Virgin Lands

April Hutchinson explores the Seychelles and its natural attractions

Few places on Earth are as hopelessly idyllic and exotic as the Seychelles, where prehistoric-looking giant tortoises amble between towering granite boulders and flour-soft beaches demand to be adored.

This Indian Ocean archipelago is fairly new to the tourism game, with the international airport only having opened in the early 1970s. The country is still blissfully undeveloped, with the powers that be taking a measured, low-impact approach. Even more commendable is the placing of more than half the country’s land under the protection of national parks and reserves.

The population of just under 95,000 people is spread across 115 jewel-like islands, with much of the tourism and hotels concentrated on the main island of Mahé. The second most touristy island is Praslin. But where the Seychelles comes into its own is in its array of castaway luxury resorts set on their own remote islands. Little wonder then that the country has become the favoured destination of many celebrities, from George and Amal Clooney to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The Seychelles’ appeal runs much deeper than mere celeb-spotting though. The islands the stars adore for beauty and privacy are actually pioneers in conservation. Take Fregate; the size of Monaco yet with only 16 villas, it’s a Jurassic Park-like retreat. The current 2,200-strong population of Aldabra giant tortoises were bred from a population down to just 150 only 25 years ago, and they now roam freely across the island. Fregate is also responsible for saving the little Seychelles magpie robin from disappearing forever, and there are now more than 200 of these dainty little birds back in the archipelago. Fregate’s popularity is further bolstered by its seven beaches and the excellent Rock Spa resort.