Aride Island Seychelles La Cour
20
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Emerald Waterways (20 Cruises)
Emerald Kaia
20 Cruises
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight onto the beach, in a light boat the island's wardens work through the surf. There is no pier. Depending on the swell the arrival can be lively, and your feet usually end up in warm water.
Its birds. The northernmost of the granitic Seychelles is only 1.6 kilometres long, yet more than a million seabirds nest there: one of the greatest concentrations in the entire Indian Ocean.
Sooty terns, noddies, red-tailed tropicbirds and frigatebirds share the branches and ledges. The colonies of roseate terns and lesser noddies are among the largest in the world, and the tropical shearwater nests under the granite boulders.
No. Visits happen with a reserve guide, along shaded trails that climb toward the ridge. Aride is a strict nature reserve with no hotel, road or shop: only the wardens and a few scientists live there.
A chocolate maker. In 1973 Britain's Christopher Cadbury bought it and handed it to conservation, ending a long history as a working coconut plantation. Since then the original vegetation has been regaining ground and the colonies have kept growing.
A shrub with white flowers speckled purple that grows wild only on Aride Island. Guides are happy to point it out, along with the young forests replanted since the coconut plantation ended.
Not at all. In nesting season they sometimes brood a metre from the path, indifferent to visitors. So stay on the trail and watch where you step: some nests are on the ground.
Yes, in nesting season: hawksbill turtles come to lay their eggs on the beach. On the ground it is the lizards that surprise most, at a density among the highest on the planet.
For children who can walk and who like birds, yes. The surf landing and the climb to the ridge do call for confidence, though; with young children, check the day's conditions with the expedition team.
Shoes that can get wet, a hat, sunscreen, water and binoculars. Nothing can be bought on the island, and the noise of the colonies makes earplugs useful for sensitive ears.
