Desroches Island in the Seychelles: holidays, Four Seasons and things to do

Desroches (Desroches Island) is one of the most remote and exclusive islands in the Seychelles, located in the Amirantes archipelago about 230 kilometres southwest of Mahé. There are no noisy resorts, road traffic or large numbers of tourists here - almost the entire island is occupied by the only five-star resort, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island.

Desroches is chosen for a quiet holiday among white-sand beaches, coral reefs and untouched nature. The island is surrounded by about 14 kilometres of sandy coastline, and thanks to its rich underwater world it is considered one of the best places in the Seychelles for diving, snorkeling and sea fishing.

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Where is Desroches Island

Desroches is the largest island in the Amirantes archipelago, which is part of the Outer Islands of the Seychelles. Despite being far from the main tourist routes, getting here is quite easy: domestic flights operate daily from Mahé, and the flight takes only about 35-40 minutes.

• Distance from Mahé: about 230 km.
• Area: 394 hectares.
• Island length: more than 6 km.
• Width: about 1 km.
• Flight time from Mahé: about 35-40 minutes.

Thanks to its size, Desroches is ideal for walking or cycling. Even the most remote beaches are only a few minutes' ride from the resort.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

Why choose Desroches Island

The main feature of Desroches is the feeling of complete privacy. There is only one resort on the island, so even in high season there are no crowded beaches or noisy tourist areas.

People come here for:

• a holiday on one of the most secluded islands in the Seychelles;
• kilometres of white-sand beaches without large numbers of holidaymakers;
• diving and snorkeling on almost untouched coral reefs;
• meeting giant tortoises;
• fishing, cycling and sea excursions;
• world-class service from Four Seasons.

While most resorts in the Seychelles allow you to explore neighbouring islands, on Desroches the island itself becomes the main attraction. It is pleasant simply to cycle slowly, walk along the ocean or spend whole days on almost deserted beaches.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

History of Desroches Island

The history of the island goes back to the Age of Discovery. The Amirantes archipelago was mapped by Vasco da Gama's expedition, while Desroches received its modern name in the 18th century in honour of the Governor of Mauritius, Chevalier de Roches.

In the 19th century, the island was mainly used for growing coconut palms and producing copra. Plantations remained the main source of income for more than a hundred years, until after the Seychelles gained independence in 1976 Desroches gradually began to develop as a tourist destination.

The first hotel appeared here in the late 1980s, and in 2018 the island became home to the luxurious resort Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island, which today occupies almost its entire territory.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles is the only resort on Desroches, so the holiday format here is truly unusual: instead of a tourist area with several hotels, guests get almost an entire island at their disposal. The grounds are large, and villas and residences are spread along the coast, helping to preserve a sense of privacy even when the resort is fully occupied.

Suites, villas and residences with two to five bedrooms are available. Most categories are designed for life by the ocean: they have private pools, spacious terraces and direct beach access. Larger residences also have full kitchens and are suitable for families or groups.

Four Seasons Desroches facilities:

• villas, suites and multi-bedroom residences with private pools;
• two shared pools by the beach;
• five restaurants and four bars and lounges;
• a spa and 24-hour fitness centre;
• Castaway Centre with diving, surfing and sea excursions;
• a tennis court;
• Discovery Centre dedicated to the nature of Desroches;
• a giant tortoise sanctuary;
• Kids For All Seasons children's programme;
• bicycles and a shuttle for getting around the island.

The dining deserves special attention. Claudine serves international cuisine in a relaxed poolside atmosphere, AHI specialises in modern Japanese cuisine, and The Lighthouse serves fresh seafood and grilled meat. The latter restaurant is located by the coast and offers panoramic ocean views.

The main advantage of Four Seasons on Desroches is still not the number of restaurants or pools, but the opportunity to explore the island freely. Every villa has bicycles, and the total length of the paths is about 14 kilometres. In just a few minutes you can reach an almost empty beach, the lighthouse or the tortoise sanctuary.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

Things to do on Desroches Island

Desroches is large enough that you do not have to spend your entire holiday by the hotel pool. Most activities are connected with nature: the island is explored by bicycle, its reefs with a mask or scuba gear, and local wildlife can be observed together with biologists.

Explore the island by bicycle

A bicycle effectively replaces a car here. Four Seasons guests receive them free of charge and can ride independently along sandy paths between palms, beaches and the main attractions. For those who cannot use a bicycle, a free shuttle runs around the island, and a golf-cart service is also available.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

Find your own beach

The coastline of Desroches stretches for about 14 kilometres, so even on an island with only one resort there is no need to relax in the same place every day. You can cycle to a more remote section of the coast and hardly meet any other holidaymakers.

Swimming conditions depend on the particular side of the island, the wind and the tides, so before heading to a remote beach it is better to ask resort staff where the sea is calmer that day.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

Meet the giant tortoises

One of the most interesting natural attractions on Desroches is the Tortoise Sanctuary, managed by the Island Conservation Society. More than 150 Aldabra giant tortoises live on the island, and young animals are raised in the sanctuary before being released into the wild.

During a visit, you can learn about the breeding programme and feed the tortoises. For those who want to support the conservation project, there is a symbolic adoption programme for young animals.

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Visit the Discovery Centre

The interactive Discovery Centre will be interesting not only for children. The exhibition tells about the ecosystem of Desroches, sea turtles, birds and other island wildlife. Here you can see a three-dimensional model of a wedge-tailed shearwater nest and materials about sea turtle hatching.

It is convenient to visit the centre at the beginning of your holiday: after learning about the local nature, walks around the island feel completely different.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

Surfing and sea trips

The Castaway Centre operates at the resort and organises most marine activities. Surfing with instructors, deep-sea and fly fishing, snorkeling, diving, boat excursions and sunset cruises are available.

Beginners can try surfing on gentle waves with a sandy bottom near Sunset Beach, while more experienced surfers are taken to the outer reefs of Desroches.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

Holidays with children

Despite the island's remote location, Four Seasons is well suited to family holidays. The free Kids For All Seasons programme includes creative activities, games, cycling activities and nature experiences. Excursions to the giant tortoises and programmes with marine biologists are of particular interest.

There is no need to invent organised entertainment here: bicycles, the beach and exploring the island become part of the holiday themselves.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

Diving on Desroches

The underwater world is one of the main reasons to choose Desroches over the more accessible islands of the Seychelles. Unlike the granite islands of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, Desroches is a coral island surrounded by a reef. There are coral gardens, sheer walls, canyons, caves and passages, while good visibility makes it possible to see rays, sea turtles, reef sharks and many tropical fish.

Four Seasons has the Blue Safari diving centre, located in the Castaway Centre. It organises dives for certified divers and training for beginners, including introductory dives and Open Water and Advanced Open Water courses. Equipment is included in the diving price.

There are more than 18 classified dive sites around Desroches - from coral walls to underwater caves and narrow passages. One of the best known is Desroches Drop, where a shallow turquoise lagoon drops sharply into the depths of the ocean. The underwater terrain is especially interesting for experienced divers: there are walls, canyons and natural tunnels.

Dives are organised not only near the island itself. Trips to more remote reefs and neighbouring islands are available, so it makes sense to plan a diving programme for several days at once.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

Snorkeling on Desroches

For snorkeling, you do not have to take a boat every time. The island has several beaches with convenient access to the reef, and resort staff can recommend the best location depending on the wind and sea conditions.

One of the well-known places is Madame Zabre Beach. Four Seasons also organises group and private boat trips to reefs around the island. Resort guests can get a mask, snorkel and fins free of charge at the Castaway Centre.

Fishing on Desroches Island

Desroches' remote location has another advantage - the waters around the island are rich in fish, which is why the Amirantes have long been known among sport-fishing enthusiasts.

Through Blue Safari, you can book deep-sea, bottom and fly fishing. Tuna, wahoo, marlin, sailfish, dorado and other large species are found in the open sea. Introductory fly-fishing lessons are available for beginners, while more experienced anglers can go on a full expedition, including to nearby Poivre Island. It is best to arrange the excursion with the resort in advance: the route and the possibility of going to sea depend on the weather.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

Nature and island conservation

Despite the presence of a luxury resort, a significant part of Desroches remains a natural area. Four Seasons works with conservation specialists who monitor local ecosystems and introduce guests to the island's wildlife.

Special attention is paid to Aldabra giant tortoises and sea turtles, while the Discovery Centre provides more information about birds, coral reefs and other inhabitants of Desroches. Instead of a standard tour around the grounds, it is worth choosing a walk with an island biologist: during it, you learn not only about animals and plants, but also about current environmental projects.

The island's isolated location has helped preserve its rich underwater world and large areas of natural vegetation, and today the resort's task is to combine tourism with minimal impact on the island.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

How to get to Desroches Island

You cannot get to Desroches independently by a regular ferry. The main way is a flight from Mahé, which takes about 35 minutes. Planes depart from the domestic terminal of Seychelles International Airport and land on Desroches' own runway next to the resort.

Regular flights are operated by IDC Aviation, while Four Seasons handles the flight booking. The schedule may change depending on the season and occupancy, so it is better to arrange the domestic flight at the same time as booking the hotel.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island

Is Desroches worth visiting

Desroches is different from such large islands of the Seychelles as Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. You should not come here for restaurants, shopping or a busy excursion programme - almost all island life is centred around Four Seasons and the surrounding nature. But it is one of the most interesting options in the Seychelles for those who value privacy, almost empty beaches, diving, fishing and the opportunity to spend a few days away from the main tourist routes.

For a first trip to the Seychelles, Desroches can be combined with a few days on Mahé. This route allows you to see two completely different sides of the archipelago - granite islands with developed infrastructure and a remote coral island in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island