The Seychelles is perfect for a luxury fly-and-flop holiday – but the oft-heard complaint is that there’s not much to do. Janine Kelso investigates
The Seychelles is celebrated for its palm-fringed beaches and swish hotels. But is there anything to do in there, or is it just a luxury beach resort?
We ask industry figures what sights and activities are available outside the hotels, and whether it matters if there’s nothing besides luxury accommodation…
Part one: luxury holidays
The Seychelles has a reputation for A-list luxury, attracting a host of celebrities from Brad Pitt to Pierce Brosnan.
Dominated by five-star resorts and boutique properties, the Seychelles lacks mid-range accommodation options, but there are a number of self-catering apartments, guest houses and small hotels called Seychelles Secrets, sold through UK operators including Elite Vacations.
The tourist board has introduced an accommodation grading system to make things easier. Regional manager Wendy Betts said: “We hope this will help agents feel more comfortable with what they are selling. “We are also introducing an online agent training resource later and hope more mid-range hotels will open by 2010.”
Couples and honeymooners flock to the secluded white-sandy beaches, which provide the perfect setting for romance, particularly if they’re in one of the Seychelles’ 16 private island resorts.
Of these, Desroches Island Resort in the Amirantes is a remote hideaway with 20 rooms, which counts Tony Blair, Sir Richard Branson, Kate Middleton and Prince William among its former guests. No cars are allowed on the island.
Activities are mainly water-based and include windsurfing, canoeing, game fishing, snorkelling and diving.
Other upmarket resorts set to open in the next few years include Emirates Cap Ternay Resort and Spa and Four Seasons Petit Anse. And 2006 saw the opening of two five-star properties, Maia Luxury Resort and Spa in southwest Mahe and Labriz on Silhouette Island.
Travel 2 assistant product manager for Africa and Indian Ocean Michael Creighton agreed that there is not a lot to do in the Seychelles. “People go there to relax. It’s the ultimate exclusive seaside getaway.”
This sense of exclusivity is enhanced by the destination’s tiny population of 81,895 – neighbouring Mauritius has 1.25 million inhabitants.
