Alphonse Atoll

Alphonse Atoll
	Alphonse Atoll Location of Alphonse Island in Seychelles
Geography
Location	Indian Ocean
Coordinates	07°01′S 52°44′E / 7.017°S 52.733°E
Archipelago	Seychelles
Adjacent to	Indian Ocean
Administration
	Seychelles
Demographics
Demonym	Creole
Population	82
Additional information
Time zone	SCT (UTC+4);
Official website	www.seychelles.travel/en/discover/the-islands/outer-islands

Alphonse Atoll is one of two atolls of the Alphonse Group, the other being St. François Atoll — both in the Outer Islands (Coralline Seychelles) coral archipelago of the Seychelles.

Geography

Alphonse Atoll lies 87 kilometres (54 miles) south of the main Amirantes bank, from which it is separated by deep water. It has a distance of 400 kilometres (250 miles) south of Victoria, Seychelles. Alphonse lies just two kilometres (1.2 miles) north of St. François Atoll, separated from it by a deep channel. The atoll has just one island, Alphonse Island, with a population of 108 people who work in the Alphonse hotel or maintain the runway and island for the IDC.

The area of the island is 1.71 square kilometres (0.66 square miles). The total area of the atoll, with 5.5 kilometres (3 miles) in diameter, is 19 square kilometres (7 square miles), including reef flat and lagoon.

History

In 1562 the whole of the Alphonse Group (Alphonse, St. François and Bijoutier) are collectively named on Portuguese charts as San Francisco. Chevalier Alphonse de Pontevez^[1] commanding the French frigate Le Lys visited on 27 June 1730 and gave the islands his own name. The following day he visited and named the neighboring island of St. François possibly following the former Portuguese name for the group. A small resort hotel was built on Alphonse Island in 1999, the island was a private plantation, only opened in 1999 to the public. in 2007 it was bought 50% by LUX hotels branch of Desroches and then sold to Great Plains Group due to financial difficulties. After a failed attempt to build an extreme luxury villa development it was sold in 2013 to the Collins family. The hotel has now been totally renovated into a very successful eco orientated resort. http://www.alphonse-island.com/en

Flora and Fauna

in 2007, Island Conservation Society established a conservation center on Alphonse to manage conservation on the island and on neighboring St. François.

Wedge-tailed shearwaters breed despite the presence of rats and cats. The common waxbill (probably introduced) breeds and is found nowhere else in Seychelles other than Mahe and La Digue. The introduced house sparrow also breeds. The isolation of Alphonse acts as a magnet to migratory birds and Seychelles Bird Records Committee has recorded more bird species here than anywhere south of the granitics apart from Aldabra, including the only record of sociable lapwing for the entire southern hemisphere and the first country records of red knot, tufted duck and common chiffchaff. Recently Alphonse island Hotel, The Island Development Company and The Island Conservation Society set up an Alphonse Foundation to fund the conservation efforts on Alphonse Island, Bijoutier and St Francois.

Transport

The island is bisected by a 1,220 metres (4,000 ft) Alphonse Airport (ICAO code:FSAL) that crosses the island diagonally. The airfield was renovated in 2000, and is now serviced between two and five times a week with an IDC operated flights.

Economics

Alphonse Island has a well established hotel that caters to the luxury travel sector and offer its guests a sensational and unique experiences that cannot be encountered anywhere else in the Seychelles. The destination focusses on the wide range of truly magical and wonderful encounters that are exclusive to the island itself. The Alphonse Group of Islands, which is the uninhabited islands of St Francois and Bijoutier as well as the inhabited island of Alphonse are considered to the most remote, pristine and unspoilt group of islands in the Seychelles.

All twenty-two Beach Bungalows and five spacious Beach Villas have been extensively refurbished, along with the beach bar and restaurant, in a style and colour palate that reflects the ambience and atmosphere of the island.

Alphonse Island has gained an enviable reputation as one of the best fly fishing destinations in the world. However, the Alphonse Group of Islands are stunningly beautiful and we wanted to share the encounters families, children, honeymooners and couples can experience within these remote islands.

Fully encompassing the true spirit of the Seychelles, guests staying at Alphonse Island can gain a proficient understanding of the pristine, unspoilt environment that exists. Alphonse Island has implemented a wide and varied range of activities and excursions which include but are not limited to: snorkelling trips, diving lessons and visits to nearby dive sites as well as island and nature conservation walks to the remote and uninhabited islands of Bijoutier and St Francois.

Tourism

Accommodations consist of twenty-one beach bungalows and five villas, all situated on the edge of the sparkling, turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean and decorated in understated natural hues, inspired by the island. The central dining and bar area allows guests to socialize alongside the shimmering pool and shoreline. The mouth-watering cuisine is inspired by authentic creole traditions and fresh produce farmed on the island and fish caught that day are always on the menu, but diversity is key and dishes featured on the menu include those inspired by Asian influences; sensational sashimi, vibrant noodles and light curries are all complimented by a comprehensive wine list.

The on-site PADI dive centre offers diving courses for beginners and qualified divers can explore the fifteen dives sites that surround Alphonse. The sites are easily accessible and vary between five and thirty minutes from the dive boat mooring site. Snorkelling is a wonderful way to explore the dazzling technicolour array of marine life. Alphonse offers dedicated guided snorkelling trips and the expert guides will take you to some of the best sites so you can see an magnificent assortment of aquatic life in all its glory.

Famed across the globe for its world-class fishing facilities, Alphonse offers a comprehensive array of game, fly and flat fishing. With its own small fleet of boats and the most experienced and dedicated angling guides, as well as a comprehensive fishing tackle and gear shop, Alphonse offers guests an outstanding and memorable fishing experience. From complete novices to the expert angler, Alphonse Island caters for all.

The exceptional natural beauty of the island along with the freedom of movement around the island on foot or bicycle permits self-discovery of the wonders of this magical island.