Until recent times, these beautiful islands scattered across the Indian Ocean were uninhabited. Mistaken as the original ‘Garden of Eden’ by General Gordon over 100 years ago, this archipelago has retained a distinctive charm and mysticism as one of the last paradises on earth.

Often compared to a seaborne string of pearls, the Seychelles rarely disappoints the visitor. Many of the islands are just tiny palm-tufted coral crumbs on the shifting table of aquamarine sea, the sort of place where you could be the only human to set foot on the sands all year. But you’ll start on Mahé, the biggest and most populated of the islands. As well as sweeping mountains, palm-fringed coastlines and lush hills dotted with plantations, it is the only island to boast a scattering of restaurants, of which the Marie Antoinette and La Scala are a must.

15 minutes’ flight away, however, is Praslin, which offers a very different picture. Here you can enjoy your first taste of nature’s self-expression, from the smallest frog in the world to the biggest nut, that of the infamous and indigenous Coco-de-Mer palm. Meanwhile, down on the breathtaking beaches, you’ll find some of the best diving.