Alphonse has two seasons, and each is worth travelling for. The Island Season – May through September, when the southeast trades take over – offers lower humidity, a steady cooling breeze, a pace governed by the rhythms of the island rather than the tides, and a kind of unhurried immersion in this extraordinary place that the busier months don’t always allow. The Marine Season – October through April, when the northwest trades prevail – delivers glassy water, peak marine conditions, and the kind of offshore action that has made these islands legendary among serious anglers and marine explorers. Both seasons are brilliant. What they offer is simply not the same.
What is the Island Season?
From May through to late September, the southeast trades dominate the Seychelles’ outer islands. On Alphonse, this means slightly windier conditions, relatively cooler air temperatures, and a shift in the ocean’s character. The lagoon remains warm, sheltered, and beautiful. The flats stretch pale and vast towards St François. The open ocean, however, is livelier – more textured, more dynamic – and some of the marine activities that are central to the Marine Season experience, among them outer reef diving, manta experience and sailfish snorkelling, become weather-dependent rather than reliably on offer. That is not a limitation of the Island Season. It is simply a different season, with different strengths, and for a particular kind of traveller, it is the perfect time to visit.
Easing into island time
Alphonse is 1.8 kilometres wide. You can cross it on a bicycle in minutes, or spend a morning exploring it properly – pausing to watch a red-footed booby settle into a casuarina, crouching beside a giant tortoise as she ambles across the grass, stopping to chat to one of our team about habitat restoration and the work of replanting native species.
The Island Conservation Society (ICS) team lives and works here year-round. During the Island Season, when activity schedules are less driven by tides and weather windows, there is more space for informal conversations: a guided walk through the food garden or a nesting zone, or accompanying one of the ICS’s marine conservationists on a turtle patrol or beach cleanup.
Green turtles nest year-round on Alphonse. Between May and October, hatchlings may emerge from their nests – a small, unhurried miracle that is always a privilege to witness. Birdlife intensifies. Frigatebirds arrive in numbers in May and June, and from August, red-footed boobies become a more regular presence on the island. Brown noddies nest throughout this period, adding to the activity in the trees. Watching the daily movement within this ecosystem is one of the quieter rewards of being on Alphonse at this time of year.
The ocean in Island Season
Water activity is very much part of the Island Season, and the team at Alphonse approaches it the way they approach everything: with honesty about conditions and care not to put guests in situations that don’t feel right. The lagoon is sheltered, warm, and fully accessible year-round. Snorkelling, kayaking, and SUPing in the lee of the island, guided reef walks at low tide, and morning turtle patrols are all reliable Island Season activities.
For divers, the Island Season offers its own rewards. Cooler water temperatures often bring pelagic fish closer inshore, and the lagoon remains excellent throughout. Those wanting to dive the outer reefs should note that visibility tends to be reduced during this season, and outer reef diving is recommended for advanced divers or those with more than 50 logged dives. On calmer days, the ocean opens up further – outer reef snorkelling, manta encounters, and glass-bottom boat cruises may all be possible, and the activity team will talk through what’s on offer when guests arrive. Every decision is made with both safety and quality of experience in mind. If an activity cannot be done safely and properly, it won’t be offered.
From approximately late July through to early October, humpback whales move between the outer islands. They are not guaranteed, but their presence is well documented, and boat-based whale watching during this window is always subject to favourable conditions.
What to do on Alphonse Island
The weekly rhythm during the Island Season is designed around the activities Alphonse can offer in any weather. Mornings may begin with yoga on the beach – a choice of Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Yin, or Restorative, depending on the day – before the heat settles in and the island finds its tempo. The farm opens for harvest sessions, honey collection from the island’s hives, and cooking classes, followed by lunch in the garden. Afternoons drift towards cocktail classes at the beach bar, casting lessons, standup paddling, kayaking, or nothing much at all besides siesta. Towards evening, sundowners are often set up at the boathouse or in a private spot on the beach, depending on where the light is best. After dark, the sky above Alphonse stops you in your tracks – few places on earth have less light pollution than these outer islands. Conservation talks, a relaxed dinner, and movie nights – outdoors under that same sky, or in the theatre if the wind picks up – round out the day. It’s a particular hit with families.
Who the Island Season is for
If you want to ease into island life, explore on land and in the lagoon, follow the rhythms of a working conservation island, and do it all in cooler, breezier conditions with the island largely to yourselves – the Island Season is yours. If your primary goal is diving the outer reef every morning in calm, crystal clear conditions, or fishing the flats uninterrupted through peak Marine Season tides, October through April is your moment. Both are worth the journey. They are simply different journeys.
To find out more about the Island Season at Alphonse Island Lodge or to make a booking, contact our reservations team at reservations@bluesafari.com.
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