BALANCE_FEBRUARY_2020 - 45

TRAVEL
ISLAND
LUXURY

Highlights of the Paradis
Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa

confirms I have water retention and that I'm
not "fully digesting [my] emotions". Afterwards
I feel a great deal lighter and more energised.
Although my partner and I are golfing virgins,
the following day we decide to have a go on the
driving range. It's quite an experience being that
close-up to a mountain of such epic proportions
and, for a moment, I feel as though I could be in
a manicured version of Jurassic Park.
Nature-lovers can venture on a three- to fourhour hike up Le Morne, walking through verdant
vegetation consisting of enormous endemic trees
and smaller exotic plants. It feels important to
stay active here in light of the delicious Mauritian
cuisine and the nation's booming sugar cane
industry. At the Paradis there are four restaurants
- from Blue Marlin, which serves fresh seafood
daily (I didn't risk trying sea urchin), to La
Ravanne, with its own jetty and reached by
private boat, where I sample exquisite Creole
shrimp and okra. Their sister hotel nearby,
Dinarobin, also has four eateries - including the
kick-ass Japanese restaurant Umami.
We also have fun driving our hired Mini Moke
around the island. Just a short ride away, the
Black River Gorges National Park, a huge
protected forest reserve, offers the perfect
opportunity to deepen our connection with
nature. And the local rum distillery, Rhumerie

de Chamarel, offers a rewarding end to the day.
There are also several tea plantations on the
island, which are well worth a visit.

TREATING YOURSELF

If you're one for getting restless, you may choose
to do what we did and move around the island
(it's larger than you think), staying in different
spots along the way. As well as lush villas and
apartments to rent, the resorts all have their

own unique selling points. We enjoy a couple of
days at SALT of Palmar, the island's first
sustainable and high-concept resort. With no
single-use plastic on site and no food buffets,
SALT are rethinking the hotel concept in style.
If exclusivity is your thing and you're able to
flash the cash, why not treat yourself to a night
or two at the Four Seasons Mauritius? You'll be
hard-pressed to find better service. Set across 64
acres of land, the resort boasts a private beach
accessible to residents by boat, where we enjoy
an incredible seafood grill and rum cocktails. It's
surprisingly unpretentious. All guests stay in
their own private villa, complete with plunge
pool and an outdoor waterfall shower. There is
something incredibly special and indulgent
about experiencing this level of privacy.
In the morning, I enjoy a yoga class with
Prabhir, a yoga instructor from India, while
overlooking the lagoon. I am also impressed to
find there is a resident osteopath on site.
Although of course I would expect nothing less
on this island that has everything.
Despite the fact that most guests stay at the
Four Seasons on an all-inclusive basis, it fails to
feel twee or too mainstream; I'm certain this is
to do with the stunning setting. Despite the fivestar nature of the resort, Mauritius has a certain
earthiness to it that somewhere like the
Maldives doesn't.
Seven nights half-board in a Tropical Room at
Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa for two
adults starts from £1,535 per person. Price includes
return economy flights with Emirates, various
complimentary land and water sports, and private
transfers in Mauritius. Price subject to availability.
Call Beachcomber Tours on 01483 445 610 or visit
beachcombertours.uk

OT H E R R E S O R T S TO C H E C K O U T...

For all-out luxe...
Four Seasons
Mauritius
fourseasons.com/mauritius

For a stay closer to town...
Victoria Beachcomber
Resort & Spa
beachcombertours.uk

For a smaller, more
sustainable resort...
SALT Of Palmar
saltresorts.com

45
http://www.tgpatwork.com http://www.beachcombertours.uk http://www.fourseasons.com/mauritius http://www.beachcombertours.uk http://www.saltresorts.com
BALANCE_FEBRUARY_2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BALANCE_FEBRUARY_2020
