Tucked like a polished coin in the warm Indian Ocean, Round Island sits wholly inside Ste Anne Marine Park — a near-perfect circle of powder sand fringed by swaying palms and a vivid reef that seems to pulse with life. Its compact footprint gives the island clarity: every path, beach and drop-off is within easy reach, and every shoreline viewpoint feels like a private postcard.
The island’s history is quietly dramatic. Once used as a leper colony, Round Island’s past whispers through the coconut groves and lone shaded corners, lending a sober, contemplative edge to its present-day incarnation. Today it has been reborn as a spectacular boutique retreat where privacy, understated luxury and respect for the natural environment shape every detail. That juxtaposition — of past hardship transformed into refined solitude — is part of what makes a stay here unusually memorable.
Arrival is intimate and immediate. A short boat transfer from the larger islands carries you into the embrace of turquoise shallows and reef-strewn channels; as the boat rounds the island, the circular silhouette is unmistakable against the horizon. The resort’s scale is deliberately restrained: villas and guest spaces are dispersed so that each guest feels cocooned in their own corner of beach and garden. Interiors favor natural textures and soft palettes that let the sea be the star, while discreet service and candlelit dinners on the sand underline the island’s romantic, slow-rhythm atmosphere.
For lovers of the sea, Round Island is hard to resist. The surrounding reef in Ste Anne Marine Park is