Praslin and Denis Island holiday in the Seychelles

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION
• During your stay in the Seychelles, you are encouraged to use public transport, including the inter-island ferry system included in this itinerary, for moving between the main island, Mahe, and Praslin, instead of domestic flights.
• L’Archipel, the family-owned boutique hotel in Praslin, has set in place a number of projects to reduce their carbon footprint, including switching to LED bulbs, which has reduces each guest room’s power demand by 80%, while an intelligent energy system has reduced the AC energy consumption by 30% without affecting guests. They have also invested in solar panels, which has reduced the oil consumption by 28,850 litrs per year (this saves 76.8 metric tonnes of CO2 a year). They have also implemented a food waste management system which uses software to reduce unnecessary wastage of food.
• Denis Island home to one of the largest solar power projects in Seychelles, which largely supplies power to the entire island. Expansion projects are nearing completion and the island is expected to operate on 100% clean energy before the end of 2024.
• Vegetarian and vegan food is available. Both accommodation focuses on locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. Denis Island in particular excels, with an onsite farm that produces around 90% of the ingredients for the menu.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE
• Both properties have eliminated single use plastic where possible, and utilise solar power for the majority of electrical output.
• At Denis Island, non-native coconut plantation has been carefully and systematically removed and replaced with native and endemic vegetation. Guests can plant an endemic tree to commemorate their stay and contribute to the re-wilding of the island. At L’Archipel, care has been taken to ensure long standing vegetation has not been removed, with established gardens using endemic and naturally found tropical plants.
• At Denis Island, critically endangered endemic bird species (Seychelles Magpie Robin, Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher, Seychelles Warbler) were introduced to the island. The success of these introduced populations has downgraded these species from "critically endangered" to "endangered". Great expense and planning has also gone into removing non-native predators (rats, cats and Myna birds) from the island. Denis Island is officially rat-free. The removal of these predators has allowed bird populations to thrive.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY
• Both properties included in this itinerary are locally owned and operated, and have been for many years. Both are big supporters of local talent and employment, with staff at the properties who have worked onsite for many years.
• L’Archipel operates a complimentary shuttle to nearby local restaurants in the evenings, helping to support local businesses.
• All our excursions, including the optional ones, use local guides and include visits to local restaurants if operating over lunch time.
• Excess produce produced by Denis Island’s farm is sold on Mahe in a farm shop, giving local consumers access to high-quality non-imported meat.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY
• Staff at the properties are from the Seychelles, in the majority, with support and training given through the properties.
• All furniture At Denis Island is made onsite by local artisans, using driftwood and non-indigenous trees that have been removed from the forest as part of the rewilding.
• Our local partners, ourselves and the properties included in this itinerary pay the local minimum wage or above for all positions.