Twenty years ago, give or take, I had a ticket to Mauritius. Due to a combination of events too painful and legally dubious to go into here, I never went.
Since then, I’d filed it under a list of destinations that I’d dreamed of going to but probably never would… Vegas (too much fun), Timbuktu (too dangerous), Australia (too many crocodiles/relatives).
Mauritius I put down as too expensive, a luxury destination, somewhere I would only get to if I won The Price Is Right.
But, here’s the thing – I was wrong.
Yes, it takes a bit of saving up, but a trip out here is affordable if you pick the right hotel, and is worth every penny.
The flight is almost 12 hours, but long-haul is easy these days.
Think of it as three films, two meals and a little snooze.
I hadn’t left the UK for two-and-a-half years and it took a little adjustment.
You need sunscreen as a matter of urgency, plus something to keep the mosquitos at bay. (I’d forgotten that, and the things came at me like they’d just had a Nando’s delivered.)
To make my Mauritius-on-a-budget trip possible, I started with a stay at the three-star Veranda Tamarin, one of the more affordable options on the gorgeous west coast.
A legendary surfing hotel in the 1970s, it’s a very cool, boho-chic abode with thatched roofs and crafted interiors.
It faces the surf spot of Tamarin Bay, making it an idyllic escape for water sports lovers and adventure seekers.
There are a couple of restaurants at the resort. Ye!Man is a huge buffet with a blend of local and international flavours, or you can sit down amid the surfboards and retro photos of the hotel and see the chefs working at the open kitchen.
Crazy Fish does great snacks, or try Kas Dal for Mauritian street food. The rooftop bar, View, is the perfect spot for sundowners overlooking the surfers in the bay.
Live bands play famous rock and pop songs on stage most nights. You can also pad down to the evening beach parties, drink rum cocktails to the beats of the percussion and the Sega dancers, or chill at the campfires on the sands.
But what is there to do all day on a tropical island in the Indian Ocean?
You can’t just laze about.
Well, you could, but I mean who wants to just lay there reading a book, bathed in sunshine, drinking unlimited local rum? Nightmare, right?
But after coming such a long way, you do want to have a look around.
That is where this hotel comes into its own, offering an Explorer Programme, with a range of activities suited to all tastes.
You can exchange the points you receive for staying at the hotel for credits that get you on some of these trips (stay a minimum of four nights to qualify for this).
On the Bear Scale I am much more Paddington than Grylls, so the most strenuous thing I went for was the surfing.
I am by no means a man of the sea – water has the same effect on me as a Mogwai – but I had a good teacher and enjoyed it.
(Full disclosure: my mate was much better at it than me, so in the time-honoured fashion of men everywhere, I gave up and let her get on with it. My definition of ‘surfing’ as described here is floating on the board practising my French with an increasingly bewildered instructor.)
There are also guided hikes to Trois Mamelle (also known as the Devil Mountain because the middle peak has a height of 666 metres) in Cascavelle, or La Tourelle Mountain in Tamarin, a stand-alone peak with unrivalled views of the bay.
You do need to be quite fit for these excursions though.
Much more sedate was the street food tour, which started with the fascinating Yemen salt pans, which are among the oldest in Mauritius.
After a brief tour, taking in old and new salt production techniques, it was off to a couple of restaurants to test out some local delicacies.
Fish is, as you might expect, a big thing here and I would quite happily have sat and eaten the entire pot of tuna vindaloo.
Kayaking out in Tamarin Bay to spot the dolphins was a highlight, even though they didn’t turn up as agreed.
The expedition turned into a picnic on the Tamarin River, with coffee and a ham-and-cheese croissant that could cure even the most stubborn hangover.
And we got to see plenty of other animals along the way, including flying fish, monkeys, wandering goats and cool-looking lizards as well as all sorts of birdlife.
If you want to go for a wander, there are temples with giant statues, interesting little churches, shopping malls and sparkling waterfront developments.
But it was the sunsets that got me. I watched 11 of these bad boys, hooked from the first one.
Sitting on the sand at Tamarin Bay at about 6.30pm with a glass of rum, the sea gently darkening, strange and new stars emerging, and the sky on fire in a range of colours became the unmissable event of the day.
It might take a bit of saving but if you’ve ever dreamed of escaping to a tropical paradise, this is the hotel that can make it happen.
Sister act delivers the fantasy island
If, however, you want brochure Mauritius – the white sand, turquoise sea, influencer, honeymoon, lap-of-luxury Mauritius – head to Veranda Tamarin’s sister hotel, the Veranda Paul et Virginie, in the north of the island.
An upscale hideaway in the fishing village of Grand Gaube, it’s nestled in tropical gardens and all rooms overlook the sea.
There’s a beautiful spa, complimentary rum tastings, cooking lessons and a catamaran cruise out to tiny islands.
Try the a la carte restaurant perched on a sandy pier and impress your travelling companion with a selection of “romantic moments” experiences like a tandem bike ride, sunset sailing or a beach dinner under the stars.
It was here that I finally discovered what an infinity pool is and why people love them so much. Floating around in warm, clear water, feeling like you’re about to swim off into the sunset is full-on fairytale bliss.
Book the holiday
STAY THERE
Rooms at the Veranda Tamarin hotel in Tamarin Bay, Mauritius, start at £115 a night on room-only.
Rooms at the adults-only Veranda Paul et Virginie Hotel and Spa in Grand Gaube, Mauritius, start at £150 a night on room-only.
GET THERE
Air Mauritius flies from Heathrow to Mauritius starting from £567 return.
MORE INFO
You can find out about the island on mymauritius.travel.