Salvation's Islands

The Salvation's Islands (known locally in French as Îles du Salut) are a small, striking group of three volcanic islands situated in the Atlantic Ocean, located approximately 11 kilometers (7 miles) off the coast of French Guiana. Administrated as part of the Cayenne department, the archipelago includes Île Royale, Île Saint-Joseph, and the world-famous Devil's Island (Île du Diable). Historically feared as one of the most brutal and notorious penal colonies in global history, the islands have completely transformed into a pristine, palm-fringed tropical dark-tourism destination where travelers can explore beautifully preserved prison ruins, spot unique wildlife, and stay overnight in a historic mountaintop lodge.

The archipelago comprises three distinct volcanic Islands separated by narrow, high-current ocean channels:

• Île Royale (Royal Island): The largest and most accessible Island of the group. It functioned as the primary administrative headquarters of the penal colony, hosting the central prison blocks, the hospital, and the director's house. Today, it serves as the exclusive landing point for tourist catamarans and houses the only overnight accommodations and dining facilities.
• Île Saint-Joseph (Saint Joseph Island): Located just south of Île Royale. This island was reserved for solitary confinement, where prisoners were subjected to absolute silence in open-ceiling pits. Today, it features heavily reclaimed jungle ruins, lush coconut palm groves, and a peaceful, shaded shoreline path.
• Devil's Island (Île du Diable): The northernmost, smallest, and most infamous island of the trio. It was reserved for high-profile political prisoners, most notably Captain Alfred Dreyfus. Because the surrounding marine channels feature intensely violent currents and active shark populations, **the island is strictly closed to the public and cannot be landed on**; however, it can be clearly viewed from the northern cliffs of Île Royale.

The Islands were originally named by early French settlers in the 1760s who fled to the volcanic outcrops to escape a catastrophic yellow fever epidemic on the mainland plains, declaring them the islands of "Salvation." However, their legacy turned dark in 1852 when Emperor Napoleon III transformed the archipelago into a high-security penal colony designed to hold France's most hardened criminals and political dissidents. Over a 100-year timeline, more than 80,000 prisoners were exiled to these rocks, facing brutal hard labor, tropical diseases, and extreme discipline made globally famous by Henri Charrière's autobiographical novel *Papillon*. The penal colony was officially shut down permanently in 1953.

Because the Salvation's Islands are completely separated from the mainland, they are accessible strictly via maritime transport.

• By Catamaran from Kourou: The primary and most popular method of travel. Several commercial catamaran companies (such as *La Hulotte* and *Tropic Alizés*) operate daily morning departures leaving from the **Vieux Port (Old Port) in Kourou**. The scenic ocean crossing spans roughly 1 to 1.5 hours depending on wave conditions, with boats arriving at the main passenger pier on Île Royale around 09:30 and returning to the mainland by 16:00. Round-trip tourist tickets average approximately €45 to €55 per adult.

Upon landing at the Île Royale passenger jetty, navigation across the islands is done strictly on foot.

• Île Royale Walking: A well-paved, circular historic walking track loops around the entire perimeter of the island. The walk is roughly 3 kilometers long and takes 1 hour of gentle strolling, though climbing up the interior pathways to reach the hilltop prison blocks requires tackling a steep incline.
• Island Shuttles: For overnight guests carrying heavy luggage, the local hotel operates a small motorized utility cart to transport baggage from the pier up to the reception desk. Crossing over to Île Saint-Joseph requires arranging a quick, private taxi-boat transit with local operators at the main dock.

• 5.2865-52.5851 The Île Royale Central Prison Ruins (L'Ancien Bagne), Hilltop Crest, Île Royale (Follow the paved stone steps straight up the hill from the hotel reception.). Daily 24/7; guided historic tours depart from the museum daily at 10:30. The sprawling, brick-and-stone ruins of the main penitentiary complex. Visitors can walk directly inside the dark communal cells, see the massive iron execution wall blocks, view the preserved guards' quarters, and tour the old prison chapel, which features colorful frescos painted historically by a convict artist. Free to walk around; donations for guides welcomed.  
• 5.2895-52.58252 The Dreyfus Hut Viewpoint (Point de vue de l'Île du Diable), Northern Cliffs, Île Royale (Located at the northernmost point of the circular perimeter track.). Daylight hours. The premier vantage point overlooking the narrow, treacherous ocean channel to Devil's Island. Standing on these rocky cliffs allows you to clearly view the isolated stone hut where Captain Alfred Dreyfus was imprisoned in total isolation from 1895 to 1899. Free.  
• 5.281-52.58153 The Solitary Confinement Blocks (Réclusion Solitaire), Jungle Track, Île Saint-Joseph (Accessible via a short taxi-boat ride across to Saint-Joseph island.). Daylight hours. An exceptionally eerie, moving historical site. Unlike the cleared grounds of Île Royale, these solitary confinement cells have been entirely abandoned to nature. Massive banyan tree roots and tropical vines slowly crush the roofless iron cages, creating an atmosphere that highlights the intense isolation faced by inmates. Free.  

• Spot the Local Wildlife: Keep a sharp lookout when walking the circular forest tracks. The islands are an ecological sanctuary hosting hundreds of curious agoutis (large tropical rodents resembling giant guinea pigs), playful white-faced capuchin monkeys swinging through the palm trees, green iguanas basking on the warm brick ruins, and majestic sea turtles feeding on seaweed beds near the jetty walls.
• Swim at the Convicts' Pool (Piscine des Détenus): Take a dip in this unique, sheltered swimming pool located on the rocky southern shore of Île Royale. It features a defensive ring of massive stone blocks constructed by the prisoners to create a safe, artificial tidal pool that kept swimmers completely protected from the open ocean's violent currents and sharks.