Mauritius - Sun, Sea, Gardens - Relax !

Chris van den Berg on 04 September 2010
This time, I went to Mauritius as a guest of Beachcomber Tours. Mauritius is a comfortable four-hour flight from Johannesburg. The Johannesburg-Mauritius route is serviced daily with direct flights offered by Air Mauritius and SAA. The island’s economy is growing fast, and it has certainly become the destination of choice for those desiring a 4 Star and especially 5 Star luxury island getaway. Port Louis is the capital city of Mauritius and the city is a hub for business on the island. For visitors, Port Louis offers a fresh produce; curio, craft and garment market as well as the Le Caudan Waterfront that comprises of many restaurants, shops and even a casino. The second biggest city is Grand Baie. Grand Baie is situated in the north of the island. This city offers the best shopping and nightlife on the island (if you feel like ever leaving your hotel). Beachcomber Tours offers a range of luxury hotels in Mauritius. Their hotels include Le Mauricia, Le Victoria, Le Canonnier, Trou Aux Biches, Shandrani, Paradis, Dinarobin and Royal Palm. These hotels range from basic 4-Star to 5 Star deluxe. Hotel packages offered by Beachcomber Tours are very good value for money and include more meals and activities than any competitors at this popular destination. A Beachcomber Tours package typically includes flights, airport transfers, hotel accommodation as well as breakfast and dinner every day. By paying a little extra, an all inclusive package is offered that includes, in addition to the above, all drinks, lunches and snacks. The hotels could be best described as resort complexes. They are dotted around the island’s magnificent coast. Guests literally walk out of their rooms right on to the magnificent beaches. The great thing for families is that hotels have mini clubs catering for children. The mini clubs keep children entertained throughout the day with various fun activities. For Honeymoon couples the hotels are also fantastic. All the hotels offer honeymoon suites situated in lush gardens. Hotel buildings are also never much higher than the palm tree tops and the large grounds, gardens and ocean make for a relaxing and romantic getaway. There are also many other things to do on the island of Mauritius. Typical activities include catamaran cruises, all sorts of water sports, hiking in the mountains and cycling around the island. At the Beachcomber Hotels all water sports are included in the package including water-ski and glass bottom boats. As Mauritius is a coral island, snorkelling is excellent. It is possible to learn to dive at most hotels. One can also arrange diving trips to the island’s main reefs. Mauritius is definitely the best value for money destination.