Marie Louise Island, Coral cay in Amirante Islands, Seychelles

Marie Louise Island is a low, oval coral cay at the southern end of the Amirantes, 13 km from Desnoeufs Island, rising to 9 m. A 550 m unpaved airstrip runs north–south across it, and more than half of the northwestern part is planted with coconut palms, with Casuarina equisetifolia trees among them. The small settlement sits on the northwest coast above the beach, opposite the only safe anchorage.

A French navigator named the island in 1771 after his vessel, marking the start of recorded European contact in this area. Since then it has remained a settled place in the Seychelles.

Life here revolves around fishing and coconut cultivation, activities that shape the daily rhythm of the island. You can observe how these traditions remain central to how people spend their time and sustain themselves.

Getting to the island requires advance planning and coordination with local authorities, as transport options are quite limited. Travel conditions are basic, so bring what you need and expect a fairly remote experience.

Marie Louise is used as a support base for harvesting sooty tern eggs on neighbouring Desnoeufs Island during the June to August nesting season. BirdLife International lists it as an Important Bird Area, with breeding colonies of about 2,000 pairs of brown noddies, 3,500 pairs of lesser noddies and 3,000 pairs of white terns. Green and hawksbill sea turtles also nest on its shores.