For a luxury island holiday, Mauritius rewards with sun, sea and sand in a package that stimulates the senses and washes away the cares of the world. Conveniently located between Australia and Africa, Mauritius is the perfect spot for a relaxing holiday in its own right, or as a stopover on the way to Africa, Europe or the British Isles. Surrounded by sparkling aquamarine waters and coral reefs, the sub tropical climate and pristine beaches makes Mauritius a heavenly and relaxing holiday destination. And it’s only about a 12 hour flight from the east coast.
With an extensive colonial history; English, French and Creole are spoken in Mauritius, giving this idyllic Indian Ocean jewel a warm cosmopolitan feel. This translates further into a delicious exotic Creole cuisine blending the best of Indian, Chinese, French and African influences with luscious tropical fruits, vegetables and seafood. Combine the cuisine with some outstanding South African wines and the foodie is in gourmet heaven.
In this tiny island of endless summer the feel is relaxed and informal and the locals as welcoming and warm as the breeze. The large number of stylish luxury hotels and resorts makes Mauritius Infinity Pool Central and value is high for the discerning holidaymaker to take advantage of year-round. Bargain hunters are well served in other ways too, with duty free shops and textile factory outlets giving great bargains for the determined retail junkie.
If you ever get tired of the beach life, Mauritius offers other distractions to complement the luxury hotel lifestyle. You’ll get fascinating insights into this vibrant multi-cultural society from visiting nearby townships and mingling with the locals. The dynamic capital, Port Louis is one place you really must explore, and while you’re out head to the elegant beach town of Grand Baie to rummage through exclusive boutiques and bustling markets.
Green thumbs will get a kick out of the 300 year old Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens and a trip to Chamarel falls will reward with vistas of volcanic earth in all its brilliantly colourful glory. A popular honeymoon destination, Mauritius is a delightful destination at any time, for any reason.
Mauritius fun facts
The highest point in Mauritius is the 828m Mount Piton
Mauritius was the only native home of the dodo bird
Sugar cane is the primary crop of Mauritius
A different kind of holiday in Uganda
Sunday 4th July 2010
Travel Counsellor: Jacy Richards
This July, I was blessed with the opportunity to visit Uganda and do some volunteer mission work at the orphanage, Jordan House, in Kampala. There were five of us spending a total of two weeks in Uganda of which 6 days was spent upgrading the toilet/shower blocks at the orphanage. It was such a pleasure to help them out and I was so humbled each time the ladies approached us to thank us for our work and give us each a big hug.
I think the most memorable thing for me was the warmth of the locals and how amazed they were that we would take the time to come visit and work – to better their lives. This is the first time that I had done a trip in this aspect and I have to say that I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again; there’s nothing like sitting down at the end of a day and looking over what you have accomplished – even more so when you see the smiles of appreciation from the children.
Our second week consisted of a trip up to Murchison Falls National Park, which is approximately 350kms... view full story
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