19 minute read
Indian Ocean: Island
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Treasured islands
The Indian Ocean is back open for business, and Tamara Hinson has the lowdown on the hotspots which should be on your radar
patina MaLdiveS, fari iSLand
It’s offi cial - four of the most popular Indian Ocean destinations (the Maldives, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Mauritius) are back open for business.
Whether clients are looking to cover as much ground with an island-hopping adventure in the Seychelles, or wildlife-rich safari in Sri Lanka, or just enjoy some of the world-class beaches and luxury resorts that Mauritius and the Maldives are famous for, this region ticks all the boxes.
Kuoni, which has added 13 new resorts to its collection throughout the Indian Ocean, admits that the region remains the favourite honeymoon choice for couples, many of whom have re-booked following postposed plans resulting from the pandemic. claire Ross, Product Director, said: “The Maldives, followed by Mauritius, Sri Lanka and the Seychelles already top Kuoni’s list of bestselling destinations for 2022 based on forward sales, making up more than half of the company’s advance bookings.”
She adds: “Demand for child-free resorts, special interest trips, such as diving, and ultra-luxury is also on the rise, with the average spend for 2022 Indian Ocean holidays up by 15%.”
Not only are the individual destinations accessible (the Seychelles alone is served by 13 diff erent airlines) but the islands still have plenty of space - something which has never been more important - and the warm welcome the Indian Ocean is famous for will be hugely appreciated by clients who’ve missed their favourite sun spots. The best bit? Never have there been so many shiny new developments to get excited about.
The Seychelles
One of the most exciting new properties is LXR Hotels & Resorts’ Mango House Seychelles, which opened in July 2021 on Mahé island’s Anse Aux Poules bleues bay. This boutique property has 41 beachfront suites and villas, and fi ve F&B venues. Over at the Hilton Seychelles, capacity has been increased with the addition of eight cliff side Signature Grand Ocean Pool Villas, all of which have personalised bedlinen, private plunge pools or unbeatable ocean views. Speaking of islands, insiders predict that island-hopping will become increasingly popular for clients, who will be keener than ever to squeeze in multiple destinations. “With so many islands, all of which are easily accessible by fl ight, ferry or catamaran, it’s a shame to stay in one place,” says Nikki Hain, Premier Holidays’ Product Manager. As for an unexpected upside of the pandemic? There’s more wildlife to spot. “Reduced footfall has allowed wildlife to thrive,” says Vanessa beldam, Audley Travel’s Senior
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HaritHa viLLaS. Sri Lanka Yoga SeSSionS at Lux* Le Morne, MauritiuS
Sri Lankan tea pLantation Mango HouSe, SeYcHeLLeS
b c O b O SLO JA OARD RIST b u c HELLES TO SEY
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Product Executive for Africa and the Indian Ocean. “For example, turtles are nesting more frequently on Denis Island.” For cruising clients, Emerald Cruises’ second superyacht, Emerald Sakara, sets sail in 2023. Its inaugural round-trip cruise focusing on the Seychelles departs from Victoria, on Mahé Island.
PREMIER HOLIDAYS
Premier Holidays’ 10-night package includes return flights and half-board in a pool villa at the Raffles Seychelles. From £3,999pp, for travel between May 9 and June 15, 2022. premierholidays.co.uk
Top tip: Many clients are attracted to the Seychelles because of the seclusion. “People want quieter places and the Seychelles delivers, with several private island resorts such as Hilton Labriz and Fregate Island,” says Diane Prendergast, Gold Medal’s Destination Manager.
Sri Lanka
Pre-pandemic, Sri Lanka was on track to become the Indian Ocean’s most soughtafter destination, and it’s bouncing back with speed. “Right before the pandemic, figures indicated that visitor numbers were growing by 18% year on year,” says Julie FitzGerald, G Adventures’ General Manager for Asia. “2019 was poised for even greater growth, with eastern and northern destinations opening to tourism.” So what has Sri Lanka got in store? G Adventures offers a seven-day Sri Lanka - South Coast Sailing in search of blue whales, stopping along the way at the old trading fort of Galle and the fishing village of Kudawella.
Meanwhile new properties include the adults-only nine-villa Haritha Villas + Spa, which opened in December 2019 on a forested hilltop near southern Sri Lanka’s Hikkaduwa beach, while Kumbura, a four-
vanessa Beldam, audley travel
bedroom heritage property in Habaraduwa, near Galle, has been added to Eden Villas’ portfolio. There are also several new packages, including Intrepid Travel’s 14-day Premium Sri Lanka package, which launches in January 2022. The growing popularity of active holidays is perfect for clients craving a different perspective. “We’re revamping
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our Active Sri Lanka tour,” says Hannah Methven, Explore’s Discovery Programme Manager. “It will have paddleboarding, yoga, cycling and rafting and will be about nature, rather than ticking off landmarks. We’re definitely noticing more demand for active holidays – people are fitter, and have walked and cycled more during the lockdown.” The best bit? Getting around will become easier. “The new central Expressway highway, currently under construction, will eventually connect the east to the west, transforming the tourism landscape,” says Anu Karunatilaka, Intrepid’s Regional General Manager in Sri Lanka. “We have beautiful beaches and fantastic wildlife in the east, but few people visit due to the time it takes to get there.”
InTREPID
Intrepid’s 14-day Premium Sri Lanka tours launch on January 2, 2022. From £2,086pp, excluding flights. intrepidtravel.com
Top tip: Tempt clients with holidays away from the main hotspots. “More clients are seeking unusual experiences and destinations,” says Audley Travel’s Vanessa beldam. “They want to see beyond the usual sights, and to explore lesser-known parts.”
Mauritius
In Mauritius, there’s a huge number of openings and refurbishments for agents to keep track of. It’s all change at the Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita, which reopened in October 2021 after a fourmonth refurbishment which transformed the bambou restaurant and bar and added a new lobby bar, while a makeover of LuX* Le Morne has created a lighter, brighter look and added new areas, including the sundowner-friendly Tree House. Adultsonly boutique hotel SALT of Palmar, on Quatre coco beach, has introduced several new guest experiences, including forest bathing at bras D’eau and a history-themed excursion to Mahebourg and as of August the St. Regis Mauritius was rebranded as the JW Marriott Mauritius, the colonial-style resort offers 171 rooms on the shores of Le Morne beach. but it’s the opening of LuX* Grand baie Resort & Residences, in December 2021, which is generating the biggest buzz. “Located in the popular Grand baie neighbourhood in Mauritius’s north - known for its beaches – it will become LuX’s flagship property,” says Hain. “Regulars will know it as the old Merville beach hotel. We’re hoping for more direct flights, too!” To celebrate Mauritius reopening its borders, all-inclusive Tamassa bel Ombre on the south west coast has a reopening offer of 15% off when booked by December 1, 2021 for departures until May 2022.
BRITISH AIRwAYS
British Airways offers a six-night stay at the five-star Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa on the west coast of Mauritius from £1,786pp.
Discover more Indian ocean features at
sellingtravel.co.uk/articles
SecLuded waterfaLLS in tHe SeYcHeLLeS
Price includes return flights from London, accommodation on a half board basis in a superior room, departing February 10, 2022. ba-agent.com
Top tip: Match the setting with the client. “There are over 100 beaches on Mauritius’s coastline, each with its own character,” says Prendergast. “And with beautiful beaches comes incredible diving. There are around 50 diving and snorkelling sites, all with varying levels of difficulty.”
Maldives
The Maldives gets the gold medal for the sheer number of new openings, although there are plenty of other developments, whether it’s the news that the Hard Rock Hotel Maldives now accepts cryptocurrency, or the unveiling, in November 2021, of the Fairmont Maldives’ Sustainability Lab, where guests can recycle rubbish into souvenirs. New openings include Patina the Fari Islands, on the edge of the North Malé Atoll, a 45-minute boat ride from Velana International Airport. Then there’s the
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Hannah Methven, explore
Le Meridien MaLdiveS reSort
Paradise with a Mindful Touch
Experience JW Marriott Mauritius Resort surrounded by 1km of soft white sand, its turquoise lagoon and the stunning backdrop of the iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site of Le Morne Brabant Mountain. This island sanctuary will transport you to a world of culinary delights, an award-winning spa and direct access to one of the most exhilarating kite-surfing spots.
Destination Unlock
Discover our newly refurbished hotel and explore Mauritius with authentic and thought provoking experiences at every turn. Le Méridien Ile Maurice is located on the sheltered bay of Pointe-aux-Piments, on the north west coast of Mauritius.
Rejuvenate and Reconnect
Within its pristine location on the edge of one of the oldest marine park and environment, strategically located in historic Turtle Bay, the resort bestows to its guests, moments of pure indulgence and an immediate air of belonging. Nestled in a lush tropical garden, and a white sandy beach skirting the turquoise Indian Ocean at the front, the resort is designed with a romantic and typically Mauritian feel.
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family-friendly Siyam World Maldives, which opened in October 2021 and has the world’s largest floating water park as well as a staggering 21 room categories.
With a nod to its eco-conscious location, Lhaviyani Atoll’s Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa, which opened in September 2021, features a Marine Hub at the resort which offers a range of conservation programmes including mangrove and seagrass protection, and turtle identification and snorkeling with the marine biologist, with the opportunity for guests to name a turtle for themselves. It is the second Marriott International property to open in the Maldives this year, offering guests 141 villas with views across the pristine beaches, the Indian Ocean or turquoise lagoon.
Other openings include the family-friendly cora cora Maldives, which opened in October on the Raa Atoll and has 100 villas and suites and South Malé Atoll’s Ozen Reserve bolifushi, which opened in late 2020 and is just a 20-minute catamaran ride from the international airport. Finally, Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas has launched new family-style villas, consisting of four two bedroom beach pool Villas and eight one bedroom beach pool villas.
EXPERIEnCE TRAVEL GROUP
catering to clients keen to explore beyond the glitzy resorts? consider the Experience Travel Group’s Hidden Magic in the Maldives package, which includes international flights and 11 nights split between
weStin turtLe BaY reSort & Spa, MauritiuS
two inhabited islands. From £2,985pp. experiencetravelgroup.com
Top tip: brush up on how resorts fare in the sustainability stakes. “clients are increasingly concerned with environmental issues and want to know that their Maldivian resort is up to scratch from a sustainable point of view,” says Sam clark, cEO of Experience Travel Group.
We believe that holidays are a precious chance to reconnect and remind ourselves of the most important thing in life- each other.
Discover Tamassa Bel Ombre, a vibrant all inclusive resort in Mauritius set on a dazzling white beach surrounded by dramatic mountains and sugarcane fields. A postcard-perfect lagoon. Fabulous drinking and dining Experiences. Four spectacular pools. A joyful spa. A place dedicated to sharing good times, together.
Experiences found only in the Florida Keys
Globe hopping Six of the best... / 25
Extending from the southern tip of Florida, the Florida Keys offer a great alternative for those looking for an island-hopping adventure with a difference
Drive the Overseas Highway
ANDY NEWMAN The Florida Keys Overseas Highway is the southernmost leg of the iconic U.S. Highway 1, stretching 113 miles. Drivers can leave Miami and arrive in Key West in under four hours, but with views of the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the shimmering Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico on the other, it’s not a drive you want to rush. A highlight is timing a sunset drive over the landmark Seven Mile Bridge.
Tour the home of legends
Writer Ernest Hemingway and
ROB O’NEAL former president Harry Truman both made Key West their home, and today visitors can tour those spots. Truman spent six months of his presidency in his ‘Little White House’ which displays his original piano and poker table. Equally fascinating is the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, where the author produced works including To Have and Have Not, inspired by his Key West surroundings.
Take a ‘southernmost selfie’
What better way to
ROB O’NEAL mark the Southernmost Point of the continental USA than with a #southernmostselfie? Every day visitors line up at Whitehead and South streets in Key West to have their photo taken beside this colourful marker. No need for a filter as the Atlantic Ocean makes for an Instagrammable backdrop. This bright beacon also reminds visitors that they stand just 90 miles from Cuba.
Snorkel or dive Florida’s barrier reef
The Keys are home
BOB CRAE to the only living coral barrier reef in the continental USA. Divers and snorkellers can swim amongst coral, tropical fish and even sunken ships! The official Florida Keys Wreck Trek logbook lists nine of the region’s most iconic wreck sites, including two of the largest wrecks intentionally sunk as artificial reefs. Dive and snorkel operators from Key Largo to Key West offer excursions led by experts.
Take part in a Keys festival
Florida Keys folks
ANDY NEWMAN know how to throw a party – and the more unique the better! The 10-day Fantasy Fest takes place every October with costume contests and masquerade balls. Thought you couldn’t have a festival underwater? Think again. Every July the Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival shines a spotlight on coral reef protection with a sub-sea concert staged by local radio station US1 FM.
ANDY NEWMAN Book a charter captain or guide in Islamorada, known as the Sport Fishing Capital of the World, for a day spent offshore, reef or backcountry fishing. Saltwater fishing is a Keys speciality and clients can even take their catch (most likely yellowtail snapper or tuna), to a restaurant nearby to have it cooked fresh. Learn more and become a Florida Keys & Key West specialist at fla-keysen.experttraining.eu.
The beaches of Gran Canaria
Vibe with the locals or retreat from the hustle and bustle on one of Gran Canaria’s many, and varied, beaches.
Volcanic rock pools and hidden coves only accessible by boat, dot the Gran Canaria landscape. One of the island’s most outstanding features however is its golden sandy beaches. If it’s for sunbathing or a dip in the ocean, here are the best spots to recommend.
Masplomas Dunes
On the island’s southernmost tip, sand blown from the sea bed during the ice age now forms the desert that lies there today. Covering 400 hectares, Maslomas Dunes, with it’s oasis and fresh water lagoon, is also flecked with the eponymous sand dunes. Visitors will be spoilt for choice, as the UNESCO protected nature reserve features some of the best beaches on Gran Canaria, including Playa del Ingles.
Meloneras
To the west of Masplomas Lighthouse, the bustling and newly developed Meloneras promenade stretches for two kilometres. It’s luxurious four and five star hotels are complemented by bars,cafes and restaurants offering a plethora of global cuisines. The highlight is its two beaches at each end of the promenade, Masplomas and Meloneras, both favourites with discerning locals. Brave a dip in the Atlantic or slap on the suncream for a sunbathing session on the tranquil sands. At night, Meloneras bursts into life, with live music which can be enjoyed with a cool glass of wine whilst watching the sunset over the ocean.
Anfi del Mar
Fringed with fronds of coconut palms and carpeted with 11,000 tons of sand as pristine as snow, Anfi Beach serves a slice of inspiration from more tropical lands. Originally known as Playa de la Verga, this resort was built in the 1990s by a Norwegian businessman who wanted to recreate the Caribbean in the Canaries. Located in a protected lagoon, flanked by a pier on one side and a heart-shaped island and marina on the other, its calm waters are ideal for snorkelling. Kayaks, paddleboards, jet skis and small boats can all be rented and the depths of the sea can be explored on a glass bottom boat.
Amadores
Even further west, Amadores Beach sits in a curved bay, overlooked by imposing cliffs. Created in 2002, this resort is a welcome respite from the busier Puerto Rico. Its position in a cove means waters are tranquil, protected from the rolling Atlantic waves, and excellent for paddling and swimming while the coral sands allow for
sunbathing. This is the spot for peace and quiet, with a ban on loud music and beach games, plus its one kilometre length means it never gets overcrowded. An oceanfront walk along the cliff between Amadores and Puerto Rico offers stunning coastal views.
Puerto de Mogan
The mouth of a steep valley reveals the seaside village of Puerto de Mogan, its charming white buildings nestled into the mountain landscape of the southern coast. A network of canals and bridges with vibrant subtropical flowers form its own Little Venice. A fishing port and yacht marina are joined by a sandy beach, protected by the port and breakwater. Families can swim and sunbathe in safety, or try snorkelling in the shallow sea. Larger marine life, including whale watching, can be experienced by taking a yellow submarine or a boat trip from the marina. There are also deep-sea fishing expeditions for keen anglers, plus nearby isolated coves and rock pools to explore.
Güi Güi
Grab your hiking boots or sweet talk a local fisherman to transport you to the remote, deserted beaches of Güi Güi Grande and Güi Güii Chico. Situated on the west coast, the tough two-hour hike is rewarded with crystalline waters and some of the best sunsets in Gran Canaria. Güi Güi Grande is only 350 metres long, named after the size of the barranco or canyon, rather than the beach. Güi Güii Chico, almost twice as big, is just south of its little neighbour and is reached by scrambling over the rocks. Changing with the seasons, the beaches are sandiest in the summer months, and fade from existence during winter.
Agaete Natural Pools
North of Güi is the tiny fishing village of Puerto de Las Nieves, a cluster of blue and white Canarian houses. The harbour, Paseo de los Poetas, is lined with restaurants, craft shops and galleries, up to the natural pools of Las Salinas. For centuries, they were used to harvest salt, but are now popular with swimmers. The nearby Maipés Archaeological Park, situated on a great lava flow at the foot of the Pinar de Tamadaba, is where the Guanches, Gran Canaria’s original inhabitants, chose to honour their dead. There are over 700 tombs, including huge burial mounds constructed with volcanic stones, dating from around 1,300 years ago.
Las Canteras
The capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is home to Las Canteras, one of the best urban beaches in Europe. Starting in the north at La Puntilla, the beach is populated by fishing boats, with surfers riding the waves at La Cicer, its southern end. A natural offshore lava reef acts as a wave break, protecting the marine life that makes Las Canteras a top snorkelling spot. It’s also packed with shops, openair restaurants, ice cream parlours, with street entertainers providing ambience. Only the bravest will join the locals for a leap of faith, diving into the sea from the Peña La Vieja rock. •
