The largest island in the Seychelles is Mahé, home to the tiny capital Victoria (and 90% of the Seychellois population). Like everywhere in the Seychelles, Mahé is ringed by flawless talcum-powder beaches and deserted coves.

Most visitors head for the second largest island, Praslin, which shelters primeval palm forest and a series of beaches that many have rated as the best in the world. The main draw, however, is the World Heritage Site of the heart-wrenchingly idyllic Vallée de Mai, one of only two places in the world where you can find the wonderful coco de mer palm.

Less accessible, but equally fascinating, is the large island of Silhouette, beautifully named considering its shadowy forests. Silhouette is considered by Scientists to be one of the most biodiverse spots on Earth, sheltering a staggering range of plants and animals.

The Seychelles are a hugely important habitat for seabirds, with around two million sooty terns nesting on Bird Island and the world’s largest colonies of lesser noddies and roseate terns on Aride. With its proximatey to Praslin Cousin Island, is a popular destination for birdwatchers, a tiny islet packed to the brim with seven species of nesting birds, it is also visited by the hawksbill turtle.

And let’s not forget the dive sites, which abound like few other places on Earth. Alphonse and remote Aldabra are highlights; the latter is one of the largest raised coral atolls in the world, enclosing a vast tidal lagoon patrolled by manta rays and tiger sharks.