Update on Aldabra Atoll

Created by webmaster. Last modified on 2002-08-22 17:29:41
Contributors: Liliana Vedana & Thomas Mueller, Yacht MIZ MAE
Countries: Madagascar, Seychelles

Between the Seychelles and Madagaskar lies the Island of Aldabra. It is administered by the Seychelles. Rare, endemic birds live there and also more giant tortoises than on the Galapagos. Though the anchorage is hazardous for yachts with up to 6 knots of current running through the anchorage in the pass, some yachts attempt to visit the scientific station consisting of 8 people.

While planning to visit the Atoll ourselves with Yacht MIZ MAE, we inquired into the legal side of such a visit and found Mr.Lindsay Chong Seng, Executive Director, Seychelles Islands Foundation writing back to us the following letter in March 2001:

Dear Messr. Vedana and Mueller,

You seem to be proposing to visit Aldabra directly from Madagascar and your next Port of call is unclear. In principle any vessel entering Seychelles territorial waters have to carry out the formalities at Victoria on Mahe that is clear in with immigration, health, customs, security etc.. So what you are proposing is illegal. The only exceptions are Cruise ships or other vessels arriving from South Africa and wishing to call at Aldabra on the way to Mahe. This is only allowed when the vessels agent charters a plane to carry all the officials to do the clearance at Assumption an island about 30 kilometres from Aldabra. This plane charter is very expensive ranging from 35,000 SR for the small plane to 50,000SR for the big plane.(1 US $ is approximately 5 SR).

So the usual proceedure is for you to write giving expected date of arrival, names, nationalities, passport numbers etc and pay the landing fees for Aldabra, which is 250 SR per person per day. We then give you written clearance and inform the Warden of your coming visit. So if you are still serious about your proposed Aldabra visit you only have two choices:

Visit Mahe first and then Aldabra later.
Obtain clearance from SIF headquarters and pay for the clearance formalities at Assomption. I await your reaction to my e-mail.

Regards

Lindsay ChongSeng Executive Director Seychelles Islands Foundation

While we appreciate the Seychelle authorities trying to protect the atoll from the sailors and their yachts, we find it interesting that, for the right money, even Cruise ships can have a lot of people going ashore to visit the island.

Again we have to fear that it is not entirely about protecting the environment, but also about earning money and exploiting this Atoll in a rather more sophisticated way.

Liliana Vedana, Thomas Mueller

Yacht MIZ MAE in August 2001