Astove Island is one of the most southerly islands in the Aldabra Group, located in the Seychelles. Astove was a former copra plantation, the island’s houses, drying sheds, and other buildings are in various states of disrepair since being abandoned in the 1980s.
Astove has a gently shelving rocky coastline to the east, an undercut coastline on the south-western coast and a 3km long sand beach on the north west coast. The exposed eastern side of the island is dominated by low scrub and mangroves on the lagoon side, while the western side is quite highly vegetated. On the western side there is a healthy population of giant tortoises.
Today, the island is rarely visited - usually by scientists researching the lagoon's ecology, but the near-vertical drop-off from its outer reef edge is a popular location for diving cruises.
Things to See & Do
* Diving
* Marine life
General Information
Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – Seychellois rupee (SCR)
Language – French, English, Seychellois Creole
Land Area – 4.96 km²
Electricity – 2 vertical square pins and one perpendicular below British style
Time – GMT plus four hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 248
Travel Links - The only international gateway to the Seychelles is Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) near Victoria. Flights are available from Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Dubai, Doha, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Abu Dhabi.