A tiny speck in the Indian Ocean ringed by flawless white sand, just 375 acres and none of it off-limits to see and explore.
Denis Island is a living, breathing island community, for those who believe giving back to nature is the only way to receive its bounty in return.
It’s a place where you can bathe along beaches renowned the world over for their pristine beauty, snorkel in a sea turtle sanctuary, spot some of the rarest birds on earth, and go sport-fishing at the edge of a continental ocean drop-off…and all of that in a single day.
You won’t find a signal for your mobile phone when you arrive. There is no in-room internet. No cable television. This is for you to unplug from digital distraction and reconnect to the loved ones you hold dear, and to the earth that you share with them.
On Denis, you’ll re-discover a forgotten mode of luxury: one of real food and real people, immersed in nature on one of the most secluded islands in the world.
Welcome to Seychelles. Welcome to the Denis Private Island life.
Conservation
The Green Islands Foundation, an NGO with a decade-long track record of conservation success in Seychelles, has a permanent outpost on the island and oversees a variety of programmes.
The translocation of some of Seychelles’ rarest endemic birds has been one of Denis’ most important environmental achievements, paving the way for some of these species to improve their standings on the IUCN Globally Threatened Birds list. As a result, Denis is the only place in the world in which a morning’s walk can bring you across the Seychelles fody, magpie robin, paradise flycatcher and the Seychelles warbler.
Hawksbill and green turtles laying their eggs on the protected shoreline of Denis are monitored and tagged, providing valuable information to assist in the protection of the species. Extensive research into the ecosystem of the island’s reef flats – essential nursery and feeding grounds for fish and green turtles – and the Seychelles government designating official protected status for the waters surrounding Denis, have been instrumental in preserving the island’s marine environment just the way nature intended.
The restoration of native forest habitats, rearing of giant land tortoises, and a fledgling seabird colony are just a few of the many other conservation projects currently ongoing on Denis.
Accomodation
Spacious rooms echo the Seychelles’ colonial past, from the furniture and wood flooring fashioned at the island’s carpentry workshop just a few hundred metres away, to the refined simplicity of the décor. Open-air bathrooms and garden courtyards in all of the rooms once again defer to nature’s calming influence.
Beach Cottage
These spacious cottages lie directly on the beachfront and include ample interior and exterior living room with a furnished verandah and garden reaching to the beach. The bathroom (with bath tub) opens to a private courtyard with open-air shower. Each of our cottages have sun loungers along your private beachfront to make the most of the ocean views.
Deluxe Beach Cottage
Similar in layout to the Beachfront Cottages, these deluxe units also feature a decadent sala and daybed in the front garden – perfect for relaxing after swimming or snorkelling directly in front of your cottage. All of our cottages are sea-facing with direct beach access from your private beachfront, where sun loungers have been set out for your convenience. There is also generous outdoor living space with a furnished ocean-facing verandah and private bathroom courtyard with open-air shower.
Beachfront Spa Cottage
The Beachfront Spa Cottage is the perfect choice for a relaxing island stay. Together with all of the conveniences of the Beachfront and Deluxe Beachfront Cottages (direct beach access, a furnished verandah and ocean-facing front garden with sala and daybed), these exquisite cottages boast a personal massage pavilion in your private bathroom courtyard. Indulge in our open-air massage therapies during your stay and relax to the tune of gently breaking waves and birds calling from the trees.
Beach Villa
This luxury villa is well-suited to young families or guests seeking the luxury of space and privacy. This uniquely furnished villa boasts a private plunge pool, a private beachfront and extensive outdoor living and relaxation areas. The large wrap-around verandah invites seamless indoor-outdoor living, as does the private dining pavilion, which lends itself to intimate family meals or romantic, private poolside dinners – just steps from the beach.
Experience
By Land
Rise early with the rangers, to tally tracks of egg-laying sea turtles on the beach, or scout the forests for magpie robins and paradise flycatchers to learn more about breeding and tagging projects for these critically endangered birds. You can also discuss with the Green Islands Foundation rangers about current adoption programmes available and other ways you can contribute to the cause.
For a more relaxed experience in which to get to know the island and its inhabitants, a simple stroll or bicycle ride can reveal plenty: century-old tortoises, the island’s poultry coops and animal pens, the chapel, the staff lodging (a community in its own right), and much, much more.
By Sea
We provide snorkelling equipment and kayaks and paddles for you to explore the island’s surrounding lagoon to your heart’s content. The waters around Denis have enjoyed officially protected status by the Seychelles government, making it a no-take zone and off limits for fishing. The reefs in the lagoon are thus teeming with tropical fish, turtles and other colourful forms of marine life.
Should you wish to venture further and enjoy more time – and greater depths – underwater, our PADI dive centre offers a range of different dive sites to choose from, as well as certification courses for beginners.
We can also organise true catch-and-release sport fishing for you, with a boat charter to “The Drop-Off,” where ocean depths plunge to 2,000km at the edge of the Seychelles plateau: hallowed waters for prized catches of big game. There are also excellent opportunities for bottom-fishing grouper or Seychelles’ famous red snapper, and should your catch meet our conservation requirements (juveniles are returned to the sea), it may also be possible to turn your fish over to our chefs to prepare something special in the kitchen.
Spa & Wellness
We bring treatments to you at your cottage in the open air, and enthusiasts can opt for the Beachfront Spa Cottage, with its very own spa pavilion in the courtyard.
Or, if you truly wish to retreat within yourself amidst the soothing sounds of nature, book an outdoor treatment under the casuarina trees, where you’ll find the only distractions to be the gentle lapping of waves and the occasional chirp of the fairy terns.
Few places could conjure up more creative ways to do absolutely nothing. On Denis, if you’re only compelled to laze away on one of the most isolated, sparsely travelled beaches in all the world, no one will judge. Call it breathing practice.
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