When Charles Darwin came across giant tortoises on the Galápagos Islands, he noted that “I was always amused when overtaking one of these great monsters, as it was quietly pacing along, to see how suddenly, the instant I passed, it would draw in its head and legs, and uttering a deep hiss fall to the ground with a heavy sound, as if struck dead”.
Luckily for me, the giant tortoises on Desroches Island in the Seychelles were much friendlier, especially Big Pete, who happily posed with us as long as we stroked his carapace and long neck, which he extended in an attitude of bliss.
Perhaps their friendliness is because the Aldabra giant tortoises on Desroches Island are a species unique to the Seychelles, but also because they are now a protected species thriving on the islands, unlike in Darwin’s day when they were seen as a delicious dinner and hunted almost to extinction.
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One of the friendly giant tortoises on Desroches Island
(Image credit: Four Seasons)
The Seychelles is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, 1,000 miles off the east coast of Africa, northeast of Madagascar and just a few degrees south of the equator. Most of the 115 islands are uninhabited and 50% of the total land area is protected so as to sustain the stunning and varied natural environments.
Desroches is the largest of the Amirantes Islands, a group of coral islands and atolls a 35-minute flight southwest of Mahé, the Seychelles’ largest island and capital. It is owned by the Islands Development Company, set up by the Seychelles government to focus on environmentally sustainable tourism and development.
Desroches was previously used as a coconut plantation, but the conservation society is restoring the flora and fauna, as well as protecting the nine miles of white sandy beaches, which are important for the nesting green and hawksbill turtles, along with the ground-nesting shearwater birds.
Beautiful Desroches Island in the Indian Ocean
(Image credit: Four Seasons)
Working for conservation
The Four Seasons resort is the only hotel on the island and it works in partnership with the government and its conservation society. In case you were worrying this means you’re in for a slightly rougher stay, fear not.
Four Seasons is famous for its quiet luxury, with 40 residences nestled on the south-westerly coastline, each with its own pool and ocean view, and a further 31 villas for larger groups.
My spacious villa looked out onto gardens with a private pool and cabana leading down to the beach, where shearwaters were tending to their chicks that were about to fledge.
Throughout the island there are small beaches, some with bars. There are also a variety of dining options offering delicious locally inspired food, including The Lighthouse, a romantic place to spend the evening on the tip of the island. But as diverting as all the food was, it’s the activities that make for an unforgettable holiday.
The Lighthouse – a romantic place to spend the evening
(Image credit: Four Seasons)
On visiting the tortoise sanctuary, we were introduced to the project and its residents by the delightful Nasreen, Four Seasons’ conservationist, who is tasked with the breeding programme of the giant tortoises as well as rescuing them from illegal breeders and restoring the islands’ habitat to make sure Big Pete and his friends have all the native flora that they need to graze on.
You can cycle to the sanctuary, be driven there on an electric golf buggy, or simply walk through the lush forest interiors.
Snorkelling with the fish
Next, there’s the Castaway Centre for water sports, including snorkelling, scuba diving, paddle boarding, surfing and kayaking, along with fishing. The experienced staff can teach everyone, from beginners to experienced ocean lovers in all the above, but we opted for a guided snorkel tour of the coral reefs and their inhabitants.
Sadly, like many coral reefs around the world, they’re struggling, having been battered by hurricanes and rising sea temperatures leading to bleaching. But ongoing conservation work means they’re holding on and they are home to an array of beautiful fish. We were lucky enough to swim alongside a hawksbill turtle as he gently grazed on the corals and grasses, untroubled by our presence.
Of course, you could just choose to lie on a beach with food and drink on hand, or perhaps try out the spa to massage away all your troubles. But it’s going to be hard to find any troubles on this peaceful island with its simple natural luxury and the sounds of the surf beating a gentle rhythm.
Special mention must go to the staff who went out of their way to make sure nothing troubled you. They seemed genuinely delighted to be living on Desroches and proud to show off its beauty.
Even leaving the island is a delight as we sat in what must be the world’s best departure lounge – a thatched building next to the runway, open to the sea with comfy seats, a bar and passport control that comes to you while we watched our small aeroplane land on the only runway.
Protecting the fragile reefs
We landed in Mahé and transferred to the Four Seasons’ main resort in the Seychelles, a collection of villas tucked into the hillside, overlooking Petite Anse Bay, one of the most beautiful in the islands, with a white sandy beach and a coral reef starting just feet from the shore.
My villa sat high on the hillside, open to the breeze, with fruit bats feasting on the mango trees, white-tailed tropicbirds whirling overhead and the famed Seychelles Blue Pigeon happily grooming himself in the tree by my pool.
Four Seasons has outdone itself in the building of the resort, placing the villas where they could not disturb the granite rocks and lush foliage that weaves between the treehouse-style villas.
The villas are well spaced at Four Seasons Resort Seychelles
(Image credit: Four Seasons)
Unlike on Desroches, the steep hillsides meant we were delighted by the buggy service, which took us down to the various restaurants and up to the spa set on the highest point of the resort.
I had one of their signature massages, Le Syel Soul Retreat, in a peaceful cabana that was 60 minutes of blissful massage using organic oils, reflexology and a singing bowl designed to melt away whatever tension I had long ago lost on these amazing islands. I’m never sure exactly what the singing bowls are supposed to achieve, but the gentle reverberation was surprisingly soothing.
There are many dining options, with highlights including the Asian Izakaya where we ate perfect spicy tuna maki, bao buns and Peking duck rolls, alongside too many other courses that we somehow managed to eat as they were all delicious.
At the restaurant by the beach, we had local coconut fish curry, where they will moderate the heat to your taste, alongside shrimp tacos and amazing lemongrass mojitos that were perfect for the heat.
We took a break from all the food and spa treatments to spend an afternoon with Pip, the marine biologist employed by Four Seasons to help in the coral reef conservation as well as giving guided snorkelling sessions and educational talks.
The villas are nestled amid the greenery
(Image credit: Four Seasons)
We helped her string small bits of coral onto string, which we then tied to beds in the reef so that they can grow in the sea and be replanted when large enough. It was a pleasure to snorkel with someone whose passion and enthusiasm for the ocean and its marine life was brimming over.
As I stood in the surf, small rays swam past and further out the sheer volume of colourful fish was astonishing even though the reef was showing the same stress as on Desroches. Some standouts were the powder-blue surgeonfish, the emperor angelfish and the Moorish idol. Alongside the big show-offs, we were surrounded by iridescent shoals of tiny fish usually only seen in an aquarium.
It was a close highlight of the trip only beaten out by swimming with the hawksbill turtle and, of course, Big Pete, who will live long in my memory and probably much longer than me.
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Natasha read politics at Sussex University. She then spent a decade in social care, before completing a postgraduate course in Health Promotion at Brighton University. She went on to be a freelance health researcher and sexual health trainer for both the local council and Terrence Higgins Trust.
In 2000 Natasha began working as a freelance journalist for both the Daily Express and the Daily Mail; then as a freelance writer for MoneyWeek magazine when it was first set up, writing the property pages and the “Spending It” section. She eventually rose to become the magazine’s picture editor, although she continues to write the property pages and the occasional travel article.
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