CC BY-SA 2.0, Adrian Scottow, Wikimedia CommonsLandmark· Denis· Seychelles
Denis Island
3° 48.2′ S · 55° 40.2′ E
A flat 1.4 sq km coral cay on the northern lip of the Seychelles Bank, about 50 nm north of Victoria, wooded with coconut, takamaka and casuarina and run as a private eco-resort. It is one of only two coral islands an Inner-Islands charter can reach, and it has rare endemic land birds, nesting turtles and a 1910 lighthouse.
Practical
Private island: the resort is for staying guests, and a 2011 landing-fee list put Denis among the private islands closed to the public (verify locally). Charter yachts need special authorisation from the Seychelles Ports Authority before sailing here (Moorings eGuide 2024 edition). Ask the resort in advance whether you may land (info@denisisland.com, +248 428 8963 per the resort website). The surrounding waters are protected, with no fishing except the resort's organised charters. No mobile signal on the island. The only reported anchorage is on the west side in 35-40 m (see Denis Island Anchorage). About 51 nm from Victoria (great-circle distance computed from Wikipedia coordinates).
Best for
A rare coral-cay landfall within day-sail range of Mahé
Season
Calmest in the April and October-November transitions; surf breaks heavily on the E and S shores in the SE trades
Nearby
- Denis Island Airstrip0.2 NM away
- Denis Island Bird Conservation Walks0.3 NM away
- Denis Island Lighthouse (1910)0.3 NM away
- Denis Island Tide Gauge0.3 NM away
- Denis Island Turtle Nesting0.5 NM away
- Denis Island Sport Fishing (The Drop-Off)0.7 NM away
- Denis Island Protected Waters0.9 NM away
- Denis Island Anchorage (West Side)1.1 NM away