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There's an island of giant tortoises in the Seychelles and it's as amazing as it sounds

There are over 100 giant tortoises on the island as well as birdlife and endemic flora

Published by
C. 'silver-tooth' Sharpe·11/11/2021
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Pirates, there is an island, just off the main Seychelles island of Mahé, where giant tortoises roam free and have complete run of the island and famously known as the world's smallest national park!

Sounds like heaven, right? But Moyenne Island is not only beautiful, it also comes with a fascinating history involving a real-life island Robinson Crusoe and one man's dedication to creating and protecting this slice of paradise.

Destination

  • Seychelles

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Abandoned from 1915 until the 1960s, Moyenne's only previous use was as a refuge for stray dogs and long before this rumoured to be the place pirates had once buried their treasure.

Even now, if you sailed past you'd see dense jungle and not much else. But the thick foliage hides the world's smallest national park.

In 1962 Brendon Grimshaw, a London newspaper editor, came across the island and brought it for a bargain £8,000.

At the time, the interior jungle was so dense you could hardly move. So, in true Robinson Crusoe style, Grimshaw set about making the island habitable, even hiring his very own 'Man Friday', a local Seychelles man named Rene Lafortune. Together they started the huge task of planting 16,000 trees across the island, as well as three miles of nature trails.

Although Grimshaw had built this literal island paradise, he wasn't happy to leave the island to fall into disrepair in the future. So, after a 20-year struggle, the island was officially recognised in 2013 by the Seychelles’ Ministry of Environment as a protected national park, arguably the smallest one in the world at a mere 9.9 hectares in size.

Now, Moyenne Island National Park is rich in flora and fauna with 40 endemic palm trees, including coco de mer. And, there is also a thriving population of giant tortoises. Grimshaw brought around 110 Aldabra giant tortoises to the island over the years, who now roam free in their natural habitat.

In fact, the tortoises here can live up to 150 years since there are no predators on the island. The only thing the tortoises here need to watch out for are falling coconuts!

You can reach Moyenne Island by renting a boat from Mahé, or joining an organised tour. Many of the tours also include a chance to snorkel in the crystal clear lagoons near the island.

When Grimshaw introduced so many trees to the island - mango, cashew, kalis-dipap and pawpaw - it also attracted a lot of birdlife, turning the island into a local bird sanctuary.

Perfect for those birdwatching pirates out there!

If you ever make your way out to this incredible island, you'll be greeted by a sign saying “Please respect the Tortoises. They are probably older than you” which is fair enough, respect your elders and all that...

On the island there's even a restaurant you can visit, two hidden beaches: Pirate Cove and Cora Cove and a cemetery with pair of unmarked graves that are believed to be the last resting place of two pirates. RIP fam.

This tortoise and bird island paradise is definitely on our bucket list of places to visit.

Have you ever visited the Seychelles? Did you get a chance to visit Moyenne Island? Share your comments below!

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