Eleven villas built from natural materials on a private granite island run on conservation principles — each with its own personal attendant, private pool and island buggy, and with giant tortoises, rare birds and nesting turtles part of the everyday landscape.
North Island is a very small, fully inclusive island resort. There are only eleven villas, ten of about 450 m² along East Beach and the 750 m² Villa North Island on the granite boulders at the far end of the beach, so the island stays quiet.
Every villa has a dedicated personal attendant, a private pool and an island buggy. The resort works to the principle of your venue, your menu, your time, and all meals, drinks and an extensive range of activities are included. Its revenue funds the Noah’s Ark conservation programme, which gives the stay real provenance rather than generic barefoot luxury. The villas were built largely from materials harvested during the island’s rehabilitation.
Ideal For
- Couples and honeymooners wanting privacy and barefoot luxury
- Families, with children’s activities planned around the island’s wildlife
- Conservation-minded travellers who want to join turtle patrols, tree planting and the Environment Centre’s work
- Guests who want a fully inclusive stay, with their own attendant, on a set-your-own-schedule basis
North Island – A Noah’s Ark in the Indian Ocean
A Seychellois family planted the first plantation on North Island in 1826. Over the following century, crops, livestock and accidentally introduced invasive species took a heavy toll on the native wildlife. After the island was bought in 1997, the Noah’s Ark programme began the work of restoring it: replanting endemic trees, reintroducing native species and rebuilding a working ecosystem. The resort opened in 2003.
The results are visible from your villa. Around 170 Aldabra giant tortoises now roam the island after 15 were introduced in 2003 to join the few that survived the plantation years. The island’s best-known resident is Brutus, a tortoise of about 150. North Island has also become a sanctuary for the critically endangered Seychelles white-eye: 25 birds were relocated here in 2007 and there are now more than 100.
Guests can join the work, from turtle nesting patrols and tree planting to time with the Environment Team at the Environment Centre. Otherwise the island is yours to enjoy: eleven villas across four beaches, kayaking, stand-up paddling and scuba diving, private picnics, a wine cellar, spa treatments and a menu built around whatever you fancy, served wherever you choose.
Accommodation
- Eleven villas in total
- Ten beachfront villas on East Beach, about 450 m² each, with a private pool, two bedrooms, a living room and a kitchenette
- Villa North Island (Villa 11): about 750 m², multi-tiered, on granite boulders at the far end of East Beach with direct beach access
Service & Inclusions
- Dedicated personal attendant and island buggy for every villa
- All meals, beverages and an extensive range of activities included
- Activities include kayaking, scuba diving, stand-up paddling, lessons and guided excursions
Facilities
- Environment Centre, base for the resident conservation team
- Spa and wine cellar
- Four beaches
Conservation
- Noah’s Ark programme: forest restoration, endemic planting and species reintroduction
- Around 170 Aldabra giant tortoises and more than 100 Seychelles white-eyes
- Turtle nesting monitoring, with guests able to join patrols
Setting
- One of the inner granitic islands, 30 km north of Mahé
