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Seychelles

– Islands of Eden Beauty Rise Above a Paradise of Sea –

This dream archipelago is to be found in the far reaches of the Western Indian Ocean. Erosion has sculpted the low-lying outer coralline atolls. However, the rock elevations of the inner islands, set them apart as the only granite-birthed islands in the world. They are the outcrops of an underwater plateau with ancient links to a mountain chain that once connected India and Africa. Isolation in tandem with a range of differing habitats has shaped an extraordinary and unique natural world.

Paradise Found

The Conservation Renaissance happening on North Island and Frégate Island Private is inextricably linked with their superlative hospitality experiences. These are blissful slip-away places, cocooned in privacy, layered in luxury, with every imaginable convenience. In addition to a glowing trail of service awards, these islands are also acclaimed for their remarkable conservation initiatives that are guaranteed to enrich the time spent in these environs.

Paradise Regained

A decade of rehabilitation has re-created the indigenous beauty of North Island; the Seychelles white-eye, once tottering on the brink of extinction, has been successfully re-introduced; on Frégate Island Private, these pivotal changes are mirrored in the re-establishment of the natural forest and turnaround of the previously Critically Endangered Seychelles magpie- robin. Aldabra giant land tortoises, the last hurrah of the Indian Ocean giant species, are growing in numbers; nesting sites of green and hawksbill turtles are on the increase.

Paradise Perennial

It is said that more than half of Seychelles’ breathtaking beauty, lies underwater. Visibility has been cited at an astounding 30 m. A flamboyance of coral reefs and profusion of marine life hold the promise of enthralling encounters. A host of private charter options include Inter-island excursions, fishing trips and guided underwater explorations. These are your days, your moments and your memories.

Quick Facts

Population: 89,173

Area: 455 km²

Preferred Properties: 2

Gourmet dining experiences are perfectly paired with changing sets of beauty à-la-Seychelles:

orbits of lantern light cast soft shadows across an ocean-facing pool deck; ornaments of glossy tree-fronds shade a table-for-two, set on slipper-soft beach sands; pairs of dazzle-white Fairy terns flit amidst the green envelope of jungle surrounding an elevated dining platform; orange sunset-flares melt into the amber sparks of a beach- barbecue bonfire.

Nature has graced the hawksbill sea turtle with two remarkable attributes: a raptor-like beak, ideally suited to a predominant diet of sea sponges, and an oval shell of amber beauty.

It is this very tortoiseshell, a prized material, that has resulted in their Critically Endangered status. Intensive conservation measures on North Island include the tagging of individuals. A record-sized female, tagged in 2004, has captivated the island’s Piazza diners with a host of subsequent appearances at her East Beach nesting site.

A gentle hour’s sail from North Island will bring you to Mahé Island, home to the picturesque capital of Victoria.

At the heart of the city, you will find ìLorlozî, a working replica of Westminster’s ‘Little Ben’ Clock Tower. This National Monument, erected in 1903, is the oldest historical feature of the Seychelles, and represents the period when this was a British colony. In contrast, the country’s 1976 independence is celebrated in the ‘Liberty’ Monument, set against a backdrop of the Trois Fréres mountains.

The tropical rainforest of Vallée de Mai, a World Heritage Site, is found on Praslin Island.

Towering trunks of the legendary coco-de-mer soar to a canopy-curtain of giant palm fronds. These surrounds were speculated to be the original Garden of Eden. Listen for the high-pitched whistles of the Seychelles black parrot; the group-chatter of Seychelles’ bulbuls. Look for Seychelles blue pigeons in the upper reaches; spot the fluorescent scuttles of green geckos.