Mauritius
Legend has it that… Once upon a time a colony of giants inhabited the great crescent of Lemuria. One day they set out in search of the land of Paradise. They searched east, they searched west; they searched north, they searched south, but Paradise was never in sight. Then one day on their return journey to their native land, while they were roaming over the Tropic of Capricorn, they found a magnificent island freshly forged from the depths of the sea by Vulcan, the blacksmith magician of the Gods. The Lemurians decided to remain on the island. This is how Mauritius was first discovered and settled…
A Paradise on your door step, I can tell ya. Only 4 hours away from Johannesburg by SAA or Air Mauritius. It’s an all year-round destination. Even in winter you can still swim, tan, and enjoy the sun and temperatures can get to 27C. I was invited on "educational" trip by Beachcomber (yes, yes, I know what you have to say, but one has to check all that fabulous sand, sun and sea to share a first-hand experience :-) ). It was wonderful. We stayed in 5 Beachcomber Hotels and visited all 7 of their hotels (Shandrani, Le Mauricia, Le Victoria, Le Canonnier, Trou Aux Biches, Paradis and Dinarobin). They offer brilliant accommodation, delicious food and beautiful views. You will not be disappointed, if you decide to stay at any of the above hotels. I won't be posting any hotels' photos, as I wouldn't give them any justice, but I will share with you my Mauritian experience instead. Speak to me for more resort information.
When travelling to Mauritius, no visas are required for SA passport holders, nor any vaccinations. The best way to obtain Mauritius Rupees, is to travel with South African Rands, and to exchange them at any exchange counter at the airport in Mauritius as they do not charge any commission. Please remember to exchange any leftover Rupees back to Rands before you leave Mauritius, otherwise you will not be able to exchange them when back in South Africa.
Depending on where you are staying in Mauritius, it can take you anywhere from 15 minutes to 1h30 minutes to get to your hotel. The roads are very narrow, but there is a highway, which goes through the island. Have a look at some photos of the streets and roads to give you an idea. It is not very safe to walk or cycle on these roads (unguided), as there isn't enough space for pedestrians, unless you are taking a special cycling tour.
When travelling to Mauritius, I strongly recommend that you to choose an all Inclusive meal option, where all your meals and drinks are included, as prices for food and drinks in Mauritius are expensive. And even though you are using Mauritius Rupees, the costs are similar to that of the Euro. For example, for a glass of house wine, you will pay about R80, coffee will cost you about R70 and for a cocktail – about R200. Starters at the restaurants can be anything from R200.
I would recommend that you pack beach shoes/flip flops, as even though the beaches are very nice, and some hotels have really soft sand, it is illegal to rake the corals away from the beach, therefore you might hurt your feet, if you step onto the coral when walking along the beach or whilst going swimming.
Mauritius is an excellent holiday choice for families, couples, groups of friends, and is even perfect if you are travelling on your own whilst looking for some quality “me” time. Everyone will find something to their own liking, for example, water sports, a bit of sightseeing, to name a few – huge National Parks for hiking, curious corner (Illusion park), Grand Baie for a bit of shopping or eating out, snorkelling and swimming with dolphins, and lots and lots of sea, sand and sun.
Contact me if you would like any further information.