Ile Royale, French Guiana

Îles du Salut, is the island group of French Guiana, located northeastern South America, in the Atlantic Ocean about 8 miles (13km) northeast of Kourou, and comprising three main islands: Royale, Saint-Joseph, and Diable, the site of the infamous "Devil's Island" penal colony from 1852 to 1953. Today the islands are developed for tourism; a hotel on Île Royale was formerly a prison warders' mess hall.

Île Royale (Royal Island) is the largest and westernmost island, it was used as the centre for administration when the islands were used as a penal settlement. With an elevation of 66 metres, the island is the highest of the group. It contains a museum and a hotel.

Things to see and do

* Royal Island museum
* Devil’s Island penal settlement ruins
* Guiana Space Centre - Kourou
* Dreyfus hut – Devil’s Island

Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – Euro (EUR)
Language – French
Land Area – 2.8 km²
Electricity – 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style
Time – GMT minus 3 hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 55

Port Location – The port closest to Royal Island is located at Kourou.

Transport Links – The Cayenne-Rochambeu airport, located in Cayenne offers services from France and most south American countries. The national airline is Air Guyane but it only offers internal services. Air France operates flights to Cayenne from Paris. Other airlines serving the country include Air Canada and Surinam Airways.

French Guiana is also accessible boat. There are ferries across the Maroni River from St Laurent du Moroni to Albina (Surinam), from where there is a road to Paramaribo. Services also operate from St Georges to Oiapoque (Brazil) across the Oyapock River.