A Seychellois medicine woman promotes the all-natural healing at a decadent eco-friendly spa in the Seychelles.

By Julie Keller

In the Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the heart of the Indian Ocean, locals hoping to heal their various health woes seek the services of a Bonnom Diwba (or Madam Dibwa), which is loosely translated as “the fairy woman of the forest.” These mystical medicine women are known to possess a wealth of knowledge about the curative powers of natural ingredients and are able to treat any number of issues, from coughs and colds to rashes and sunburns, with their magical concoctions.

At The Rock Spa at Frégate Island Private, an exotic retreat in the Seychelles, all of the spa services are performed using fresh blends created by its own Madam Dibwa, spa director Bernadette Chang Ty Seng, a Seychelles native who was trained in the art of healing by her mother and grandmother. Her experience, and that of her eclectic staff of therapists from around the globe, creates a truly unique spa experience for the high-profile vacationers who make the trek to this former pirate hideaway island for a luxurious and secluded holiday. The Madam Dibwa custom has roots dating back hundreds of years. “The tradition started in the years of slavery and is known here in Seychelles as the ‘art of black magic,’ thus the wisdom of spells for good and bad luck,” explains Marc Aeberhard, the CEO and owner’s representative on Frégate Island. “However, even after the abolition of slavery, the belief in traditional remedies and medicine remained strong—if you are ill, a Madam Dibwa will know exactly what kind of herbal treatment is good for you. To become a Madam Dibwa, you need to have a very good knowledge of all the local plants and their side effects.”

Chang Ty Seng is by no means a black magic practitioner, but she possesses this knowledge and uses it to create an ever-changing spa menu filled with treatments that incorporate powerful potions made from the island’s plentiful natural bounty. Bananas, bilimbi, coconuts, guavas, mangos, melons and papayas grow naturally on Frégate, and a team of gardeners also cultivates apples, cashews, coffee plants, mint, vanilla and more in the resort’s large organic garden and in a hydroponic greenhouse. All of these, as well as several other flowers and plants, are used in the spa services. In fact, all of the ingredients used for spa services are entirely edible and blended just prior to the treatment in order to provide guests with the totally fresh skin-saving benefits. “The natural ingredients are better because they come from fresh fruits and are 100-percent natural, freshly picked, contain lots of vitamins and minerals and any skin type can use them,” says Chang Ty Seng. “Once our guests have made their booking, we go down into the garden to collect the fresh fruit at the peak of its ripeness. Then we wash the fruits, cut them into small pieces and blend it, applying specific recipes.”

“Let’s be honest—most glossy magazine advertisements for health and beauty products make reference to natural ingredients like avocado oil, apricot essence, fresh well water, jojoba oil and more,” adds Aeberhard. “But would we be brave enough to scoop from these pots, tubes and jars standing in our bathroom and eat it? Why would we use them on one of our most sensitive organs—our skin? To me, that is a total contradiction.

Frégate Island Private is a haven of natural treats—we are a biosphere that is second to none in the Indian Ocean and with a plantation where we farm more than 160 different useful plants. We have decided to create a natural spa formula in which we substitute any artificial ingredient by its natural counterpart. Our quality control is: unless it is edible, none of our treatments will touch your skin.”

The all-natural spa ingredients are just part of The Rock Spa’s appeal, however. The four-treatment-room spa also offers inspiring views of Mother Nature—it is located on a plateau on the island’s highest peak and is surrounded by waterfalls and freshwater pools. Plus, its locally inspired design, complete with timber-clad walls rising up from stone bases, natural copper and windows that open wide to let in fresh air, bring guests back to nature.

Because of all of these distinctive elements and more, all guests are immediately introduced to the spa upon arrival at Frégate Island with a Welcome Ritual, a complimentary customised massage that helps ease jetlag. “It’s like an amuse bouche – it gets guests to the spa, and if they like it, they will come back,” says Aeberhard, who points out that most guests wind up scheduling a least one spa service per day afterward.

Some of the most popular treatments are part of the Madame Dibwa’s Secret Treasure Chest offerings, which are designed to ease island-specific ails. Clients who want to prepare their skin for the strong Seychelles sun (Frégate is only four degrees south of the equator) can partake in Before Sunbath, a body scrub, massage, mini-facial and body wrap that help protect skin from damaging rays with a blend of fatak seeks, watercress, and virgin coconut oil. Meanwhile, itchy bug bites are soothed with Insect Sting, a massage and body wrap that incorporates Indian borage, brown sugar and coconut oil. Another highly requested service is the Papaya Face & Body Therapy, a head-to-toe skincare treatment that uses a blend of honey, olive oil, papaya and more.

Couples’ services, which are performed in one of two couples’ suites featuring private outdoor showers and stone tubs, are also highly requested. Romance-seekers flock to the Lanmour Honeymoon, which includes a footbath; a massage; a passionfruit, ginger, and lime sugar scrub; a coconut and ylang-ylang oil-infused wrap; a scalp massage and a conditioning yogurt and vanilla hair mask; a facial cleansing with aloe vera and honey; and a bath in the outdoor stone tub filled with hibiscus, passionflowers, and ylang-ylang. Guests also enjoy champagne, fresh fruit, and chocolate throughout the experience.

Still, The Rock Spa itself is just a tiny sampling of Frégate’s blissful – and relaxing – spa booty. In addition to treatments in the physical spa building, services can be enjoyed on one of the property’s seven private beaches (one of which was dubbed “most beautiful beach in the world” by the New York Times in 1998), above the jungle canopy in a treehouse, or in one of the island’s 16 luxury villas, each featuring its own infinity-edge pool. No matter where they choose to relax, total seclusion is completely guaranteed, as the number of guests visiting the tiny island is restricted to 40 at a time, a practice that has made the island a haven for sports stars, foreign dignitaries and celebrities seeking a break from the limelight. Bill Gates has made the voyage, Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt honeymooned there pre-Angelina, and Emma Thompson, Elizabeth Hurley and Kate Moss have been visitors. But a headline-making title is by no means necessary to enjoy the pleasures of Frégate Island and The Rock Spa. No matter who they are, every guest is given the star treatment.

www.fregate.com