With two and half billion wedding-watchers waiting on news of the royal couple's honeymoon, it's likely the Seychelles can enjoy a boom in popularity, thanks to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Although St James's Palace has refused to confirm the destination chosen by the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall for their honeymoon, the media has been quick to publish photos of a luxurious villa on a private island paradise in the Seychelles, thought to be their retreat for the next ten days. And with the Seychelles' tourist office confirming to London's Guardian newspaper that the couple touched down at the international airport on Mahé earlier this week, it's probable the already-popular destination can look forward to an influx of honeymoon bookings in the forthcoming months.

THE SEYCHELLES

An archipelago of 115 islands located 1500 kilometres off the coast of mainland Africa, the Republic of Seychelles is blessed with dazzling beaches and the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. With a warm climate, temperatures seldom drop below 24°C and all but the remote islands in the country's far south lie outside the hazardous equatorial cyclone belt, making it a popular holiday destination year round.

Exactly which island the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have blessed with their honeymoon remains a mystery, however. Although they spent a week on Desroches Island in 2007, the Guardian notes "there is speculation they may have chosen the exclusive Frégate Island Private, a 20-minute helicopter ride away from Mahé."

FREGATE

The islands of the Seychelles fall into two distinct groups - the tall granite Inner Islands, and the low-lying corraline cays, atolls and reef islands of the Outer Islands. Frégate is one of 43 Inner Islands, which cluster around the main islands of Praslin, La Digue and Mahé, home to the country's capital city. The most remote of all the Inner Islands, with a population of just 208, Frégate is certain to provide any newlyweds some much sought after privacy.

ECO ACCOMMODATION

The award winning Frégate Island Private is the only accommodation on the island, made up of just 16 luxuriously appointed private villas. An eco resort, the hotel has its own source of water and feeds guests with organic fruit, vegetables, salads and herbs grown by their own team of gardeners on the island. The hotel also benefits from its very own Rock Spa, located on a cliff-top plateau, providing guests with a panoramic view of the Indian Ocean whilst undergoing a range of indigenous treatments on offer.

IDYLLIC BEACHES

Frégate is also home to the picture-perfect Anse Victorin, frequently voted the most beautiful beach in the world. Surrounded by tall granite rocks and lush vegetation, this beach provides a perfect setting for snorkelling and swimming.   

But it seems that, despite inviting two and a half billion people to watch their wedding live on television, William and Catherine value their privacy when it comes to their honeymoon. "We are not confirming, and we are not commenting, on speculation on where they may be going on their private honeymoon, we are just confirming that they have gone," a palace spokesman concludes.