PARADISE ISLANDS MAURITIUS
Paradise Islands Mauritius - Luxury Travel Magazine
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Five star Mauritius | |||||
| By: John Lundy, Issue 44 – Spring 2010 | |||||
| (Mauritius) | |||||
| SUN, SAND AND CRYSTAL BLUE WATERS. JOHN LUNDY SAMPLES SIX FIVE-STAR RESORTS ON THE UNFORGETTABLE ISLAND PARADISE OF MAURITIUS. | |||||
The island state of Mauritius is 800km east of Madagascar and is 61km long and 46km wide. You can now fly there from Sydney via Melbourne. It has a reputation for being “the honeymooner’s island,” although most of the couples I saw seemed to be well past that phase. You can sort of tell with these things. To be fair, it is a reputation that undersells the kaleidoscopic range of activities on the island. Mauritius is a cultural melting pot with a fascinating colonial heritage. Originally settled by the Dutch in the early 1600s, it is not unfair to say that the early rulers are not remembered fondly. The Dutch amputated limbs from island slaves who stepped out of line, left the victim with the exposed wound in the sun all day and then executed him at sunset as an example to others. And of course, the Dutch slaughtered the iconic dodo into extinction. (Images of the dodo are everywhere as an enduring reminder of what has been lost.) France ruled the island from 1710-1810 when it was forced out by the British. In a remarkable display of cultural sensitivity, the British allowed the islanders to retain the French language, practices and even Napoleonic law. In 1835, Britain abolished slavery on the island. Mauritius was granted independence in 1968. All Mauritians speak fluent French and English. They will speak French when only amongst themselves but all written business is conducted in English. Mauritians are justifiably proud of their cultural diversity and respect for each other. Guillame Tyack, Commercial Manager of the Dinarobin resort proudly told me that at his Catholic school every day began with four prayers – Hindu, Islamic, Creole and then finally a Catholic prayer. But the greatest religion on the island is the English Premier League soccer. If you want to engage a local, just ask who their team is and budget for a two hour ear-bashing, usually on the merits of Manchester United or Liverpool. Many of the villages are poor but the people are generous and friendly. If you want to encounter a slice of authentic island life, the capital Port Louis is home to Lambic, a restaurant which serves not only the local delicacy venison but also prime Angus beef imported from Australia. The restaurant boasts a selection of more than 500 beers from around the world and even employs a “beer hunter,” whose job it is to source new and interesting brews. Tough job, but somebody has to do it. Naturally, I asked the beer hunter what was the best beer in the world. “Slovakian Bud,” he said, without demurring for a moment. I’d grown fond of the local ale Phoenix, but after one or two of the golden Slovakian drop I concurred. The intrepid and foolhardy, or those who have imbibed too much of the local brew, can take the Safari Adventures walk with lions. It’s an exhilarating experience. The walk lasts about 25 minutes during which the walkers get to pat the lions, watch them feed, climb trees and strut majestically through the island forest as if they owned it. Let’s face it; no one is going to tell them they don’t. You cannot visit Mauritius without going horseracing. The racing is on every Saturday during the season, which lasts about seven months of the year. I arrived just before the big race of the day, the Mauritius Guineas. Watching the six horses parade I immediately discounted two of them because they wore bandages, something old bushie racing men taught me long ago to avoid. That left four, one of which looked too burly to my gimlet eye. Down to three. I began chatting with a lovely old Mauritian lady who noticed me squinting at the horses and informed her of my dilemma. She asked which three I had pruned it to and when I told her she said, “I think I can help you, sir. Two of those are trained by my son, and they are for another day.” The only one left romped home at 7/1 with a great pile of rupees on his nose. The earth shakes during the finish of a race in Mauritius and the enthusiasm of the locals just has to be seen to be believed. It is this passion that Mauritians bring to everything they do that will stay with you long after you’ve returned home. Their love of food (the staple fish curry is a delight) you’ll never forget, their frenzied attachment to sport and the simple joy the islanders find in everyday living will have you wanting to return sooner rather than later. Mauritian tourism official Dr Karl Mootoosamy described the island to me as “a place of mysticism and love.” I didn’t see a lot of mysticism, but I saw just about everything else. | |||||
| HERITAGE AWALI | |||||
| DOMAINE DE BEL OMBRE, MAURITIUS The Heritage Awali is located in Domaine de Bel Ombre, what the resort’s brochures like to call the “Wild South” of the island. I’m not sure whether the appellation “wild” is meant to be indicative of hedonistic partygoing or an untamed natural wilderness, but it’s neither. It’s as wild as a Hillsong meeting, but that’s part of its charm. The area surrounding the resort has a feel eerily reminiscent of Australian rainforests, damp with island fronds and ferns, eddies and small waterfalls. It even has eucalypts. Ask reception to recommend you a guide to take you through the area. The one I had was knowledgeable and friendly, keen to show me the island’s splendid arboreous life. Make sure your guide shows you the Dragon Blood, a native island tree which bleeds what looks like human blood when cut. But that’s if you manage to leave the resort, which takes some doing with a beautiful beach a stone’s throw from the bar by the pool. The Heritage Awali has five restaurants and two bars, all with an architectural openness that suggests you are never really indoors. Mauritius is justifiably famous for its seafood, with plentiful lobster, shellfish and a rich variety of fish. Awali pitches itself as a golf resort. The perfectly manicured course is nestled between the mountains and the sea. I suspect even the most modest weekend hacker could get themselves around respectably with only a little bit of fudging on the scorecard. Take the opportunity to go quad biking nearby. Reception can arrange it for you. The trail takes about two hours to complete and it is a great opportunity to see the island with the wind in your hair instead of from the back of a bus or a car. | |||||
| Recommended Room: The Villa, 310 square metres of pure bliss with a living room, a dining room with separate kitchen, two large bedrooms, one children’s room, gazebo, private swimming pool, a Jacuzzi in the bathroom and 24/7 butler service. | |||||
| Rates: From A$331 to A$7,224 per night | |||||
| Website: www.heritageawali.mu | |||||
| DINAROBIN | |||||
| LE MORNE PENINSULA, MAURITIUS Every luxury hotel in Mauritius talks of its unique beaches and landscape, when the reality is that this is something every resort on the island shares. However, Dinarobin, shadowed by the magnificent Le Morne mountain does have a little extra going for it. The hotel has beautiful tropical gardens. If you arrive at night, as I did, you’ll be greeted in the morning with an explosion of colour as you leave your room. Thatched roofs on island huts give the resort a homely Pacific feel for Australian visitors. There’s a golf course, a spa and an impressive range of watersports available when you’re not dining at one of the four restaurants, reclining in a deckchair by the pool or on the beach and admiring the scenery. Dinarobin is a Beachcomber hotel, the island’s major hotel and resort chain. It has an enviable reputation for the quality of its service. If it is pure indulgence you want, Dinarobin ranks highly. | |||||
| Recommended Rooms: Club Senior Suite Beach Front. These spacious rooms face the sea, and consist of a master bedroom, bathroom, lounge and terrace. These suites offer exclusive facilities, including a complimentary membership of the “Club at Dinarobin,” which is a private club reserved for guests of Club Suites. | |||||
| Rates: From A$592 to A$5,603 per night | |||||
| Website: www.dinarobin-hotel.com | |||||
| SUGAR BEACH | |||||
| NEAR PORT LOUIS, WEST COAST, MAURITIUS When I tell you Sugar Beach is the most kid-friendly resort in Mauritius, don’t think I’m damning it with faint praise. Sugar Beach has an excellent program for children, well-organised and unobtrusive. It allows mums and dads to relax and enjoy a quasi kid-free holiday. Unless you’re hostile to the laughter and play of children, it all adds to a very pleasant atmosphere. Sugar Beach is on the west coast of Mauritius, a short drive from the capital Port Louis and well placed for day trips across the island. Mauritius’ marlin fishing clubs at Black River are also nearby, for those who are interested. Sugar Beach is dotted with palm trees and has striking plantation-style architecture, with the central reception area, The Manor House, reminiscent of something out of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. Sugar Beach has an environmental policy and stresses the need to protect and preserve the island for future generations. | |||||
| Recommended Rooms: Villa Suites. The two villa suites are separated on the north side and south side of the resort, but both are beachfront villas. (However, the South Side Villa Suite also leads onto the South Pool.) Both villas consist of a master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, another bedroom with two double beds with its own ensuite, an extended private patio and outside dining area. | |||||
| Rates: A$303 to A$1,650 per night | |||||
| Website: www.sugarbeachresort.com | |||||
| LA PIROGUE | |||||
| WOLMAR, FLIC EN FLAC, MAURITIUS I didn’t stay at La Pirogue, but did have the opportunity to dine on the beach at its sumptuous seafood buffet. What looks like dozens of cooks prepare a feast drawn from the 2000 kilometre exclusive fishing zone surrounding the island, with the highlight tender lobsters the size of ochre footballs. Walk to the jetty after dinner with a cognac in hand and listen to the fish jump in the moonlit sea. | |||||
| Recommended Rooms: Royal Suites. The Royal Suites consist of a large private cottage that opens onto the palm grove and sea. These suites not only have a separate lounge and dining room, but their own private garden and a view of the beach. | |||||
| Rates: A$281 to A$1,650 per night | |||||
| Website: www.lapirogue.com | |||||
| THE LEGENDS | |||||
| GRANDE GAUBE, NORTH COAST, MAURITIUS Legends labels itself the only Feng Shui hotel in the Indian Ocean, which may be right because I haven’t seen anybody else putting their hand up for the title. There is a sense of symmetry and relaxation. You will find yourself surrounded by bamboo and mahogany, giving a sense of space and calm. If you’re looking for a complete do-nothing relaxation, this is the Mauritian resort for you. Stroll among the coconut trees and find the relaxation and harmony the hotel boasts you must surely find in this environment. There are six restaurants to choose from and even a cinema. The night I stayed there the World Cup semi final between Germany and Spain was on in the cinema. The only people in the theatre were an elderly German couple, five enthusiastic and attentive waiters and me. I don’t think I can ever go back to Hoyts. | |||||
| Recommended Room: Emperor Presidential Villa. Perhaps the most exclusive feature of this villa is the fact that it has its own private beach and butler. It also has two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, a whirlpool and a private garden with a pool, barbeque, and gazebo. | |||||
| Rates: A$333 to A$2,701 per night | |||||
| Website: www.naiade.com | |||||
| LE TOUESSROK | |||||
| TROU D’EAU DOUCE BAY, MAURITIUS Le Touessrok has two private islands and plenty of boats to take you to them, with kayaking and snorkelling a feature. The beach at Le Touessrok has picture-postcard sands and crystal waters that look like they’ve jumped out of a brochure. One of the islands features a golf course which was designed by German great Bernard Langer. Naturally, Le Touessrok has spa and massage facilities and an abundance of restaurants; all of the resorts on the island do. But your decision to come here will rest on whether you’re a water baby or not. If you want to spend your holiday frolicking in the sea and lying on golden sands, Le Touessrok is the place for you. | |||||
| Recommended Rooms: Le Touessrok Villas. These three villas are luxury personified. At 430 square metres, each villa has two master king bedrooms, a third double queen bedroom, bathrooms that lead out to private gardens with outdoor waterfall showers and daybeds, spacious living and dining rooms, outdoor pavilion, pool, and terrace. They also come with a chef and team of waiting staff, as well as a personal manager. | |||||
| Rates: A$454 to A$17,793 per night | |||||
| Website: www.letouessrokresort.com | |||||
| GETTING THERE: Air Mauritius now flies to Port Louis from Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. From other Australian cities excellent connections are available with Virgin Blue. For details and prices ask your travel agent, go to www.airmauritius.com or phone Air Mauritius on 1300 332 077. | |||||
| WHEN TO GO: Mauritius is beautiful year round, and doesn’t really have an off-peak and on-peak season. Christmas and New Year counts as the peak season, and this is when prices go up. August is another month to take note of as French holidays make the island busier. Summer (November – April) is hot and humid, with temperatures as high as 34 degrees. Winter (May – September) is slightly cooler and drier, but temperatures can still reach up to 26 degrees. The cyclone season runs from December to March. | |||||
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