It is the fifth-largest island in the Seychelles archipelago, measuring 2.68 square kilometres (1.03 sq mi).

In the late 19th century, Félicité was home to Sultan Abdullah of Perak, who was exiled there by the British.

In 2007, the Seychelles government granted a 99-year lease for the then-uninhabited island, which was taken over by Singaporean real estate developer Kishore Buxani in 2013.

Buxani and Mukesh Valabhji, a Seychellois developer, started the construction of a resort in mid-2013.

Today, the Six Senses Zil Pasyon resort, with 30 villas and a spa, covers a third of the island.