Island Life in Mauritius
Mauritius is an exotic paradise in the Indian Ocean, off of the southeast coast of Africa. It is part of the Mascarene Islands and is about 560 miles east of Madagascar. Some people claim that Mauritius inspired the ideal of heaven. The island looks like it is covered by a bright green blanket with mountains tops piercing the green mantle. This beautiful place is circled by many coral islets, white-sand beaches and clear, bright blue lagoons.
This island sanctuary has been known since the 10th century and was officially put on the map when discovered by the Portuguese sailor, Pedro Mascarenhas. There are old sugar mills and plantations still scattered about the island today, remnants of colonial rule by the British, Dutch, and French. Mauritius is now a republic and is made more interesting by the many cultures that have made the Islands home, including Chinese, Hindu, Creole and European.
Staying in Mauritius
Travelers looking for a private out-of-the-way place to stay on Mauritius can do no better than book a luxury holiday at the Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita. Anahita is a private wilderness sanctuary on 4 miles of unbroken shoreline of the island. The Resort is nestled in a perfect place – a large lagoon that is protected by barriers of coral reefs.
This amazing location affords the Four Seasons Mauritius unbeatable views of both the turquoise blue water and the lush green mountains. The private beaches are great family fun and golfers will enjoy the oceanfront finish of the hotel’s golf course.
The Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita ha
s 123 roomy one-bedroom villas and residence-style villas that were designed to blend with the resort’s beautiful natural surroundings.
Huge doors and windows bring the outdoors right inside to you and there are views in each direction, from the lagoon to the Bambou Mountains.
The décor of each room fits right in with the outdoor ambience with the use of natural woods, volcanic stones and other materials that brings the island into every room. The architecture includes thatched roofs. The resort is spacious, airy and has modern artwork throughout. Each room features a private terrace, a private plunge pool, an open-air bathroom and soaking tub, as well as an exotic garden shower.
The Mangrove Pool Villas, Garden Pool Villas and larger residence villas are located on the mainland while the Presidential Suite and the Lagoon Pool Villas are situated on the 11-acre island of Ile aux Chats.
Amenities of the hotel outside of the luxurious rooms include the aforementioned Golf Club, designed by Ernie Els. This is a par-4 72 whole championship course. There are six oceanfront holes. The course has the mountains as a magnificent backdrop and is bordered by the waters of the lagoon. There is a driving range and personal golf lessons are available.
On the private island there is also an infinity swimming pool that faces the picturesque lagoon. This type of pool allows swimmers to have a incredible view which makes the pool look like it continues into the blue waters of the lagoon.
The resort has a state-of-the-art fitness center set in the midst of beautiful tropical gardens. The gym offers an aerobics studio, spinning bikes, and Technogym equipment.
Things to do on the Island
The Four Seasons is a great starting point for exploring the island of Mauritius. Everything you might want to see is an hour or less away. Some examples include:
1. A thirty minute boat ride from the Four Seasons gets you to Ile aux Aigrettes, a tropical island on which you can see some endangered species like the pink pigeon and the Aldabran giant tortoise.
2. One hour away by car is the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, the oldest in the southern hemisphere.
3. Just 20 minutes away is the Domaine de L’Etoile, 14,800 acres of mountains that are the best preserved area of Mauritius. The views of the valleys are breathtakingly beautiful.
Come and see this island paradise for yourself – there is nowhere quite like it on earth.