Iles du Salut

Devil’s Island, famous predominantly because of the novel Papillon by Henri Charriere, is home to both the worst of man and the best of nature. The prison, around which so much of the islands tourist industry is based, was active for over 100 years. It was home to some 80,000 inmates, many of whom never left the island due to some particularly barbaric punishments. Although technically three islands, they are named as one, and somewhat ironically called The Islands of Health in French.

The islands are naturally beautiful with an abundance of capuchin monkeys and coconut groves. The most common way to spend a night is to lie in a hammock hung between two palm trees on the beach, the travellers dream. The Iles du Salut are surprisingly lush and beautiful given their terrifying reputation and a visit here will linger long in the memory. It is possible to visit all three islands as part of a boat trip that can be easily arranged from the French-Guiana mainland. The fascinating museum here provides visitors with a thorough history of the islands dark past and the inmates who were left here.

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