Inner Islands | So Seychelles

Inner Islands

Longue Island

Longue Island was named for its long shape by Captain Nicholas Morphey in 1756. It is 800 metres long and 300 metres wide. It is situated 5.6 kilometres east of Mahe Island. Sainte-Anne Marine Park surrounds the islands near Longue including Moyenne, Cerf, Round, Cachee and St. Anne Islands.

Longue Island does not have the extraordinary flora and fauna that the other islands have, but it has an interesting history.

The History

Captain Morphey was French/Irish from Brittany. He arrived at what is today Seychelles, on the Cerf accompanied by Captain Prejean on the Saint Benoit. They celebrated the feast of Sainte Anne, who is the patron saint of Breton corsairs and other seamen, on September 9th, 1756. At that time, Morphey named Cerf Island after his ship and Sainte Anne Island in homage of his patron saint.

Felicite Island

Felicite Island is a small granitic island that is four kilometres east of La Digue Island in Seychelles. Felicite was a coconut plantation in the early 1900s and had a native population of about 50. In the late 19th century, the British exiled Sultan Abdullah of Perak to the island after an uprising in the Perak region of Malaysia. After five years he moved to Mahe.

Felicite, Ile Cocos (part of a marine park), Les Soeurs, and Marianne Island, which has world-class diving areas are all considered satellite islands of La Digue. Over half of the islands in Seychelles are protected natural reserves, and just a few islands are open for development. Felicite is one such island, that it is said will be developed 'tastefully', with eco-friendly policies and homes for private ownership as well as a luxury resort.

Cousin Island

Cousin Island is a small island that is part of Seychelles. The island is two kilometres west of Praslin Island. The whole island is a nature reserve since 1968 when it became the first internationally owned reserve. It is protected by Seychelles law and managed by Nature Seychelles.

It has also been declared an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International. Dedicated ornithologists regularly visit the island to see the Seychelles magpie-robin, Seychelles warbler and Seychelles fody, which are only found on four other rat-free islands in the country.

The Island Reclaimed

Cousin was made a coconut plantation in the early 1900s and most of its native plants were removed or destroyed. In 1968, all of the coconut trees were removed so the native flora and fauna could recover. Today, the island is a diverse ecosystem that has its original vegetation along with the return of its endemic species of land birds.

Aride Island

Aride Island is a granitic island of the Seychelles that is located 10 kilometres north of Praslin Island. It is 68 hectares in area, 1.6 kilometres long and 0.6 kilometres wide. The island is a Special Nature Reserve under Seychelles law that has been managed by the Island Conservation Society of Seychelles since 2004. The only people who reside on the island are the rangers and conservation officers and two volunteers.

The Island

Known as the Seabird Citadel of the Indian Ocean, Aride Island has been a reserve since 1967. In 1973, Christopher Cadbury bought it, and prior to that time, many of the endemic land and sea birds no longer existed on the island.

Chauve Souris Island

Chauve Souris is only an island at high tide. At low tide, it is part of a peninsula extending from Praslin Island, and guests can freely walk from one to the other. Chauve Souris is its own little world, partially separate but enjoying the facilities and activities of the larger island.

Island History

Like all the Seychelles, Chauve Souris and Praslin Island have a history filled with color and adventure. These islands have not always been the lush tourist attractions they are today. They began appearing on European maps in the early 16th century , but they were too isolated to arouse much interest. Only when the spice trade opened up with India did the nations of Europe start noticing the Seychelles because of their strategic position in the Indian Ocean.

Cerf Island

Cerf Island is one of the unspoiled jewels of the Seychelles. Located in one of the lushest and most beautiful marine environments in the world, it offers a rare experience for divers and all lovers of nature. Here, a tranquil setting, luxurious accommodation and stunning natural beauty combine to create a tropical Paradise that is a complete departure from overcrowded tourist traps. The beaches look like pictures from a storybook, the ocean is still in its pristine state and all of it is just waiting to be discovered by the eager traveler.

Silhouette Island

Twenty kilometers to the northwest of Mahé, the Seychelles' best known island, lies Silhouette Island, the third largest of the archipelago's granitic island.

Silhouette Island is home to the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa, a five-star resort, as well as incense trees, 125 year old giant tortoises and an abundance of other rare plants and animals. The island has been a marine national park since 1987. Over 92 percent of the island has been designated a protected area.