If you’re a bird lover, this island is the most obvious place to visit. Home to over a million sea birds, it’s a 30 minute flight from Mahe and relatively remote.

There is only one place to stay here, Bird Island Lodge, but many visitors find the experience addictive, returning again and again to enjoy its simplicity. While there is not a huge range of activities on offer, guests on Bird Island are encouraged to roam freely and to participate in the island’s turtle conservation project.

The island is also a popular game fishing destination. The best time to see the birds is between April and October – their breeding season. An enormous tern colony takes over a chunk of the island and the sheer number of birds has to be seen to be believed.