Fregate Island (Seychelles Islands) Indian Ocean
Location:
Four degrees south of the equator, a 20-minute flight away from Mahé, Fregate is a private island of outstanding natural beauty; a uniquely peaceful setting of verdant, tropical interiors and abundant nature fringed by seven dream beaches, each a brilliant sweep of powdery white sand sentineled by giant, iconic granite boulders.
The preservation, protection and nurture of its unique flora and fauna has always been - and continues to be - a fundamental raison d'être for Fregate Island Private. With only 16 villas and one Presidential Villa, guests are invited to experience the rare luxuries of space, security and seclusion within a tropical island setting of exuberant natural beauty.
Accommodation:
Fregate Island Private has just 16 villas and one Presidential Villa, accommodating only a selected number of guests at any one time and thereby ensuring the island remains exclusively the realm of its guests - no day visitors are allowed. Positioned to guarantee ultimate privacy, each villa is built of native mahogany and clad in rich African Chamfuta Teak wood, blending harmoniously into its natural surroundings. The typical villa plan features square spaces rotated 45 degrees, maximizing views of the ocean through two facades.
The tropical feel of the buildings is intentionally casual, in keeping with the surroundings; in addition to an indulgent private infinity pool, each villa features a large terrace - with day bed and Jacuzzi - which flows from the interior as part of an extended living area. Interior architecture is simple and elegant. The post and lintel structure is mirrored inside, framing picture-perfect views of the island; African Chamfuta Teak skirting boards edge cream Botticino marble floors, while vaulted roofs and Merbou timber framework faithfully reflect a diverse colonial architectural heritage.
Fregate Island Private introduced a comprehensive butler
concept; a private butler is assigned to each villa to
assure personalized and individual services throughout the
guest’s stay, providing anything, anytime, anywhere on the
island.
Culinary:
In keeping with its committed approach to ecological issues, Frégate Island Private continues to strengthen the connection between restaurant menus and island-grown produce. Influenced by the abundance and diversity of ingredients cultivated on Frégate Island, the executive chef takes guests to new gastronomic heights with innovative demonstrations of the extraordinary flavours that nature can deliver. His inspired recipes are the expression of a distinctive culinary style applied to the freshest seasonal produce, ensuring every dish is unique in character and flavour and a true reflection of the bountiful tropical setting in which it is enjoyed; the island’s own plantation and hydroponics house ensure guests can enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables every day.
The gourmet menu at Frégate House features the Chef's daily selection of local produce, with dining available both in the restaurant and on the lower terrace.
Every evening the Plantation House – a museum by day – transforms into a romantic restaurant serving traditional Creole dishes and island specialties. This historical building evokes the island's heritage and is a wonderful venue for al fresco dining.
In addition to the restaurants and bars, guests can enjoy bespoke dining experiences anywhere on the island – Frégate is their oyster! Dinner in the Tree House, serenaded by birdsong… barbecues on the beach or at the Yacht Club… private candlelight dinners in the privacy of their villa… or a favorite setting of their own discovery.
Frégate Island Private also boasts a wine cellar comparable with the world’s most famous, cosmopolitan hotel restaurants, with a selection of over 300 wines including some of the most sought-after labels, varietals and vineyards from around the globe. As well as hosting regular wine tastings, the cellar is an intimate and unusual dining venue for groups of up to 10 guests. The Pirate’s Bar, overlooking Anse Bambous, and the Anse Bambous Beach Bar also offer light snacks and drinks at lunch and dinner.
The Rock Spa:
The Rock Spa is a natural haven of serenity, nestled on a cliff-top plateau commanding panoramic views of the sea. Reached via a dramatic rock archway at the apex of a canyon of granite boulders and banyan roots, flanked by freshwater pools and cascading waterfalls, the spa celebrates the island's unique surroundings and embraces the traditional elements of earth, air, fire and water. Eschewing the commercialism of branded spa products and merchandise, the Rock Spa is a truly natural Seychellois spa experience which embraces the ecology of its unique surroundings.
Using only pure, natural products prepared from over 130 island-grown ingredients and free from any chemical or artificial ingredients, the Rock Spa’s treatments and therapies incorporate countless medicinal plants, or ‘Raspay’, traditionally used by Seychellois healers, from Madagascar periwinkle to boost the immune system to Yam weed for soothing joint pain.
In the Rock Spa’s own Apothecary, Madame Dibwa (derived
from the French for “the fairy woman from the forest”) and
her team of qualified therapists blend indigenous know-how
with the principles of herbalism and aromatherapy to create
unique scrubs, pastes and oils which form the basis of
traditional treatments for relaxation, revitalization,
detoxification or specific ailments. The island-wide
emphasis on the principle that ‘fresh is best’ ensures
ever-changing daily specials on the spa menu, depending on
which plants, fruits and herbs are in season.
Activities:
Away from the frenetic pace of preoccupied modern living, Frégate Island Private is another world. Not solely a means of escapism, however; Frégate Island is about a return to nature. Complimenting the beautiful tropical island setting and the ebullience of flora and fauna, a wide-ranging array of activities and amenities at Frégate Island Private provides the perfect opportunity for guests to immerse themselves in the island’s natural environment; its bountiful treasure trove.
Nature Walks and Trails:
Weaving through the tropical jungle interior and along the sweeping, idyllic island coastline via numerous sun-dappled walking paths and nature trails, guests can explore the abundant beauty of Frégate Island Private either at their own pace or accompanied by one of our ecologists, and interact with its spectacular living athenaeum of flora and fauna: a modern day Noah’s Ark. Savor a spellbinding panorama of paradise upon Mont Signal, an imposing 125-metre granite peak… Behold the sight of the island’s most famous inhabitant, the Seychelles-Shama Thrush, commonly called the Magpie Robin…
Listen to the glorious musical improvisations of the Seychelles Blue Pigeon. Safari through lush forests of extraordinary Coco der Mer palms and giant Banyan trees. Encounter magnificent Aldabra giant tortoises, roaming the dense undergrowth and swampy terrain; the unique tenebrionid beetle, only found on Frégate’s soil; and the Seychelles terrapin.
Watersports:
Experience an ocean of kaleidoscopic colours on, in and under the glistening waters, with Frégate Island Private’s own marina and fleet of boats, including kayaks, sailing dinghies, catamarans and motor yachts. Skim across tranquil turquoise lagoons aboard a hobie cat or kayak, ride the lapping Seychellois waves windsurfing, and discover a dazzling array of underwater wonders snorkeling in mesmerizing aquatic realm. For younger children there is an Optimist dinghy, ideally suited for ‘learning the ropes’ in the safety of the marina basin.
Fully PADI certified scuba diving excursions are available for deeper exploration of the vibrant marine life living in an oasis of coral reefs. Frégate Island Private’s Dive Centre offers various diving courses and certifications, with numerous dive sites suiting all levels of diver, from beginner through to experienced. By the harbor's edge, the newly renovated Yacht Club - with its intimate bar, billiard table, terrace and hammocks – is the perfect place to unwind after an invigorating day on the water. The bar is open into the evening, offering home-spiced rum specialties and BBQ events on request.
Fishing:
From the comfort of one of Frégate Island’s stylish, fully equipped fishing vessels, both expert and novice fishermen can enjoy the excitement of deep-sea fishing in one of the world’s richest fishing grounds. Reel in yellow-fin tuna, dorado, wahoo, sailfish, marlin, and even billfish. On return to the island, the chefs will create a gastronomic delight prepared specially with the catch of the day; the perfect dining experience by which to enjoy Frégate Island Private’s bounty.
Conservation:
Man’s arrival in the 17th century jeopardized a delicate equilibrium that Mother Nature had established and nurtured since the earliest days of existence. The impact was immediate and, until recently, irreversible: rats, cockroaches, coconut trees, cats and dogs, coco plums and many other invasive species threatened to overrun what was once an unspoilt Garden of Eden. This downward spiral was halted 10 years ago and ever since then the Frégate Island Ecological programme has sought to repair the damage.
The programme initially focused on the rehabilitation of the surface terrain, soil and flora after 200 years of extensive coconut and cinnamon monoculture had displaced indigenous species and reduced the natural habitats of the native wildlife. The Seychelles’ largest nursery was then created to propagate the tens of thousands of indigenous trees needed to rehabilitate the landscape, and a comprehensive and detailed conservation programme put in place to restore the populations of native species. The ongoing preservation and protection of the island’s unique flora and fauna is one of the proudest achievements of Frégate’s team of resident zoologists.
Tortoise Adoption Program:
Amongst Frégate Island’s oldest indigenous residents are the incredible Aldabra Giant tortoises. Thanks to ongoing conservation efforts, the island is now home to the second largest wild herd of these remarkable creatures in the world, inhabiting one of nature’s last sanctuaries. Today, Frégate Island’s tortoise nursery is a thriving conservation initiative where young Aldabra Giant tortoises are cared for in a preservatory for the first two to three vulnerable years of their lives, until they are ready to live securely on their own in the island’s jungle. For a fee, guests can ‘adopt’ a baby tortoise and by doing so safeguard its care until such time as it is ready to join the herd and fend for itself. Continuously, young tortoises are released back into the wild after ‘graduating’ from the nursery, taking the island’s steadily growing population beyond 600.
Rates start at EUR 5,160 per residence, per night. Please contact us for a quote and suggested itinerary.