Cerf Island lies in the north coast of Mahé in the Seychelles. The island lies in the Ste Anne Marine National Park and is surrounded by a coral reef and a tropical beach amidst pristine natural environments. Cerf Island was named after the French navy frégate “Le Cerf” which arrived at Port Victoria on 1 November 1756. It is the only island in the marine park to have a small local population who commute to Mahé for their daily business by boat. It has a local population of around 100, mostly centered in one bay on the South side of the island. The island also has a small art gallery and a chapel.

Due to Cerf Island’s location, in a National Marine Park, the waters around Cerf Island prove a spectacular sight. The deepest point of the Marine Park is 250 meters and the Park offers exceptional marine life, with more than 150 species of reef fish, crabs, sea urchins, starfish, octopus and many more. Cerf Island is home to the fruit bat and giant tortoises. There are no shops, roads or local infrastructure but water, telephone and electricity is provided from the mainland Mahe. Diving centres are plentiful on the main island and snorkelling equipment is available for hire on Cerf Island at the hotels.