Alphonse Island Lodge

Overview

When it comes to getting off the beaten track and experiencing a truly pristine environment above and below the waves, it is hard to beat Alphonse Island Lodge. Located in the Outer Islands of the Seychelles, the Alphonse Atoll is made up of three islands including Alphonse, St. Francois and Bijoutier and is home to world-class diving in the heart of the Indian Ocean.  

In Depth

Alphonse island is made up of over five kilometres of white sand beach, fringed with dense natural forest and the occasional remnants of old commercial coconut groves. It is the very definition of a remote tropical island paradise, and with the minimal footprint of just 27 rooms, suites and villas, the opportunities to explore the flora and fauna are hard to beat in the Indian Ocean. 

The majority of the rooms are made up of simple, A-frame bungalows that are extremely comfortable and the perfect place to rest one’s head between dives or activities. The Suites and Villas ooze beach chic with private pools and feel that little bit more exclusive so are perfect for those looking for a bit more luxury.  

The hub of the resort encompasses a large swimming pool, main restaurant Bijoutier and the lively Le Lys Bar which is the heartbeat of the resort. Head here in the evenings to hear guests fishing and diving highlights of the day, and enjoy excellent cocktails before being served delicious, fresh cuisine with sand between your toes. A ‘kitchen run’ fishing trip takes place every couple of days and alongside the organic garden, enables the resort to run as sustainably as possible. Once a week, take yourself to the idyllic Sunset Bar where live cooking stations are set-up for guests to enjoy a BBQ whilst the sun goes down. 

The Diving

With some of the very best diving in the Indian Ocean, Alphonse Island Lodge is naturally home to a 5* PADI Dive centre with an experienced team of dive professionals and marine biologist. Due to the isolation of the island and consequently the low fishing pressure, the abundance and size of the fish is huge in contrast to the Inner Islands and alongside the pristine coral reefs, makes for some world-class diving.  

The island itself has a stunning house reef of healthy corals and the atoll has wide range of dive sites to suit all divers, so beginners to professionals are welcomed by the dive team. Stunning drop-offs are frequented by large schools of barracuda, trevally, batfish, snapper and predators such as tuna, naploean wrasse, potato cod. It is always worth keeping an eye out to the blue as many shark species can be seen here including hammerhead, bull, silvertip, tawny nurse, whitetip reef and grey reef, as well as mantas and even some truly unique sightings such as humpback whales or whale sharks. Even if these larger species don’t turn up, both hawksbill and green turtles can be seen in abundance (our Reefscape record count was 15 turtles in one 3-minute safety stop) and an array of macro.

Beyond the Reef

Whilst the diving is a highlight in this unique atoll, there is so much to explore and it is well worth doing so. Alphonse Island Lodge offer snorkelling with mantas and sailfish, turtle hatching and spotting, bird watching, conservation experiences, world-class fly-fishing, bluewater fishing and exploring the uninhabited islands of Bijoutier and St Francois.