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Îles de Los: Slave Trade Islands & Atlantic Beaches

The Îles de Los — Factory Island, Tamara, and Crawford — lie 15 km offshore from Conakry, and served as major Atlantic slave trade holding stations; now deserted beaches and coral reefs

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1
Factory Island Slave History
Factory Island (Île de Fotoba) was the site of a large European slave trade factory — the story of prisoners held here before boarding ships is told by community organization
2
Tamara Island Beach
The largest of the Îles de Los has a beautiful beach and a small Guinean resort — the clear Atlantic waters and coral reef make it the best snorkeling closest to Conakry
3
Crawford Island Wilderness
The smallest and least visited of the three islands is almost completely wild — a forest interior, nesting seabirds and empty beaches completely free of tourist infrastructure
4
Atlantic Slave Trade Route
The sea route from Îles de Los crossed to the Caribbean — the deep historical weight of these islands feels different than most West African slave sites because they are still so isolated
5
Iceland Snorkeling
The reefs around all three islands have reasonable coral coverage — parrotfish, snappers and sea turtles in waters that receive almost no tourist pressure from the mainland
6
Pirogue Crossing from Boulbinet
The pirogue crossing from Boulbinet's pier takes 45 minutes — traditional wooden boats crossing the same waters that slave ships once navigated in the opposite direction