Moyenne Island, Seychelles Overview

Moyenne Island is situated 4.5 kilometres off the north coast of Mahe, Seychelles. Located in Ste Anne Marine National Park, it is spread over an area of just 0.038 square miles. The best way to enjoy your time on the island is just to stroll around and watch the giant tortoises roaming freely all over. The highlight of the island is snorkelling and these 120 Aldabra giant tortoises. It also has a lovely beach to relax and unwind.

The island has a whopping number of 16000 trees. Being rich in flora and fauna, the underwater life of the island is equally amazing including sharks and rays. An uphill walk on the island will lead you to a small chapel. Here you'll find some graves along with 2 unidentified graves believed to be that of pirates.

If you want to know more about the island, watch the video being played in the small history room. There's also a small museum showcasing a variety of shells and plants. Several tour groups take tourists to the island, especially for snorkelling. To satiate your hunger pangs, while enjoying the beach breeze, there's this famous Jolly Roger Bar & Restaurant on the island.

Background

Brendon Grimshaw, a British editor, bought the island in 1962 for an amount of £8,000. Together with his partner, Rene Antoine Lafortune, he transformed the wild desolate island into a paradisiacal nature spot. They planted around 16000 trees, cleared paths, introduced birds and tortoises and over 45 endemic plants to beautify the island.

He inhabited the island along with his Testudine friends and charged people for visiting it. Rumours suggested that there is Pirate treasure hidden in the island. Although Grimshaw couldn't find it, evidence of some hiding place was found. The 2 unidentified graves on the island also remain a mystery.

In 2008, Moyenne Island was designated as a national park by the government of Seychelles. Grimshaw died in 2012. His instructions state that no hotel should be built on the island and it must remain a national park. In 2013, the government appointed a warden and a hut was built to charge tourists for visiting.

Best Time to Visit

The hottest months in Seychelles are from December to April. The wettest months are January and February. The best months to visit the island are April, May, October and November.