Îles du Salut (Salvation Islands)
Three small islands floating in the Atlantic just off Kourou hold one of South America's most atmospheric contrasts: crumbling colonial penitentiary ruins draped in jungle, surrounded by water so turquoise it looks airbrushed. Île Royale, Île Saint-Joseph and Île du Diable together formed the infamous Devil's Island penal colony that held Alfred Dreyfus, and today they feel like a lost world where
The Ruins and the History
Île Royale is the largest and most accessible island, its stone cell blocks and guards' chapel now half-swallowed by fig trees and bougainvillea — a genuinely eerie, beautiful place to wander.
Île Saint-Joseph is quieter and arguably more haunting: the solitary-confinement building sits open to the sky, its cells arranged around a silent courtyard where only wind moves. The snorkelling just offshore rewards with sergeant-major fish and the occasional sea turtle.
Île du Diable itself is off-limits to visitors but visible from Île Royale — a low green silhouette that still carries its legend across the water.
Practicalities and Wildlife
Ferries depart from the marina at Kourou most mornings; the crossing takes roughly 45 minutes and the boat ride alone, past mangroves and open Atlantic swells, is worth the ticket.
Agoutis, red squirrels and free-roaming capuchin monkeys populate Île Royale's interior paths — bring a bag that zips, because the monkeys are bold and experienced thieves.
Overnight stays in the island's restored colonial guesthouse are limited but bookable; waking up to howler-monkey calls with zero light pollution makes it one of the most unusual sleeps in the Americas.
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