If You Like the Seychelles, You’ll Love Bird Island

Bird Island, a coral island covering just under 1 km², is the northernmost island in the Seychelles. It lies around 100 km, or a 40-minute flight, from the main island of Mahé and is considered one of the so-called ‘Northern Coral Islands’.

Welcome to Bird IslandThe bird that gave Bird Island its name The Northern Coral Islands are those islands of the Republic which, although located within the Seychelles Bank, are not made of granite like the main islands, but are coral in origin. This is evident, for example, in the even paler sand, which is almost pure white. These northern coral islands include Bird Island as well as Denis Island.

Bird Island from above We began our journey after spending a few days on the main island of Mahé, where we checked in at the new ‘domestic flights’ terminal. It is worth mentioning in passing that arriving at the terminal 40 minutes before departure is perfectly sufficient.

Beach on Bird Island As you can also read online, Bird Island was bought by Guy Savy in 1967 and has been privately owned ever since. In January 2016, he handed the island and its management over to his sons, Nicholas and Alex. The two brothers take turns staying on the island and are very sociable – it is a real pleasure to listen to their stories about the island. As a small Air Seychelles aircraft lands on Bird Island every day, the brothers can also travel to or from the island at short notice. Both have their families on Mahé.

The only hotel on Bird Island Sometimes we dream. We dream of turquoise water stretching endlessly into the distance, of the warming sun and the feeling that everything around us has been forgotten. Anyone who wants to live this dream should visit Bird Island. Everything we sometimes dream of becomes reality here. A unique landscape combined with truly incredible beauty. Even as you approach, Bird Island gives you a sense of what awaits. With only a limited number of guests allowed on the island, it is almost impossible to encounter anyone outside the restaurant – and if you do, you soon lose sight of one another again.

When you do meet other people, it is usually in the hotel restaurant. Three times a day, guests are treated to excellent Creole dishes. Although the choice is always limited, the quality is superb. Unlike in large hotels, here the head chef personally serves you and describes the day’s dishes, most of which are made with ingredients grown on the island.

We have been travelling to the Seychelles for years, but Bird Island was the first place where we managed to see a sea turtle underwater, even though we are ‘only’ snorkellers and not divers. The turtles are not at all shy and, if you wish, will accompany you for quite some time while you snorkel. An absolute must for anyone who loves the underwater world.

A grand gathering The nights on Bird Island feel more like camping than staying at a luxury resort, but this should be clear before booking. A large proportion of the income goes towards conserving the island’s natural environment. The bungalows are spacious and completely open, which is very pleasant given the temperatures, particularly at night. However, when you arrive, the island’s staff strongly recommend making sure that no lights are left on in the bungalow at night. There is a simple reason for this: if you leave the bungalow to go to dinner, for example, you may quickly find that a bird has made itself at home inside. It can then be rather difficult to persuade it to spend the night outdoors again.

Conclusion

If you enjoy nature in all its different forms, Bird Island is highly recommended: a 100% natural sanctuary where frayed nerves can unwind and close encounters with turtles and birds are possible. The long Bird Island Beach is perfect for extended walks lasting several hours, with the occasional refreshing dip in the crystal-clear sea along the way. Would we recommend it? A very definite Y E S!
Secluded beach on Bird Island