North Island is most northerly of the inner granitic islands of the Seychelles archipelago. It is located approximately 32 km northwest of the main island, Mahé and five km north of its nearest neighbour Silhouette. The island is about 2.5 km long by 1 km wide- an area of around 210 hectares. There are three main beaches on the island - at any time one of these beaches will be sheltered from the prevailing winds.

Once you arrive on the island your first impressions will be of the simplicity and tranquillity of the setting and of how the buildings seem to emerge naturally and comfortably from the beach, the rocks and the trees. From the comfort of the beach lounge, you will be given a brief orientation of the island and its activities and your impressions will be of natural materials, wooden decks, palm roofs, stone walls, still ponds, tropical vegetation, sculpture gardens, inviting rooms in warm natural colours. The walk, or ride in battery-operated golf carts, to the villas will take you past some of the original buildings on the island, which have been beautifully restored. You will wind your way along sandy paths through the canopy of indigenous trees and palms catching tantalizing glimpses of the other nine villas and of the sea and beach. There are only ten villas on North Island and the limited number of guests in residence at any one time will give you sense of ownership and ease in your surroundings. The objective is to make you feel like you are staying on a private island, which you are sharing with a select group of like-minded individuals. The sense of belonging is reinforced by the importance of the rehabilitation process and the way in which guests who are interested are encouraged to participate in and learn about the process of restoration of the island. Such encounters stimulate learning and an awareness of the importance of sustainability and frequently lead to a new awareness of and commitment to environmental issues.

Each North Island guest is offered a complimentary 20-minute soothing seated massage on arrival to ease him or her into his or her North Island experience.

Carried out by an enthusiastic and talented team, the In-Villa treatments allow you to relax in your own space and soak up the beauty of your surroundings. There’s nothing quite like lifting your head off the massage table to take a glimpse at the palms, pristine beach and translucent blue sea. In the meanwhile, please rest assured that guests can enjoy superb spa treatments in the privacy of their own luxury Villa.

Please Note

• Check-in time is 14h00 – if the villa is available on arrival then an early check-in will be allowed at no additional cost. Check-out time is 11h00 – if the villa is still available on departure then a late check-out will be allowed at no extra cost. However if an early check-in or a late check-out needs to be guaranteed prior to travel, then the full nightly rate for the night before or after must be paid for in order to secure this facility.
• The master bedroom of each Villa is for occupancy of maximum 2 guests.
• The second bedroom of each Villa is for occupancy of maximum 2 guests under the age of 19 years.
• Only children over 5 years are accommodated in Villa 11 (this Villa has 3 different levels which creates a potential safety hazard for younger children). Please note that the second bedroom in Villa 11 is being replaced with an in-villa spa and gym during the above mentioned refurbishment period and thereafter the Villa will accommodate 2 guests only.
• A 20% deposit is needed to confirm your booking.

Included in the nightly rates

• Breakfasts, lunches, dinners and all alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and cocktails (with the exception of drinks on the reserve list);
• All Scuba Diving courses, Scuba Diving activities and snorkelling in and around the North Island & Silhouette dive sites; sea kayaking around North Island; shore based fishing on North Island and half day fishing charters;
• The use of ONE “North Island Buggy” per villa for the duration of your stay;
• The use of mountain bicycles;
• Internet connection.

Excluded from the nightly rates

• Drinks on the reserve list;
• Full day deep sea fishing charters;
• Telephone calls
• Spa treatments

Check in and check out

Guests may check in after 2 pm, and must check out before 11 am. If guests are arriving early or departing late, every effort will be made to make their villa available for their use. If this is not possible, guests will be accommodated in the other areas of the lodge. To ensure a late check out or early check in, you will need to book the villa for the extra night.

Please note that when departing North Island, you are required to be at Guest Relations 30 minutes before your departure time to ensure that there are no delays.

Helicopter transfers

Helicopter Seychelles is our representative for the helicopter transfers; we book these through our ground handlers. The aircraft used is a Bell206B III Jet Ranger which seats maximum four guests per flight. We can also book you on the bigger Augusta Helicopter or with Zil Air.

Please note that when departing North Island, you are required to be at Guest Relations 30 minutes before your departure time to ensure that there are no delays.

The maximum weight allowed on the helicopter transfers is restricted and thus, using standard fuel allowances, the luggage limits are as follows:

1. 2 adults have up to 200 kg’s for their combined baggage (including hand luggage and camera equipment) and space is not normally limited
2. 2 adults with 2 children under 8 years have up to 100 kg’s for their combined baggage (including hand luggage and camera equipment) and space starts to become limited so soft bags are required.  
3. 4 adult passengers have up to 40 kg’s for their combined baggage (including hand luggage and camera equipment) and space is limited so only soft bags are allowed

All flights are subject to weather conditions and will be at the Captain's discretion.

Excess luggage

If guests bring more than the allocated luggage allowance per person on the helicopter transfer then they will need to pay extra to get this luggage transferred to North Island. The luggage can either be transferred by helicopter or by boat at an additional cost.

If the excess luggage is transferred by boat the cost will be E470 per transfer from Mahé to North Island one way (and visa versa).

Costs to transfer the excess luggage by helicopter will be quoted dependant on the number of guests travelling and the amount of excess luggage needed.

Laundry

Laundry can be done at most hotels. At North Island this service is complimentary. Please note that dry cleaning facilities are not available in Seychelles.

Baby sitting

North Island offers a baby-sitting service for guests visiting the island with children, at no additional cost. There are also a variety of suggested activities available such as educational walks, games on the beach, boat trips or kayaking (depending on their age), treasure hunts etc. to keep the children entertained. They will be well taken care of on the island.

Scuba diving

North Island is a PADI Dive Resort.  Please remember to bring your dive cards and/or dive logbooks with you. This is very important as without these you won’t be allowed to dive. If you have not dived in 18 months, or wish to enroll in any PADI training course on the island, it is strongly recommended that you bring along a recent Medical Certificate from your doctor verifying specifically that “You are fit to dive and currently have no pre-disposing conditions that are incompatible with diving”. If you are not in possession of a medical certificate, you will have to be transferred to Silhouette Island for a medical check up before you are allowed to dive in the pool or open water. 

Suggested luggage list

1. Good quality sunglasses - preferably polarized. Tinted fashion glasses are not good in strong light
2. Sun hat
3. Camera. Film is available in photo shops at approximately SCR35 per 24 exposures. It is advisable to bring stock, particularly if you plan on island hopping or for special digital cameras.
4. Long trousers/slacks, Golf-shirts, T-shirts and long-sleeved cotton shirts
5. Shorts/skirts
6. Underwear and socks
7. Medication for treatment of specific conditions
8. Good walking shoes (running/tennis shoes are fine)
9. Sandals and walking shoes for the more adventurous
10. Swimming costume
11. Binoculars
12. Personal toiletries
13. Moisturizing cream & suntan lotion
14. Insect repellent e.g. Tabard, Rid, Jungle Juice, etc
15. Tissues/"Wet Ones"
16. Tickets, passports, money etc

Strict cancellation fees

Cancellations of your booking must be in writing. Cancellations are only effective on receipt of written notification. If prior to 8 weeks before departure your deposit is forfeited. If your cancellation is made after the due date for full payment of your tour fare, charges will be levied. The scale of charges, expressed as a percentage of the tour prices, is as follows :-

More than 8 weeks’ notice - deposit forfeited
Less than 8 weeks’ notice - deposit plus 25 %
Less than 4 weeks’ notice - 50 %
Less than 3 weeks’ notice - 60 %
Less than 2 weeks’ notice - 100%

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Itinerary: 6 nights

Day 1: Fly from Johannesburg to Mahe, Seychelles biggest island. Meet and greet on arrival and assistance with checking in for your helicopter flight to North Island. Stay for 6 nights at North Island.

Day 7: Flight back to Mahe and fly out.

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Prices include
International and internal flights (departure from Johannesburg), hotel accommodation and meals as indicated, all airport-hotel transfers.

Not included
Meals and drinks not indicated, drinks, tips, personal expenses, travel insurance and airport taxes.

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Below is an approximate price per person sharing (October 2010)

• ±Euro12 600

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Specials

• Free night special: valid 16 Jan – 28 Feb 2010.
  Pay for 6 nights and stay for 7.
  Complimentary helicopter transfers between Mahé and North Island based on a shared and scheduled basis and not applicable to night flights.
• Free night special: valid 18 Nov 2009 – 30 June 2010.
  Pay for 6 nights and stay for 7.