From the Seychelles to Mauritius, Madagascar to the Maldives, Nick Easen rounds up the hottest properties
From Mauritius to Madagascar and Mahé to Male, Indian Ocean destinations have their fair share of white sandy beaches, turquoise tropical seas and verdant interiors.
And with more resorts opening all the time, helping clients decide where to go is no easy matter.
With this in mind, we have scoured the region to give you five of the best resorts and hotel openings in the region and provide a taste of what the Indian Ocean has to offer.
Four Seasons Resort, Seychelles
Best for: Undiscovered luxury
Why? With this resort opening in February 2009, you could be the first one to cross the threshold. And with the Four Seasons name on it you know you are guaranteed luxury. The 62 villas and five suites are hidden in the leafy canopy, each with infinity pools, an outdoor shower and views of the bay.
The Four Seasons Resort is nestled on a hillside, a 30-minute drive from Mahé, with its hilltop spa, yoga pavilion, fitness studio, library and open-air restaurants.
Laura Madrid, UK sales manager for Four Seasons in the Indian Ocean, said: “It is a lush, castaway sanctuary that offers luxurious, tree-house living and, arguably, the best beach on the island.”
Sample package: Seasons in Style has an introductory package for seven nights from £3,955 per person, a saving of up to £1,010. The price includes accommodation in a garden villa, breakfast, flights from London with Air Seychelles and transfers (01244 202 010).
Constance Lodge Tsarabanjina, Madagascar
Best for: Island activities
Why? It’s to do with the volume of things you can do here – snorkelling, sailboats, canoes, waterskiing, sport fishing, tennis and nature walks. Then there is the impressive PADI dive centre.
Elite Vacations managing director Peter Jackson said: “The 22-hectare island is surrounded by teeming coral reefs and islets, so it’s great for diving. The coral is in good condition and the water is clear.”
Constance Londge Tsarabanjina has 230 rosewood chalets and is a two-hour speedboat journey from Antananarivo, the capital, where you can experience Malagasy culture.
Each chalet has an en suite bathroom, shower and private verandah with sea view.
Sample package: Elite Vacations offers seven nights’ full-board accommodation from £2,689 per person, including flights with Air Madagascar from Heathrow, private lounge access and local transfers (01707 371 000).
Huvafen Fushi, Maldives
Best for: Eco-concerned travellers
Why? At a time of increasing anxiety over the environment, this resort has taken steps to support the recovery of coral reefs by appointing a resident marine biologist.
Huvafen Fushi is 30 minutes by speedboat from the airport and cultivates its own reefs through its coral nursery project. Guests can attend talks and adopt their own coral for transplantation to the reef.
Resort biologist Ulrike Kloiber said: “When a guest adopts a coral, a photo is taken and a name is tagged. Updates are then sent to guests about the progress of their coral.”
Sample package: Tropical Locations offers seven nights for the price of six from £2,278 per person on a bed-and-breakfast basis, including return economy flights from London with SriLankan Airlines and transfers (0845 277 3310).
Princess Bora Lodge, Madagascar
Best for: A cultural holiday with a difference
Why?Princess Bora Lodge is based on the island of Saint Marie, off the east coast of Madagascar. Here visitors can scuba dive down to see a pirate shipwreck for themselves.
Travel 2 assistant product manager Michael Creighton said: “This has a phenomenal history of pirate heritage. Visitors can take tours around the island and learn about how the pirates attacked ships travelling from the East Indies.”
Kayaks, snorkelling equipment and bikes are available, as well as whale watching trips, when it’s in season.
Sample package: Travel 2 offers a seven-night stay at the resort from £1,167 per person, twin-share, including transfers from the capital Antananarivo (0800 0224 182).
Sugar Beach Resort, Mauritius
Best for: A family holiday
Why? From the 2,000sq metre pool to the kids’ club, the refurbished Sugar Beach Resort on the west coast is popular with families because of its extensive recreation facilities. There’s even a sports bar for teenagers, which has video games, a swimming pool and its own DJ.
Sunset Faraway Holidays account development manager Richard Stanbridge said: “Not only does this resort cater for little ones but it has created a programme of activities for teenagers who are often overlooked and can be difficult to entertain. This includes sports, excursions and music.”
Sample package: Sunset Faraway Holidays offers 10 nights’ half-board from £1,425 per person, including return economy flights with Air Seychelles and transfers (020 8774 7100).
