Welcome to Magical Mauritius

However, the rise in tourism is more recent: visitors have slowly discovered that the island really is as beautiful as the postcards promise, with the number of arrivals almost tripling in the last 20 years.

Mauritius is a relatively small island (65km by 45km) just east of Madagascar. Originally colonised by the Dutch, it was influenced at various stages by the Arabs, Portuguese, French and British before finally gaining independence in 1968.

Today the mainly Creole population of 1.3 million people is a vibrant mix of multiple ethnicities and religions. Walking down a street in Port Louis, I was amazed at the number of languages that could be overheard.

Most locals live in the centre of the island, with large areas of land used for sugar cane plantations (the most common form of agriculture). The shores of the island are mainly occupied by the tourism industry: exquisite hotels and restaurants overlooking beautiful beaches.

Guests can expect to find endless golden sands bordered by turquoise waters of impossible beauty just waiting to be enjoyed. The climate is good and the water warm all year round, so those looking for some time in the sun won’t be disappointed.

The hotels are a good reason to visit Mauritius, and guests will be treated like royalty. At last count the island had 117 hotels and the standard of tourism services is very high. Many of the hotels are four or five star, with most offering quick (and free) Wi-Fi, DSTV, children’s entertainment areas and spa facilities. Losing my passport and being forced to stay another week or two wouldn’t have been the worst thing in the world.

The pricing of the hotels is also impressive: tourists used to staying in backpackers and living off bread and water while on holiday will be pleasantly surprised at the value of the luxury hotels. Centara Poste Lafeyette (4-star, www.centarahotelsresorts.com, rooms from R2 085 per couple per night) is a child-friendly hotel on the north-east coast of the island. Keep an eye out for their off-peak specials of R1 350 per couple sharing for half-board. For the romantics, consider Angsana (5-star, www.angsana.com/ en/balaclava, from R6 070 per couple per night). Situated on the north-west coast they offer beautiful sunsets, and couples celebrating their honeymoon or anniversary stay half price.

Part of the reason for the increase in tourism in Mauritius is due to its immaculate golf courses. The Belle Mare Plage (5-star, www.bellemareplagehotel.constancehotels.com, from R3 000 per couple per night) has two amazing 18-hole championship courses on offer: the Legend Golf Course and the Links Golf Course (keep a look-out for the tame deer on the Legend course).

The hotel is situated on 2km of unspoilt beachfront, and their seven top-class restaurants and five bars (often with live entertainment evenings) are also popular with patrons.

Just as popular is Anahita (5 star, www.anahita.mu, from R3 630 per couple per night). Guests can play at the Ernie Els-designed Anahita course, or catch a boat-ride across the bay to the secluded Île aux Cerfs Island (Deer Island) for a round on the Le Touessrok course (www.letouessrokresort.com). Families of the golf addicts will be pleased to know that these hotels also have indulgent spa centres, childcare and nanny facilities, as well as a wide range of free water-sports available.

If it’s the beaches and hotels that draw people to the island, it’s the activities that will keep them returning time and again. The capital of Port Louis has interesting buildings worth visiting (such as the Adelaide Fortress), while history enthusiasts should also visit the town of Pamplemousses to see the botanical gardens as well as the sugar museum (www.aventuredusucre.com).

A favourite activity is the catamaran trips which leave from Grand Baie for the small uninhabited islands to the north. We were lucky to get some memorable close-up views of whales, and the snorkelling conditions around the islands were some of the best I’ve ever seen.

It’s also worth spending a bit of time in Grand Baie browsing the markets, especially the selection of silk which is very well priced (and bargaining is allowed). Finally, if the sun and sand become a little too much, then the mountainous area to the south of the island offers fantastic hiking trails. Sadly we ran out of time before we could get there, but it’s always nice to have an excuse to return.

Looking at the construction cranes industriously building more hotels and villas it is clear tourism in Mauritius is here to stay. The tropical climate and the plentiful sugar-cane plantations might make you think you’ve taken a wrong turn and landed up on the KZN north coast, but the beaches will transport you straight back into Mark Twain’s paradise of sun, sea and sand. So lie back in your deck-chair, order another drink and enjoy the beautiful sunset. - The Mercury

l Sam Bradley flew with Air Mauritius and was a guest of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority.

For Travellers: What you need to know

Currency: R1 is worth 3 Mauritian Rupees. Generally prices are similar to those in South Africa.

Flights: Air Mauritius (www.airmauritius.com) flies directly from Durban to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport, Mauritius (flight time of just over 3 hours). Direct flights depart Fridays and Sundays at 12:10 (landing 18:00 local time) with prices starting at R5 000 for 2 passengers plus taxes (approximately R3 317 each).

Air Mauritius's beyond destinations include Perth in Australia, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore in India, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing in China, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Contact Air Mauritius Durban Office 032 436 0007 or visit www.airmauritius.com.

Air Mauritius transports golf clubs (up to 20kg) for free.

Language: English is the official language of Mauritius, but French and Creole are also widely spoken.