Surrounded by sandy white beaches and cooled by trade winds, Mauritius is a tropical island paradise, par excellence. A wonderful place to get married and enjoy a dreamy honeymoon, it nestles amidst the azure waters. Look forward to elegant hotels offering wonderful spas, fine dining, excellent water sports, great kids? clubs and world-class golf courses. The incredible levels of service, attention to detail and quality of delivery here ensure world-class holidays.
In a nutshell
The island's official language is English, but you'll hear Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu and other tongues. The local Creole dance, Séga, is downright sexy - get those feet shuffling and that body gyrating! But before dancing time, there's eating to be done, and you'll find a magnificent mixture of cuisine here, including Creole, European, Chinese and Indian, with brilliant seafood always the highlight. There are great water sport opportunities, including windsurfing, sailing and diving, and the island is surrounded by reefs. At Grand Baie Reef, you can view them in a semi-submersible boat. On dry land, you'll find some idyllic golf courses with views out to sea that may well distract your golf swing. Kids will love La Vanille Crocodile Park and Waterpark Leisure Village, and if you like to shop, you'll appreciate the recent removal of import duty on various goods. Be sure to bring back some bargains with you.
Non drivers
Private Car Transfers - Why not treat yourself and upgrade to private car transfers? You'll be met and whisked directly to your resort in the comfort of your own private vehicle. From £30 supplement per car each way.
Family Transfers - To make things a little more stress-free, why not pre-book a private vehicle for the entire family to transfer you directly to your chosen hotel? From £40 supplement per car each way.
Helicopter Transfers - Want to arrive in style? Then why not pre-book a private arrival helicopter transfer? Prices from £265 per person one way (min 2 persons).
Getting there
Flying Details - Virgin Atlantic flights to Mauritius depart on Fri and Sun from London Heathrow. Air Mauritius flights to Mauritius depart 6 times a week (Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun) from London Heathrow.
Flight Upgrade Supplements - Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy from £239 and Upper Class from £569 supplement per person each way.
Flying Time - Approx 12 hours to Mauritius.
Time Difference - GMT +4 hours
Currency - Mauritian Rupees (MRs)
Visa Requirements - British citizens do not require a visa.
Language - The official language is English. Please see our dedicated Mauritius & the Indian Ocean 2008 brochure for more information and a wider choice of hotels and sightseeing options in Mauritius, the Seychelles, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Additional info
Beautiful Beaches
Mauritius is blessed with miles of beautiful beaches. One of the longest stretches is at Belle Mare - the spotless white sands seem to go on forever. Le Morne and Tamarin with their waterfalls are lovely, and popular for surfing. Flic en Flac's sands are fringed with casuarina trees, and in the southeast, Blue Bay is a popular bathing spot. Don't miss the little cove of Pereybere, a fine place for a dip.
Spas and Well-being
You may think that just being in Mauritius is therapy enough for the body and mind, but you shouldn't pass up the opportunity to visit one of the island's wonderful spas. A couple of the properties we feature, the Hilton and Beau Rivage, are home to 2 of the island's most famous spas. Lie back and put yourself into the hands of capable experts, and you'll feel your everyday cares just drifting away.
Weddings and Honeymoons
What a setting this is for your marriage or honeymoon. You can keep it simple and tie the knot in classic style on a sunny, pristine white sand beach, or in a fragrant garden of hibiscus and palm trees, with the ocean in the background. For something a little different, you could exchange vows while sailing on a dazzlingly white catamaran on the Indian Ocean. water sports Most hotels offer water sports, and there are special hot spots for them on the island. The beaches of Grand Baie and La Cuvette are fantastic for sailing, windsurfing and water-skiing. Join the windsurfers and sailors at Blue Bay, and you must visit the lovely, tiny island of Ile aux Cerfs, a paradise for all kinds of watery activity. For a fun day out, ride the giant chutes at Waterpark Leisure Village.
Golf
Golf is a great game wherever you play it, but with the backdrop of a paradise island, you'll be transported to golfing heaven. The island's courses offer private pro lessons and you can hire clubs, balls and caddies. Golf courses are available at Belle Mare Plage, Le Telfair, Tamassa and Le Touessrok - recently voted one of the 10 best courses in the world.
Families and Kids' Clubs
Families are well catered for at many of Mauritius' hotels with their excellent kids' clubs, and the safe, shallow waters are perfect for the little ones. In this chilled-out environment, you can spend time building sandcastles with them and teaching them to snorkel. When they're demanding thrills, take them to La Vanille Crocodile Park, home to dozens of animals, including Aldabra tortoises.
Weather and climate
