The Îles du Salut

The Îles du Salut, three small tropical islands off the coast near Kourou, are among French Guiana's most fascinating destinations, their idyllic beauty of palm-fringed shores and turquoise seas standing in haunting contrast to their grim history. For a century these islands, including the infamous Île du Diable, or Devil's Island, formed part of a notorious penal colony where prisoners were sent in brutal conditions, a story made famous by the memoir and film Papillon. Today the crumbling prison buildings, cells, chapel and cemeteries stand as atmospheric, ivy-clad ruins amid swaying palms, roaming agoutis and vivid birdlife. Reached by boat and offering a place to stay, the islands are a beautiful, poignant and deeply memorable place to explore.

What you actually see

• The prison ruins - the atmospheric crumbling penal-colony buildings.
• Devil's Island - the infamous Île du Diable offshore.
• The tropical shores - the palm-fringed beaches and turquoise sea.
• The wildlife - the agoutis, monkeys and vivid birds.

When to go

Year-round; the islands enjoy a warm tropical climate and can be visited in any season, with boat trips running from Kourou; the drier months, roughly July to November, generally offer more settled weather for the crossing and exploring. The contrast of beauty and dark history is striking whenever you go.

Honest expectations

Reaching the islands requires a boat trip from Kourou that depends on the sea and schedules, and their appeal blends idyllic beauty with the sombre history of a brutal penal colony, so it is a poignant rather than purely relaxing visit. As beautiful, palm-fringed tropical islands steeped in the haunting history of Devil's Island, though, the Îles du Salut are a genuinely fascinating and memorable place.

Nearby

The space centre and town of Kourou lie on the nearby coast.