Inspiration
Seychelles Islands
Remote, radiant and impossibly beautiful: the Seychelles is where barefoot luxury meets castaway calm. This 15-night journey takes you across three distinct islands, each offering a different rhythm, from untouched coral cays to tropical forests and turquoise-fringed beaches.
Three islands, one dreamlike escape
Start on Bird Island, a secluded paradise with just 24 self-catering bungalows and over five kilometres of powder-soft sand. With no roads and no distractions, it’s the kind of place where you rise with the sun, swim in crystal-clear shallows and fall asleep to the sound of waves and rustling palms.
Then it’s on to Praslin, home to the legendary coco de mer palm and one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. Here, you’ll spend your days barefoot in the sand, exploring rainforest trails and snorkelling in clear lagoon waters.
Finally, return to Mahé, the largest of the islands, for a final taste of Creole culture, spice-scented markets and one last dip in the Indian Ocean before your journey ends.
This is island life, redefined: wild, unspoilt and deeply restorative.
- Bird Island
- Praslin
- Mahé
Pauline Duffin
Pauline specialises in designing highly-personalised adventures, guided by her decades of travel expertise. With a focus on India, South East Asia and South America and a deep love of African safaris, she's renowned for her finely-tuned ability to create experiences that reflect your unique interests.
Bird Island
Just a 30-minute flight from Mahé, Bird Island feels like another world entirely. The northernmost point of the Seychelles archipelago, this private coral cay is home to just one eco-lodge, 24 rustic bungalows and five kilometres of powdery white sand. No roads, no crowds – just you, the sea and a sky full of stars.
Life here follows nature’s rhythm. Mornings begin with the sound of the ocean and sightings of fairy terns swooping overhead. You can spend your days walking the untouched shoreline, snorkelling in the shallows or watching green and hawksbill turtles haul themselves up onto the beach to nest. Between May and October, millions of sooty terns fill the island with their raucous calls: a natural spectacle that’s nothing short of mesmerising.
This is a place for true disconnection. There are no formal schedules, just warm hospitality and the kind of silence that lets you truly unwind.
Don’t miss a guided walk with the island’s conservation team, who’ll share the story of Bird Island’s incredible biodiversity and its long-standing efforts to preserve it. Keep an eye out too for Esmeralda, one of the oldest and largest giant tortoises in the world, still roaming freely near the lodge.
Here, the luxury is in the simplicity: in long walks at low tide, in stargazing on your veranda and in reconnecting with nature at its most untouched.
Nesting Turtles on Bird Island
There are few travel moments as humbling as watching a sea turtle nest in the wild. On Bird Island, the experience feels even more special. With no crowds or scheduled tours, you might stumble upon a green or hawksbill turtle hauling herself ashore at sunset, digging carefully in the sand before laying her eggs. Come dawn, you may spot hatchlings making their brave dash to the sea. It’s a quiet, profound encounter – one that connects you to the raw beauty and delicate rhythms of this untouched island paradise.
Praslin (Baie Sainte Anne)
Next, head to Praslin: the Seychelles’ second-largest island and home to some of its most iconic scenery. Here, forested hills tumble down to sugar-white beaches and the rhythm of island life hums gently through the palms.
You’ll be staying near Baie Sainte Anne, a peaceful coastal area with easy access to both the beach and the island’s beautiful interior. Spend slow mornings with your feet in the sand at Anse Volbert, one of Praslin’s most beautiful bays, or take a short boat trip to St Pierre Island for snorkelling in impossibly clear water.
A must-see is the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and primeval palm forest that’s often called the Garden of Eden. Walk beneath the towering fronds of the coco de mer trees, found only in the Seychelles, while black parrots call from the canopy above. Guided tours can help bring the forest’s myths, wildlife and rare flora to life.
If you’re feeling active, there are rainforest hikes and kayaking excursions along the coast, while the island’s coral reefs offer some of the best diving in the Indian Ocean. For something more relaxed, join a local cooking class or sip fresh fruit cocktails on the veranda as the sun dips below the horizon.
Evenings are laid-back and unhurried. Dine under the stars, listen to the soft sound of the waves and enjoy the warm hospitality that makes Praslin feel so effortlessly special.
Mahé
Your final stop is Mahé, the largest and most diverse of the Seychelles islands. Home to the capital, Victoria, and a coastline of picturesque coves and hidden beaches, Mahé offers a gentle reintroduction to the wider world, all without losing that signature island serenity.
You’ll stay in a peaceful seafront setting on the south-west coast, where calm waters are perfect for snorkelling and early morning swims. This area is known for its quieter beaches and relaxed atmosphere, a world away from the busier northern shores.
If you feel like exploring, head inland to discover Morne Seychellois National Park, for forest trails that lead to panoramic viewpoints and pockets of untouched wilderness. Or visit the Botanical Gardens and Sir Selwyn Clarke Market in Victoria for a taste of local life, fragrant with cinnamon, lemongrass and vanilla.
Looking for more opportunities to explore? We recommend a Creole food tour with a local guide, or a visit to a small family-run spice plantation where you can learn how the island’s famous vanilla and cinnamon are grown and harvested.
Evenings on Mahé are slow and sweet. Enjoy your final sunset walk along the beach, dine al fresco with your toes in the sand and let the island’s rhythm carry you through your last night in paradise.
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