MAURITIUS EXTRAORDINARY BEAUTY AND STILL A SECRET

Helen Davis on 22 May 2016
This was my very first visit to the Indian Ocean. I flew from Birmingham via Dubai with Emirates the journey was extremely comfortable and I had plenty of entertainment to choose from the business class service was one of the best I have experienced so far. My cases went straight through while I checked out the shops and made my way to the next gate. I have done connecting flights in the states and this is a world of difference as it was a really easy journey and very comfortable.

The best part about going to Mauritius is the small time difference with it being just 3 hours ahead really meant I could avoid jet lag.

My home for the week was the Beachcomber hotel Paradis situated in the South West part of the island on the Peninsula, as soon as you arrive at Paradis you are greeted with a warm smile and instantly puts you at ease and you can start to relax.

My first day really gave me the full opportunity to check out my location and see just how gorgeous it really was. Paradis has a front row seat to the white sandy beach with turquoise seas in immediate views and looking back at the hotel you have the stunning rocky mountain backdrop it really did leave me speechless. Not to forget the large dreamy pool. The hotel and whole island in fact has this oasis of peace and tranquillity and I was able to unwind very quickly. We travelled to the sister hotel Dinarobin by golf buggy which is just next door and between the 2 hotels you have a huge selection of land and water sports activities and good restaurant choice and a fantastic spa. Both resorts are very elegant and I would not hesitate in recommending them to my clients as rest assured I know they would have a great time.

Foodies will love the rich culinary choice from around the world, whether you experience a meal in a restaurant or dinner on the beach you will not be disappointed I loved the creole flavours and the seafood was excellent. I did not have one bad meal all the food was excellent.

Paradis is a must for golfers, it offers a superb 18 hole course. You can stay in the hotel and be as active as you want with the complimentary land and water sports or you can quite easily relax as much as you should wish. You do not need to get up early to reserve a lounger as you have plenty by the pool and around the beach will plenty of shaded areas if you prefer to keep cool.

The hotel offers generous sized rooms with complimentary Wi-Fi and complimentary tea/coffee facilities. I was very pleased with my room as it had everything I needed a complimentary safe, nice toiletries and plenty of space for clothes (Something many hotels get wrong). The resident band was excellent and was on each evening, the atmosphere was low key but had a nice vibe. We did sample the nightclub which is perfect for wedding parties to hire, it would really make any wedding day finish on a high. What I love about beachcomber is they only allow 1 wedding per day in fact we only saw one during the whole week so I am sure that made the bride feel more special.

Soon after arriving it felt like I was visiting a close relative to the Caribbean. I can see why Mauritius has had a popularity increase in the last few years as it ticks all the boxes for a luxury holiday for families, couples, wedding/honeymooners as it really does offer everything you could possibly need for a dream break.

For the more adventurous you are spoilt with a variety of activities we had a lovely trip to Port Louis and I enjoyed visiting the market for some souvenirs and if you are keen on haggling this is where you can brush up your skills. The souvenirs are a mix of Africa, India and even oriental influences. We also visited Casela Nature Park and I took part in the zip lining and it was incredible you really could see how tropical the island was. You had the option to quad bike and do a safari in Casela also. One evening I had the best time ever on a catamaran cruise my highlight was seeing all the beautiful stars it was simply breath taking. Other activities you could do… Diving, snorkelling, kite surfing, hiking, horse riding, glass bottom boat, Segway, kayaking, dolphin/whale trips and much more.

Mauritius is perfect to do as a standalone destination or if you want to do more you can easily have a few nights in Dubai or add South Africa to the end as it is just a 4 hour flight from Mauritius.