A real favourite, North Island Lodge is a one off. Located north of Mahe, on the small and granite North Island, on its eastern flank, it has everything one could hope of a premier beach lodge: an interesting history, excellent environmental credentials, well designed accommodation, a wonderful chef, superb management and a world class beach.
Overview
Just 30 km from Mahe, and generally accessed by helicopter, North Island was annexed by Alexander Maier of the British East India Company in 1609, and has been owned by the Maier family since 1826. For much of the time, it was a plantation and grew fruit and spices, as well as specialising in the production of guano and fish oil. However, the plantation fell into disuse in the 70s, and foreign (imported) fauna and flora proliferated. In 1981, Mauris Maier embarked on a project to return the island’s habitat back to what it was in the years before its discovery. This involved getting rid of unwanted, harmful species, and reintroducing species – giant turtles, for example – once indigenous to the island. Ongoing, it’s an ambitious project, and North Island Lodge, which began with the renovation of some old coral block plantation buildings, is an integral part of the scheme.
Designed by Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, the lodge is a mixed material build of woods, glass, coral, stone and thatch, and consists of a main piazza and 11 newly refurbished villas. At one end of the beach, is the piazza, which includes a lounge, dining room, swimming pool and wine cellar, whilst the spa is situated upland, to the rear of North Island Lodge. Other shared areas include the boutique, a library and dive centre (all in the old coral blocks) – and, at the opposite end of the beach, Sunset Bar.
Food & service
The food here – served in the privacy of one’s villa, at the piazza or at Sunset Bar – is truly good, with much of the produce grown locally, the fish fresh, and everything organic. Operating something it calls a unique dining concept (UDC), the lodge consults newly arrived guests as to their favoured foods, and tailors the subsequent cuisine to individual palates.
Rooms
Designed by Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, the lodge is a mixed material build of woods, glass, coral, stone and thatch, and consists of a main piazza and 11 newly refurbished villas. At one end of the beach, is the piazza, which includes a lounge, dining room, swimming pool and wine cellar, whilst the spa is situated upland, to the rear of North Island Lodge. Other shared areas include the boutique, a library and dive centre (all in the old coral blocks) – and, at the opposite end of the beach, Sunset Bar.
The villas are extraordinary. Set in its own garden, and approached by way of a wooden walkway, each villa looks out to sea, and includes a separate lounge, a four poster bed, veranda, en suite bathroom, plunge pool and outdoor showering facilities. The attention to detail is perfect. A member of staff is responsible for the villa, and looks after guests’ needs throughout their stay; the use of floor-to-ceiling glass provides more than enough natural light; the bath is sunken; the furniture is composed of a mix of slumber seating and design-conscious chairs, making for an elegant and comfortable stay.
Activities
Activities include scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking, biking and fly-fishing.
Ethics
Conservation
North Island was purchased with the goal of restoring the unique biodiversity of the Seychelles to the island, by reintroducing endangered endemic species that had become locally extinct or brought to the verge of extinction previously due to human impact.
North Island’s original fauna and flora suffered tremendously after the European black rat came to the island with visiting boats. In September 2005, New Zealand eradication expertise combined with a large-scale poisoning operation, both on the ground as well as by helicopter, finally led to their successful eradication – a huge milestone in our island rehabilitation.
After the purchase of the island a range of Environmental Management Plans were developed and subsequently implemented to ensure that daily activities are run in an environmentally correct manner.
In a major step to become a plastic-free island, North Island has banned single-use plastic straws and only uses eco-friendly compostable food containers for activities around the island. Additionally, guest transport on the island – bikes and electricity-powered golf buggies – are environmentally friendly, and the introduction of renewable energy on the island is being explored.