Travel to Salvation Islands (Îles du Salut) is easy by boat from the Kourou Ponton des pêcheurs. The trip takes about an hour and the view of the islands and the mainland coast are spectacular. If you look carefully at the mainland, you can see the rocket launchpads dotted around the landscape. Along the way, the water was very brown except just near the islands, which was a brilliant blue. On the way the waves were rough, and I felt a bit sick even with motion sickness medication. Luckily, on the way back in the sunset was a lot calmer and enjoyable!
There are three islands, Île Royale, Île St-Joseph and Île du Diable (Devil’s Island). On the islands, you can see military barracks, a hospital, and prisons. We also saw a cemetery, a lighthouse, a restaurant, potentially a former swimming pool, and petroglyphs. Île Royale is the largest island to explore and we spotted monkeys, agouti and turtles. The boat could dock and there is one restaurant/cafe and accommodation. It was possible to swim from the boat to Île St-Joseph or take a small dinghy. Devil’s island is off limits to visitors and looks wild with vegetation. In fact, I had not really heard much about these islands except with reference to the famous French prisoner, Papillon. What a wonderful experience to spend the day visiting these beautiful places!
Highlights
- Île Royale
- Prison ruins
- Old hospital
- Lighthouse
- Living quarters for officers
- Île St-Joseph
- Building ruins on a hill via a rocky path
- Petroglyphs
- Beach for swimming
- Île du Diable, visible only from the boat and other islands. Wild vegetation and prison ruins
- Wildlife including monkeys, agouti, sea turtles, birds and manatees
Before you go
- Waves can be rough so if you get seasick, you may want to take meds
- Wear sunscreen and insect repellant
- Hot, humid weather with rainy season from December to June
- The clarity of the water depends on the currents so if you are lucky, it will be less muddy and brown
- There is only one restaurant cafe so bring water and snacks. It was meant to take credit card but the machine did not always work so have cash
- Be aware of monkeys as they are quick and can steal your things. We saw it happen!
Transport
- Travel to Salvation islands from Kourou is by boat. There was one that could be booked per passenger. We were in a group and on a boat with one or two other groups. It’s about an hour each way
- Walking around the islands is easy with some hills and rocky paths
Accommodation
- We didn’t stay on the islands but there is a one accomodation available on Île Royale, L’auberge des îles. We stayed nearby at Hôtel Atlantis Kourou and that was fine to access the islands.
- As usual I recommend checking reviews on Google Reviews or using AirBnB
Food
There was limited food on the island, only one restaurant and cafe at the L’auberge des îles. The cafe was a good place to stop for cold drinks and a sandwich. I had a tasty cheese baguette and ginger juice. And for those with more time, there is a restaurant with an ocean view.
For the day, it is a good idea to bring a bottle of water and snacks.
FAQs
Q: Do I need a tour guide?
A: Yes, probably or at least you need to book a tour to take a boat to and around the islands
Q: Do people speak English?
A: Some people do, but it is useful to know French or have a translation app such as GoogleTranslate
Q: Is it a walkable place?
A: You will need a boat to get to the islands. However, once you are on the islands, you can walk around. In fact, there are no cars on the islands so you have to walk
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