Private Islands in Seychelles: Which One Is Right for You?
From granitic retreats near Praslin to remote coral islands hundreds of kilometres from Mahé, Seychelles’ private islands offer very different kinds of escape. This guide helps you choose the one that fits your trip.
There is a point at which a Seychelles holiday changes completely. On Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, you choose a hotel and then explore the island around it. On a private island, the island itself becomes part of the accommodation — your beach, restaurant, nature walks, snorkelling, spa, wildlife encounters and even the journey from Mahé may all form part of the same experience.
But Seychelles' private islands are not interchangeable. Some are tiny granitic islands close to Praslin and La Digue; others are remote coral islands hundreds of kilometres from Mahé. Some are built around ultra-luxury and complete privacy; others deliberately offer a simpler, nature-first experience. A few are excellent for families, while others make more sense for honeymooners, divers, anglers or travellers who genuinely want to disconnect. This guide will help you understand the difference before you spend private-island money on the wrong private island.
In this guide
- What "private island" means
- Compare the islands
- North Island
- Félicité — Six Senses Zil Pasyon
- Cousine Island
- Denis Private Island
- Bird Island
- Desroches — Four Seasons
- Platte — Waldorf Astoria
- Alphonse Island
- Silhouette Island
- Sainte Anne Island
- Frégate (current status)
- Which island should you choose?
- Private island vs the main islands
- Adding one to your itinerary
- What to check before booking
- Families · Honeymoons
- FAQ
What does "private island" actually mean in Seychelles?
The term can be confusing. A private-island stay does not always mean you have rented an entire island for yourself. In many cases it means that access is restricted primarily to resort guests and staff, and that one accommodation operation occupies the island. In other cases, a very small number of villas share the island. Some properties also allow guests to reserve the entire island exclusively, which is a very different level of privacy.
That distinction matters. A couple wanting a highly serviced resort experience may love one island, while a family wanting complete exclusivity, a conservation-focused traveller or someone looking for a genuine digital detox may prefer another.
Seychelles private islands at a glance
Use this to narrow your shortlist, then read the individual profiles below. Access times and arrangements are approximate and change — always confirm when booking (last checked: August 2026).
| Island | Island style | Access | Best for | Privacy level | Ideal stay style |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Island | Ultra-private granitic luxury | Helicopter (~15 min) or boat/yacht from Mahé | Privacy, honeymoons, families, buyouts | Very high — 11 villas | Long, unhurried, exclusive |
| Félicité | Luxury, wellness & dramatic granite | Boat from Praslin/La Digue, or helicopter | Couples, wellness, island-hopping | High | Wellness-focused, connected to inner islands |
| Cousine | Small-scale conservation luxury | Helicopter or boat, esp. from Praslin | Privacy, families, celebrations, nature | Very high — 5 villas, ~12 guests | Intimate, conservation-led |
| Denis | Barefoot eco-retreat, digital detox | Light aircraft from Mahé (~30 min) | Nature, couples, families, switching off | High | Slow, off-grid |
| Bird Island | Simple, nature-first, self-catering | Light aircraft from Mahé (~30 min) | Wildlife, families, independent travellers | Medium–high — 7 villas | Informal, independent |
| Desroches | Full-service private-island resort | Flight from Mahé (~35 min) | Families, couples, cycling, beaches | Medium–high | Active, spacious, resort |
| Platte | Contemporary high-end resort & wildlife | Private plane from Mahé (~20–25 min) | Luxury, families, wellness, wildlife | High — 50 villas | Polished, facility-rich |
| Alphonse | Remote marine wilderness | ~1-hour flight from Mahé (~400 km) | Diving, fishing, snorkelling, adventure | High | Adventure, ocean-focused |
| Silhouette | Nature + full resort on a national-park island | Boat from Mahé (~40 min) | Nature, families, couples, divers | Medium — single resort, 115 villas | Active, nature-focused resort |
| Sainte Anne | All-inclusive family resort island | Boat from Mahé (~15 min) | Families, all-inclusive, first-timers | Medium — single resort | Easy, sociable, family |
| Frégate | Extreme privacy & conservation | Private transfer arrangements | Future ultra-luxury stays | Very high — planned 17 villas/estates | Currently relaunching — see below |
Access and operating models differ considerably: Desroches is the only resort on its island, with the journey from Mahé described as about 35 minutes; Platte is around 130 km south of Mahé, reached by private-plane transfer; Alphonse is around 400 km south-west of Mahé and roughly one hour by air.
North Island
North Island is the version of Seychelles many travellers imagine when they hear the words private island. It is a granitic Inner Island with just 11 private villas, and the entire island can also be reserved exclusively. The experience is deliberately low-density, combining large private accommodation with beaches, nature, wellness and extensive conservation work.
This is not a resort you choose primarily to spend your holiday visiting cafés, villages and shops — the island is the destination. Guests can hike, cycle, snorkel, dive, spend time with the environmental team, use the spa or simply retreat to their villa and beach. It's also more family-friendly than its ultra-exclusive image suggests, actively offering family activities alongside romance and wellness.
Getting there
North Island currently states the journey from Mahé International Airport can be made by private helicopter charter in approximately 15 minutes. Boat or yacht transfers can also be arranged, generally about 45 minutes to one hour depending on conditions.
Choose North Island if: privacy itself is one of the main reasons for the trip.
Think twice if: you want to spend most days independently exploring restaurants, towns and different inhabited islands.
Félicité — Six Senses Zil Pasyon
Félicité offers a very different private-island experience. Instead of being hundreds of kilometres into the Outer Islands, it sits close to La Digue, surrounded by islands including Grande Sœur, Petite Sœur, Coco and Marianne. Six Senses Zil Pasyon is the only resort hotel on Félicité and occupies less than one-third of the island.
The setting is unmistakably Seychellois — huge granite formations, tropical vegetation and ocean — with a strong wellness component, private-pool accommodation, spa facilities, island activities and access to excursions around the surrounding islands. That makes it particularly interesting for someone who wants privacy but still wants Praslin, La Digue and nearby island-hopping to remain part of the holiday.
Getting there
The resort currently arranges boat transfers from Praslin and La Digue. Direct helicopter transfers from Mahé are also an option.
Choose Félicité if: you want luxury, wellness and seclusion but still like being geographically connected to the Praslin–La Digue part of Seychelles.
Think twice if: your definition of private island means hundreds of kilometres of separation from the main tourist islands.
Cousine Island
Cousine is one of the more interesting private islands because the scale is exceptionally small. The island currently has five luxury beach villas and limits occupancy to a maximum of approximately 12 guests, helping maintain both privacy and a conservation-focused operating model. Whole-island rental is also available.
Cousine sits about 8 km west of Praslin, a major logistical advantage over the remote Outer Islands for travellers already visiting Praslin. Its identity revolves strongly around conservation rather than simply building a luxury hotel on a small island — making it particularly attractive for families, small groups, private celebrations, honeymoons, nature-focused luxury and travellers considering an entire-island rental.
Getting there
Helicopter transfer is approximately 17–20 minutes from Mahé and around 5 minutes from Praslin; boat transfer from Praslin is another practical option. Cousine also currently offers structured day visits, so an overnight stay is not the only way to experience the island.
Choose Cousine if: you want a tiny guest population and conservation to feel central to the experience.
Particularly interesting: for travellers combining a Praslin stay with several nights somewhere dramatically more private.
Denis Private Island
Denis Island challenges the idea that greater luxury always means more technology. The island explicitly promotes disconnection: its current information states there is no mobile-phone signal, no in-room internet and no cable television. That is not a missing amenity — it is part of the product.
Denis is a coral island north of Mahé with beaches, birdlife, marine conservation, giant tortoises, fishing and a strong farm-to-table philosophy. It works particularly well for travellers who genuinely want to slow down instead of simply transferring their normal digital life to a villa overlooking the Indian Ocean.
Getting there
Denis currently operates scheduled flights from Mahé on selected days of the week, with a flight time of approximately 30 minutes. Its current flight information also shows restricted aircraft baggage allowances, so verify luggage limits when booking.
Choose Denis if: switching off is part of the holiday rather than an inconvenience.
Think twice if: constant connectivity, streaming, remote working or being online throughout the day is essential to you.
Bird Island
Bird Island deserves to be included precisely because it is not trying to compete with North Island or a Waldorf Astoria. Its current accommodation model uses only seven villas, including one-, two- and three-bedroom options, with self-catering facilities. The entire island can also be booked for a private group.
Bird Island is approximately 105 km north of Mahé and is known primarily for nature, birds, beaches and the feeling of being somewhere physically removed from the main inhabited islands. This is the private island to think of as "come for the island, not for a marble lobby."
Getting there
As of August 2026, Bird Island's official information lists scheduled flights between Mahé and Bird Island on Mondays and Fridays, with a flight duration of around 30 minutes and a 15 kg checked-baggage allowance. These details are dynamic and should always be checked again before travel.
Choose Bird Island if: wildlife, freedom and an informal island experience matter more than full-service luxury.
Think twice if: you expect the dining, spa and service infrastructure of an international five-star resort.
Desroches Island — Four Seasons
Desroches is one of the strongest compromises between remote-island isolation and full-service resort infrastructure. Four Seasons is the only resort on Desroches Island. The resort describes roughly nine miles of beaches, cycling paths, reefs and a tortoise sanctuary, and currently places the flight from Mahé at approximately 35 minutes.
Unlike a tiny granitic island where the resort and beach may occupy a compact area, Desroches has enough space for cycling and exploring to become part of the experience — the appeal is less "villa + beach + restaurant" and more "island + bicycle + beaches + marine environment + resort." That makes it particularly attractive for families or travellers worried that several days on a private island might feel restrictive. It also has an established conservation component and a large population of giant Aldabra tortoises managed with conservation programmes.
Getting there
By flight from Mahé, currently described at approximately 35 minutes. Confirm the scheduled operation when booking.
Choose Desroches if: you want genuine isolation without giving up substantial resort infrastructure.
Strong fit: families, longer private-island stays and couples who want more to do than sit beside their villa pool.
Platte Island — Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island
Platte represents the newer generation of Seychelles private-island resorts. Located around 130 km south of Mahé, the island is reached by private-plane transfer to its own landing strip. The resort currently has 50 villas, each designed around privacy and private-pool living.
The interesting part is that the experience is not positioned purely around luxury: nature and marine life are central to the island, alongside diving, snorkelling, wildlife walks, wellness and a substantial food-and-beverage offering. It can appeal to couples, honeymooners, families, wildlife enthusiasts, travellers wanting international-brand service, and guests who want a remote island without sacrificing extensive facilities.
Getting there
Hilton’s current location information gives the flight at approximately 25 minutes from Mahé, although another current resort page references around 20 minutes. Treat transfer time as approximate and verify the scheduled operation when booking.
Choose Platte if: you want polished contemporary resort luxury but still want the island’s ecosystems to be visible parts of the experience.
Alphonse Island
If North Island represents ultimate privacy, Alphonse represents remoteness. The island lies approximately 400 km south-west of Mahé in the Outer Islands and is reached by an approximately one-hour flight. Once you get that far from Mahé, the reason for travelling changes.
Alphonse is strongly associated with marine experiences: diving, snorkelling, fishing and exploration of the surrounding ocean environment. The resort also promotes cycling, wellness, farm-to-table dining and family experiences, so it should not be positioned solely as a fishing lodge.
Getting there & an important planning point
Because flights to remote islands operate differently from normal high-frequency domestic transport, the resort itself advises allowing substantial time between an international arrival and the onward Alphonse flight; travellers with tight connections may need to overnight on Mahé. That is exactly the type of logistical detail worth understanding before building an itinerary.
Choose Alphonse if: getting far away from the main Seychelles tourism circuit is the point of your trip.
Excellent fit: divers, anglers, snorkellers, marine-life enthusiasts and travellers comfortable dedicating several days to one remote environment.
Single-resort islands closer to the main islands
Not every one-resort island is remote or ultra-exclusive. Two of the most accessible sit close to Mahé, each with a single resort and an easier — often more affordable — way to experience island seclusion.
Silhouette Island
Silhouette is the dramatic, mountainous island you can see on the horizon from Beau Vallon — the third-largest granitic island, with around 93% of its land protected as national park. It has a single resort spread across 115 villas, surrounded by rainforest, quiet beaches, a marine park and a giant-tortoise sanctuary, with a PADI dive centre, spa and several restaurants. It is family-friendly and nature-first, with more space and a larger-resort feel than the tiny exclusive islands.
Getting there
By boat transfer from the north-west of Mahé (around 40 minutes), with limited daily departures and a transfer fee — confirm the current schedule and cost when booking.
Choose Silhouette if: you want genuine nature, hiking and a full-service resort on a national-park island.
Think twice if: you want an ultra-exclusive island with a very small guest count — this is a larger resort.
Sainte Anne Island
Sainte Anne is the largest island in the Sainte Anne Marine National Park, just a few kilometres off the east coast of Mahé. It has a single resort — Club Med Seychelles — making it the most accessible "private island" in the country: island seclusion without a long or complex transfer. The all-inclusive, family-focused resort offers eco-chic villas (some with private pools), a spa, water sports, snorkelling, kayaking and hiking, with kids’ and teens’ clubs included.
Getting there
By a short boat ride of roughly 15 minutes from the Mahé (Eden Island / Victoria) area — one of the quickest island transfers in Seychelles.
Choose Sainte Anne if: you want an easy, all-inclusive, family-friendly island a short hop from Mahé.
Think twice if: you want ultra-remote seclusion or a very small guest count — this is a larger all-inclusive resort.
Frégate Island — check current reopening status
Frégate is one of Seychelles' best-known private islands, but it should not currently be treated like the other bookable options on this page. As of August 2026, Frégate's own website says the island is undergoing a major reconstruction and environmental-enhancement programme and that bookings will reopen soon. The redeveloped island is planned around 17 villas and estates, seven beaches and extensive conservation land. Current travel-industry reporting points to an expected reopening later in 2026, but we won't publish a fixed opening date until the resort itself confirms bookable inventory.
Check Current Frégate Reopening Status
Which Seychelles private island should you choose?
Highest level of privacy → North Island (especially if budget is secondary and privacy is the main objective).
Wellness + easy access to Praslin and La Digue → Félicité / Six Senses Zil Pasyon.
A tiny guest count → Cousine Island (five villas, very low capacity).
Digital detox → Denis Island (the absence of ordinary in-room connectivity is deliberate).
Nature without formal luxury → Bird Island.
Families wanting plenty to do → Desroches (space, bicycles, beaches, resort facilities).
Modern international-brand luxury → Platte Island.
Diving, fishing and marine adventure → Alphonse Island.
Private island, or Mahé, Praslin and La Digue?
For most first-time visitors, we would not automatically replace Mahé, Praslin and La Digue with a private island — the experiences are different. On the three main tourist islands you can encounter Seychellois communities, local shops, Creole takeaways, public transport, different beaches, independent restaurants and everyday island life. A private island deliberately removes much of that complexity. That can be wonderful, but it means the strongest itinerary is often not seven nights on a private island. It may instead be Mahé + Praslin or La Digue + three or four nights on a private island — so you experience both Seychelles as a country and Seychelles as an escape.
How to add a private island to your Seychelles itinerary
Option 1 — First stay on Mahé
Best for North Island, Denis and Bird. Mahé is the country's main international gateway and the logical connection point for many private-island transfers, which vary substantially between islands.
Option 2 — Mahé → Praslin → private island
Particularly logical for Cousine and Félicité. Cousine is only a few kilometres from Praslin, while Félicité has resort boat connections from Praslin and La Digue.
Option 3 — Save the private island for the end
Often our favourite structure: explore first, slow down last. A private island at the end of the itinerary gives you several days with no pressure to keep moving.
What to check before booking a private island
- Transfer cost — do not assume it is included.
- Flight days — some private-island flights do not operate every day.
- Baggage allowance — light aircraft can have much lower limits than your international flight.
- Meals — check whether the rate includes breakfast, half board, full board, drinks and children's meals.
- Activities — ask whether snorkelling, diving, fishing, boat trips and spa treatments are included or charged separately.
- Connectivity — do you actually want a digital detox? Denis, for example, deliberately limits ordinary connectivity.
- Medical considerations — remote islands are very different from staying near Victoria on Mahé. Travellers with significant health requirements should discuss available medical support and evacuation arrangements directly with the resort and their travel insurer before booking.
- Weather-dependent transfers — boat and aircraft operations can be affected by operational and weather considerations, so always leave sensible connection time before an international departure.
Are Seychelles private islands good for families?
Yes — but choose carefully. A private island can work extremely well for children because there is less traffic, more nature and fewer daily logistical decisions. But the best family island may not be the one that looks most romantic on Instagram. Look for family accommodation, children's activities, a kids' club where relevant, meal flexibility, shallow or appropriate swimming areas, medical support, transfer simplicity, baby equipment, babysitting and age limits on activities.
North Island actively promotes family journeys; Six Senses Zil Pasyon lists a children's villa and babysitting; and Club Med Seychelles on Sainte Anne is built around families, with kids' and teens' clubs included.
Are private islands only for honeymoons?
No. They are particularly attractive for honeymoons because of privacy, but many are equally appropriate for families, multi-generational travel, weddings, anniversaries, nature trips, diving holidays, fishing trips, wellness retreats and small-group celebrations. The island you choose matters more than the label "private island."
Private islands FAQ
What is the most exclusive private island in Seychelles?
Can I rent an entire island in Seychelles?
Which private island is closest to Praslin?
Which private island is best for a digital detox?
Which is best for diving and snorkelling?
Which island is easiest to combine with La Digue?
Is Frégate open?
Do private-island rates include transfers?
Should I spend my entire Seychelles holiday on a private island?
Find the Seychelles island that fits your trip
There is no single "best private island." The right choice depends on what you actually want from the days when you stop moving.
Maximum privacy → North Island
Wellness + Praslin/La Digue access → Félicité
Very small guest numbers → Cousine
Digital detox → Denis
Nature-first simplicity → Bird Island
Full resort + family activities → Desroches
Modern luxury + wildlife → Platte
Remote marine adventure → Alphonse
Full resort on a national-park island → Silhouette
Easy all-inclusive family island → Sainte Anne
Once it formally reopens → Frégate (ultra-private, conservation-led)