There is a theory -- some say based on science, others shrug off as 'new agey' -- that Earth has a few energy hot spots, or vortices, where the electromagnetic field is particularly strong and the natural world especially vibrant.
These energy power points (think: Sedona, Ariz.; Machu Picchu, Peru; Lhasa, Tibet) can really do a number on people. The natural landscape doesn't just look amazing, you feel its beauty deep inside; it affects you.
I'd been feeling the effects myself since arriving in the Seychelles, an archipelago of about 115 lush, granite islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar and about 1,500 kilometres from the nearest land mass, Kenya.
I wasn't alone. As I waited to chat with one of the republic's most renowned tourism entrepreneurs, Jean Batista, a carload of young Asian tourists arrived at the little piece of paradise he owns and operates. Chez Batista is a gorgeous resort nestled in Takamaka Bay, whose beaches have been rated among the best in the world.
Nothing moves very fast in the Seychelles, but this car roared into the resort's modest gravel parking lot and erupted with ecstatic tourists, who began madly and simultaneously screaming, pointing and snapping photos.
They didn't know where to start: One ran in hysterics over to the giant Aldabra tortoises, the largest of their species in the world, some more than 200 years old. Another tore down to the pristine beach and plunged, fully clothed and hollering things I could not understand, into the majestic waves. Another spun in circles and appeared to be in shock.
The Seychelles -- global tourism's best-kept secret -- can have this effect on people.
"Nature is really alive here, like it is unapologetically gushing out of everything," says Duniam Anette Linke, a German energy healer with Shamanic training who moved here 20 years ago and built a busy business offering 'healing island' tours that include visits to the islands' special energy hot spots. "When I would talk about energy in Germany, half the people didn't get it. Here, they know. They're affected by the power of the water, of the rocks, of nature... every day."
The Seychelles, about seven degrees south of the equator, is an explosion of nature. With its spectacular exposures of Precambrian granite, the Seychelles is thought to have formed by a continental separation from Madagascar, followed by separation from India, some 63 million years ago.
People have only lived here for some 300 years, and it shows. Their footprint is small -- instead, it is the lush and lively forest and powerful ocean and beaches that run the show here. Roads are few and far between and dangerously narrow. The largest and most populated island, Mahé, has beautiful beaches and toward the centre rises to the 900-metre peak, surrounded by good hiking in Morne Seychellois National Park.
The Seychelles was granted independence in 1976 and has a population of about 90,000, with the majority living on Mahé. The Seychellois speak Creole, but nearly all are well-versed in English and French.
Tourism is the No. 1 industry here, and according to Sherin Naiken, CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, it's on the upswing.
"We are a natural destination for romantic holidays, this is our biggest niche, and we are also attracting people who are looking for a good ambiance for wellness," says Naiken. "Wellness is a global phenomenon right now, and the Seychelles is a natural fit."
The Seychelles hit a record for tourist traffic last year, at 230,000 visitors. Its major markets include France, Germany, the U.K. and Italy. Tobin says future growth is expected to come from new markets such as China and India.
Tourism here can be divided into three segments: High-end visitors looking to rent a villa on, say, Fregate Island, for some 7,000 euros a night (royals Will and Kate honeymooned on a nearby island); Mid-range travellers looking for an exotic location and well-known brand, i.e. a five-star hotel, and; self-catering resorts, which appeal to people who want more of an authentic, local experience and are looking to save money by cooking some of their own meals (50-150 euros a night).
"We don't have hostels, and we're not catering to the backpackers," says Naiken. "The biggest contributors to revenue are high-end tourists, but the self-catering category has been a great way to get the local people involved in the industry."
Only local, land-owning Seychellois can get permits for self-catered apartments, and usually they are located inside the family's own housing compound.
The government has ring-fenced other segments of the tourism industry for locals, including the business of operating rental cars, dive companies, tours and taxis.
Wellness in the Seychelles
In the Seychelles -- a world leader in sustainable tourism -- wellness isn't a trend, it comes natural.
It's a pillar of the marketing strategy around tourism, the primary industry here (tuna fishing is secondary), and a big drawing card for visitors who come once and decide to pack up and relocate to the Seychelles.
That's what happened for Jenny Gilbert, the South African homeopath who introduced homeopathy to the Seychelles.
Gilbert and her partner and sailing aficionado Peter Koenig now operate The Station (http://ift.tt/1vl2ZGt), a wellness hotel, spa and homeopathic hub that exudes peace and tranquility. In the clinic, Gilbert has recruited one homeopathic doctor from India and is training some local Seychellois in the trade, as well as teaching seminars to the public.
"Homeopathy recognizes that our vital healing force will give us exact communication, if we only listen correctly," she says.
One of the top advisers to Seychelles President James Michel, Dr. Nirmal Jivan Shah, is also chief executive of Nature Seychelles, a prominent environmental NGO in this region.
He says the Seychelles can be a model for local healing (the organization runs nature/yoga classes for the mentally challenged and substance-misuse population, youth and business groups). It is also spearheading a campaign on obesity awareness and organic farming and has recently released positive results of a coral reef regrowth project Shah says could be leveraged by all countries impacted by climate change.
"When it comes to climate change, we are victims but not perpetrators," he says. "But what we want to be is champions by creating a blueprint for other countries."
Back at Takamaka Bay, Jean Batista is happy enough penning a blueprint for fellow Seychellois entrepreneurs.
He finished high school with nothing -- no job leads, few skills, little direction. Batista found himself helping out at his brother's work site near Takamaka Bay. After work, he would wander down to the bay, and soon became recognized by the tourists parked there for the day.
He began offering a noon-time meal -- fresh fish he would catch and cook on a beach fire, complemented by fresh mangoes and bananas plucked by nearby trees.
Batista, now 56, was a hit, and soon he started a make-shift restaurant, expanded to a small hotel, which has today become a cosy yet luxurious resort with an adorable local flair.
Some locals criticize the government for selling the best waterfront property to global hotel chains that rake in profits from the Seychelles beauty, while locals sell mangoes on the side of the street.
But Batista's story may prove to be an excellent example of how the Seychellois can carve out a fortune in their very own front yard. He epitomizes the unique brand of Seychellois pride that resides in the heartbeat of this utterly unique and unforgettable island paradise.
Come, find out for yourself.