As part of a holiday to Seychelles in April, we started with a trip to Bird Island! We love nature and birds so this was the place to go. Our agent kindly organised a Seychelles Bird Book beforehand and we had tried to do our homework with what birds we could expect to see. It is very worthwhile to do this.

Firstly, getting there is huge fun on what we dubbed, the "flying car". Such a small plane and you strap yourself in like a car, the engine bubbles to life and off you fly. Like a bird over the sea, over little islands and that beautiful blue, clear water you come to land in the middle of nowhere and feel like you'll land up in the sea as you glide down to meet it. The runway is real short and the pilot needs a medal for landing so beautifullly on the grass! We were met by hotel staff, Robby the conservationst and various guests curious to watch the landing and of course, Esmeralda, the giant tortoise! What a love he is!

The rooms are wonderfully cool and thoughtfully appointed with a backdoor and hose outside to hose down and rinse off sand from cozzies and snorkel gear before stepping straight into the kingsize shower room. Loo is seperate which is sensible. Beds are really comfortable with overhead fan and those awesome huge window shutters held up by a pole. Brown Noddies are all around, on the balcony, on the ground, some feeding their young, they are interesting birds and quite a challenge to spot the Lesser Noddy. Robbie the conservationist is a vast mine of information and nurtures the birds as if they were his own. His intimate knowledge of all the birds gathered from his fore-fathers and carried on today is a legacy which should never die and every effort made to uphold it. White-tailed Tropicbirds (our favourite) were nesting so we got a close up and personal look. They are so trusting and truly, if you've never seen one alive, you ought to! They are the most magnificent birds imaginable. Hand-painted with an unbelievable silver sheen. Bird Island has a lot to offer if you are keen on nature. The system which survives there is amazing and the birds just too beautiful. A few other species of birds which we had hoped to see had moved off already so it's important to learn which is the best time of year if you want to see all the birds, but the numbers are incredible.

Snorkelling is average, the sea a bit rough and early morning there were some baby sharks lazing off the beach which moved off as the sun came up. Typical behaviour to hang around dusk and dawn. However the sea topography is of great interest in some areas around the island and no doubt in quiet weather months the snorkelling must be a treat but the visibility is 30 metres at least, like a giant aquarium!

Food at Bird Island is superb and the chefs ultimately creative. They made a very special effort being Easter and came up with some truly exotic dishes. Again, their own system they have going there ito sustainable living is to be admired. Their meat, fresh produce, all from the island is a treat and an education. Robbie's walks around the island pointing out plants, trees, bird habits etc. is of utmost interest. He even managed to organise a baby turle releasing - what a treasure to capture this on film and more so to experience it firsthand. It is very humbling and moving. We had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of former CEO Sanparks who was there with his kids and grand-kids! Also, what awesome people and true lovers of nature. At Bird Island you will find like-minded gentle folk who really enjoy nature at it's best and who love to share their experiences and knowledge. No pretentiousness, airs or graces but the charm of Bird Island will overwhelm you. It is a very precious place and the people who are living and working there need to be admired and recognised for their efforts. If it's freedom to live in a costume and sarong, just be yourself, go exploring, wide open spaces, hot sunny weather, clear blue skies, sparkling sea to splash and snorkel in and raw nature you're after, then Bird Island is for you. An extraordinary experience.

This place is an experience! On some levels it's quite extreme with heat, flies and 24 hr bird noise but this is supplanted by a very special experience which gives you a feel of what the Sey heeled were like in the pre tourist era. Extremely nice owner and wildlife guide. Not for the faint hearted but definately for those looking beyond the tourist traps

Half an hour by plane from the main island of Mahe. Not as luxurious as some places in the Seychelles but still an amazing experience. Don't go if you are not keen on wildlife! The villas are very comfortable, the food is excellent and all included in the price. The staff are very friendly and helpful. A must do is the nature walk with Robert - he knows his stuff and can talk at length!! The Sooty Tern colony is a spectacle and there are lots of other birds to see up close. The beaches a secluded and very beautiful. The snorkelling is also excellent, we saw green turtle with a juvenile and a large group of 9 very large rays. 2 days seems to be about the right amount of time to stay.

Bird Island is remarkable . There cannot be many places on the planet where men, beasts, birds and fish live in such peaceful harmony. Giant tortoises are free to amble about the island, Birds nest on the ground and in the numerous trees, and don't mind at all if you approach them carefully to take a really close-up photo. Robby the resident naturalist gathers the sea turtle eggs, incubates them protected from predators, then when they hatch, launches them down the beach into the sea. This way very many lives of this delightful species are saved. We snorkled alongside a trio of large stingrays. They didn't mind at all!

The accomodation is comfortable but not luxurious. The individual cabins are laid out on either side of the main lodge with ample space between them to ensure privacy. The many birds can make it a bit noisy, especially at roosting time and as the sun rises, but our sleep was never disturbed. If you get up early enough you will find Marie-France, the owner of the island, sweeping and dusting the hotel reception area. She walks round her island every day to make sure that all is as it should be. The staff are charming, smiling and happy to help guests make the most of their visitt. The food is deliciously simple, maiinly creole in style, with fresh fish straight out of the sea served on most days. Once we had adjusted to the very gentle and slow pace of life we became completely relaxed. A week here is a better cure for stress than any doctor could perscribe Marie-France has got the ambiance just right- the garden of Eden without snakes nor the tree of temptation.