Reclining on one of my favourite beaches in the world, if not the favourite, after turning the wooden occupied sign to guarantee my piece of private paradise will stay just that for the entire day, the daily grind seems very far away indeed.
This tropical Seychelles hideaway is one of my favourite and its award-winning retreat is as stunning as the natural beauty that surrounds it. A haven of luxury, safety and seclusion and just two square kilometres in size, Frégate is a sanctuary for rare plants and wildlife and the select number of guests who walk its shores.
Home to just 16 villas and the staff who provide this highly personalised service, Frégate is a remote but not inaccessible resort. Just 20 minutes from Mahé, with its own airstrip suitable for helicopter or aeroplane transfers, you can explore the wonders of the Indian Ocean both above and below the surface of its sapphire waters. For adventures further afield, the launches Frigate Bird and Little Frigate offer excursions, as well as Hobie-cats and ocean kayaks, and a PADI certified instructor to escort divers among the marine life.
Each air-conditioned villa is supplied with its own electric buggy, allowing you to explore the six kilometres of driveways leading to its private beaches and secret forests. Protected by a coral reef, the beaches are of the purest sand and voted among the most beautiful on earth, decorated by granite boulders moulded smooth by wind and sea. The yacht club, island museum and chapel, which is a peaceful location for wedding blessings, or one of several dramatic viewpoints are also just a short drive away. Back at the villa, king size four-posters, cool marble bathrooms and an outdoor Jacuzzi in front of your own private sun-terrace await. In addition to her seven beaches, Frégate has two freshwater swimming pools; the main swimming pool as well as a smaller lap-pool sculpted into the rock-face perched above Anse Bambous, the hotel beach.
The island is also home to dozens of endangered endemic species - you may be lucky enough to witness an endangered sea turtle lay her eggs in the sand or catch sight of the rare magpie robin.
Whether it is dining under the stars on Anse Bambous, or a private picnic in a shaded cove, I love the rich storehouse of exotic fruits and spices that are grown on the island and easily immerse myself in the aromas of frangipani, jasmine, papaya and coco-de-mer while experiencing holistic therapies from India, Australia and Polynesia at the Rock Spa.
Unique in the world, this is unashamedly paradise.
To see more exciting news stories, visit our website
