Seychelles Private Islands Holiday

Home to some of the world’s most beautiful and exclusive beaches, the Seychelles private islands offer everything you could possibly wish for from a tropical island holiday: miles of squeaky soft sand; warm, clear water filled with colourful marine life; gloriously luxurious accommodation; and – best of all – hardly anyone else around. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to have your own tropical island paradise, a Seychelles private island holiday is your chance to find out.

Inner Private Islands

Lying closest to the main island of Mahé, the Seychelles Inner Islands are characterised by forested mountain peaks dropping away to sandy coves punctuated by smooth granite boulders. Several of the world’s finest island accommodations are found on these islands and there is plenty to do both in and off the water.

Cousine Island: private island reserve, exclusive and tranquil escape

Just six kms off the coast of Praslin Island lies Cousine Island, a private nature reserve and conservation success story. Giant tortoises roam the island’s bird-filled forests while the sugar-white beaches are a popular nesting ground for both green and hawksbill turtles. There’s also lots to do: snorkel, dive, relax on the beach, go for nature walks with the resident biologist or spend a couple of hours involved in a conservation project.

Cousine Island Hideaway caters for a maximum of eight guests in four luxurious French Colonial-style villas and offers absolute privacy and seclusion.

Denis Island: excellent diving & big game fishing

A flat coral island covered in thick vegetation, Denis Island’s sun-dappled paths lead to long, deserted beaches. The island’s protected waters are well known for their phenomenal diving and snorkelling and, as one of the most northerly of the Seychelles Islands, Denis is ideally located for big game fishing expeditions to the edge of the Seychelles’ bank where sailfish, marlin and tuna patrol the deeper waters.

Denis Private Island Lodge has just 25 rooms and offers an eco-beach experience: there’s no lavish luxury but it’s comfortable, elegant and you won’t want for anything.

North Island: unsurpassed luxury, the ultimate private island experience

North Island’s three forested mountain peaks rise out of the bright blue Indian Ocean, its gently sloping beaches shaded by perfectly placed palm trees. Best known as a tropical hideout for the rich and famous, this magical island is in the midst of an ambitious ‘Noah’s Ark’ conservation project and has reintroduced critically endangered Seychelles plants and animals. Large tortoises wander about freely, turtles nest on the beaches and offshore reefs teem with marine life.

North Island Lodge was painstakingly built to high environmental standards and offers the ultimate in barefoot island luxury. All of the 11 enormous villas are furnished and equipped to a dazzlingly high standard and – with 110 staff (including biologists) to look after around 25 guests – the service is truly impeccable.

Sainte Anne Island: largest island in the Sainte Anne Marine National Park

Close to Cerf Island and also only a short boat ride from Mahé, Sainte Anne is a largely unspoilt island where turtles come ashore to lay their eggs on soft white sand beaches. Set in a marine park, its protected waters ensure that scuba divers and snorkellers will have plenty to talk about at the end of the day. Unlike Cerf Island there are no people living on the island, although visitors can come there on a day trip from Mahé.

Sainte Anne Resort & Spa has 87 individual villas, each designed with plenty of outdoor space. The Royal Villa is without a doubt the most spectacular accommodation on the island: its private sundeck, gazebo and infinity pool make the most of its cliff-top location and huge ocean views.

Silhouette Island: mountain peaks & virgin rainforest, plenty to do

One of the richest bio-diversity hotspots in the western Indian Ocean, Silhouette Island has no roads, only limited infrastructure and is virtually uninhabited. Home to virgin hardwood forest and exotic orchids, pitcher plants and incense trees, its east coast beaches are sheltered by coral barrier reefs and are perfect for swimming and snorkelling. Other top activities include big game fishing, forest walks, sunset cruises and private beach picnics.

Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa offers its guests a world-class luxury experience with fantastic dining, soothing spa treatments and modern, elegant villa accommodation.

Outer Private Islands

The outer archipelago of the Seychelles is made up of several groups of coral islands, few of which are inhabited. Some are not much bigger than a sand spit and most are surrounded by the deep blue stain of pristine coral reefs. The diving here is simply phenomenal: there are columns and caves to explore and a staggering marine life ranging from tiny reef fish to turtles, mantas and hammerhead sharks.

Desroches Island: phenomenal diving & snorkelling

Blanketed in coconut palms and tall hardwood trees, Desroches has all the ingredients of a castaway tropical island: transparent blue water, multi-coloured coral outcrops and over 14 km of virgin white sand – often completely deserted apart from scuttling hermit crabs. The diving is superb, the big game fishing is world-class and you’re given a bicycle for the duration of your stay so you can set out on well-maintained paths to find the perfect spot to while away your day.