Indian Ocean & Island Escapes
The Indian Ocean is where many of our safaris end, and where some of our most requested honeymoons and family holidays begin. We design private, tailor-made journeys across the Maldives, Mauritius and the Seychelles, and along the East African coast from Zanzibar to Mozambique — as a stand-alone escape, or as the beach half of a safari. The art is in choosing the right island for the people travelling, so the trip feels effortless from the moment you arrive.
Is it worth using a travel designer for an Indian Ocean escape?
Yes especially in the Maldives. There are more than a hundred resorts across the atolls, and they differ from one another far more than a brochure suggests: some are built for divers, some for families with young children, some for honeymooners who barely want to see another guest. Transfer times matter too, a seaplane and a domestic flight to a distant atoll is part of the adventure for some travellers and a frustration for others. Mauritius and the Seychelles have their own subtleties: which coast, which island, which combination. These are the choices that make the trip, and we make them from first-hand knowledge and the honest feedback of our clients.
Where should you go?
There is no single best island, there is the right one for you, and they are genuinely different.
The Maldives is the most iconic of the Indian Ocean destinations. Each resort occupies its own island, so the sense of privacy is complete. The water is astonishing, the diving and snorkelling among the world's best, and the range of resorts unmatched — from barefoot ultra-luxury to family resorts with tireless kids' clubs. It is the natural choice for a honeymoon, and increasingly for families who have discovered the villa-with-pool format.
Mauritius is the most balanced — a full island rather than a single resort, with mountains, rainforests, a strong Creole culture and a real sense of place. Its beaches vary by coast, its resorts include some of the region's grand old names, and it is one of the easier islands for families and multigenerational groups who want more than a beach to fill their days. It also has some of the best golf in the region.
The Seychelles is the most exclusive — a scatter of granite and coral islands north of Madagascar, with beaches that regularly appear on lists of the world's finest and private-island resorts that set the benchmark for barefoot luxury. It suits honeymooners, returning Indian Ocean travellers wanting something quieter than the Maldives, and anyone drawn to dramatic natural beauty.
Zanzibar and the Tanzanian coast are the natural beach ending to a safari in Tanzania. Zanzibar pairs the spice-island history and alleyways of Stone Town with long, reef-protected beaches that vary by coast, and the diving around the Mnemba Atoll is among the finest in the region. Pemba, its quieter northern neighbour, is greener and wilder, with serious diving and far fewer visitors. Further south, a scattering of private islands offers a deeper, more barefoot seclusion.
The Kenyan coast runs south from Mombasa to Diani, a long stretch of white sand and coral reef that makes an easy, short-flight beach ending to a safari in the Maasai Mara or Amboseli. It suits families and couples who want a few unhurried days by the sea without a long onward flight.
Mozambique's Bazaruto Archipelago sits at the southern edge of this coastline — a marine national park of turquoise channels, sandbanks and dunes off the mainland. Its islands are known for exceptional diving and snorkelling, dhow sailing and riding along the beach, and they pair most naturally with a Southern African safari in South Africa or Botswana.
When is the best time to go?
Broadly, the region runs on a few rhythms.
For the Maldives, the dry season from around December to April is the classic time, with sunshine, calm seas and excellent underwater visibility. May to November brings warmer water, more variable weather and quieter resorts — often better value, and loved by divers who follow the manta rays and whale sharks to particular atolls.
Mauritius is at its best from May to December, when it is cooler and drier. January to April is warmer, greener and occasionally stormy — cyclones are possible, though rarely severe. The southern winter from June to August is the coolest and most comfortable for those who dislike heat.
The Seychelles is close to the equator and pleasant year-round, though the two trade-wind seasons shape each coast. The south-easterlies from May to September bring cooler, breezier weather ideal for sailing and hiking; the north-westerlies from November to March are warmer and calmer, ideal for diving.
The East African coast follows the safari calendar more than the islands further east. The long dry season from June to October is the most reliable, cooler and breezier; December to February is hot but largely sunny. The long rains from late March to May are best avoided on the coast, as they are inland.
Which is right for you?
If it is a first Indian Ocean escape, the Maldives is often where we start — the format is easy to love and hard to forget.
If you are travelling as a family, Mauritius and the family-friendly Maldives resorts offer the widest range of activities, ages and pacing.
If it is a honeymoon or a milestone, the Seychelles, the more exclusive Maldives resorts and Mauritius's grand old hotels are all quietly extraordinary in different ways.
If you are pairing it with a safari, the Seychelles and Maldives are longer flights than an East African beach but well worth them for a longer stay. For shorter flights and a beach closer to the bush, Zanzibar, the Kenyan and Tanzanian coasts and Mozambique's Bazaruto sit within easy reach.
And if you are drawn to a particular experience — diving, sailing, kite-surfing, seclusion on a private island — we build the journey around that.
What kind of journeys do we design?
Most of our Indian Ocean journeys take one of a few shapes: classic honeymoons built around a single, exceptional resort; multi-resort island-hopping across the Maldives or the Seychelles, often mixing one design-led resort with one family-run private island; safari-and-beach journeys pairing an African safari with an extended stay by the sea; and family escapes chosen around the ages of the children and the interests of the parents.
Where to stay
We know these islands well and work closely with the great names and the smaller independents alike. These are some of the properties we return to most often, with a note on the traveller each suits best.
The Maldives
Soneva Fushi is barefoot ultra-luxury on Baa Atoll, ideal for families and returning Maldives visitors who value privacy and sustainability above formality.
Soneva Jani in Noonu Atoll is for guests who want the overwater villa in its most refined form, with slides, retractable roofs and complete quiet.
Soneva Secret, the newest Soneva Maison, is a remote adults-preferred hideaway in the Haa Dhaalu Atoll, suited to guests wanting the deepest sense of seclusion the country offers.
Cheval Blanc Randheli suits couples and families drawn to French elegance and impeccable service.
One&Only Reethi Rah is one of the largest and most polished resorts in the country, well suited to families and to guests who want variety across a stay.
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru is exceptional for families and for guests interested in marine conservation, with the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve on the doorstep.
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa is a lovely North Malé choice for families and first-timers, close enough to the airport for a short speedboat transfer. Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi is contemporary ultra-luxury, particularly suited to multigenerational families wanting spacious villas.
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, is design-led and contemporary, with an all-villa layout and easy access from Malé.
Joali Maldives on Raa Atoll is for guests drawn to art, colour and creative flair, with playful design running through every villa.
Six Senses Laamu is for travellers drawn to wellness, surf and a more remote setting in the south.
Velaa Private Island is discreet and highly personalised, popular with returning guests who value privacy above all. Gili Lankanfushi is barefoot elegance close to Malé, a longtime honeymoon favourite.
COMO Cocoa Island is small, intimate and design-led, suited to couples wanting quiet.
Mauritius
One&Only Le Saint Géran is Mauritius's grand dame, refined and family-friendly, set on a peninsula on the east coast. Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury is another of the island's classics, elegant and beautifully situated on the north coast at Grand Baie.
Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita occupies a private estate on the east coast, with excellent golf and a strong family offering. The Oberoi Beach Resort, Mauritius, sits on Turtle Bay on the north-west coast, quietly luxurious and much loved for its unobtrusive service.
The St. Regis Le Morne Resort is set at the foot of Le Morne Brabant on the south-west coast, dramatic in setting and popular with honeymooners and families alike. Shangri-La Le Touessrok occupies a beautiful stretch of the east coast at Trou d'Eau Douce, with its own private island, Ilot Mangénie, reserved for guests.
Constance Prince Maurice is quietly luxurious and suited to couples wanting understated refinement.
Constance Belle Mare Plage suits families and golfers, with two championship courses on-site.
Shanti Maurice on the south coast is intimate and design-led, well suited to honeymooners and to guests seeking a wellness focus.
Maradiva Villas Resort & Spa on the west coast is for couples and small families wanting all-villa accommodation with private pools.
The Seychelles
North Island is one of the most exclusive private island resorts in the world, ideal for honeymooners and for anyone wanting complete seclusion.
Cheval Blanc Seychelles, on Mahé's Anse Intendance beach, is the newest of the Cheval Blanc Maisons, all-villa and quietly extraordinary, well suited to honeymooners and to families.
Four Seasons Resort Seychelles is a hillside resort on Mahé with dramatic beach access, suited to honeymooners and families alike.
Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island is set on a coral atoll an hour's flight from Mahé, remote, informal and family-friendly.
Six Senses Zil Pasyon on Félicité is design-led ultra-luxury, well suited to couples wanting striking architecture and privacy.
Fregate Island Private is a working conservation island, for guests who value wildlife and seclusion in equal measure.
Constance Lémuria on Praslin is a classic Seychelles resort with the island's only golf course, popular with families.
Constance Ephélia on Mahé is one of the largest resorts in the country, with two beaches and strong family credentials.
Raffles Seychelles on Praslin offers the brand's signature service in an all-villa setting, suited to honeymooners.
Zanzibar and the Tanzanian Coast
andBeyond Mnemba Island is a private island off Zanzibar's north-east tip, with ten thatched bandas on a beach barely a mile around; one of the most exclusive island stays in the region, suited to honeymooners and to guests wanting complete privacy and superb diving on the Mnemba Atoll.
The Manta Resort sits on the remote northern tip of Pemba, greener and quieter than the main island, known for world-class diving and its Underwater Room moored offshore, suited to divers, honeymooners and travellers wanting seclusion.
Zuri Zanzibar is a design-led resort on the north coast at Kendwa, a member of Design Hotels, with all-day swimming and celebrated sunsets, suited to couples and families drawn to contemporary style.
The Residence Zanzibar is a spacious all-villa estate with private pools and generous grounds, well suited to families and couples wanting room and privacy.
Xanadu Villas & Retreat is an intimate all-villa retreat on the quieter south-east coast at Dongwe, suited to couples wanting a small, private base with a spa and beach. Fanjove Private Island is a barefoot, solar-powered private island in the Songo Songo Archipelago off southern Tanzania, one of only two private-island retreats in the country, with a handful of beach bandas and genuine seclusion, suited to travellers who value simplicity and real remoteness over polish.
The Kenyan Coast
Alfajiri Villas are three exclusive-use villas on Diani Beach, owner-run and highly personalised, with butlers, chefs and childminders; among the most refined villas on the East African coast and a natural beach ending to a Kenyan safari, suited to families, honeymooners and private groups.
The Sands at Chale Island is Kenya's only private-island resort, on a small coral island a short boat transfer off the Diani coast, with ancient coastal forest, resident colobus monkeys and the country's first over-water rooms, suited to couples and families wanting a private-island setting close to the mainland.
Mozambique, the Bazaruto Archipelago
Kisawa Sanctuary is an exceptionally private sanctuary on Benguerra Island, its residences of separate bungalows set far apart across a large coastal estate and recognised with two Michelin Keys, suited to honeymooners and to guests wanting the resort itself to be the occasion.
andBeyond Benguerra Island is a barefoot island lodge in the same archipelago, with world-class reef diving, dhow sailing and riding across the dunes, a natural coastal pairing for a Southern African safari, suited to couples and families.
Your journey starts with a conversation
Tell us what you are hoping for, a honeymoon in the Maldives, a family fortnight in Mauritius, a private island in the Seychelles, or a beach to follow a safari. We will listen, ask the right questions, and design something built entirely around you.
FAQ
Which Indian Ocean destination is best for a first visit? The Maldives is where we most often begin. The format is easy to love, and the range of resorts allows us to match the right one to the people travelling. For guests who want more than a resort, Mauritius offers a fuller sense of a country to explore. And if the first visit is built around dramatic natural beauty, the Seychelles is the quieter, more exclusive alternative.
When is the best time to visit the Indian Ocean? Broadly, December to April for the Maldives; April to October for the Seychelles, with April and October the calmest and clearest. May to November suits Mauritius; the East African coast has two fine windows: June to October and December to February. We plan around the conditions for your exact dates.
Is the Indian Ocean suitable for families with young children? Yes. Mauritius is particularly strong for families, and the Maldives has excellent family-focused resorts with kids' clubs, family villas and gentle house reefs. The Seychelles' larger resorts also work well for families.
Can I combine an Indian Ocean escape with an African safari? Yes, and it is one of our most requested journeys. The Seychelles and the Maldives are longer flights but well worth them for a longer stay. For a shorter flight and a beach ending closer to the bush, Zanzibar, the Kenyan and Tanzanian coasts and Mozambique's Bazaruto sit within easy reach.