MAURITIUS
/The volcanic island of Mauritius, anchored off the south east coast of Africa amidst the cerulean waters of the Indian Ocean, packs a big punch when it comes to spectacular beaches, luxurious hotels and underwater adventure.
The east coast is pure white sand bliss, with spectacular sunrises and trade winds that are ideal for parasailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing. On the northern coast the sugary sands of Trou aux Biches melt into turquoise seas, and thanks to an unbroken coral reef the diving here is superb, with a kaleidoscope of butterfly and lion fish gliding through crystal clear waters. The golden sand beaches and the shallow waters of the west coast make it popular with families, and lighter winds and the spectacular sunsets draw couples and honeymooners too.
DINAROBIN BEACHCOMBER GOLF RESORT & SPA, MAURITIUS
Dinarobin’s setting on Le Morne Peninsula is absolutely stunning, with an electric blue lagoon and picturesque sandy shore spread out below a towering basalt outcrop. We always receive wonderful feedback from families who love the spacious and comfortable Family Suites. Or for larger families, the four bedroom villas are fantastic, with a private pool, outdoor bar and BBQ area, and private valet service. Indulging in delicious fresh cuisine is a highlight at Dinarobin - La Plage is a casual feet-in-the-sand beach restaurant specialising in seafood, where you can while away the day gazing out to sea. There’s also a diverse list of activities to enjoy including boat trips and golf, with access to all the facilities at sister hotel Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa next door.
7 nights from £1,519 per adult and £585 per child based on a family sharing a Junior Suite including breakfast. OFFER: Save up to 30% between now - 31 Oct 2017.
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MAURITIUS TENNIS COACHING WEEK WITH ANDREW CASTLE
This September our sister company, The Private Travel Company, is hosting a fabulous week of professional tennis coaching in Mauritius with Andrew Castle. We caught up with the former GB No.1, now BBC tennis commentator, to find out a bit more about his holiday habits and tennis career…
What is your favourite country to visit? – “I have no one favourite country, I just love getting away sometimes. The sun is vital and my wife Sophia and I try to find it between October and April. The Caribbean works beautifully at that time.”
What is your best holiday memory & why? – “Kefalonia was special 5 years ago because we were all together. Times like this are rare because the children are not children anymore, Georgina is 24 and Claudia 22 and they both have full time jobs. We have travelled a lot together as a family, but Sophia and I look back at a great holiday before the children came along at BodyHoliday in St Lucia as special - newly marrieds you see! We still have friends from that trip.”
Who in your family plans and books your holidays? – “Sophia is a diligent and committed holiday booker. Bits of paper and phone numbers scribbled everywhere. She likes to talk to people who give good information rather than just sell a holiday. It helps if the person
has actually been there.”
Lie on a sunbed with a good book or get active/play golf/go sailing/
play tennis etc? – “I am active on holiday, so is Sophia. I used to do everything in the fi rst 4 days then collapse, now I am calmer. We love sailing, Sophia is a good water skier and will always play tennis, it’s a nice way to meet people. We like a gym too. Sophia will devour books but I can’t be bothered, I read all the newspapers every day because of my presenting job at LBC and I try to get away from the written word and rediscover my brain.”
Best travel gadget/accessory/piece of kit you’ve owned? – “My noise cancelling headphones, they are right up there with water in the essentials list. There is so much noise in the world and airplanes are a very noisy place!”
How did you get into tennis? Was there one person/thing that inspired you? – “Because of my older brother, David. He was and is an excellent sportsman, so whenever he needed a backboard, wicket keeper or goalkeeper I was there. Being 7 years older than me I had to learn fast. We played tennis at Taunton Green and I fell head over heels in love with the game on Day 1. My 1st lesson was with Major Sam Brancker - David gave me the last 10 minutes of his lesson. Sam was a huge character, he became Millfi eld School, Somerset and Regional coach as well as Chairman of the Professional Tennis Coaches Association and would go on to be one of the most influential men in my life.”
What was the best match of your pro Tennis career? – “Really impossible to say, but at the US Clay court Championships I beat Guillermo Perez Roldan of Argentina. He had risen into the top 20 by winning a few big events in Europe and I was expected to get crushed. I won in 2 sets and Andre Agassi came up to me in the locker room and asked me how I’d done it. Cool!”
What was your favourite venue? – “It was and remains Wimbledon. especially when the planes from La Guardia took off right over the stadium. I played Boris Becker in a 4 setter there on Saturday night once, I had set points to go into a 5th set but he got lucky! I stayed up late that night and hit the city hard!.”
