Aride Island Nature Reserve is open to visitors from Sunday through to Thursday from 10am (other days and times are possible with prior arrangement with the Wardens - please try to make such arrangements at least 48 hours in advance).

Please note: Aride is sometimes closed to visitors from May to September, the southeast monsoon season, when strong winds and rough seas make boat landings on Aride difficult. To avoid disappointment, try to arrange a visit early in your holiday leaving an alternate date to fall back on should your first visit be cancelled due to bad weather.

You can arrange a visit through tour operators, boat operators and most major hotels on Praslin. Operators that can take you to Aride Island include:

• Louis Bedier’s boats, Cote d’Or, Tel: 232192 or 513840, (Sailfish, Delfino and Espadron).
• Kevin L’esperance’s boats, Paradise Sun Hotel, Code d’Or, Tel: 232234, (Sagittarius I, II, and II).
• Octopus Diving, Anse Volbert, Tel: 232602 or 512350, (Octopus I and II).
• Les Rochers, La Gros Roche, Tel: 514034, (la Sirene).
• Pierre D’offay’s boats, L’archipel Hotel, Anse Governent, Tel: 515998, (Bigerad and Early Bird).
• Beach Villas, Grand Anse, Tel: 233445 or 513098.
• Edwin Rose’s boat, Cote d'Or, Tel: 512298, (Barracuda).
• Dream Yacht, Yacht Charter, Baie St Anne, Tel:232681.
• La Reserve, Anse Petit Cour, Tel:298000.
• Lemuria Resort, Tel: 281281, (Challenger)

If you happen to be staying only on Mahé, it is still possible to visit Aride by taking an early flight to Praslin. First check times with your chosen boat operator, noting that it may be better to join one of the boats sailing from Grand Anse which is closer to the airport, rather than take a taxi across Praslin to Baie Ste Anne or Cote d’Or. If you choose the latter alternative, please allow an extra 20 minutes for the taxi ride. Then call Air Seychelles on 381340 to arrange your flight.

Alternatively, it is possible for you to travel from Mahé to Praslin on the 07:30am crossing of the fast ferry Cat Cocos (call Inter-island Boats on 324843), arriving at Baie Ste Anne jetty, Praslin at 08:30am. It is then a short walk to the adjacent jetty of Dream Yacht where you can join one of their organised trips (having booked this prior to your departure). The last return crossing of Cat Cocos to Mahé departs at 17:30pm.

Charges made by operators vary depending on what is included and do not always include the island entrance fee as follows: €30 for adults and €15 for children (children under three years old may enter for free, Seychellois and residents may also enter for free on presentation of a Seychelles ID card). You may wish to bring extra money to purchase a memento of your visit from our visitor's centre.

Arrangements should also be made with the boat operator for food and drinks as there are none available for sale on Aride Island. Often the boat operators prepare an excellent barbecue. You may also have time at the end of the day for your boat operator to take you by boat around the island, but please do not disturb the sensitive frigatebirds roosting on the North side of the island by making loud noises.

You should aim to arrive at Aride Island by 10:00am as the boatmen who ferry visitors ashore then act as tour guides to take visitors around the island and as such may not be available to land late-comers.