Scuba diving in

Alphonse, Desroches and the Amirante Islands

Beginning with the African Banks, hundreds of kilometres west of the nation’s capital, and stretching some 500-kilometres south to Alphonse Island and St François, these two island groups account for around half the landmass of the Seychelles, yet are home to less than 2% of the population. Despite being known to traders and sailors since the 1500s, the treacherous reefs around these islands slowed development greatly, and many of the cays and islets in these outer archipelagos remain uninhabited due to their small landmasses and lack of vital resources. Others, like Alphonse and Desroches, having once hosted productive plantations, are now home to luxurious but low key island lodges.

These coral atolls fulfil every fantasy of what a tropical dive holiday should look and feel like - isolated lush green islands surrounded by biodiverse dive sites, thanks to their geographic isolation and modern day protection. Few outside influences affect the region, with little tourist development and scarce commercial fishing. This allows rare and endemic species like birds, fruit bats and giant land tortoises to thrive, alongside marine wildlife like reef manta rays and sailfish. Just a handful of resorts and liveaboards operate in this far-flung stretch of sea, making it one of the planet’s most pristine and exclusive areas for a dive holiday.

It is practically impossible to visit the Seychelles’ Outer Islands without stopping at Mahe’s international airport. This well-connected travel hub receives flights from the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia - and offers domestic connections to some of the outer atolls. Most major resorts in the Amirantes and Alphonse island groups feature their own private runways.

Once you’ve arrived on your island of choice, getting around is easy. The majority of these islets can be explored entirely on foot, and some luxurious lodges also provide bicycles and buggies, making it easy to get out and explore on your own. Connections between the island groups are all arranged via the resorts’ private yachts and planes.

These Outer Islands can also be explored by charter yachts. Some boats depart from inner islands like Mahe and Praslin, while others begin in the Amirante and Alphonse island groups. Be sure to check your itinerary and make arrangements for a transfer with your boat’s operator.

Accommodation is limited in the Outer Islands, with just a handful of luxurious lodges and authentic Seychellois guesthouses on offer. Alphonse Island is the only inhabited island, home to one luxurious resort and its associated liveaboard operation. In the Amirantes, all accommodations are found on Desroches.

Because this region is so remote, resorts offer all-inclusive packages to their guests. You won’t find any shopping, nightlife, or restaurants, and the region’s largest towns are home to well under 100 residents. To get a true taste of these remote destinations, consider exploring the region by boat. Chartered yachts cruise these far-flung atolls, spending a week or more at sea and stopping along the way for scuba diving, snorkelling, and above-water excursions.

These idyllic island chains are year-round tourist destinations, offering a warm tropical climate no matter when you visit. Daily air temperatures average between 24-32°C, and you’ll likely experience a few tropical showers, even if your trip falls during the dry months. That said, conditions do vary slightly with the seasons.

Between May and September, the southeast monsoon brings powerful winds and rough surface conditions to the outer islands. Water temperatures drop as low as 25°C, and plankton blooms cloud the ocean. This region is also prone to thermoclines, especially at the start and end of the monsoon. June and July are the driest months, but both still see some occasional rainfall.

For divers, there are two time frames when ocean conditions are at their best and wildlife encounters peak - from March to May and September to November. During these months, water temperatures climb as high as 30°C and visibility tops out at a stunning 40-metres. These brief windows are ideal for exploring the Amirantes, Alphonse, and Desroches atolls, with calm seas allowing dive boats to reach remote areas that are off-limits during rougher months of the year. Your highest chances for spotting marine life like sailfish and reef mantas are from August to May - but encounters do take place all year round!

The Seychelles have taken a forward approach to conservation, designating large areas of land and sea as nature preserves and national parks. In 2020, the archipelago reached a major milestone, announcing protection for around 30% of its waters - an achievement made possible by the world’s very first debt refinancing for ocean conservation programme, combining the efforts of The Nature Conservancy and the Government of the Seychelles.

This added protection benefits the region’s corals, once pushed to the brink by extreme bleaching, destructive fishing practices, and other climate events. It also helps to preserve essential habitats for a variety of rare species, including the Indian Ocean’s only population of dugongs, Southern Ocean humpback whales, manta rays, sharks, endangered sea turtles, and economically important fish like tuna - all of which now receive increased protection.

The Outer Islands are especially important to the Seychelles’ conservation strategy because they are so biodiverse. They hold nine of the archipelago’s twenty Important Bird Areas (IBAs), vital Green turtle nesting beaches, and a resident population of reef manta rays. Currently, the African Banks, Boudeuse, and Etoile enjoy marine park protection, and the Seychelles’ Island Conservation Society plans to expand park boundaries to include Alphonse Island and Desroches in the coming years.