DAY ONE

DEPARTURE

I flew from Newcastle Airport with Emirates and met up with the rest of the group in Dubai. Check-in and flights were great, and upon arrival in Mauritius, we were met by our driver and tour guide, who accompanied us throughout our trip. We were then transported to our first hotel, the Mauricia Beachcomber Resort & Spa, which is the flagship hotel of Beachcomber.

We had lunch, followed by an inspection of the hotel. After lunch, we went to the Canonnier Beachcomber Resort & Spa for a hotel inspection and dinner, then back to the Mauricia for our first overnight stay. I was fortunate enough to have a two-bedroom family room, which featured two bedrooms and two bathrooms, making it ideal for families.

Entertainment in this hotel and all hotels is very low-key. We had a live band, and if you wanted to, you could visit the nightclub, located on the hotel grounds. However, please note that drinks are not included in the nightclub if you are on an all-inclusive basis.

The good thing about this hotel and the Canonnier is that you can interdine with the Victoria, Canonnier, and Mauricia. Still, reservations will be required if you want to dine in a different hotel to the one you are staying in. 

The Mauricia and Canonnier are in a fantastic location if you wish to go out into the resort/area, and they have lovely little cocktail bars and restaurants.

DAY TWO

TROU AUX BICHES BEACHCOMBER

Today, we were transferred from the Mauricia Hotel and visited the Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury for an inspection and lunch; the Royal Palm is the smallest hotel in the group with a total of 69 suites, all sea facing and is the most beautiful hotel, this hotel is offered on a Bed & Breakfast, or Half Board basis only and the staff ratio at this hotel is three staff - 1 guest and sunbeds are allocated to each suite on check-in, this hotel has five pools, three restaurants and its own wine cellar, 18 spa treatment rooms and again live entertainment each night, it also has its own helipad so if you wanted to arrive in style this can be arranged for the guests.

After lunch, we had a speed boat transfer to our next hotel which is the Trou Aux Biches Beachcomber, where we would be spending the night; we had a hotel inspection after arrival; this hotel is probably one of the biggest hotels in regards to the grounds, it is set out as small villages, and each village has a pool, which is great if you want to spend the day at a quieter pool area. Many of the rooms are interconnecting, making them fantastic for families. The largest room they offer is a 3-bedroom villa with a private pool, accommodating four adults, three children, or six adults. There are also six adapted rooms, and this hotel is ideal for those with mobility issues, as the resort is very flat. 

We had some free time in the afternoon at the hotel, so we enjoyed the facilities and then met up for drinks in the evening to watch the sunset.

DAY THREE

CATAMARAN SUNSET CRUISE

Unfortunately, the weather on day 3 wasn't good in the morning and early afternoon, so we were unable to conduct the planned treasure hunt. So, instead, we went to the main shopping centre in Grand Baie for a little look around, then went to a local beach bar for lunch, which was located on the beachfront with amazing views.

Later in the afternoon, we were transferred to the Victoria Beachcomber Hotel for our overnight stay and hotel inspection. This hotel has recently started a full refurbishment and has already completed 164 rooms. We were fortunate to be allocated rooms in two areas of the hotel. This area features 40 rooms and is exclusively for adults, with some swim-up rooms that are truly amazing. This hotel also offers interconnecting rooms and has two adapted rooms. All rooms are sea-facing, and the hotel has a very fresh feel about it.

It has a slightly busier feel, and again, it entertains every night. Additionally, it features extensive watersports, including a diving centre, suitable for individuals aged 12 years or older. There is a slight supplement for diving. This hotel hosts approximately 120 weddings per year and allows only one wedding per day.

We were lucky enough this afternoon to have a catamaran sunset cruise, which included snacks and drinks on board, and we had a great time with Christmas music and a sing-along.

DAY FOUR

LA VANILLE NATURE PARK

After breakfast, we transferred to the Paradis Beachcomber Hotel for lunch, stopping en route at Grand Bassin, also known as Ganga Talao. This sacred crater lake, set 550m above sea level in the Savanne district, is the holiest Hindu site in Mauritius. The first pilgrimage was led in 1898 by Giri Gossayne from Terre Rouge. Today, temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, Hanuman, Ganesh, and Goddess Ganga surround the lake. During Shivaratri, nearly half a million devotees make the barefoot journey there, carrying Kanvars.

We also visited La Vanille Nature Park, where the monkeys tried to steal any food in sight, and the lush surroundings were truly breathtaking.

Paradis Beachcomber welcomed us with its lively, sporty vibe, featuring an impressive 18-hole golf course, driving range, and a wide array of land and water sports. All rooms offer ocean views, and guests can also access the facilities of the nearby sister hotel, Dinarobin, via a free shuttle.

After a delicious lunch at Paradis, we checked in for the night at Dinarobin Beachcomber. This resort has a calmer, more adult-friendly atmosphere, with each crescent-shaped accommodation block having its own pool. A unique touch is the hotel keeps its beehive, providing fresh honey at breakfast.

DAY FIVE

ZIPLINE

This morning was the morning of our Zipline excursion, which was the most exhilarating thing I have ever done! After completing the first one, I couldn't stop myself from doing a further five zip lines, which included soaring through the trees. The unique perspective allowed me to take in breathtaking panoramic views of the island's lush vegetation.

After this excursion, we checked in to our final hotel, which was the Shandrani Beachcomber Hotel; as soon as we walked into reception, this hotel had a buzz about it; there were aqua aerobics taking place in the pool, and the hotel was probably the busiest hotel we had stayed in. The rooms are sea-oriented, and this is the first hotel to have two escape rooms, so if you fancy something a little different. One thing to note about this hotel is that it is only 7 minutes from the airport, which means aircraft noise is present throughout the day.

This hotel has three beaches, one of which is called the Wild Beach, making it ideal for surfing. It also offers water skiing and glass-bottom boat trips, along with other standard watersports.

DAY SIX

LAST DAY

We had our first official day of leisure as we were flying home that evening; we were lucky enough to have use of the spa with a lovely massage; the serenity of the spa against the busyness of the hotel was spectacular; we checked out of our rooms at lunchtime then had use of a courtesy room until we were picked up for our short transfer back to the airport, check in again was seamless and connection made in Dubai for my flight back home to Newcastle the following morning.