Aride, Seychelles

Aride Island is a granitic tropical island and a nature reserve. Aride is located north of Praslin Island in Seychelles, off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. It is a sanctuary inhabited by rare species of seabirds and reptiles.

The island was claimed by the French in the 1770s and between 1817 and 1829, served as an unofficial leper colony. It was then colonized by the British and later in 1979 declared as a Special Nature Reserve under the Seychelles government. This untouched sanctuary is now managed by the Island Conservation Society that protects and monitors Aride's Flora and Fauna, a long running scientific program to preserve all wildlife population, vegetation, and inhabitants. To protect the island from vermin that hitchhike via large ships, visitors are required to travel to Aride via helicopter or by skipper boat transporting its passengers from the ships stationed away from Aride's shores.

Visitors are welcomed in small groups, touring the conservation center, historical plantation lodge, and the nature trail that leads through the Cadbury memorial to the spectacular view of Aride.