This, the most isolated of the granite islands, is only 12 minutes from Mahé by Air Seychelles. Of all the islands, it has the most romantic associations with the world of pirates and hidden treasure. Some relics on the island suggest that it was a refuge for pirates in the 17th and 18th centuries. Ian Fleming, whoe created James Bond, was persuaded from ancient maps he discovered there, that a treasure was hidden somewhere on the island.
More obvious treasures are the abundant flora and fauna. Frégate is the stronghold of the critically endangered Seychelles magpie-robin (less than 100 birds in the world), saved from extinction by the intervention of BirdLife International. Recently the Ministry of Environment established successfully on Frégate another highly threatened endemic bird, the Seychelles white-eye (300 individuals in the world). The island boasts the world’s only population of giant tenebrionid beetle, as well as numerous giant tortoises. Despite the abundance of exotic vegetation and planted coconut palms, a lot of native trees have been propagated and replanted in recent years. There are superb beaches, such as Anse Victorin, which some say is the prettiest in Seychelles. It is also a walker’s paradise, with wooded paths leading through plantations and groves. With the five-star Frégate Island Private Resort, the Island is a holiday preserve for guests.
