31 May 2012

At our annual Travel Counsellors conference, held in Mauritius from the 17th to the 20th of May 2012, I had the great pleasure of being able to visit the spectacular resort, Long Beach. Long Beach is the most contemporary resort in Mauritius. Truly, one of a kind. It opened its doors in April 2011 and boasts the longest and widest stretch of white-sand coastline of any Mauritian resort. Long Beach is situated along the east coast of the island (Belle Mare) and in my opinion, is the nicest and most undiscovered part of the island. The focus of the resort's layout and its life is the urban-style piazza with restaurants, shops and bars. I love their use of natural forms, untreated wood, soft finishing’s and open plan layout of their restaurants, etc. Although only a year old, this resort has a wonderful, calm 'feel' to it and you immediately feel pampered and welcome the moment you enter the lobby. I have visited many resorts in Mauritius and I have never, ever come across such a resort. It truly is unique. Long Beach also makes the most of sustainable building techniques and promotes green technology to the support the environment. Accommodation: There are 255 rooms arranged in three 'crescents'. Every room has a view of the ocean and a minimum 109m2 of its own beach space. All rooms are beautifully furnished and very well sized. 29 Family rooms, 116 standard sea-view rooms, 108 superior beach-front rooms and 2 deluxe beach-front suites. Interconnecting rooms are guaranteed on reservation! Restaurants and Bars: The resort offers a great variety of eating experiences. Le Marche: This is a cooking-dining area where live cooking activity makes dining a truly theatrical experience. It avoids the usual buffet restaurant feel. Sapori: Good food and fusion cuisine. Pastas, pizzas, seafood, salads and fresh local produce. Hasu: Japanese restaurant (which served the best piece of beef I have ever tasted!) Chopsticks: Modern, casual Chinese restaurant Tides: Fresh fish and original snacks Shores: Cocktail and lounge bar, serving cocktails and traditional 5 o'clock tea. The Sea Spa is set away from the rest of the resort and is a little piece of paradise, overlooking a pond. There are 3 pools in the resort: Main heated pool, fresh pool and a lap pool located at the Sports Centre. The resort caters for all ages. Teenagers can enjoy a game of football (five-a-side football pitch), wall climbing, tennis, pitch and putt, electronic games, beach barbecues, pizza nights, etc. Toddlers are looked after by a very professional team at Angels Club, which has its own pool, buffet area, playroom, stage and age-appropriate activities. Long Beach guests have a preferential access to Le Touessrok golf course, designed by Bernhard Langer on Ile aux Cerfs up the coast. Wifi access is available throughout the resort free of charge. Guests staying at Long Beach for a minimum of seven nights are entitled to spend two nights during their stay in a deluxe room at Le Touessrok (what a treat!). I was extremely impressed by this resort. They have put a great deal of thought into offering everything their guest’s hearts may desire. Their attention to detail is astonishing, so much so, that the hotel has their own signature scent, which can be smelt in each room as well as in the towels provided in the bathrooms. A resort that offers something special, to everyone, of all ages. I know that I will definitely be going back to Long Beach. Join me!

20 April 2011

22 November: Our first day in Mumbai was spent exploring Mani Bhavan, the house where Mahatma Gandhi used to stay during his visits to Bombay, which is now a museum, Kamla Nehru Park and Hanging Gardens situated on the slope of Malabar Hill, offering a panoramic view of Marine Drive and Chowpatty Beach. Bombay or Mumbai, is the capital of Maharashtra and the economic powerhouse of India. A crazy, colourful and hypnotic city, filled with wonderful smells, friendly faces and an 'organised chaos' of a transport system. 23 November: Early morning flight on Air India from Mumbai to Jaipur (The Pink City). Jaipur presides over the fascinating desert state and its people: surrounded by rugged hills, each crowned by a formidable fort; and beautiful palaces, mansions and gardens dotted throughout its precincts. Except for the busy traffic of bicycles, cars, buses, little seems to have changed. 24 November: Early morning visit to the ancient capital of Amber to see the fabulous Amber Fort, which was constructed in the 17th century. Although pouring with rain, we were determined to reach up to the fortress by elephant! What a ride! Once on top, we strolled through the sprawling complex of courtyards and halls. Many of the rooms have amazing wall paintings and precious stones and mirrors inlaid in the walls. Most fascinating perhaps, was the Sheesh Mahal (hall of mirrors). We also stopped at the 'Palace of Winds'. It is an elaborate facade behind which the ladies of the court used to watch the daily goings on in the street below. 25 November: Overland from Jaipur to Agra. Agra is one of the most famous tourist spots of the country. The city, situated on the west bank of the river, Yamuna, is known world over as home to a wonder of the world, Taj Mahal. Taking 22 years and 20,000 men to build, the white marble was quarried 200 miles away and was transported to the site by fleet on 1000 elephants. Built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as an expression of his love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal in the mid 17th century. 26 November: Overland from Agra to Delhi, visited Agra Fort enroute, an outstanding example of Mughal architecture. Nowhere has tradition blended with modernity on a scale as evident as New Delhi. Our visit also included Qutub Minar, which is the tallest stone tower in India. 27 November: Flight from Delhi to Mumbai. Spent our last day exploring the city. Bustling Crawford Market, Gateway to India and a quick ride in one of their famous two-wheeler taxis! This is an experience and gives you a new appreciation of how the taxi drivers manage to navigate their way around the suffocating traffic! India ... Incredible! I wish I had more time to explore this wonderful country and I will definitely go back! The people are friendly and generous, the food is fantastic and the culture is fascinating. I can also highly recommend using their local carriers such as Air India and Kingfisher Airlines. Both provided a quality service. Remember to take Malaria precautions and to only drink bottled water. A comfortable pair of shoes is a must as most of the cities are best explored on foot.

03 April 2009

28 Mar: Early departure on 1Time Airlines to the Spice Island of Zanzibar! I was very impressed with the service onboard 1Time Airlines. Very friendly cabin crew. You are able to prepay for your meal prior to departure at a cost of approx. R75, 00. Flying time from Johannesburg is just over 3 hours. On arrival at the airport, we were 'greeted' with a wall of humidity, locals performing a dance as well as coconut drinks. We enjoyed a1 hour transfer to the newest addition to the Planhotel group - Planhotel Dream of Zanzibar. Located on the East Coast of Zanzibar, this luxurious 5 Star all-inclusive Resort is set amidst exotic & colourful tropical gardens directly on the beach front at Pwani Machangani. The African-Arab-style of the resort is elegantly furnished & offers a choice of 5 restaurants/pool bars as well as a spa. The hotel is due to open in June/July. Our journey continued to the Planhotel Mapenzi Beach Club for our overnight accommodation. This hotel is also located on the East Coast of Zanzibar covering an area of 4 hectares blessed with a long white sandy beach. 29 Mar: The 1st stop of our day tour included a visit to the oldest market in Stone Town, filled with the locals selling their meat, fish, and huge varieties of fresh vegetables, fruits & spices. From there, we continued to the former Slave Market & Anglican Church. After our visit to the former Slave Market, we meandered through the narrow streets of Stone Town, known for its colourful & beautifully made Arab & Indian-style doors. One can purchase gifts at one of these many shops. Good buys would include their lovely 'Zanzibar Boxes', the game of Bao, leather sandals, spices as well as their fabrics (Kangas, Kikios & Kofia caps). It is recommended to travel with small denominations of US$ or Euros cash & of course their local currency, the Tanzanian Shilling. From there we stopped off at the 'House of Wonders', built in 1883 & one of the first homes to have running water, electricity and a lift! Once used for residence by two successive Sultans, it is now a museum & was opened to the public in 2002. From there, we were taken to a working spice farm owned by the government, where we had the opportunity of touching, smelling & tasting the different spices. We continued on to the Planhotel Neptune Pwani Beach Resort & Spa for our overnight accommodation. This hotel lies on the North-East coast of Zanzibar, on the Kiwengwa shoreline, a perfect destination to 'truly get away from it all'! The Resort has been meticulously created, emulating traditional Zanzibar style & quickly became my favourite. The food was outstanding & the staff were friendly & very professional. A truly lovely experience. 30 Mar: Overnight accommodation at the Planhotel Le Gemma Dell'Est. Located on the North-Western shores of magical Zanzibar, at Nungwi (one of the best stretched of beach on the island). The rooms are set quite a way back from the restaurants, beach bars (of which there are 8), pool & activities. The rooms were very well furnished, but there is a lack of privacy on the verandas. Overall it is a lovely property with a glorious beach. Zanzibar, with its friendly & beautiful locals, colourful history, incredibly Blue Ocean & fantastic resorts is truly a magical destination & one that I would travel back to time & time again. Remember that Yellow Fever Injection is compulsory 10 days before travelling out to Zanzibar & Malaria precautions are strongly recommended. This was a truly memorable trip that I enjoyed with the fantastic team of 1Time Airlines, World Leisure Holidays & Planhotel group of hotels.

16 March 2009

Our cruise experience began on the 2nd of March 2009. Check in took place in a very large 'shed' at Durban port. Everyone was 'colour-coded' to ensure ease of operation for embarkation, requesting a dinner sitting & paying approx. US$250.00 as a deposit for the cruise 'cash' card. I found this 'system' rather time consuming as most cruise companies offer you the choice of a dinner sitting upon making the reservation. Upon embarkation, we were escorted to our cabin (superior, outer cabin on the Continental Deck). Our cabin consisted of 2 single beds, en-suite bathroom & sleeper couches. The decor was much to be desired & rather outdated. The MSC Melody can take approximately 1492 passengers, has a total of 532 cabins & has 8 decks. The amenities include: Casino, beauty salon, 2 pools, 2 whirlpools, Library/card room, Fitness & Health Centre, Massage room, Jogging track, Theatre, Duty-free shops, 2 Bars, 2 Discos/cubs, 4 Terraces/cafe's & one main restaurant. I found the decor on the ship to be very outdated & in a desperate need of renovation. The service was not very good at all (the staff really struggled to speak Basic English, so orders were continuously been misunderstood!). Food in the main dining area was of poor quality as well as the buffet offered on the upper deck. Entertainment onboard consisted of various theme evenings & competitions during the day. The entertainment staffs were very good. Our first port of call was in Maputo. We paid approximately US$8.00 per person for a return transfer to Maputo centre. We were dropped off at the Maputo Mall & were not informed of the various places of interest that we should visit, so we had to discover these on our own! Maputo was formerly known as Lourenco Marques. We visited the Casa do Ferro (house of iron) which was designed by Alexander Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame) as well as the Natural History Museum (which was very disappointing). Maputo was once a beautiful city, but sadly is now quite run down. No pictures of governmental buildings are permitted! Although we did not experience the local cuisine, they are renowned for their seafood & excellent restaurants. It is very affordable. It is advisable to carry some of their local currency as it is easier to purchase goods at their local market. Our second port of call would have been at Barra Lodge, but unfortunately, due to choppy seas, we were unable to dock there. Barra Lodge is one of the top holiday destinations on the mainland coast of Mozambique. Snorkelling & scuba diving are excellent! Nearby Inhambane has much historical interest being the 2nd oldest inhabited settlement in Mozambique. Craft goods, cashew nuts & the infamous palm wine are normally available. Our cruise duration was for 4 nights, most of them being at sea. The sea was relatively calm throughout, expect for the last night, where we sailed through a terrible storm. This was the only time that stabilisers were used! Overall, I really enjoyed the cruise, but would not easily sail the Indian Ocean again.

30 September 2008

Having visited Mauritius many times before, I never tire of this magical island. It is always an enriching experience, bringing you in contact with its cultures, religions and cuisine of their multi-racial and colourful population. My visit began at the Le Meridien Hotel, situated on the North-West side of the island - approx. 60kms from the airport (between Port Louis and Grand Baie), where I spent 2 glorious nights. Le Meridien Hotel offers all the necessary amenities expected of a 5 star deluxe property. All rooms & suites face 800m of beautiful white beach and are spread over 15 acres of lush, tropical gardens. A trip to Mauritius cannot be complete without visiting the lovely Botanical gardens - Pamplemousses Garden, known for its gigantic water lillies. It was a memorable day. The next stop was at one of my favourite hotels on the island, Le Touessrok. This very special property is within a short boat ride of Ile aux Cerfs (includes a Bernhard Langer championship golf course) and IIlot Mangenie (exclusive to guests). The villas are breathtakingly beautiful, offering a high standard of luxury and privacy. On to Belle Mare Plage, situated along one of the most beautiful beaches on the East coast. It offers 2 championship golf courses. I spent the following 3 nights at the new Grand Mauritian Hotel (located approx. 60kms from the airport), which opened it's doors in July. A beautiful resort that boasts spacious and tastefully decorated rooms, all of which overlook the ocean. Their Mandara Spa is one not to miss! I managed to experience their blissful treatments in peaceful surroundings. Situated along the West coast, our visit included a tour of the Sugar Beach (featuring beautiful landscaped tropical gardens with contemporary plantation-style architecture) as well as La Pirogue (renowned for its descreet warmth and gentleness of its personnel). The two properties share facilities, so there is a lovely choice of dining options available to guests during their stay. The hotels are also ideally located to Flic en Flac, which is a fantastic area for shopping. For the golf enthusiasts, it is a short ride to Chateau de Bel Ombre, a 18 hole championship golf course surrounded by a vast natural park. Located on the gorgeous South part of the island is Heritage Golf & Spa Resort. A tranquil setting where they offer the Seven Colours Spa. These represent the 7 chakras. Once they have assessed your chakra colour, a special menu offering your particular colour, is offered at one of their 5 restaurants. My last visit included the Beau Rivage. Their impressive villas open up onto a private garden and swimming pool, where one can dine in a secluded gazebo. This is true privileged luxury time. Mauritius is a holiday to remember! Whether you are there on honeymoon, family reunion, golfing or fishing, Mauritius is the perfect destination. The warm hospitality offered by all of the hotels just adds to the special memories that you will treasure for years. I trust that you have enjoyed reading my journal on this fantastic destination. I look forward to arranging your memorable holiday to Ile Maurice!

12 August 2008

China is like no other country on earth. The ancient culture and landscape is unique & home to some of the most awe-inspiring sights imaginable! 28 Nov 07: My journey of a lifetime began, where I boarded Cathay Pacific Airways for Kunming via Hong Kong with six other travel agents. We were lucky enough to be upgraded to business class from Johannesburg to Hong Kong, which was a wonderful experience from take off to landing! 29 Nov 07: Arrival at Kunming, the capital of the Yunnan Province. Kunming is known as the City Eternal of Spring and a good place to discover the diverse cultures of Yunnan's 26 minorities. On arrival, we were met by a representative of Topline Tours who took us on a short tour of this wonderful city, which is among the first group of famous historical and cultural cities and one of the top tourist cities of China. We spent our first night at the Kunming Hotel. The location was very central and within easy walking distance to most areas of interest, namely, the fantastic flower market (a must see! approx. 10 minute walk) and the Old Market (where one can bargain down to almost less than 50% of their asking price on certain items- approx. 20-30 minute walk). It is relatively safe to walk the wide streets of Kunming at night, although I would be careful of the child beggars (one of which, latched onto my leg & refused to let go until I gave him a 'donation'! Thankfully, I was 'rescued' by a very kind, old gentleman!). I would rate the hotel ( by S.A. standards) as a 3 & a half star. Clean, fair size rooms, adequate amenities, however a little old fashioned in the decor department. Language is a huge problem as most of the locals (incl. the hotel staff) could barely speak a word of English. 30 Nov 07: Boarded our flight on China Eastern Airlines (very impressed with this airline) to Lijiang. On arrival, we were met & transferred to visit the Old Town & Black Dragon Pool. Lijiang's Old Town is a World Heritage Site with it's delightful jumble of cobbled streets, streams & bridges which meander between ancient wooden houses. Sadly, we only spent one night in this delightful city. Our accomodation at the Banyan Tree was 5 star! Luxurious villas including your very own jacuzzi & a backdrop of a snow-capped mountain! 01 Dec 07: After an early breakfast, we set off on our long drive to Zhongdian (Shangri-la). En route we visited the Tiger Leaping Gorge (1st bend of the famous Yangtze River, where Kublai Khan & his army crossed). Breathtaking views & approx. 3300m above sea level! On arrival at our hotel, the Banyan Tree Ringha, we were greeted with such peace & tranquility, it was deafening! Original Tibentan-style accomodation situated in the remote village of Hong Po. We indulged in the various spa treatments offered by the hotel, followed by an authentic Tibetan meal. 02 Dec 07: Full day visit to the Songzanlin Monastery, Bita Lake & a Tibetan family. I found the visit to the Tibetan family a wonderful experience. They are warm, friendly, generous people. They are also very hard-working. A typical Tibetan home is approx. 3 stories high. Ground level - house animals, second level - family area, with the kitchen being the main focus of the home. Their kitchens are enormous, with pots still being used after hundreds of years & passed down generations. The top level is to store their grain, namely, Barely. 03 Dec 07: Fly back to Kunming. Visit to the local flower market & Dianchi Lake. 04 Dec 07: Visit to Stone Forest located approx. 3 hours drive from Kunming. A spectacular area, which, according to geologists, was a vast expanse of sea about 270 million years ago. Known since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) to be one of the first Wonders of the World! A breath-taking experience & definately worth the visit. My visit to this remote & very un-touristy part of China was an incredible experience. You can only marvel at how the many minorities live side-by-side, incorporating the new as well as the old world into their daily lives. I would highly recommend this trip to the more experienced traveller, who is looking for a very unique experience. I hope that you have enjoyed reading my journal.