You won’t find the forbidden apple or a smooth-tongued serpent, but the site of the fabled Garden of Eden is here in the Seychelles (pronounced say-shells), a 115-plus archipelago of pristine islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean, about a thousand miles due east of Kenya. Here, swimwear is optional — but it may be the only clothing you wear at all.

The Seychelles formed after the African and Indian continents broke apart, leaving a now-650-million-year-old granitic necklace of islands sparkling in an endless expanse of turquoise ocean waters. Because of its isolation, the Seychelles is a natural haven for wildlife, boasting 850 species of fish, 100 kinds of shells, several rare-bird colonies, more giant tortoises than the Galapagos and the you-can-only-see-it-here coco-de-mer palms in the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site believed to be the original site of the Garden of Eden. This primeval forest on the Seychelle’s second largest island — Praslin — is home to some 6,000 coco-de-mer trees, an unusual double coconut considered among the botanical wonders of the world.

At only 17 miles long, Mahé is the main island and the site of the international airport. It is home to almost 90 percent of the islands’ population, most of whom live in Victoria, the world’s smallest capital city. In fact, Victoria is so small some say it’ll take you an hour to walk around it three times. During your walk-about, you can’t miss the great silver town clock (Big Ben goes miniature), a gift from England in 1903, that strikes twice every hour — first to warn you that it will, then to remind you that it has, with the exact hour never quite clear. There are a few bustling shops and restaurants, but the real action happens on Saturday at Sir Selwyn Clarke Market where vendors hawk their harvests of dazzling fruits, spices, crafts and fresh fish.

The locals, known lyrically as Seychellois, represent a rich cultural melange of Indian, African, French, Portuguese and Arab, with a few buccaneering pirates and castaways mixed in for good measure. English is the official language of this relatively new republic (founded officially on June 1976, overthrown with a coup in 1977, and restored as a multiparty state in 1993), but French and Creole dominate in the local kitchens, where spicy cuisine is created fresh from the abundant daily catch and the bounty of the fertile tropical forests.

Tourism is the Seychelles’ primary industry and its biggest employer (besides the government). The industry is growing stronger daily with bold government incentives to bring in foreign investment. The islands lie outside the cyclone belt, and thus offer a stable year-round environment. Hotels under construction and on the drawing board are notably five-star properties with plush spa facilities to pamper guests. One large development currently under way is Eden Island, a man-made island-marina development close to the airport — presumably for easy access via charter and private plane — offering luxurious apartments and spacious villas. Roads are good, schools are good, electricity and water are plentiful, telecommunications are sound — what’s not to like?

LODGING

THE HILTON NORTHOLME RESORT & SPA

The Hilton group took over this hotel in July and refurbished it into 40 striking dark-wood villas hugging the hillside and coves along Beau Vallon Bay. They may have the best bathroom I’ve ever experienced. There’s a wide marble Jacuzzi tub gracing the center of a huge room that features two sinks and an open-wall shower — all looking out through glass French doors to a private veranda. The property boasts two restaurants, both with sweeping views of the ocean as well as a bar and open-lobby lounge. The Duniye Spa there is a must for a sunset massage. I somehow slithered past the infinity pool and found my way back to my villa as the last threads of rose sunset dipped beyond the horizon. $$$$
THE HILTON NORTHOLME RESORT & SPA
Mahé
tel 248 299000, fax 248 299001
http://www.hilton.com

SAINTE ANNE RESORT & SPA

Reached by private launch from Mahé, Sainte Anne occupies its own island in the Sainte Anne Marine National Park. It’s a perfect destination for families and couples wishing to maximize their time in and around tranquil, pristine waters. Snorkeling, scuba-diving, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, pedal boats, glass-bottom boats — all included in your stay, as are mountain bikes used to pedal around the 500-acre private estate and its 87 ocean-facing villas. The gigantic pool is the perfect spot to float through a steamy evening, gazing across Victoria Harbor to the twinkling lights on the mountains beyond. $$$$
SAINTE ANNE RESORT & SPA
Victoria, Mahé
tel 248 292000, fax 248 292002
http://www.beachcomber-hotels.com

BANYAN TREE RESORT & SPA

Words fail to describe the tranquil harmony of the plush private villas tucked into a cove at Anse Intendance.“ Welcome to Banyan Tree”was spread across our large white bed in bright green palm leaves and vibrant red hibiscus flowers when we arrived. A private infinity pool, an outdoor dining/lounging area with a view of the crashing waves on the beach below, and a delightful glassed-in window seat inside made it difficult to leave our villa. Indeed, you don’t have to — the in-villa dining menu is on offer 24 hours a day. The main reception features a huge colonial Seychelles-style veranda seamlessly blended with ultra-modern Asian-influenced decor. Don’t miss the spa, an exclusive Banyan Tree experience. You’ll never think of a spa the same way again. $$$$
BANYAN TREE RESORT & SPA
Anse Intendance, Mahé
tel 248 383500 or 248 383555, fax 248 383600
http://www.banyantree.com

DINING

MARIE-ANTOINETTE

Step inside this old Creole house in Victoria for a delightful family-style, fixed price meal of parrotfish, tuna steak, barracuda, fish stew, chicken curry, battered eggplant, salad and rice. Over coffee, owner Mrs. Fonseka, aka Mama, may join you at your table for an invigorating discussion of food, travel, or world politics. Visit the giant tortoises out back — they’ve been there longer than the restaurant. Did you know that tortoises live more than a hundred years? Maybe they choose the right environment. $$
MARIE-ANTOINETTE
Serret Road
Victoria, Mahé
tel 248 266222
http://www.marie-antoinette.net

LE JARDIN DU ROI

A small, casual restaurant at the top of a hill in a virgin rain forest, Le Jardin du Roi started as a spice garden in traditional 18th century French style. Vanilla vines, citronelle, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper are but some of the spices grown here and served fresh on the restaurant’s savory menu items including sweet crepes, saffron fish, fish in banana leaf, curries, a local plat du jour and pumpkin like you’ve never before tasted. Roam the gardens to see the wide variety of spice plants or hike the mountain trails to the summit. In the old planter’s house (built in 1860) there is a small museum with beautiful drawings of spices and fruits. $$
LE JARDIN DU ROI
Domaine de L’enfoncement,
Anse Royale, Mahé
tel 248 371313, fax 248 371366
http://www.seychelles.net/brymich/garden.htm

SAFFRON

If you tire of Creole cooking, go to Saffron for fine Thai cuisine. You’ll get freshly caught fish, to be sure, but prepared in a way you haven’t tasted in other Seychelles restaurants. Everything is gracefully presented and it’s as much a joy to look at as to taste. An extensive wine list complements the cuisine. The restaurant is located in the Banyan Tree Resort and you can choose to dine inside the beautifully and minimally decorated dining room or outside on the wide veranda. $$$
SAFFRON
The Banyan Tree Resort & Spa
Anse Intendance, Mahé
tel 248 383500 or 248 383555, fax 248 383 600
http://www.banyantree.com

DIVERSIONS

Most tourists come to Mahé with a prepackaged plan for their vacation. If you want to see the real island or islands, contact a local tour agency to arrange some special side trips. Masons Travel is arguably the best and can help you see things you might miss otherwise, as well as keep you from driving the narrow, steep roads. Leave that to their skillful drivers. Try Mason’s trail hike-snorkeling expedition. You’ll meet your guide at Bel Ombre, just past the expansive white sand beach at Beau Vallon to hike up into part of the Morne Seychellois National Park’s rain forest, passing tendrils of wild curry and cinnamon arching over the trail as well as bananas, pineapples and tropical fruits. Our guide, Francis, noticed my sniffly nose and dove into the underbrush to retrieve a leaf sprig that smelled just like Vick’s Vaporub. I kept inhaling it as we hiked higher up the mountain and by the time we descended to the beach and our waiting catamaran, I felt well enough to snorkel at Baie Tiernay’s Marine National Park. Snorkeling is unmatched on the islands, as there are coral reefs surrounding much of the land, and wildly colorful fish are curious to see who is in their waters. If you prefer not to snorkel, take a glass-bottom boat out into any of the picturesque lagoons or coves. Mahé also boasts the lush Seychelles Botanical Gardens where you can see an astonishing male coco-de-mer palm.You’ll have to fly to Praslin to the Vallée de Mai National Park to see the tree’s female counterpart. Also on Praslin Island, you’ll find the only 18-hole golf course in the Seychelles. It’s part of the Lemuria Resort. Don’t forget to visit the Seychelles Natural History Museum on Mahé and its preserved Creole houses with their wide, wide, graceful porches. Visit the surrounding artists’ studios to see crafts being made for market day. If you crave the discovery of waterfalls and great views, drive up to Morne Seychellois. At 905 feet, it’s the highest point on the island and the view down to Victoria Harbor and the outer islands is spectacular. To step back in time, La Digue is a 30-minute ferry ride from Praslin where the primary modes of transport are bicycle or ox cart. Cycads, one of the oldest and most primitive of plants, grow above the quiet roads here, where you may catch a glimpse of the rare black paradise flycatcher. This bird, once thought to be extinct, quite happily makes its home on La Digue.

INFO TO GO

Seychelles International Airport (SEZ) is located on the island of Mahé, six miles south of the capital city of Victoria. Air Seychelles is the main airline with flights to and from Johannesburg (JNB), London (LHR), Mauritius (MRU), Munich (MUC), Paris (CDG), Rome (FCO) and Singapore (SIN) as well as connecting the islands themselves. Flying time from London is approximately 10 hours nonstop. International service is also available from Nairobi (NBO) via Kenya Airways, Dubai (DXB) via Emirates and Doha (DOH) via Qatar Airways. Taxis and coaches are available, though most hotels arrange airport transfers for their guests.