In 1502 the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama discovered the Amirantes islands. In 1609 John Jourdain was the first British to set foot on the Seychelles. Mistaken for the original 'Garden of Eden' by General Gordon over 100 years ago, these 115 islands in the Indian Ocean have retained their charm and mystique as one of the last paradises on earth. Spread over one million square kilometers of tranquil waters just south of the Equator, some 43 granite islands are clustered around Mahé, while 73 coral islands extend towards the East African coast.

Banyan Tree Seychelles is nestled in the Intendance Bay on Mahé Island, 30 minutes by car from Mahé International Airport and 45 minutes from the capital, Victoria. Mahé offers the perfect introduction to the Seychelles with its steep mountain backbone, slopes carpeted with lush tropical vegetation and sweeping coastline fringed by palm trees. The resort covers an area of approximately 117 hectares on the island's southwestern coastline with a fabulous beach frontage of 800 meters overlooking what has been described as one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world.

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