Eden Island Marina Welcomes Yachts to the Seychelles

The Seychelles is a tropical paradise boasting a dedicated superyacht facility, the Eden Island Marina, developed in conjunction with the Eden Island luxury residential project. Eden Island is located just off the east coast of the main island of Mahé and is linked to the mainland by a 300m bridge.

A virtually untouched archipelago, Seychelles boasts perfect white-sand beaches, turquoise seas and lush forests. The islands are commonly associated with exquisite natural beauty, wonderful harmony and a near-perfect climate with temperatures ranging from 26 to 33 degrees Celsius, earning the archipelago the nickname the “land of perpetual summer”.

Made up of 115 granite and coral islands scattered across the Indian Ocean and 900 miles off the East African coast, the islands have served as havens for some of the world’s rarest flora and fauna. So rare that the Vallée de Mai, which grows the legendary coco-de-mer, was formerly believed to be the biblical Garden of Eden’s original location.

“Guests can expect seamless entry with the typical arrival process itself taking as little as half an hour for a vessel to be cleared in with no visas required to enter the Seychelles, provided all documents are in order,” explains Asia Pacific Superyacht (APS) Seychelles GM Peter Alvis. “You can then cruise the full 1,100km from Mahé to the Aldabra Atoll (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), whilst popping up in the other 114 islands without having to go through another immigration check.”

APS operates under the Hunt Deltel & Co. Ltd Seychelles Business portfolio, the co-developers and operators of the Eden Island Marina. “We work quite closely with the team to ensure that vessels calling under our agency are well looked after during their stay,” notes Alvis. “Having operated in the country for the past 82 years the company has strong relationships with a wide range of suppliers locally as well as internationally.”

The Eden Island Marina offers facilities for superyachts of up to 115m, cruising yachts and local leisure craft. There are over 1000m of piled pontoon berths of which 180m is available for superyachts, with stern on berthing available both sides. The superyacht pontoon section is 4m wide with varying 500mm to 750mm of freeboard. Berthing is available astern to or alongside, depending on occupancy. With stern to berthing there are laid lines for securing bows. The depth of the water in the marina basin is 11,m but the approach channel to the marina is restricted to 5.1m.

The location of the marina on the inland side of Eden Island provides ideal sheltered conditions and with stern to berthing, boats lie in line with both prevailing winds (SE & NW). To ensure that a stay at the marina is pleasant and trouble free, golf carts are available. There are also several manual trolleys with a 500kgs load capacity.

Good moorings and easy sailing distances between the main islands facilitate the discovery of a wide selection of islands and secluded bays. The pristine atolls and virgin waters of the outer islands also offer a last frontier of adventure together with extraordinary opportunities for snorkeling, diving, fishing and once-in-a-lifetime exploration.

“Uniquely there is no really bad time to cruise in Seychelles, but the off-season from March to May and from September to November is less crowded and sailing becomes even more enjoyable,” notes Alvis. “Everything depends on your interests; botanic lovers will prefer to go to Seychelles in January or February, while dive enthusiasts will find their happiness with even more clear seabed and a particularly calm ocean between October and March.”

The Seychelles’ geographical position and climate also makes a twelve-month season perfectly feasible. You could cruise the full 700 miles from the main island of Mahé to the Aldabra Atoll (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) whilst island hopping though the other 115 without having to go through a single immigration check.

Boasting over 491 kilometres of coastline, the island country brims with activities for both the adventurous and the laid-back, welcoming visiting yachts to start their journey at the well-equipped Eden Island Marina.