Where does my cruise ship dock in Île Royale?

Île Royale is a tender port: your ship anchors offshore and passengers transfer to shore by small boat.

Can I walk from the cruise port into Île Royale?

Yes. Île Royale is walkable from the cruise port — many cruisers reach the city centre on foot.

How do I get from the cruise port to Île Royale centre?

Typical options include On foot, Other transport, Ferry. Durations and costs are listed in the transport section above.

How much time do I need in Île Royale?

Plan for at least 2 hours ashore to see Île Royale independently and return to the ship with a safe buffer.

What currency is used in Île Royale and are cards accepted?

Île Royale uses the Euro. Carry some cash for markets, taxis, and smaller vendors — cards aren't accepted everywhere.

Is there Wi-Fi at the cruise port?

Wi-Fi isn't reliably available at the Île Royale cruise terminal. Consider a local SIM or your cruise line's data package.

When should I be back at the ship?

Cruise lines usually require all passengers on board about 30 minutes before scheduled departure. Confirm the exact all-aboard time on your daily programme.

Îles du Salut (Devil's Island) Cruise Port

Île Royale, French Guiana · South America

Cruise ships anchor offshore in Île Royale — tenders ferry passengers to the port.

Plan my port days

DIY 9/10

Tender port on Île Royale. Everything is on foot: penal colony ruins, a chapel painted by a convict, a small museum, a sea pool and coastal paths full of monkeys.

⚓ Tender port0.4 km / 0.2 mi to city centre

Rocket launch days close the islands, so a call can be cancelled at short notice. You can see Île du Diable from the shore, but landing there is forbidden.

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At a glance

Walk-off possibleFamily friendlyMin. 2h neededAllow 45 min return buffer

Port summary

The Îles du Salut are three small islands about 14 km off Kourou: Île Royale, Île Saint-Joseph and Île du Diable. From 1852 France ran its harshest penal colony here. Alfred Dreyfus was held on Île du Diable, and Henri 'Papillon' Charrière made the islands world famous. Today they belong to the French space agency CNES, because they sit under the rocket launch path from Kourou. Ships anchor off Île Royale and tender in. From the landing, a paved track climbs about 60 m to the plateau with the cell blocks, the chapel, the lighthouse, the museum and the Hostellerie, the islands' only restaurant. A coastal path circles the island in 1 to 1.5 hours and passes the convicts' pool, where you can swim. Saint-Joseph can only be visited on a landing your ship organises, and nobody may land on Île du Diable. It is hot and humid all year with little shade on the plateau, so bring water, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent and cash euros.

Cruise dock

Débarcadère de l'île Royale (tender landing)

Wooden floating landing stage on the sheltered south side of Île Royale where ship tenders tie up. Ships anchor offshore; there is no cruise berth.

Latitude: 5.284668, Longitude: -52.586886

See dock on port map →

Getting to Île Royale

From the cruise terminal to the city centre

On footRecommended

10 min Free

Everything on Île Royale is on foot. A paved track climbs about 60 m to the plateau with the penal colony buildings (10 min), and a coastal path loops the island in 1 to 1.5 hours. There are no vehicles.

Start at the wooden landing stage on Île Royale's south shore

Other transportRecommended

10 min Included in your cruise

Ships anchor off the south side of Île Royale and run tenders to the wooden landing stage, a short ride. Swell can make boarding lively, and on half-day calls the last tender often leaves mid-afternoon.

Tender platform on the ship; boats land at the Débarcadère de l'île Royale

Ferry

10 min Ship tour only

There's no public boat from Île Royale to Île Saint-Joseph on cruise days. Some ships, especially expedition and luxury lines, land guests there by tender or Zodiac if the sea allows. Nobody may land on Île du Diable.

Ask at the ship's shore excursion desk

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Map & things to do

Money & payments

Currency: Euro (€) Cash needed: often

Bring €40–50 in cash per person for lunch, drinks and a museum donation.

Things to do

Penal colony ruins of Île Royale

Short stop

⭐ Highlight

Walk through the cell blocks and barracks of France's most notorious penal colony.

⏱ 75 min💶 Free to wander👨‍👩‍👧 Family

🕐 Straight after landing, before the midday heat

Saint-Joseph Solitary Confinement Camp

⭐ Highlight

Roofless solitary-confinement cells swallowed by jungle on Île Saint-Joseph.

⏱ 90 min💶 Ship tour only, often included on expedition lines📋 Book ahead👨‍👩‍👧 Family

🕐 Only on ship-run landings; go first thing, before the heat

Convicts' Pool (Piscine des bagnards)

Short stop

🏖️ Beach

A sea pool walled in by convicts, the safest place to swim on the island.

⏱ 60 min💶 Free👨‍👩‍👧 Family

🕐 Mid-tide on a calm day; bring water shoes

Hostellerie des Îles restaurant

Short stop

🍽️ Restaurant

The islands' only restaurant: a lunch buffet in the old guards' quarters.

⏱ 60 min💶 Lunch buffet about €29; cash advised (≈ $31)📋 Book ahead👨‍👩‍👧 Family

🕐 Arrive by 12:00; book ahead on big-ship days

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January

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Frequently asked questions

Where does my cruise ship dock in Île Royale?: Île Royale is a tender port: your ship anchors offshore and passengers transfer to shore by small boat.
Can I walk from the cruise port into Île Royale?: Yes. Île Royale is walkable from the cruise port — many cruisers reach the city centre on foot.
How do I get from the cruise port to Île Royale centre?: Typical options include On foot, Other transport, Ferry. Durations and costs are listed in the transport section above.
How much time do I need in Île Royale?: Plan for at least 2 hours ashore to see Île Royale independently and return to the ship with a safe buffer.
What currency is used in Île Royale and are cards accepted?: Île Royale uses the Euro. Carry some cash for markets, taxis, and smaller vendors — cards aren't accepted everywhere.
Is there Wi-Fi at the cruise port?: Wi-Fi isn't reliably available at the Île Royale cruise terminal. Consider a local SIM or your cruise line's data package.
When should I be back at the ship?: Cruise lines usually require all passengers on board about 30 minutes before scheduled departure. Confirm the exact all-aboard time on your daily programme.

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