Outer Island Journey

Properties featured in this itinerary:  Alphonse Island, Assumption Island and Aldabra Atoll 

Whilst the granitic inner islands are certainly beautiful, with their rugged boulders and steep mountains, the outer islands are remote, unspoiled and mostly untouched, with humans having placed very little pressure on the ecosystem.  With no mobile signal, the outer islands certainly allow you to get away from the pressures of every day life.

Day 1

Arrive at Victoria Airport, Mahé, and transfer to the private IDC Hangar, about 5 minutes’ away, from where your flight to Alphonse Island will depart. After a short 1-hour flight, you will see the islands of Bijoutier, Alphonse and St. François on the horizon, before the plane lowers over the ocean and gently touches down on a narrow strip between palm trees.

Upon arrival you will be met by the Alphonse Island management team and transported to the hotel by golf cart. Indemnities will be signed followed by a comprehensive briefing on what to expect during your stay.  You will then be shown to your accommodation to settle in and to unpack. Once unpacked, make your way on your bicycle to the diving centre where Sam and Lucy will give you a rundown of what to expect over the next few days.

To save some time once on the island, they will also happily provide the theoretic coursework to you prior to your arrival on the island, allowing you to immediately start the practical portion after arrival. Once you have your schedule for the next few days, you can either explore the island by bicycle or just relax around the pool or at the “Le Lys” bar while enjoying an ice cold beer or two until dinner is served at 19:30 pm.

Day 2

Start off your morning with breakfast overlooking the lagoon. The quiet serenity of your surroundings are sure to assist you in starting off your day with complete and utter peace of mind. Spend the day enjoying the remote tranquillity of this gorgeous island by bicycle.

The island slowly reveals its riches and mysteries: the remnants of an old cemetery; the desalination plant and vegetable garden; the tortoise breeding pen; and the unspoiled beaches. The remnants of the old coconut plantation and the lush and densely populated interior echo with the melodious trills and calls of numerous species of land and seabirds whilst giant tortoises meander along. 

Day 3

After breakfast, why not get the accommodating staff to pack you a picnic basket and cycle to your favourite beach for some stunning snorkelling? The reef is only a few metres out, and after a short swim over turtle grass, the delights of the unspoiled waters around Alphonse Island awaits you.

With regular sites such as the endangered Hawksbill Turtle and the shy octopus, you might not want to leave the tropical waters. After enjoying your peaceful picnic on the beach with the warm turquoise water lapping at your toes, pack up and head to the Azure Spa for a Hot Stone massage, designed to completely relax the mind and body; releasing tensions held in stressed and tired muscles.

The rest of the afternoon can be spent exploring some more of the island, and by visiting the amazing giant Aldabra tortoises.

Day 4

After breakfast, head over to the Fishing Centre where Devon and his team will take you out for a day of blue water game fishing. With a catch-and-release policy, the waters around Alphonse Island remain almost unequalled for the combination of salt water and deep sea fishing on offer.

With this natural sanctuary being home to flagship species such as Sailfish, Dogtooth Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna, Wahoo, Giant Trevally, Dorado, Tropical Amberjack, Green and Rosy Jobfish, as well as a variety of Trevally, Snapper, Wrasse and Grouper; you are sure to head home with tales to tell.

Day 5

After having been introduced properly to the outer islands, get set for a once-in-a-lifetime visit to Aldabra Atoll, the largest raised coral atoll in the world, comprising more than a dozen islands bordering a lagoon so vast the whole of Mahé could fit inside its perimeter. It is situated 1,150 kilometres southwest of Mahé, a natural wonder almost completely untouched by humans for thousands of years.

For the few visitors who get to the island, the experience is extraordinary. Visits to Aldabra are managed quite strictly, and people wishing to visit Aldabra must get permission from the Seychelles Islands Foundation at their head office. Tourism increases the revenue needed to support the conservation and protection of Aldabra, but is strictly limited to nature tourism and education. Fees are charged and used towards the continuing conservation of the island, i.e. a daily landing fee for all foreign visitors, and a photography/filming fee for still photography and cine/video photography for all professional photographers and journalists.

The four main islands are formed from coral limestone, separated by narrow passages and encircling a shallow lagoon. Inside this lagoon is a spectacle of natural phenomena including many smaller islands, whilst the entire outside of the atoll is surrounded by a fringing reef. The oceanic island ecosystem developed without human interruption, and the development of the different landforms has created several different marine habitats including coral reefs, sea-grass beds and mangrove mudflats. The land surface is mostly ancient coral reef that is about 125,000 years old and that has been continually raised above sea level.