It started in 1998, when Frégate Island Private opened its doors to the rich and quite frequently the famous. Then North Island, a similarly exclusive whole-island resort, opened in 2003. This year, Maia on the main island of Mahé and Labriz on neighbouring Silhouette have both opened, to universal plaudits. Next up will be a new Four Seasons and a Shangri-La (opening next year).