Aride Island

Praslin Seychelles

#33 Among Things To Do in Seychelles

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Aride Island, Seychelles Overview

One of the Inner Islands, Aride Island is a sight to behold just 10 kilometres off the coast of north Praslin. The island is a 68-hectare site with white sandy beaches and the largest seabird population in the Indian Ocean. This is the northernmost of the granitic islands and has been claimed as a Nature Reserve by the Island Conservation Society of Seychelles. A visit to this beautiful reserve is a must see when visiting Seychelles as it gives you an all-round experience of everything the island nation has to offer. This includes world class diving sites, game fishing, and an array of flora and fauna that is sure to blow your mind away.

Land of the Seabirds

Roseate Tern Bird in Aride Island Seychelles — Roseate Tern often spotted in Aride Island (Source)

Aride is mainly known and is chosen by thousands of tourists due to the huge population of seabirds that reside here. This number of seabirds rises to a straggling million or more which makes Aride's seabird population larger that of the islands in the Indian Ocean and equal to at least all the Inner Islands of Seychelles. There are a total of 18 species found amongst the seabirds out of which 5 are confined to Seychelles and cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Flora and Fauna at Aride Island

Wrights Gardenia Flower in Seychelles — Wrights Gardenia, a unique flower found in Seychelles (Source)

As a nature reserve, Aride is incredibly rich in its flora and fauna. A 2-kilometre circular pathway will take you on a 2-hour walk amongst the vegetation and main sighting spots of Aride. Amongst the millions of seabirds, some of the most famous yet extremely rare birds that you may spot are the Lesser Noddy and the Tropical Shearwater which have their largest colony here. The Sooty Tern also has the world's only hilltop colony residing in Aride Island. The highest population of lizards with diverse species is also found on this very island.

Wrights Gardenia - unique scented shrubs - are the pride and joy of Aride Island and also its national flower. This wonderous flower is not found naturally, anywhere else in the world and this factor makes it even more of a unique flower.

Watersports at Aride Island

The coral reef around the island of Aride is extremely protected which makes the waters surrounding the islands safe for swimming, snorkelling and many other activities. The reef is around 200 metres offshore which gives more than enough space for explorers to cover. These ideal conditions make the area around Aride one of the best diving spots in Seychelles. The variety of fish species runs to almost 400 different species in these waters. Dive into these waters to see these colourful fish swimming around as well bigger, more prominent fish such as the friendly dolphins or the massive whale sharks or even flying fish which make fishing enjoyable.

Landing Fee:

550 SCR (this includes guided hiking tours)

Excursions:

Monday to Friday: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Visits can be pre-booked on Saturdays and Sundays as well.