Mauritius has all-inclusives for all budgets – Louise Scott offers tips on the best resorts, daytime activities and what to do on the island after dark
With deluxe resorts and spas, dining to die for and world-class diving, Mauritius can more than compete in the all-inclusive market.
Club Med opened its second property in Mauritius – La Plantation d’Albion on the northwest coast – in July 2007.
The island prepares to go duty-free over the next four years in a bid to lure travellers away from Indian Ocean ‘neighbour’ the Seychelles.
And there’s plenty to lure them. Mauritius has some 200 miles of coastline, punctuated by stunning beaches and blue lagoons.
Here’s a rundown of what you can recommend.
Where to stay
As well as Club Med’s latest five-star offering, there are all-inclusive resorts for all budgets across Mauritius.
At the lower end of the scale is the two-star colonial-style Klondike Hotel in the west coast village of Flic en Flac. Set in a tropical garden, this family-friendly complex offers 20 sea-facing rooms and 11 garden bungalows.
At three-star level, the homely Veranda Grand Baie is close to the bustling town of the same name. Facilities include a kids’ club, spa, and a range of free sporting activities such as kayaking.
The four-star One&Only Resort La Pirogue is set alongside one of the island’s longest beaches. The range of accommodation includes individual cottages built from wood, thatch and volcanic rock, and the entire resort is modelled on a fishing village.
For those seeking real upmarket indulgence, Heritage Golf and Spa on the wilder south coast provides an African-style design, 24-hour butler service for villa guests, and a Seven Colours spa focusing on each client’s ‘chromatic personality’. It also has a championship golf course.
By day
Mauritius is only around 15 miles long and seven miles wide, so anywhere is within easy reach.
First settled by the Dutch in 1683, the island’s history of European colonialism, slavery and immigration has created a mish-mash of cultures and heritage.
Watch the locals cram the streets of Port Louis, the capital. Mooch along the modern Caudan Waterfront area, admire ancient colonial residences and be calmed by Hindu temples away from the bustle.
But for a blitz on the senses and a bargaining session while you’re at it, a visit to the Central Market is a must. You can buy anything from strange-looking fruit to jewellery, fabric and dodo souvenirs commemorating the island’s doomed indigenous bird.
The nearby Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens includes an enclosure of giant tortoises and a pond covered in enormous floating Amazonian lily pads.
Entry costs around £6, plus £3 for a guide – worth it if only to learn some quirky trivia. The fruit of the sausage tree, apparently, “drops only on unlucky folk born out of wedlock”.
No visitor to Mauritius should leave without some snorkelling and diving. Excursions are available from most hotels, but for something a little different, head to Grand Baie on the north coast and hire an underwater scooter, which can reach depths of three metres.
Head to Chamarel in the Black River district to see the 83-metre-high Chamarel Falls and its mysterious coloured earths.
The ‘earths’ are extraordinary formations of undulating sand, created by volcanic rocks that cooled at different times and separated into seven contrasting hues.
By night
The Grand Baie area is where the island’s party-loving population lets loose in bars and clubs open until dawn.
The biggest – and allegedly best – discotheque is the Stardance and Godz, while discerning punters can join the hip crowd in the N-Gyone nightclub.
For visitors to Mauritius, most nightlife seems to revolve around its hotels. The three-star Le Canonnier in Grand Baie is a typical example, with evening entertainment centring around its restaurant, where cabarets, dance bands and the ubiquitous Mauritian sega dancing are regular occurrences.
Back at Club Med’s La Plantation d’Albion resort, there’s an excellent ‘theatre style’ buffet restaurant covering so many cuisines that it will take guests all evening to sample them.
If they decide to dance off some calories afterwards, the partially open-air bar sometimes features live music.
Sample product
Emirates Tours offers seven nights’ all-inclusive at the five-star Legends resort from £1,833 per person, twin-share, with return economy- class flights and transfers.
Kuoni Travel offers seven nights’ bed and breakfast at Le Touessrok in a deluxe room, including flights with British Airways. Prices for June 2008 lead in at £1,710 per person twin-share.
Travel 2/4 offers seven nights at the four-star-plus Plantation Resort in from £1,095 per person on a half- board basis. Price includes flights with British Airways and transfers.
