ABSOLUTEThe waters surrounding Alphonse Island are outstanding for
both diving and snorkeling. The PADI certified dive centre
caters for children, who can experience their first foray
into the underwater world from 9 years old by completing
a Bubble Maker course. It also offers exclusive dives to
families where children from the age of 8 can experience the
wonders of scuba diving with their parents. Alphonse Island
Dive Centre offers a full range of PADI courses from Discover
Scuba diving to Divemaster. Advanced divers can develop
new skill sets all endorsed by the world leading training
agency the Professional Association of Diving Instructors
(PADI). These include PADI Underwater Naturalist, PADI
Deep Diver, PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy, PADI Digital
Underwater Imaging, AWARE Shark Conservation, AWARE
Coral Reef Conservation, AWARE Dive Against Debris,
AWARE Specialist and AWARE Fish Identification.
There are 34 dive sites that surround Alphonse Island,
all of which are easily reached in under 30 minutes on
comfortable purpose-built dive boats. The highlights of
diving in the waters surrounding Alphonse Island include
the chance to see Manta ray and squadrons of Eagle ray, the
‘Wolf Pack’ of hundreds of Bluefin trevally and associates
patrolling or even attacking prey on the reef. Groups of
Bumphead parrotfish, schools of batfish numbering in the
hundreds as well as interesting animal behavior such as
nesting triggerfish can be viewed.
As part of the Blue Safari Seychelles portfolio, Alphonse
Island are committed to the protection of the environment
and as of September 2018, they are proud to have become
the first commercial Outer Island with a hospitality offering
to rely on solar power and go completely ‘off-grid’.
Designed to allow guests to reconnect with nature
while respecting it, the Island Conservation Society (ICS)
team offers activities to create an island that is intimately
connected to the natural environment, which guests are
encouraged to join. By guests assisting the ICS, they gain
a wider understanding of the environment that exists on
Alphonse, St François and Bijoutier and the importance of
their work and how it greatly affects the islands. As part of
the guided walks and Native Vegetation Restoration project,
guests can choose to plant an endemic tree. Swimming with
- and photographing - Manta Rays, is a particularly magical
ocean experience, which helps capture important data
about individual specimens and their movements. These
islands provide important nesting grounds for our endemic
Hawksbill and Green turtles; the turtle patrol and tracking
project provides important insights into the population
numbers and their movement, which helps the team
protect them.
Aquatic adventures at Alphonse Island are not limited
to below the water. Kayaks are a perfect and non-
intrusive way to get up close to turtles and rays around
the flats and allow guests to enjoy Alphonse from a new
perspective. Choose between a guided tour by nature
experts who will point out seabirds and spot fishermen’s
delights such as bonefish, permit and triggerfish, or for
something more private and personal, kayaks are readily
available for guests use. This way guests get to appreciate
the untouched exquisiteness of Alphonse Island solely at
their own pace and a picnic basket can be organised for
you to carry along, ready to choose a spot for a secluded
meal.
If it’s a larger vessel that floats your boat, how about
setting sail into the Alphonse Lagoon on one of the luxury
boats, ready to salute the setting sun with a cocktail or
beer from the onboard bar. Share stories from your week
and bask in the stillness of the departing day.
It’s not just the resort, the diving opportunities, the
thrilling activities and the weather that makes Alphonse
Island so spectacular. Add in the terrain, the techniques,
the season and the species diversity and you have an
incredible mix, custom-made for fly fishing. On the terrain
front, fly fishing in the Alphonse Atoll sets itself apart
due to the largely land-based approach it offers. While
blue-water, boat-based fishing is available to anglers, the
main draw these atolls holds is for the angler to be able
to target challenging species on foot. Whereas saltwater
fly fishing destinations in many parts of the world are
boat-based, the Alphonse Atoll stands apart because of
the opportunities it gives anglers: to wading in shallow,
warm water on hard white sand and turtle grass or on
coral flats for to discover a plethora of exciting new
species. It’s not all catching but getting the opportunity
to cast at behemoth giant trevally or shoals of bonefish
in the same knee-deep water you are standing in, is not
something many fly anglers who are accustomed to boat-
based fishing, will ever forget. It’s not that Seychelles
guides’ and anglers are against boats in any way, but there
is something more tactile, connected and satisfying about
standing in crystal clear water, while site casting at fish.Swimming with - and
photographing - Manta
Rays, is a particularly
magical ocean experience