Île du Diable — where Dreyfus was caged and escape was considered impossible — is closed to visitors, making a close-passage boat circuit the only way to witness it. From the water, its palmed cliffs and crumbling walls hit with extraordinary force.
What to expect
Your boat glides around the rocky, palm-fringed shoreline of the most infamous of the three islands, close enough to make out the ruined stone buildings and the treacherous surf that made escape essentially suicidal. Your guide recounts the Dreyfus affair — the wrongful conviction, the years of isolation, the eventual exoneration — against the backdrop of the very walls where it happened. On a clear day, the contrast of turquoise water against overgrown colonial ruins is hauntingly beautiful. The circuit typically takes 30–45 minutes and can be combined with time on Île Royale.
Good to know
Departs from Kourou; transfer from the cruise terminal by taxi/private car (approx. 1.5–2 hrs). Book the private guided option (USD 190) for the most intimate, expert experience. Confirm scheduling well in advance as departures depend on sea conditions and tides. Check all-aboard time carefully.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Iles du Salut — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.