Got back home on Friday morning from a week in Mauritius celebrating a significant milestone in Sally’s travel business. I make no apologies for the length of this one, I’m trying to cram a week’s worth of amazing holiday into a single post.
We’d left last Tuesday after work and stayed at Gatwick Airport for the night then worked down there Wednesday so we could easily catch the overnight flight with no rush hour traffic dramas. Not a great experience at the hotel. A combination of a poor check-in, a distinct lack of key information and lifts that didn’t work meant we had to go back to reception 5 times and didn’t really get to relax and enjoy it as we should have. Throw in £7 a pint (expected tbh) and I wasn’t overwhelmed by the Sofitel lets say. The room was nice though. Top floor, great view and the bed was comfy. Wednesday morning things didn’t get much better. The top floor lounge we thought we had for breakfast was closed and I ended up having to skip breakfast because I’d run out of time before work and the restaurant was about to close. I was fuming but Sally managed to grab a bite and kindly bought me some stale pastries. Gatwick Airport was a shocker too. Really poor signage, nobody to ask at check-in and no fucking seats to sit and wait either almost tipped me over the edge so we just went back to the hotel reception for an hour and came back. Gatwick is such a shit airport. I’d only ever go back if I had no choice.
All the shit out of the way, we got off on time on a big flash Airbus A350-900. All the usual economy shizz. In-flight entertainment, films, games, map, food etc. Even a downward facing cam which was cool to watch on take off. As it was an 11.5hr overnighter, the plan was to try and sleep but as we all know it’s quite hard to sleep sat upright on a plane so after a few attempts I gave up and spent hours addicted to a tiles game where you had to slide numbered tiles around to add up to the magic 2048 but I only got to 512.
We landed on time. We were in central seats so our window view was pretty limited but the downward facing cam gave us a glimpse of how green the place was as we drifted in to land. Getting off didn’t take long. It was 7.30am local time and the heat (25 degs) and humidity hit you when you left the plane.
We’d booked a private transfer to our first hotel on the North of the island. Which gave as an opportunity to see the island as we trundled across country on their motorways which are like dual-carriageways here. Weirdly the signs are very English too and the driving standards are on a par with us here aswell lol.
We rocked up to our first hotel, the 4* Beachcomber Victoria which sits directly on the beach. An open plan, elevated reception with views straight over the pool and out to sea through palm trees is quite an eye opener, even on no sleep. Check in wasn’t until 2pm so we were able to dump the bags, get a shower, change and chill for a few hours all-inclusive. The resort is pretty big, spread out in both directions along the beach front. An amazing place. Walkabout + lunch done, I’d hit a wall and needed to sleep so we checked and were able to get in our room earlier which was great.
After a short nap, I was taken back how early it went dark. Sunset was 5.45pm (southern hemisphere winter) which meant the resort was lit up. Restaurant dress code for men was long trousers so I introduced everyone to my ‘man from Delmonte’ get up for a buffet dinner. Loads of choice, great food. I filled my boots, well white delmonte sneakers actually and left stuffed.
The resort seems quite remote and definitely too far to wander anywhere other than up and down the beach so we basically stayed onsite. I used the gym daily to try and maintain some bike fitness but we did take a taxi to Port Louis, the island’s capital for a trip out. A simple fixed price system operated out of the hotel via the concierge. The friendly driver took us and waited a few hrs while we wandered about before we went home. The waterfront area is quite modern and nice but the capital is dominated by a multi-lane highway that that is just clogged with loud traffic. If you’re a pedestrain, cyclist or disabled your at a distinct disadvantage. There is nowhere for you. We did venture into some more traditional areas. The markets were great to see, fresh fruit and veg, clothes, loads of fake clothes and goods etc, but again nowhere to walk as the pavements were so bad so we left glad we had experienced it but a little underwhelmed. We agreed perhaps a guided tour have been a better option. Get out of the city and into the countryside surrounded by sugar cane plantations and the traffic just disappears. Much more pleasant and would actually be a nice place to cycle but I wouldn’t seeing the driving standards. Seeing no cyclists on the roads might be why.
After 4 nights it was time to transfer to our next hotel and rather than just go straight there in a taxi we decided to upgrade it to a trip around the island with a private guide. We left at 9am and were taken into the centre of the island which is up high. We visited a dormant volcano and then drove into a National Park to see some monuments and places sacred to the Hindu’s on the island where 400,000 pilgrims congregate every Feb. It’s quite a place. Very high, hot and humid. Next up was the Black gorge with views all the way out to sea. Super green and tropical. Beautiful stuff.
From here the descent was a bit tricky. A tight, narrow, winding road got us to the islands sole Rum distillery. Sugar cane production on the island is big and they use that cane to produce a range of rums. We were given a tour of the production facilty with how it’s made explained to us and then we got to try some. Now 11 bottles of different flavours were lined up and we thought we got to choose but no, we were kind of cajoled into trying them all. 11 shots of rum later we were done and ready for food as we’d skipped breakfast.
We drove the short distance to a restaurant called La Chameral which sits atop a mountainside ledge with a jaw-dropping view out to sea and the coast below. Our next hotel was in view too, sat on a little peninsula at the foot of an imposing mountain called La Morne. An amazing place.
After lunch we visited a National Park where we saw the islands highest waterfall, a unique spot where the earth has 7 colours and saw some old giant tortoises too.
From here we descended to the coast negotiating more tight and twisty roads and then a run along the waters edge and out to the peninsula where our hotel was. As you enter the 5* Beachcomber Paridis you drive down the middle of the breathtaking championship golf course they have on site. Don’t get me wrong, 4* is wonderful but this was a step up. Location, the service and we got a free upgrade to a suite too. Our bags were taken care of and were soon whizzing down to our accomodation in a golf buggy at the farthest end of the resort. An amazing spot at the head of the peninsula, straight onto the beach with Indian Ocean only yards away.
The hotel is sat next to another Beachcomber hotel (it’s a chain) called Dina Robin which we were able to visit and use if we wanted. We did visit and have a walk about and also popped over on the inter-hotel shuttle (big golf buggy) to watch an acapella group we’d seen at Victoria earlier in the week.
I continued to use the gym for some bike sessions even doing a spin class one morning (I was the only one there!) which at first I thought was quite easy but the intensity soon ramped up and ended up giving me a good HIIT session to tie me over.
For the 3 nights we were there we didn’t leave. We tried every restaurant, swam and found we actually like floating around in a warm sea probably more than trekking up to the pool. The beach gradient is very shallow and safe so you can go quite far out without swimming if you want. You can just wade. The weather did turn for 36 hrs. We’d call it a heavy rainstorm, there it’s just treated as normal because it’s a tropical island. Rain is often but it usually passes as quickly as it comes and its warm but this one did persevere. It didn’t stop us doing anything though, we just took the complimentary umbrella with us or jumped in a golf buggy back to our suite.
We did enjoy a glass-bottomed boat ride. We were able to see some fish around the coral reefs that pepper the areas close to the beach. Most of the water activities are included.
It was on the last night at the Mauritian restaurant that Sally dropped out the surprise we were flying home business class. I was a bit worried driving home after the flight but not now. I knew I’d be able to lie down and get some rest. Felt like I’d won the lottery, I was buzzing!
On our last day we had our suite until we needed to leave at 5.45pm which was really helpful. It meant we could just enjoy a normal day and then get picked up (another golf buggy!) and taken back to reception. We decided to leave a little earlier so we could sit in the bar and enjoy our last Mauritian sunset.
Flying back, we were both Business Class newbs. Quite an experience. We were met outside and someone took our bags for us to priority check-in. We had our own security check then up to the lounge for some free food and champagne, beer, wine etc. When it was time to go to the gate we were allowed onboard first, although you could just feel the green-eyes of envy burning into the back of your head as we disappeared down the tunnel lol. Onboard you get your own seat/pod with a big screen + remote and an electric chair that folds down to a bed when you’re ready. Hot towels and Champagne/OJ first then a menu was handed out for us to choose from. Proper glasses, cutlery, napkins and even a table cloth. Dinner done everyone bedded down and I suppose this is where you probably lose out a bit as I’d expect you would just carry on eating and drinking what you want during the day but for an overnighter the priority is rest so the lights are dimmed and everyone tries to sleep. I tried but it was too hot and too flat for me but in the end I did drift off losing 600 miles on the map at some point. Near the end of flight, service resumed and we were treated to a nice breakfast.
We landed on time. Again we were first off and that allowed us to get through passport control quickly. Our bags cam out quickly too so we were through the airport and done in quicktime. All we had to do now was retrieve the car and endure the M25. The run home was actually trouble free and having had some sleep, despite a couple of big yawns I felt fine and we got home just before I started work @ 9.30am.
It was an amazing week. 28-30 degs everyday. Great food, scenery, lovely people and all-inclusive. I was properly spoiled all week. Sally has worked really hard over the last few years to build her travel business. She’s had highs and lows. I’ve been on the journey with her and this was a definite high. I’m so proud she’s achieved what she has and treated us to an experience we’ll always remember.
If you fancy doing something similar it’s obvious Sally is your goto for any holiday not just the luxurious ones like these!
Adios amigos
Sounds amazing 👌