Party season left you more stressed-out than sociable? We hear you. So, if getting away from it all is top of your New Year’s resolution list – if only for a few days – a trip to Silhouette Island in the Seychelles is an absolute must.
Located about a thousand miles off the Eastern coast of Africa and smack-bang in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles comprises 115 islands scattered over 150,000sq miles, with Silhouette the third largest in the archipelago.
Accessible only by helicopter or boat, Silhouette is the ultimate destination
for nature-lovers who want to switch off from their crazy lifestyles and enjoy some of the most spectacular natural scenery in the world.
Comprising five, lush mountain peaks and impossibly white sandy beaches, Silhouette Island is situated within a Marine National Park and is dedicated to environmental protection.
One of the richest biodiversity hotspots in the western Indian Ocean, not only is this tiny island the host to some of the most endangered plant and animal species in the world, but fewer than 200 people live here all-year-round – plus the island is totally car-free.
With blissful R&R of paramount importance to the majority of visitors, the island’s only hotel offers everything the stressed-out traveller needs on their escape mission.
Winner of the coveted Best in Class Award at the 2011 World Travel Awards, the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort and Spa exemplifies the words exotic and exciting. Only steps from the tranquil palm-fringed beach, all of the stunning villas at this Seychelles resort hotel offer spectacular views across the Ocean, top-notch amenities and spacious living areas. Uber-luxurious and totally private, find yourselves holed-up in one of these incredible shoreline hideaways and it’s pretty much guaranteed that you’ll never want to leave.
With just two basic stores on the island, there’s little more to do than sit back and chill out. And if golf, tennis, windsurfing or hiking don’t take your fancy, the crystal clear blue waters of the Seychelles offer some of the best diving and fishing in the world, where visibility reaches up to 40m deep.
Failing that, if you’ve been meaning to devour a book or 10 whilst sampling some local cocktails on a hammock for a fortnight, then this, dear reader, is your own personal paradise.
Inside info
There are no roads at all on Silhouette Island – so make sure you pack a pair of decent walking boots!
The island was once home to the pirate, Jean Francois Hodoul – who allegedly
buried some as yet undiscovered treasure somewhere on Silhouette.
Details
Hilton Seychelles
Labriz Resort and
Spa, PO box 69,
Mahe, Seychelles.
+248 429 3949
www.hilton.com
More global hangouts
Switzerland: St Mortiz Polo World Cup on Snow, St Moritz
For fans of the ‘sport of kings’, check out the icy Cartier-sponsored St Mortiz Polo World Cup on Snow this winter. The glitzy annual event is a total winter fashion face-off too, so Dior snow boots are a must. Running from January 26-29, there’s nowhere chicer to stay than at the super-glam Carlton Hotel, St Moritz.
Call +41 81 839 92 92 or visit polostmoritz.com/en
Australia: China Doll, Sydney
For first timers to Sydney’s famous Woolloomooloo Wharf, there’s no place better to sit and look out over the city vista than the Asian fusion restaurant, China Doll. This stylish eatery serves up outstanding food, whilst striking a balance between attracting families
and chic enough for the glitterati and city types to keep flooding through the doors. And we wouldn’t recommend leaving without trying the Coffin Bay scallops.
Call + 612 9380 6744 or visit www.chinadoll.com.au
