Fregate Island

Named after the elegant tropical Frégate bird, and originally a refuge for pirates, the island of Frégate today is home to an extraordinary 16-villa resort.

With its lush cover of rare tropical trees and plants, its wildlife of rare birds and giant turtles, Frégate Island is the ideal escape for environmentally conscious travellers who are satisfied only with the highest standards of resort accommodations and services. Frégate is roughly one mile long and almost a mile wide. It is surrounded by brilliant waters of rich blues and greens and is ringed by seven fine-sand beaches.

Location

One-thousand miles east of the Kenyan coast is the Seychelles Archipelago and the private island of Frégate. It is reached by flights on the major airlines from various European capitals including Paris and London, either direct to the Seychelles island of Mahé, or via Johannesburg. From Mahé, Frégate can be reached by chartered helicopter.

Accommodations

All 16 of Frégate's villas have stunning views of the island's beaches and surrounding ocean. Unusually spacious, their 2000 square feet is divided into separate glass-walled living and sleeping units which are joined by a shaded terrace for outside relaxation. On a separate level closer to the water is a private sun terrace with Jacuzzi. Inside the air-conditioned accommodations, Asian artwork and rare antiques are complemented by fabrics of Thai silk and fine Egyptian cotton. Satellite television is in all accommodations. To ensure the utmost in privacy for all guests, the villas are carefully sited around the perimeter of the island and are separated by lush natural growth.

Activities

All types of watersports are offered on Frégate. In addition to its seven gorgeous beaches for swimming, snorkelling and small sailboating, there are SCUBA excursions to the numerous nearby coral reefs, with an introductory diving course for beginners and an advanced course for those more experienced. Taking advantage of the exotic flora and fauna, there are miles of shady paths for walking, and even a resident ecologist to point out the island's natural wonders. Deep-sea and bonefishing in the area are world-renowned; Frégate has it own marina equipped with dinghies, cruisers and yachts, all available for private charter. For those looking for really vigorous exercise, there is a fitness center. For lounging or swimming, a lovely freshwater pool is built right into a natural rock basin.

The Rock Spa

At the highest point of Fregate Island is the resort's fabulous new spa. The first indigenous spa in The Seychelles, its multitude of beauty and health treatments make full use of the native plants grown on Fregate. House-size boulders surround pools, bridges and treatment rooms, most of them with awesome ocean views.

Dining

Frégate is actually a plantation on which fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs are grown for the resort's dining rooms, of which there are two. Breakfast is served hillside in the main dining room, with broad views of the sea. The Plantation House, a carefully restored museum cum dining room, serves wonderfully creative Creole cuisine. For those who prefer the informality of dining in their own villa, there is room service.

Acclaim

"Arguably the classiest resort sanctuary in the Seychelles, privately owned Frégate Island also possesses an exotic botanic terrain that serves as a nature reserve…Designed to merge the inside and outside as one, the luxurious villa accommodations have been harmoniously integrated into the lush natural landscape… Clearly, the intent was to create an indulgent cocoon that one is reluctant to leave… All in all, Frégate Island lives up to its much-heralded reputation, its alluringly remote and magical setting conveying a powerful sense of unreality you won't soon forget." Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report, November 2000.

Rates and Other Details

Villas are 1900 Euro per night for two persons until December 19, 2006, with an additional 15% tax and service charge added to guests' bills. These rates include breakfast, lunch, dinner and soft drinks, as well as all non-motorized watersports, an introductory SCUBA diving course, use of the mountain bikes, and guided tours through the island's flora and fauna. Rates for the Christmas/New Year's holiday are slightly higher.