Aldabra: Atoll, Protected Area and Travel Planning

Aldabra Atoll consists of four large coral islands enclosing a shallow lagoon; the island group is surrounded by a coral reef. Together, the islands, lagoon and reef define the character of the atoll. For travel planning, the special access arrangements and accommodation aboard a ship are also important alongside this natural environment.

Getting There and Accommodation

Visitors reach Aldabra aboard liveaboard vessels. There is no runway, harbour, jetty or helipad on the atoll. Visitors must arrange accommodation aboard the vessel that collects them from Assumption or takes them from Mahé to Aldabra. The Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF) does not provide visitor accommodation. Confirm the current transport arrangements before travelling. Since transport and overnight stays aboard the vessel are connected, it is advisable to plan both together.

Protected Area and Habitats

Aldabra was declared a Special Reserve under the Seychelles National Parks and Nature Conservancy Act. The Seychelles Islands Foundation operates a limited and strictly controlled tourism policy to protect the atoll and its biodiversity. Aldabra was also inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its protected status and controlled tourism policy are as much a part of what defines the destination as its geography.

Aldabra’s marine habitats include coral reefs, seagrass meadows and mangrove mudflats. These habitats show little human influence. Together with the shallow lagoon and coral reef, they shape the atoll’s natural character through a variety of habitat types.

Giant tortoises are also central to Aldabra’s natural significance: the atoll is their only remaining habitat. UNESCO describes the tortoises as the last survivors of a life form that once also occurred on other islands in the Indian Ocean. This creates a particular connection between their current distribution on Aldabra and the former range of this life form across the Indian Ocean.

Historic Routes and Terrain

A guide from September 2020 describes a historic tour that starts at the Research Station and follows a coastal path along Settlement Beach towards Old Settlement. The tour visits the remains of buildings from the early 20th century. These buildings served a different purpose from today’s Research Station, so the route described takes in evidence of different historic uses.

The guide also describes the Backpath tour. It leads behind the Research Station, away from the buildings and into overgrown field areas. Along the way, the path passes a tidal pool into which seawater flows and crosses fossil coral. This fossil coral provides a foundation for habitats and species. The route descriptions emphasize different features: the historic tour leads to traces of buildings and Old Settlement, while the Backpath description highlights the tidal pool and fossil coral.

Discover more destinations: Desroches.

For the overview of the wider region: Outer Islands.