport ticket with everything charged separately.
We travel full time, so we normally cook quite a lot and use self-catering apartments to get some home normality. A substantial included lunch on an activity day is the exception I genuinely appreciate because it means we can leave in the morning without organising food around a boat schedule.
Snorkelling Around St Pierre Island
The day finished around St Pierre, where we snorkelled in some of the bluest water of our entire Seychelles trip. After the green, shaded sections of Curieuse, the bright water around the little granite island felt like a completely different experience.
As with any snorkelling trip, visibility and sea conditions are never guaranteed. We visited in August, which is within the southeast trade-wind season, and different sides of the islands behaved completely differently from one another. Our full guide to the best time to visit Seychelles explains the conditions we actually experienced.
If snorkelling matters to you, check what equipment is included when booking and bring your own mask if you are particular about fit. I would also take a rash vest or T-shirt because a full day moving between sun, boat and water adds up quickly.
What to Pack for a Curieuse Island Day Trip
You do not need to bring your whole suitcase, but there are a few things I would not leave at the apartment:
- reef-safe sunscreen and a hat;
- drinking water;
- swimwear and a light cover-up;
- comfortable shoes for the island walk;
- a small dry bag or waterproof phone pouch;
- cash or a card for the protected-area fee;
- seasickness medication if boats normally affect you; and
- your own snorkel mask if you prefer a guaranteed fit.
The Mahé to Praslin ferry was rough enough that people around us were being sick, although the smaller boat experience is not exactly the same journey. If you already know you become seasick, take your usual medication before you are uncomfortable rather than trying to rescue the day later.
Where to Stay for a Curieuse Island Day Trip
Staying on Praslin makes this much easier than attempting to force Curieuse into a day from Mahé. We stayed at Chez Rona in Anse Possession for three nights and our tour collected us directly from there.
Chez Rona
Our host was incredible, the apartment had everything we needed and he even cooked us a complimentary Creole dinner. It is not beside Anse Lazio, so having a car gave us much more freedom.
Chez Rona is at Anse Possession. If I were booking Praslin as a pure beach holiday, I would also compare properties closer to Anse Lazio because waking up near our favourite swimming beach would be incredible. For this tour, the pickup made our actual base simple.
What Else to Do on Praslin
Do not leave Praslin immediately after the Curieuse tour. Protect another day for Anse Lazio and the smaller beach beyond it. Anse Lazio was our favourite place to swim in the whole country.
We parked higher up and walked about fifteen minutes down rather than driving the long way around to the paid parking. Then we walked to the far end of the main beach, turned right beside the granite boulders and followed the path to a much smaller beach that we had completely to ourselves.
That combination worked perfectly for us: one organised Curieuse day, then one flexible Praslin beach day. Our eight-day Seychelles itinerary shows how I would fit Praslin between Mahé and La Digue without turning every second day into a ferry day.
Want our complete Seychelles route?
Open our eight-day island split, private map and the places we would save again.
See the 8 day Seychelles itinerary →What I Would Do Differently
I would still book the same Curieuse and St Pierre combination. The one thing I would change is giving Praslin more breathing room around it.
Rain and wind washed out part of our first Praslin morning, and working full time meant we used that time at the apartment. I would keep the tour on a fixed day, then leave the beach day flexible so you can choose the best conditions rather than locking every hour before arriving.
I would also stay closer to Anse Lazio if this were a short holiday rather than a longer nomad-style trip. Chez Rona was one of our most personal stays, but the location near Anse Lazio would win for somebody prioritising beach time.
Watch Our Curieuse Island Experience
Our Seychelles vlog shows the tortoises, Curieuse Island, the water around St Pierre and the rest of our route across Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. It is the easiest way to see why this day stood out so much.
Watch our full Seychelles vlog on YouTube
Still planning? Here is how to fit Praslin into the full trip and our honest Seychelles verdict and the sea conditions we experienced in August and where we stayed across all three islands.
FAQs About a Curieuse Island Day Trip
Is Curieuse Island worth visiting?
Yes. Curieuse was our favourite paid activity in Seychelles because it combined free-roaming giant tortoises, an island walk, local history, lunch and snorkelling around St Pierre. It felt like a complete day rather than a short wildlife stop.
How much does a Curieuse Island tour cost?
We paid A$111 per person for our tour in August 2026, plus a protected-area fee of SCR150 per person on arrival. Our total for two was A$251.43. Check the current tour price, inclusions and government fee before travelling because they can change.
Can you visit Curieuse Island from Praslin?
Yes, and Praslin is the base I would choose. Our tour collected us from our Praslin accommodation, included the return boat and dropped us back afterwards.
Can you stay overnight on Curieuse Island?
Curieuse is normally visited as a protected-area day trip rather than used as an accommodation base. Stay on Praslin and book a tour or boat excursion from there.
How long do you need on Curieuse Island?
Allow a full day when combining Curieuse with St Pierre. That gives you time with the tortoises, the island walk, lunch and snorkelling without treating every stop like a photo opportunity.
What is included in a Curieuse Island tour?
Our exact tour included hotel pickup and drop-off on Praslin, the boat, time on Curieuse, a Creole barbecue lunch and snorkelling around St Pierre. The protected-area fee was paid separately.
Do you need cash for Curieuse Island?
We could pay the protected-area fee by cash or card during our visit. I would still carry some Seychellois rupees in case a payment terminal or internet connection is unavailable.
Final Thoughts: Is a Curieuse Island Day Trip Worth It?
Absolutely. Curieuse was the paid day I would protect first in a Seychelles itinerary. The giant tortoises are the initial reason to go, but Obama, the Doctor's House, the coco de mer, the barbecue and that ridiculously blue water are what made the entire day memorable.
If you are staying on Praslin, this is the Curieuse and St Pierre tour we booked. Give it the full day, pack for sun and water, and do not make Curieuse the only part of Praslin you see.
