I went to the Jurassic Park-like tropical island that has direct British Airways flights & new £20million hotel upgrade
JURASSIC Park is real. It has come to life on a tiny island in the Indian Ocean.
And you can get direct British Airways flights there from Gatwick.
We could hear the undergrowth creaking as the prehistoric creature steadily lumbered towards us. Its flinty eyes glinted in the tropical sunlight as it craned its long leathery neck into view.
Thankfully, unlike the stars of Steven Spielberg’s ’90s epic, this 120-year-old reptile is a vegetarian.
It’s a giant tortoise named Big Daddy, who has found a new home on the magical Ile aux Aigrettes nature reserve just off the coast of Mauritius.
The outcrop of coralline limestone is only half a mile from the mainland but the five-minute boat ride takes you centuries back in time.
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It’s the world’s only remaining area of Mauritian Dry Coastal Forest, and it overlooks the very spot where Dutch sailors first landed at Grand Port in the 16th century.
Less than a hundred years later the Dodo would be wiped out. But thanks to the efforts of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, other rare native species and fauna are being saved from the same oblivion.
While the Mauritian giant tortoise has long gone, its 200kg Seychelles cousin Big Daddy is leading the comeback. And who knew you could stroke a tortoise?
The tank-like shell is in fact one of the most sensitive parts of its body. They respond to the lightest of touches like a purring cat in slow motion.
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Having marvelled at the pink pigeons (yes, really), ebony forest and darting geckos, we headed back to shore for lunch at Ferney Falaise Rouge Restaurant.
The canon-lined cliffside restaurant overlooks the ocean across Grand Port Bay and boasts local classics made with a modern twist. Highlights include the Creole-style grilled king prawns with lemongrass and kaffir lime, and roasted Lion Mountain wild boar with mashed taro — a starchy root vegetable commonly found in this region.
We washed our dishes down with the house passion fruit cocktail before heading home to the Hilton Mauritius Resort in Flic-en-Flac.
The hotel underwent a £20million refurbishment last year, a total overhaul that involved 400 men working round the clock for six months.
The transformed venue now boasts refreshed rooms, new suites and state-of-the-art facilities.
There are four restaurants, poolside beach bars, a fully equipped gym and luxury spa.
But the picture-postcard sands of Flic-en-Flac are the Hilton’s star attraction. They are shielded by a natural coral reef a few hundred yards from shore.
This means the crystal-clear shallow waters are safely sheltered from crashing waves and currents, making it perfect for younger kids and for snorkelling.
It’s free to use any of the ocean-going equipment you need on site, and we spent days on a slide-topped pedalo among the fish and corals.
We only suffered one near-Titanic moment, thanks to me mistaking my port for starboard and becoming snared on a buoy, but we were soon rescued.
After a day sipping cold beers and cocktails while the children flit between the pool and the beach, a unique Hilton ceremony formally welcomes evening service. Staff gather on the beach bearing torches to the stirring sounds of Karl Jenkins’ Adiemus, before lighting symbolic flames across the resort.
La Pomme d’Amour Restaurant is its beating heart, offering a themed nightly buffet, included in our half board stay, which can beat any appetite.
Cocktails in a coconut
Kesari Restaurant features traditional Indian classics, while the Ginger Thai serves up a culinary tour of the Far East.
Coquillages restaurant and bar, sitting on the sand between the pool and beach, is perfect for sunrise and the evening fire shows.
The sunset bar does exactly what it says on the tin, with spectacular views accompanied by live music.
And the Hibiscus Bar sits next to the resort’s infinity pool, which is adults-only to keep the kids out of your romantic selfies.
We were lucky enough to have two rooms adjoining a suite right by the beach.
A platter of fresh fruit arrived every morning and even a wonderful cake for my daughter’s birthday.
The surfers paradise of Tamarin Bay is a short walk south along the shore. It is also famed for its dolphins, so we booked a boat ride.
After marvelling as the pods teased the snorkelling tourists we headed down the coast to Île aux Bénitiers island.
It is uninhabited with no electricity or running water, but comes alive in the afternoon as travellers descend for a picnic after seeing the famous Crystal Rock coral formation. A beachside marketplace throngs with bbqs and knick-knack stalls while superb floating beach bars bob up and down the waves on surfboards.
If that didn’t provide enough of a paradise setting, you can even grab fresh cocktails in a coconut, which is shelled before your eyes.
Those who prefer an active getaway can spend a day hiking and swimming the seven waterfalls at Tamarin’s upper gorge, where fish nibble your toes and monkeys steal your lunch.
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From the mountains to the beaches, it is a ten-million-year-old paradise on volcanic rock.
And the wonderful Hilton staff gave us a true Hollywood send off — waving us goodbye to their favourite Adiemus soundtrack.
GO: MAURITIUS
GETTING/STAYING THERE: Seven nights’ B&B at the 5H Hilton Mauritius Resort and Spa is from £1,739pp, including flights from Gatwick on selected dates in June as well as one checked bag at 23kg per person.
See britishairways.com/mauritius or call 0344 493 0787.
Hilton Mauritius Resort can be booked from 308 Euros per night. See hilton.com.
OUT & ABOUT: Eco Tours of Îles aux Aigrettes start at £16.70 for adults and £8.50 for children. See mauritian-wildlife.org.
For more info see mauritiusnow.com/mtpa.