Travel Guide Seychelles: Platte Island

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Name: Platte Island

Location: Platte Island is situated in the Indian Ocean and belongs to the Southern Coral Group of the Seychelles.

Size: The Island is only 1.3 kilometres long and 550m wide.

Wildlife: Hawksbill and Green Sea Turtles, Aldabra Giant Tortoises, Black-Tip Reef Sharks, Eagle Rays, Bottle Nose Dolphin, Brown Noddy, Lesser and Greater Frigate-birds, and many more.

Best time to visit: Platte Island is a great destination to visit all year round.

Highlights: Immerse yourself into the underwater world and explore the reefs of Platte Island during a snorkelling expedition or paddling around the 3.3 km island circumference.

Platte Island, a low wooded sand cay 1.3 km long and 550m wide, is situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean and about 130 km south of the Seychelles capital, Mahé. The island is encircled by a 13km barrier reef and forms a unique sanctuary for a spectacular variety of marine species. Once a guano-harvesting station and a coconut plantation, the island is currently transforming, shifting focus towards marine conservation and the protection of its unique ecosystems. Platte Island’s extensive seagrass meadows play a crucial role as a nursing station for endangered and critically endangered species such as green and hawkbill turtles and a variety of rays and sharks.

The Seychelles are known for their exclusive and unique character of unspoiled beaches, crystal-clear waters, and remarkable diversity of fauna and flora.

Visiting Platte Island

Location, geography, and climate

Platte Island is about 130 km from the main island of Mahé and was once known for its guano industry. Guano is the name for bird excrement and works as a highly effective fertilizer for many plants. The guano-rich soil helped historically to develop a coconut plantation on the island. Coconut trees are now considered an invasive species their cultivation has caused some ecological damage to this and surrounding islands. Other types of palm trees, however, are a refuge for certain bird and mammal species, and intensive efforts are being made to restore the island's remarkable ecosystem through the select planting of trees.

Due to its location, it can only be reached by plane. Luckily, the island's length is just enough for a twin-propeller plane to land. From an aerial view, the island looks as if it were divided into two sections by the landing strip.

Platte Island is a tropical destination, ideal to visit all year round since it is always warm and does not reach temperature extremes, generally staying at around a comfortable 24°C to 34°C. The weather is hottest during the rainy season from December to April, and the humidity is high – often 80% or higher. The rainy season is marked by short bursts of showers rather than prolonged rain.

The sea is generally calm, with notably less wind and strong ocean currents here than on other Seychelles islands. This makes the Platte Island a snorkel and diving paradise, as well as a phenomenal nursing ground for many marine species.

Flora and fauna

The 13 km coral reef encircling Platte Island is thriving with marine life, hosting an astonishing number of species as it provides a protected and highly conducive habitat to raise young. The critically endangered Green and Hawkbill turtles are calling this sanctuary their home and chosen nesting location.

While the Green Turtles nest during the cooler months of May to November, the Hawksbill Turtles nest during the hotter months of the year. A reintroduction project brought the Aldabra Giant Tortoise back to the island, and these magnificent creatures can often be seen walking below the cooling shade of the palm trees.

Multiple types of rays: porcupine, eagle, sting, and even manta rays, call these waters home, feeding on the abundance of molluscs and crustaceans found on the ocean floor. Some reef sharks such as the black-tip and grey reef sharks are using the island’s sanctuary to raise their young and teach them to hunt. Even bigger mammals such as bottlenose and spinner dolphins can regularly be spotted around Platte Island. During July and November, you might spot some Humpback whales passing by as they migrate to their feeding or breeding grounds.

Platte Island is a perfectly situated stop for many migrating seabirds such as Sooty Terns, Black-napped Terns, and Bridled Terns. Some resident birds you can frequently spot are the White-tailed Tropic birds, Gray Plovers, Whimbrels, and Ruddy Turnstones, who use the island as their breeding or feeding grounds.

Highlights

Platte Island is a marine paradise, inviting humans and animals alike to enjoy the azure waters and white beaches. Grab your snorkelling gear and explore the extraordinary underwater world of the coral reef. There are plenty of tropical fish and marine species to spot and observe. The untouched beaches invite you to walk around the island or sit and contemplate the small wonders seen during the day while soaking up a magical sunset.

For the adventurers, you can borrow a kayak or a stand-up paddleboard to explore the waters even further. If water is your element and you want some regenerating quiet time in a natural paradise and contribute to a marine conservation project, then Platte Island is the perfect place for you to visit.