SIX SENSES ZIL PASYON OPENS WITH UNRIVALED DRAMATIC BEAUTY

Six Senses Zil Pasyon, the luxurious resort on private island Félicité, Seychelles opened last fall with unrivaled dramatic beauty. Giant prehistoric stones punctuate the island’s terrain creating an otherworldly ambiance. These colossal rock formations that make the island so unique have been cleverly incorporated into the architecture. The Spa, a Six Senses trademark, features 5 double treatment villas strikingly built atop mammoth boulders and linked by Robinson Crusoe rope bridges.

In addition to the massive monoliths, exotic birds, swaying coco palms and pristine sand beaches are found on this tropical oasis surrounded by the azure Indian Ocean. Everything from the design, cuisine to the wellness treatments, for which the brand is renowned, is impressive

Aqua enthusiasts like yours truly will love the crystal clear aquamarine water that surrounds the hilly island. I snorkeled just off the resort steps amid coral gardens and an underwater kingdom of boundless fish in all sizes, shapes, and colors from jewel-toned, black and white striped to lemony yellow. You can also hop a boat for a 5-minute ride to dreamy Coco Island, for more snorkeling and more colossal rocks. Here, I swam with a large, friendly turtle in addition to a rainbow of marine life.

Each of the 30 stunning balau wood villas nestled amid the lush foliage of the hillsides offers total privacy and ocean vistas. Spacious interiors with floor to ceiling windows feature contemporary décor that blends with the island surroundings. These sybaritic sanctuaries include insanely comfortable Six Senses beds, a dressing room and deep tubs with playful swings beside them – both gazing out to the luminous water below.

My spacious deck, a veritable outdoor playground, included a dining table, daybed, ultra comfy loungers and infinity pool large enough to swim in with a chaise carved into it so you can read, sunbathe and take in sunsets while reclining in the water. At night, the pool’s fiber optic dots sparkled like a brilliant star-lit sky.

The whimsical but chic vibe of the resort is perfectly captured in the fanciful light bulb display dangling over the bar in fashionable Island Café, the main restaurant. The bird’s nest lanterns suspended from the Badamier tree in front of the eatery, beautifully illuminated at night, create a surreal setting.

The cuisine is a creative take on Creole flavors plus exciting Indian, European and International specialties. Some of the many standouts included tastiest soft shell crab curry, king prawns, grilled lobster and chicken tikka masala. For lunch the seafront ‘no meat’ Ocean Kitchen served up the tastiest grilled red snapper in a banana leaf, sauteed greens, cassava and addictive yellowtail tuna ceviche with avocado.

Visiting the spa which opened in February is a journey unto itself as you walk on primeval paths between the island’s towering stones. As I entered the hanging villa set on a large boulder for my massage, I immediately felt a sense of buoyancy.

A wide array of holistic, healing and rejuvenating treatments with expert in house therapists plus a rotating roster of top visiting practitioners from around the globe is planned. The Spa menu also features experience journeys with rituals and massages using native oils, herbs and Tibetan singing bowls.

I found the Integrated Wellness Program, a Six Senses signature that measures and analyzes physiological markers to curate personalized nutrition, fitness and spa treatments, remarkably accurate. To round out the wellness journey, the spa also houses an elevated open-air saltwater pool with sundeck, hammam, yoga and meditation pavilion.

High atop a hill, a glass of bubbly in hand I gazed at the sunset, an explosion of golden, magenta and orange hues. The gorgeous island spread before me surrounded by the vast Indian Ocean, Six Senses Zil Payson gets it all right.

How To Go Etihad and its partner Air Seychelles have daily flights from Los Angeles with outstanding service through Abu Dhabi, connecting to a 4 hour flight to the Seychelles’ main island Mahe. From there it’s a short helicopter ride to the resort.

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