Cerf Island lies off the north coast of Mahé in the Seychelles.
Fifteen minutes by boat from Mahé, this small island appears
as an apparition in its surreal and lush unspoilt beauty. Dazzling
white beaches sparkle like diamonds in a crown. An ideal torpical
paradise for your honeymoon or holiday destination.
Cerf Island was named after the French frégate “Le
Cerf” ("the deer") which arrived at Port Victoria
on 1 November 1756. On board was Corneille Nicholas Morphey, leader
of the French expedition, which claimed the island by laying a Stone
of Possession on Mahe, Seychelles’ oldest monument, now on
display in the National Museum, Victoria.
Cerf Island measures more than 1.5 km long (about 1 mile) and almost
1 km wide (almost ¾ of a mile), it reaches a height of 108
m (357 feet) and lies 3 km east of Mahé.
The island lies in the Saint Anne Marine National Park and is surrounded
by a coral reef. The geology is grantitic, with a maximum height
above sea level of 357 feet.
Due to Cerf Island’s location, in a National Marine Park,
the waters around Cerf Island prove a spectacular sight. The deepest
point of the Marine Park is 250 meters (820 Feet) and the Park offers
exceptional marine life, with more than 150 species of reef fish,
crabs, sea urchins, starfish, octopus and many more.
Cerf Island is the only island in the marine park to have a small
local population who commute to Mahé for their daily business.
They live on the opposite side of the island. It has a population
of around 100, mostly centered in one bay on the South side of the
island.
On the north side of the island are superb coral reefs. Here giant
tortoises swim with clown fish.
There are two hotels, two restaurants and a beach bar. There are
no shops, roads or local infrastructure but water, telephone and
electricity is provided from the mainland.
Diving centres are plentiful on the main island and snorkelling
equipment is available for hire at Cerf Island Resort. Travel to
and from the island is exclusively by boat.
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