DESTINATIONS ACTIVE MAURITIUS INDIAN OCEAN
It was the network of zip wires that grabbed our attention, zooming at high speed over the tree-tops
metres, and home to plantations and boutique properties such as Lakaz Chamarel, it makes a lovely base and a great contrast to the coast. Our focus was La Vieille Cheminée, which offers rooms in five charming self- catering chalets, for a spot of relaxed horse riding through lush farmlands (for clients who fancy a ride along the secluded beaches of the south coast, also suggest the Centre Equestre de Riambel). Horses aren’t the only furry friends in the region and the Sofitel is a 15-minute drive from the family- friendly Casela Nature & Leisure Park, where plentiful wildlife is easily
sighted on guided quad bike or truck safaris. It was the network of zip wires that grabbed our attention though, zooming at high speed over the tree-tops.
◗ NORTHERN GLORY The big news in the north of the island is the reopening of the iconic Le Touessrok Resort & Spa under the management of Shangri-La Hotels, following a six-month refurbishment. It may have idyllic beaches for lounging on and a pampering spa, but there is also a watersports centre and an 18-hole golf course designed by Bernhard Langer on Ile aux Cerfs, one of its offshore private islands. It’s not the only renovation in the
area – the new-look Veranda Pointe Aux Biches reopened in September, while last month, the former La Plantation hotel reopened as the all- suite Ravenala Attitude. So clients will be spoilt for choice when it comes to box-fresh hotels. Our base was sister property Zilwa
Attitude, where the 214 rooms have a stripped-down, industrial look. The
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four-star hotel’s selling points include the spa with its signature Watsu treatments. We also loved the laidback atmosphere and Attitude’s ‘Otentik’ philosophy, which adds welcome local colour to everything from the cuisine to its excursions. At the kids’ club, we let our inner-children road-test the Treasure Hunt, before enjoying a cooking demo and rum tasting on the resort’s island. Then it was time to try our hands at kayaking and paddle boarding.
Another marine highlight was a
boozy speedboat tour from Pointe Jerome organised by Connections, complete with snorkelling in Blue Bay, visits to Ile aux Phare and the waterfall at Grand Riviere Sud Est, as well as a tasty lunch on Ile aux Cerfs. We left Mauritius impressed with
the versatility of the island and the wide range of selling points. As Kuoni’s Emma Tibbetts says: “This is a great destination for a five-star, family-friendly adventure – you can go from three-course meals and butler service to adrenaline-fuelled fun in just a short journey.”
TOP LEFT Ravenala Attitude
ABOVE Zilwa Attitude
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