Alphonse Island Resort
Tropical luxury in the Seychelles
Open year-round and situated on a remote, untouched private island, Alphonse offers some of the best marine adventures in the world. The island trio — Alphonse, St François and Bijoutier — lies in the central Indian Ocean as part of the Seychelles outer islands.Together with the St François Atoll (one of two atolls in the Alphonse Group), a maximum of 12 anglers per day may fish the atolls to keep the area as undisturbed and protected as possible. The combined atolls cover approximately 10,000 acres of white-sand flats and are known for exceptional populations of bonefish and a wide variety of other species, including giant trevally, bluefin trevally, golden trevally, triggerfish, barracuda, various snappers and groupers, Indo‑Pacific permit, parrotfish, and milkfish.
The Alphonse Group of Islands
Situated only 7° south of the equator and about 250 miles (400 km) southwest of Mahé, the Alphonse Group holds outstanding biological treasures that deserve preservation. Alphonse Island is a one-hour flight from the Seychelles capital, Mahé.
The island threesome of Alphonse, St François and Bijoutier lies in the heart of the Indian Ocean. Beautiful white beaches line dense natural forest, interspersed with remnants of old coconut groves and patches of native broad-leaved trees. Marine turtles nest here each year; visitors may also encounter ancient tortoises, ghost and hermit crabs, the world’s largest crab (the coconut crab), and a variety of bird species.
Alphonse Atoll is adjacent to, but separated from, St François Atoll by a deep channel called Canal de Mort. Alphonse Atoll has one island — Alphonse Island — a triangular sand cay on the atoll’s northern rim. St François Atoll, 2 km to the south, has three islands: St François Island, Bijoutier and One Palm. The atolls are considered part of the Amirantes group but are separated from the Amirantes bank by an 87 km-wide, 3,000‑meter‑deep channel.
Accommodations
Alphonse Island offers remote tranquility with luxury facilities to make your stay comfortable and enjoyable. The resort comprises Beach Bungalows, Beach Villas and spacious Beach Retreats, all set among verdant tropical vegetation overlooking the ocean.
22 Beach Bungalows built along the water’s edge, each with spectacular ocean views — ideal for single anglers.
5 one‑bedroom Beach Villas on the shore — perfect for couples and small families.
2 Four‑bedroom Beach Villas just steps from the white sand beaches, offering spectacular ocean views and ideal for larger families or groups.
Alphonse is an excellent retreat for fly anglers traveling with spouses and families. Non‑fishing partners can enjoy snorkeling, birding, biking, kayaking, paddleboarding, relaxing on secluded beaches, or unwinding by the pool.
All rooms include:
• Air-conditioning
• Electronic safe
• Ceiling fan
• Mini bar
• Beverage station with Nespresso machine
• Landline telephone
• Beach towels
• Laundry service (charges apply)
• Shaver outlet
• Hair dryer
• Outdoor shower
• Bathtub
• Private bicycles
• Sun loungers
• Wi‑Fi
Cuisine
Alphonse Island’s cuisine blends global flavors with Seychellois influences, using fresh, high‑quality organic produce from the island farm and locally sourced fish. Each meal is farm-to-table and reflects a commitment to sustainability.
The island farm cultivates 10 fruit varieties and 34 different vegetables using water-efficient drip irrigation supplemented by harvested rainwater. The farm yields about 4.0 tons of produce per month with twice-weekly harvests year-round, so most ingredients served are fresh.
What you can expect
Fly Fishing
The extensive flats around Alphonse and St François provide a fly-fishing experience of a lifetime. The Alphonse Group is one of the most famed saltwater fly-fishing destinations in the Indian Ocean and among the world’s most prolific bonefish fisheries. St François Atoll is roughly seven miles long and four miles wide, with firm white sand bottoms interlaced with channels and cuts. Fishing on St François is limited to 12 anglers per day; otherwise, fishing takes place around Alphonse Island.
Typical sessions involve wading from the skiff for several hours. Bonefish wades target cruising or tailing fish as they forage; on falling tides, huge shoals may move off the flats in what is described as a continuous river of bonefish. You may not see a school of bonefish as pictured in the photo above, however if bonefish are the target, your guide will put you on dozens and dozens if not hundreds of bonefish on the right tide cycle.
Beyond bonefish, the lagoon includes coral finger flats and coral heads, allowing anglers to target over 60 species on fly, including multiple triggerfish and trevally species, milkfish, barracuda and many other flats species.
Although not as plentiful as some of the other species on Alphonse and San François, sight-fishing for giant trevally — sometimes exceeding 150 lbs — is especially exhilarating.
Offshore waters offer bluewater species for big-game fishing; the steep drop-offs attract pelagic species ideal for fly tackle. The region delivers sailfish, wahoo, yellowfin tuna, dorado and more, allowing anglers to target many species in a single trip.
On Alphonse and St François, fish near the islands, flats and reefs may be caught with fly gear only to protect resident species that use the shallow atolls. Pelagic species may be taken with conventional or fly tackle. Guests can bring their blue water catches ashore to be prepared fresh for dinner.
Non-Angling Activities
Alphonse Island is highly developed for non-anglers, offering many leisure activities:
Unguided:
• Sea kayaks
• Stand-up paddleboards
• Surfboards
• Tennis court
• Gym
• Bicycles
Guided (daily):
• Farm tour (on request)
• Giant tortoise feeding and turtle patrols with the Island Conservation Society
• Conservation talks several evenings a week
• Alphonse Tribes program for children (ages 0–12)
Guided (weekly):
• Boat‑based snorkeling excursions (Alphonse snorkel, outer reef snorkel, manta experience, sailfish snorkel)
• Island excursions to Bijoutier and St François (nature hike)
• Bicycle tour
• House reef snorkel
• Kayak trips
• Beach cleans
• Alphonse flats expedition and flats lunch
• Yoga
Seychelles Animals
The only other place in the world where you will find a Giant Tortoise
There is too much information to list here.
The Seychelles host a rich variety of plants, animals, birds and marine life. Uninhabited until the 18th century, the islands provided ideal conditions for many unique species to flourish. The archipelago supports numerous species, including many endemic birds, reptiles and marine organisms.
Aldabra Giant Tortoise
Giant tortoises naturally occur only in the Seychelles and the Galápagos Islands. The Aldabra giant tortoise is an iconic Seychellois species, with adult males reaching carapace lengths over 60 inches and weights over 550 pounds,. These tortoises can live at least 160 years. In the 19th century, Charles Darwin recommended protection for the tortoises of Aldabra Atoll, one of the earliest species conservation efforts.
A complete comprehensive pre-trip information packet will be send to you upon confirming your reservation.
We look forward to working with you on you next Fly Fishing Adventure in the Seychelles.
Leisure Time Travel Inc.
535 N. Citrus Ave.
Crystal River, Florida 34428
352-795-FISH (3474)