ISLAND ESCAPES

Jolene Marriah-Maharaj

1 MAURITIUS

I HAD seen pictures of idyllic Mauritius in magazines, on Instagram, and hell, even pictures of my parents back in 1995 standing alongside a palm tree.

The island had always been on my bucket list. But nothing would have prepared me for the beauty that awaited me when I set foot on the island in March, courtesy of Mauritius Tourism.

A whole five days of the beach, cuisine, sight-seeing and well, sleep (I’m a mom to two toddlers). It was truly a dream come true.

A media team were invited to stay at the recently opened LUX Grand Baie on the northern coast of the island, an hour's drive from the airport.

The five-star resort will capture you the moment you enter. It’s a combination of chic, ultra-modern design while still encompassing the beauty of the Indian ocean.

The hotel, which caters for families, has a combination of rooms and suite. I stayed in junior suite and let’s just say I began living like a Kardashian. A welcome cake, not a slice, a cake, awaited me on arrival.

Everything was at a touch of a button. The decor is clean with minimal colour adding to the sophistication.

ENJOY a sunset at the rooftop bar and restaurant Bisou, at the LUX Grand Baie.

The hotel offers four swimming pools, four bars and three restaurants.

The Beach Rouge is a culinary delight, offering a traditional à la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner.

You can hear a pin drop on the beach while soaking up the sun or enjoying cocktails on the beach.

For the fitness fanatics, there are yoga classes, spinning classes, a gym and other activities on hand. A state-of-the-art spa, with various offerings from a Turkish hammam to your traditional full body massage, is also on offer.

For me, my ultimate favourite was the rooftop terrace with its infinity pool and swing as you watch the sunset on the ocean.

Not surprising, the hotel won Best Luxury Hotel & Resort by Mauritius Business Awards four months after opening its doors. While remaining at the Lux Grand Baie for the rest of the trip was not an option, I had the opportunity of visiting the capital Port Louis, just 20km from Grand Baie.

We drove through the towns, visited a market, and ate the most delectable cuisine at Escale Creole, a restaurant run by a mother and daughter.

Day two was probably the most adventurous I had even been – sea kayaking in the mangroves courtesy of Hello Islands.

ENJOY a dip in the pool after a spa treatment at the LUX Me Spa at the LUX Grand Baie. | Jolene Marriah

Former South African Peter Haberland from Yemaya Adventures guided us through the mangroves while educating us about the rich history of the island.

I finished off my stay in Mauritius at the Salt of Palmar adult-only boutique hotel.

The cosy hotel boasts the most delectable food, the friendliest faces, and their most notable thing is their quest to save the planet. The hotel boasts all vegan-friendly body scrubs, hair masks and offers yoga on the beach. It’s a very relaxing atmosphere and is one of the only resorts situated a mere 9m from the water.

The rooftop bar will allow you to watch the full moon as you sip cocktails before dinner.

THE balcony area of the junior suite at the LUX Grand Baie hotel. | Jolene Marriah

The trip ended with a visit to see the Huge Shiva statue in Grand Bassin temple, where we got to celebrate a bit of the Hindu festival Holi where Hindus throw coloured powder into the air and splash it on others. With a mere 1,3 million population in Mauritius, it was comforting to know that over 90 percent of their population had been vaccinated against Covid-19.

CATCH a glimpse off the water through the beautiful architecture. | Jolene Marriah

Arvind Bundhun, Director of Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, said as it stands, 90% of Mauritius’ adult population is fully vaccinated, and their booster dose campaign is at full swing.

As a first time traveller, Mauritius has captured my heart.

The friendly faces, the safety, the food and definitely the warm Indian ocean is why Mauritius is a must-see. I can’t wait to go back. Jolene Marriah-Maharaj was a guest of Mauritius Tourism.

THE fitness centre at the LUX Grand Baie offers daily yoga. | Supplied