Embark on an Exotic Journey: Unveiling Seychelles Through the Lens of The Private Traveller

Being a big fan of holidays to the Seychelles, I was really delighted to see that as of March 25 (2021) they will reopen to every other country, except South Africa. Between UK lockdowns and imposed travel restrictions, I was able to visit this incredible archipelago just before Christmas, but at that point as well as providing a negative PCR test before departing from the UK, we also had to quarantine in an approved resort for the first few days until we were retested. Now you only need to provide a negative test before arrival with no quarantine, and you’re free to move around the islands as long as you comply with the basic guidance of wearing a face mask, respecting social distancing and washing hands frequently.

Unfortunately, although the Seychelles are opening up, as well the mandated non-essential travel ban within the UK until at least 17 May (and probably likely to be extended now beyond that date) the Seychelles are still listed as a ‘red list travel ban’ country for quarantine - this means that regardless of your UK residency status there is a mandatory quarantine in government-approved hotel accommodation for 10 days on arrival back in the UK. If a country isn’t on the red list then the quarantine can be taken in your own home environment.

Raffles Seychelles Beach | Photo Credit The Private Traveller

Where to Stay

I’m an avid reader of the Sunday Times travel section and last weekend there was a big feature of the Seychelles and their reopening plans. There were nine hotels and resorts featured, I’ve been to two of them already (Denis Private Island & Constance Lemuria) and another two (Six Senses Zil Pasyon & Fregate Island Private) are extremely high up on my list of future places to visit. What I can do though is talk about the two that I’ve visited from that list, and also the other resorts we visited just before Christmas - Raffles Seychelles (Praslin) and Constance Ephelia on Mahé. The first hotel I ever visited in Seychelles many, many years ago (Le Domaine de la Réserve) our villa at Raffles actually looked towards this bay (in the distance) and we actually cycled past the entrance en-route to Baie St. Anne once we were out with our initial quarantine period at Raffles. It was a great introduction to this amazing country and funny to think that where this looked out to in the distance, a green hillside, would ultimately become the location (and somewhere we would stay years later) - Raffles Seychelles.

Raffles Seychelles Pool | Photo Credit The Private Traveller

Raffles Seychelles

Our first stop this trip was to Praslin, the second largest island in the archipelago. Raffles is an all-villa resort (86 in total), each villa with its own private pool, as well as the resort having a huge bi-level main pool along with some spectacular private beaches. Villas ranged from garden views to panoramic ocean views, there were multiple restaurants and bars, a fantastic spa and gym, and lots of activities from mountain bikes, water sports, to a kids club and library. Endless options to do as much or as little as you like. You can read my full hotel review here.

Denis Private Island

Our next stop, once we were out of our quarantine period (and tested negative for Covid in-resort at Raffles), was to Denis Private Island. Located just under 100km from the main island of Mahé, this (luxury) barefoot chic island had only 25 beach cottages; some beachfront with their own spa cabanas in a private garden and one with its own private pool in a walled garden. Spacious luxury bathrooms were open-sided to the garden with a soaking tub as well as a huge walk-in rain shower. Although only one main restaurant and bar in a main building (also housing a library with decent WiFi, the only place it was available on the island) meals were incredible. Three meals a day were included within the daily rate and all were incredible - great selection and quality, much of the produce coming from the on-island farm, so literally farm-to-table service. As well having the surrounding ocean to swim, the resort also had an amazing pool deck as part of the main building, which made the swimming pool look as if it just merged with the ocean. An amazing island resort which you can read all about here.

Constance Ephelia Mahé

Our final stop on this trip was back to the main island of Mahé, so that the international airport was easily accessible for our return flight back to the UK. We’d stayed at Constance Hotel’s Lemuria on Praslin before, but this was the first time to the much larger resort Ephelia, in the middle of the Port Launay Marine National Park. The resort was large (apparently the largest in the Indian Ocean) with 313 rooms, suites and villas but having one of their hillside villas which come with their own private buggy for transporting yourselves throughout the resort was just a magical experience. It really felt like an ultra-luxe resort within another luxury resort with only 10 hillside villas, all with infinity private pools and a spectacular view over the north beach, the stunning ocean bay and across to the National park. To read my full review of these luxury villas and the resort itself, please click here.

Getting to the Seychelles

Although the British Airways direct route from London Heathrow to Mahé has been suspended at the moment, it was a great way to get there from the UK on one of the world’s best airlines. Four classes from economy through to first were available, flights were well-timed to arrive into the Seychelles early morning; so you could easily be clear of immigration and Covid-entry formalities and in your resort for breakfast. Similarly on the return, an easy departure after an early breakfast gets you back to the UK in time for dinner. I’ve also flown with Qatar Airways, once to the Seychelles just for a long weekend which was also a luxurious way to fly there, with great connections via the airline’s state-of-the-art hub at Hamad International Airport in Doha.

Denis Private Island Pool | Photo Credit The Private Traveller

Island Hopping

There are a number of options to fly between islands; Mahé to Praslin return has the most frequent scheduled services with Air Seychelles, who also fly to some of the other (private) islands but these flights will generally have to be arranged by the island resort itself. Similarly, either private flights or helicopter transfers with Zil Air if you’re landing on a private island airstrip or landing straight into a resort’s helipad these will have to be organised directly with your resort. On this trip we flew exclusively with Zil Air once we were in the Seychelles - by helicopter between Mahé and Raffle Seychelles, and from the Zil Air base on Mahé to Constance Ephelia. For the longer flights between Praslin and Denis, and Denis back to Mahé we used Zil Air’s private Vulcanair planes. Excellently executed, all flights on time, and such a magical way to arrive in a resort by helicopter.

Zil Air Private Plane | Photo Credit The Private Traveller

Summary

I’ve loved the Seychelles on every visit so far, and would go back without a moment’s hesitation. I’ve really enjoyed each resort we have visited so far, but there are still many more islands and resorts that I would love to visit in the future. Being a big fan of Six Senses in other parts of the world Zil Pasyon is a definite, as are some of the other private islands like Fregate, North, Desroches (Four Seasons) or Alphonse. Equally, having stayed for the first time (this trip) on Mahé itself, I’d also love to try out some of the main island’s other ultra-luxe properties like Four Seasons or the Anantara property at Maia Seychelles.

Mahé Aerial Shot | Photo Credit The Private Traveller

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Useful website links:

• Hotels

  • Raffles Hotels https://www.raffles.com

  • Raffles Seychelles https://www.raffles.com/seychelles/

  • Denis Private Island http://denisisland.com

  • Constance Hotels https://www.constancehotels.com/en/

  • Constance Ephelia https://www.constancehotels.com/en/hotels-resorts/seychelles/ephelia/

  • Fregate Island Private https://www.fregate.com

  • Anantara Hotels | Resorts | Spa https://www.anantara.com/en

  • Anantara Maia Seychelles https://www.anantara.com/en/maia-seychelles

  • Six Senses https://www.sixsenses.com/en

  • Zil Pasyon Félicité Private Island https://www.sixsenses.com/en/resorts/zil-pasyon

  • Four Seasons https://www.fourseasons.com

  • North Island Seychelles https://www.north-island.com

  • Alphonse Island https://www.alphonse-island.com/en

  • Le Domaine de la Réserve https://domainedelareserve.sc

• The Private Traveller Hotel Reviews

  • Raffles Seychelles https://theprivatetraveller.com/blog/hotel-review/raffles-seychelles

  • Denis Private Island https://theprivatetraveller.com/blog/hotel-review/denis-private-island

  • Constance Ephelia https://theprivatetraveller.com/blog/hotel-review/constance-ephelia

• Airlines

  • British Airways https://www.britishairways.com/travel/home/public/en_gb/

  • Qatar Airways http://www.qatarairways.com

  • Air Seychelles https://www.airseychelles.com

  • Zil Air https://zilair.com

• Other

  • The Private Traveller’s Seychelles travel itinerary https://theprivatetraveller.com/blog/travel-itinerary-seychelles

  • Travelling long-haul in Covid times https://theprivatetraveller.com/blog/travel-diaries/long-haul-covid

Denis Private Island Deluxe Spa Cottage | Photo Credit The Private Traveller

Raffles Seychelles Outdoor Dining | Photo Credit The Private Traveller

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