The Honest Jonny | BLOG

This weeks BLOG entry comes from a recent trip to Mauritius by a very enthusiastic travel agent, thus we decided to give "Honest Jonny" a week off again.

To Shop or not to Shop, that is the Question ?

I recently had the good fortune of going to Mauritius on a bit of an update being in the travel industry and all. I was particularly curious as I had the good fortune of living on the island about 10 years ago for a year and I had recently heard all about the new shops , hotels and infrastructure that had gone on in the last couple of years. The word shopping particularly peaked my interest more than it should have as the focus of a beautiful island getaway is not to go shopping ! The focus should be crashing on one of those pristine white sandy beaches and do nothing but roll from side to side to make sure you get an even tan . I guess having lived there made my situation a bit different ! I was a little apprehensive that the island that I knew and loved for its beauty and tranquility would have lost its special appeal with all the hype of what was new and happening there.

Firstly I had forgotten what a treat it is to only have to fly for under five hours to arrive at my destination. My favorite selling point , where else can you fly for such a short time , get such beauty , such a huge range of accommodation , fantastic service and friendly locals that all speak English ?

On arrival I could already see what people had been talking about , The old Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport (I agree a total mouthful) had undergone huge changes , all for the better . Very different to the old airport and a lot more modern ! .

Our first night was at the Le Mauricia Hotel , located in the North , about a forty minute drive from the airport . The roads are much improved (in areas), the driving though is as hectic as 10 years ago. My fellow participants (the first timers in Mauritius were horrified by the driving) but for me it was a reminder of the Mauritius of old and compared to our taxis here , I was amazed that they even noticed the driving.

We spent a night at Le Mauricia , Le Victoria , Le Canonnier , Dinarobin and Shandrani all stunning hotels for various reasons (part of the Beachcomber Hotel Group). I am not going to go into all the nitty gritty about the rooms , the facilities etc etc that would take pages and is not the focus of my blog. The reason I wrote this was to say that I still understand why after all these years Mauritius is still such an awesome destination. The hotels are all so well managed , well maintained and so inviting that whatever your price range your Beachcomber experience can only be a fantastic one! I would love to see a survey of repeat clients to the island I am sure its numbers way surpass any other island destination anywhere in the world .

I will end off by saying that all my fears of a changed , commercialized island were laid to rest . Yes there have been big changes and huge growth but the island has not lost any of its beauty or charm. Being on a work trip what can I say the shopping didn't happen but I was blown away while walking through Grand Baie ,to see the huge super U (supermarket) and shops that had sprung up . I am kind of glad that we didn't get time to shop because it would have meant less time driving around the island and appreciating the beauty .

I am now determined to take my family there so they too can experience all that Mauritius has to offer. Although more expensive than what I last remember (10 years ago!!!!) it's still is such a worthwhile destination and great value for money.

In my opinion there are not many islands out there that can come close to an "Ile Maurice" holiday .

Happy Travels

Hayley