YOU know you must be in paradise when you bump into James Bond on a secluded, tropical island.
But in fact meeting 007, or Pierce Brosnan, was not the highlight of my trip to Fregate Island Private.
The beauty of this undulating granite island, with its tall imposing palm trees jutting out from steep cliffs and pure powder beaches, is matched only by an exquisitely designed property offering flawless service.
Indeed, critics of the Seychelles who regularly complain that the islands’ hotels don’t do the destination justice have clearly not visited this resort.
From the moment you swoop over Fregate in the property’s chartered helicopter you realise no expense has been spared to ensure the exclusivity of this resort.
The maximum number of guests is 40 ensuring privacy is upmost, while the number of staff – around 135 – means everyone is well looked after.
On arrival guests are given a private golf buggy and directed to the north coast where 16 thatched villas perch on a cliff top overlooking the idyllic sandy bay Anse Bambou.
The immaculate villas are so spacious that servants have to ring a large bell to signal their arrival and I was constantly putting items of clothing down and forgetting where I put them.
Equipped with a foyer, living room, bedroom and sun deck with king-size day bed and Jacuzzi, it is hard to leave the comfort of your air-conditioned villa to explore the island.
However, with seven spectacular beaches beckoning, most do make the move at some time during their stay, despite having to tackle a couple of hundred steps to reach the beach.
The most popular is Anse Victorin, rumoured to be one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. A quick telephone call to the restaurant will ensure that a picnic is waiting on the beach on arrival, while the more energetic can charter a boat to take them scuba diving at Chimney Rocks.
Alternatively visitors can take one of the shaded walking paths into the interior of the island. Naturalist James Millet lives on the island and offers free tours for guests interested in nature.
Indeed, the environmentally conscious will be intrigued by management’s efforts to restore indigenous species, many of which were wiped out when the coconut and citrus plantations were introduced 200 years ago.
Major achievements include the magpie robin recovery programme which was set up to save the most critically threatened of the 11 native bird species in the Seychelles.
A couple of years ago there were only 26 magpie robins left in the world. Efforts to restore the habitat have now increased the population to around 46.
Other rare birds found on the island include the blue pigeon; sunbirds, similar to hummingbirds; and the frigate bird, known for its huge wingspan of around six feet.
Giant tortoises also breed on Fregate and can be seen trudging freely around the island, while hawksbill tortoises lay their eggs undisturbed on the island’s sandy beaches.
TABLE: Taking it easy:the villas on Fregate Island Private are very spacious and include a sun deck with a king-size day bed
fregate island private
Location: 3sq km island situated in the Seychelles.
Accommodation: 16 luxurious villas with foyer, living room, bedroom (complete with four-poster bed and en-suite including three showers), sun deck with king-size day bed and Jacuzzi. Video, TV, CD player and mini bar.
Facilities: gym, tennis court, swimming pool, bar, two restaurants, villa dining, shop, library, creche and mountain bikes.
Activities: nature walks, slide presentations on the environment, a range of water sports, day trips to nearby islands, sunset cruises, deep sea fishing and scuba diving.