Cycling On A Runway, Dining By A Lighthouse: My Dreamy Escape To Desroches Island, Seychelles

Cycling on an empty runway at sunset, dining beneath a lighthouse, feeding giant tortoises and waking up to beaches so pristine they felt almost unreal - my four days on Desroches Island in Seychelles often felt like a beautiful dream.

Desroches is a remote coral island of white-sand beaches and turquoise waters, located around 35 minutes by air from Mahe. The island is home to just one resort, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island, which delivers the kind of luxury that feels effortless, intimate and wonderfully removed from the rest of the world.

The Cutest Flight I've Ever Taken

The journey itself sets the tone. Guests arrive aboard a small IDC Aviation aircraft that carries fewer than 20 passengers. Instead of standard boarding passes, travellers are handed large laminated cards that are collected after landing, adding a charmingly old-school touch to the experience. Much of the flight passes over endless shades of blue before touching down on the island's runway.

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Welcome To Paradise

Waiting beside the runway are smiling resort staff, cold towels, refreshing drinks and buggies ready to whisk guests away. The transition from aircraft to villa takes just minutes.

One of the most remarkable things about Desroches is how wonderfully untouched it feels. There are no crowds, no traffic and no rush. Every guest receives a bicycle, which quickly becomes the preferred way to explore the island. Cycling beneath swaying palms with barely another soul in sight is one of the great pleasures of staying here.

A Villa So Beautiful, I Forgot I Was Tired

My villa was every bit spectacular. Nestled close to the beach, it featured a private pool, an expansive deck, shaded loungers and direct access to the ocean. Inside, thoughtful touches elevated the experience further: floral decorations crafted from leaves and flowers found on the island, a supremely comfortable bed draped with beautiful white netting, a spacious lounge area and a luxurious bathroom complete with twin basins, a bathtub, indoor and outdoor showers.

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Perhaps the greatest luxury at Desroches is not the private pool or the personalised service, but the absence of crowds. Here, the soundtrack is the rustle of palms, the crash of waves and little else.

What truly distinguishes Four Seasons Desroches, however, is its hospitality. The warmth of the team makes the island feel less like a resort and more like a home. Within hours of arriving, I understood why some guests extend their stays for weeks or even months.

The resort is equally suited to couples seeking romance and families looking for adventure. Whether it is a private beach dinner, a cycling expedition across the island or an afternoon spent doing absolutely nothing, Desroches creates space to slow down and reconnect.

Yes, I Ate Pani Puri In Seychelles

One of the most unexpected highlights came on my first evening during the resort's Spice of India-themed dinner. Eating pani puri, vada pav and aloo papdi chaat in the middle of the Indian Ocean was certainly not on my 2026 bingo card. The feast continued with murgh tikka, tawa fish, paneer sarson tikka, butter chicken, dal tadka, chicken dum biryani and laccha paratha. The evening ended with kulfi, rasmalai, kheer and gulab jamun, while Chef Viveck delighted diners by walking through the table calling out "chai, chai, chai" before serving cutting chai in traditional Indian glasses.

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The next morning began with breakfast at Claudine, where the live stations offered everything from classic favourites to Japanese specialities. I particularly enjoyed the takoyaki, savoury octopus-filled dumplings that reminded me of South Indian appe with a coastal Japanese twist.

The Beach That Doesn't Exist On Maps

An island tour revealed the many personalities of Desroches. Once a thriving coconut plantation, the island is now a sanctuary of secluded beaches, including Aquarium Beach, Bombay Beach, North Point Beach, Madame Zabre Beach and the aptly named Hidden Beach. The latter is a tiny stretch of powder-soft sand surrounded by palms and so well concealed that guests can only discover it once on the island. It is easy to imagine it serving as the backdrop for proposals, weddings and vow renewals.

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Desroches is also rich in wildlife. At night, eerie cries echo across parts of the island. The source is not a ghostly presence but the wedge-tailed shearwater, a seabird whose haunting calls have become part of the island's character.

Beachside Food Truck And The Music Of Crashing Waves

Lunch at Gou Zil Koko, the resort's beachside food truck at Madame Zabre Beach, delivered relaxed island flavours. Fresh hummus, vibrant salads and a Cajun-spiced pulled chicken wrap tasted even better when enjoyed with the sea breeze and uninterrupted ocean views.

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Cycling On A Runway At Sunset

That evening brought one of the most memorable experiences of the trip. After watching the sun dip into the ocean from the floating dock near the runway, we cycled along the empty airstrip as dusk settled across the island. It was exhilarating, surreal and unlike anything I had experienced before.

Dinner at AHI, the resort's Japanese restaurant, followed. From delicate sushi and cod dishes to surprisingly excellent watermelon sashimi and thoughtful wine pairings, every course was beautifully executed. A beautiful and delicious coconut dessert served as a fitting finale.

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Sunrise Yoga For A Morning Unlike Any Other

My third morning began with sunrise yoga near the runway and shoreline. As the island slowly woke up, the session felt wonderfully grounding.

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Should I return - and I sincerely hope I do - I would dedicate an entire day to doing absolutely nothing: a book by the beach, a leisurely swim, perhaps a sunset dinner by the sea. Desroches makes idleness feel like an art form.

My Favourite Tiramisu Lives In East Africa

Later, lunch at La Pizzeria proved another standout meal. Fresh pizzas emerged from the oven throughout service, while creamy burrata, refreshing mocktails and one of the best tiramisus I have ever eaten made it difficult to leave the table.

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Making Friends With Giant Tortoises

A visit to the tortoise sanctuary introduced me to some of the island's most beloved residents: giant Aldabra tortoises. Feeding leaves to eager baby tortoises was unexpectedly entertaining, while gently interacting with the majestic adults felt like stepping into another era.

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Dinner Under A Lighthouse

As sunset approached, cocktails at the Lighthouse Lounge offered front-row seats to one of the island's nightly spectacles. The cocktails were served with breadfruit chips - a fruit with a starchy, potato-like texture. The saying goes that if you eat breadfruit in the Seychelles, you are bound to return to the islands.

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Dinner at The Lighthouse followed, with grilled seafood and premium meats served against uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean.

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The Best Stargazing Of My Life, Yet

The perfect ending came later that evening. With virtually no light pollution, the runway transformed into an extraordinary stargazing spot. Looking up at a sky dense with stars, it was impossible not to feel a profound sense of wonder.

Would I Go Back? Absolutely

The following morning, it was time to return to Mahe. The flight back felt far shorter than the journey out. Desroches had delivered exactly what so many luxury destinations promise, but few truly achieve: a genuine sense of escape.

If paradise is a place where luxury and nature exist in perfect balance, Desroches Island may well be it.