Mauritius

Spring break is a wonderful time for a club Med  get away, and being a single mom I am always looking for places that are kid friendly.

The ideal getaway during this short break was Mauritius. Obviously, its a no brainer.  Only four hours from Durban and a two hour time difference makes it the ideal escape.

It has been two years since my last vacation to Mauritius. The last visit was at https://www.clubmed.co.za/r/La-Pointe-aux-Canonniers/y.

Read more about my stay https://www.vkatz.com/mauritius-calling/

 

This time on booking I found out that the La Pointe aux Canonniers was under renovation so my next best option was https://www.clubmed.co.za/r/La-Plantation-d’Albion-Club-Med/y

Although this is a Five star resort, I have heard that it was not as kid friendly as the previous resort that I had stayed at, however I gave it a go.

So here is my review on the two resorts :

I found that when comparing the two resorts I much favoured La Pointe aux Canonnier for these reasons :

La Plantation d’ Albion

Although this resort was alluringly elegant, I found that it fell short in a few elements that is required when holidaying with kids.

• When booking this resort, it is important to note that it is a five star resort, therefore it would be, and most definitely is quieter than your usual kid friendly resorts.
• There was very little activity around the pool so if you are expecting pool sports and DJ’s playing, think again.
• Music levels were kept low as compared to La Pointe aux Canonnier where everyday seemed like a party.
• The beach on this side of the island is much smaller and not as enchanting as the beaches on the other side.
• The resort offered a few water activities as part of the package and these included snorkelling, standup paddle boarding, and kayaking. There were a few other activities that you could book with the private operators. The downside about the included activities like the snorkelling  was that you could only book on the day. This had to be done at 9am, unfortunately with me being on holiday, there was no chance of me waking up before 11am.
• I found that most of the visitors on the resort were from South Africa, so everyday felt like I never left home. For some travellers home is good. However when I travel, I need to feel like I’m away.
• The food was incredible and in abundance. The food was served buffet style with at least 10 stations available. If you are a foodie, you will be in foodie heaven.

La Pointe aux Canonnier

• This was my first experience with Club Med, and I have to tell you that I was blown away. The resort was  alive with entertainment from morning into the wee hours of the next day.
• Although the resort is smaller in size as compared to Albion, it was comfortable.
• The kids were constantly entertained whether at the kids club or at the pool.
• The room I occupied here was smaller than the one at Albion however the beauty lay in that my room overlooked the exquisite beach.
• In comparison to the Albion beach, La Pointe aux Canonnier sat on a much bigger beach. There was always  a hub of activity on the beach. Some were  part of Club Med and some private. The private vendors brought more of a variety of what was offered therefore I do not believe that people complained about the extra costs.

In terms of a holiday experience, both are enticing resorts, and like everything, it always depends on what you are looking for.

If you are wanting a family holiday and traveling with younger kids, my recommendation is the La Pointe aux Canonnier resort. The kids will delight in the activities and all that is on offer.

If you are travelling with teenagers and still want them entertained whilst you relax part taking in adult time, then I recommend Albion.

Either way you will still get to enjoy the hospitality of the staff, the food and the evening entertainment. The standard at which you will be treated definitely will not differ.

 

 

 

It started as any normal search for the ideal holiday destination, however this time it was a little more special, because this time I was taking my little man with me. When settling on a destination it had to perfect which would allow relaxation time for me but also keep little Alex occupied. Anyone travelling with a little person understands that if the kids are entertained, there will be peace and quiet.

 

After hours of research and speaking to tons of people, I finally settled on the obvious chose, the island of Mauritius. It offered everything I needed and more, sun, sea and all day entertainment for both my little man and myself. The final selling point for me was that it was just 4 hours travelling time and there was a direct flight from Durban.

 

Arriving at the airport was the usual rush, and although one does not need a visa when travelling from South Africa, if you are a single parent travelling with your minor child, it will feel as if you would need everything except your blood type available. Jokes aside, I think with all the human trafficking taking place as well as parents stealing their children, the immigration laws are very strict. If you find yourself in my predicament make certain that you have the following documents available..

• An unabridged certificate for your minor child
• An affidavit from the other parent giving you permission to take the minor child out of the country
• A certified copy of their identity document.

If anyone of these is outstanding, your holiday may never happen.

 

 

The flight to Mauritius was a breeze, and on arrival the weather was a cool 19 degrees celcius. The transfer to the resort was 2 hours and although everyone on the bus was exhausted, we were all eager to get to our final destination.

 

They say first impressions are important, and the moment I set foot off the bus, I was in awe. Alex quickly made friends with another boy traveling with his parents from South Africa, and just like that, phew! He was gone.

 

The month of September is a much cooler month to visit Mauritius, with the temperature reaching about 27 degrees celcuis during the day and dropping to an average of 18 degrees at night. The days were warm and the cool wind makes it manageable and enjoyable.

 

With this been a holiday intended for relaxation, my goal was to lie on the beach and do absolutely nothing, and oh yes! Doing nothing was exactly what I did, and guess what? I am pretty good and doing it.

 

It was all about late morning wake ups, afternoon siestas, and evening shows, not to forget the crazy cocktails and the endless supply of delicious food.

 

My favorite part of my travels is the experience of new cultures, so I decided to book an island excursion. It was a full day excursion, which left super early, well early in relation to holiday time. Wakeup call was at 6am, breakfast ant 6:30 am and we were off at 7am.

 

The first stop was at Moka, where we visited a beautiful colonial home that was made into museum. The guide explained how the people lived and it was crazy to hear that at that time, it was normal for a couple to have 17 children, wow!

 

The Chamarel was phenomenal, it is a landscape filled with different and contrasting shades of colours. The different shades of blue, green, red and yellow are apparently the result of the erosion of the volcanic ashes.

 

 

The same area had beautiful waterfalls and a little animal farm where you could pet the animals.

 

Then we were off to Ganga Talao which is an important pilgrimage site where Mauritians of Hindu faith walk there during the Maha Shivaratri festival. Its was gorgeous and enlightening, filled with statues of deities. I love immersing myself in culture so I decided to go inside the temple. The sound of the chimes, smell of incense and the priests praying over people was heart warming to experience.

 

After been filled with the holy experience, we were off to the rum distiller where I learned how to make rum cocktails, and after tasting many different flavored rum, we were quickly whisked into another room for the true intention of the visit. Yes, you guessed it, shopping. Like all tourists, I must admit that I did lose my mind, and I shopped. And it was only after getting back to the hotel, did I realize that I probably over did it. After all, I don’t know many people that drink rum.

 

The excursion into the island was very educational, and our tour guide, Ramsy was both entertaining and knowledgeable about the island as well as their culture. I remember returning to South Africa, relaying his wonderful stories to my mom.

 

Like all islands and countries that rely on tourism, the local people are extremely friendly and hospitable. The island is filled with entertainment for families, but also serves as one of those romantic wedding destinations, perfect honey moon destination, or a quick getaway with your loved one.

 

From the beautiful beaches, to the perfect pool side drinks, Mauritius is the one place you must visit.

 

However you visit Mauritius, I am certain that it will steal your heart. I left a little part of me there, so I guess I have to return soon.