Shanti Maurice Resort & Spa ★★★★★

One of the things that attracted us to Mauritius was that there is plenty to do! That may sound strange on the ultimate beach holiday, but sometimes you want more. In Mauritius, there is an endless supply of historic sights, lots of cultural diversity, an amazing array of different geological formations, quirky little shops and towns, a great variety of cuisines … you will never run out of things to do! Add the plentiful activities and sports opportunities, and there really is something for everyone. But we were mainly here for the beach and the natural surroundings and the luxury of the Shanti Maurice, and what a fabulous find it was!

We had booked a beach villa – this was our ultimate holiday treat after all – and we weren’t sorry. It was so magical to wake up to the sound of the waves and watch the sun rise over the Indian Ocean from the comfort of our king-size bed. It is an experience I thoroughly recommend. We had a separate lounge with marble floors, modern furniture and one wall of glass sliding doors, so you could let in the generous southern sunshine, the sea breeze, and that glorious endless blue of the sea view. Then we could simply step outside straight on to the decking around our own little pool in front of the villa. Right in the pool is a little thatched and curtained private pagoda where we could lie in the soft sea breeze and listen to the sound of the waves. There was plenty of ‘normal’ furniture on the decking terrace too, for lounging in the sun with a book or taking a leisurely coffee in the morning. In front of us there was nothing but the piercing green of fresh grass and the darker forest shades of tropical foliage all around, leading straight on to the white sand and endless sea with, on one side, blue mountains stretching into the distance.

Our bedroom was airy and open, and also opened on to the terrace. It had classic parquet floors and louvred wooden doors to the bathroom – a palace in itself! It was all marble, with a jet-bath and separate rain shower. When we strolled off to breakfast in the morning, we started to appreciate why the Shanti Maurice has such a high reputation. The choice of excellent quality food was just the best ever, and we ended up with an interesting mixture of a Mauritian and more classic breakfast – especially my husband, who does not like to be parted from his bacon and eggs! In the evening the Kaze Mama Restaurant was amazing fun, on the beach watching the light slowly fade while listening to the waves with the cool breeze on your face.

Aaah! Now … what were all those other things we were supposed to be doing? We really couldn’t remember!