So, recap. We spent 2.5 weeks in Mauritius, first staying inland at Lakaz Chamarel, and then to the coast to stay at the beautiful Heritage Le Telfair.

While we spent a ton of time at our hotels sunbathing, paddling in the pool or in the sea, and generally enjoying the hotel amenities, it was also very important to us that we explored the country of Mauritius too.

This post covers most of the excursions we took, to give you some ideas of the magical things you can experience in Mauritius!

Helicopter tour

This was the most costly excursion, but also the one that left the biggest lasting impression on me, despite its short length.

The helicopter ride itself was about 20 minutes long, although that doesn’t include getting in/settled and out. We paid approximately £200 per person for this private excursion, and it was arranged solely through Trailfinders.

The excursion handily was able to pick us up and drop us back off to our hotel, Heritage Le Telfair, so all we had to do was wander to the appointed field and wait for the helicopter to appear!

Once we were safely in, had our headphones so we could hear each other and the pilot, and had done the safety briefing, the pilot took off into the sparkling blue sky! (We had, earlier that morning, breathed a sigh of relief that the weather promised to be a gorgeous cloudless day!)

Although 20 minutes seems short (and believe me, we would have loved to have been in the air for longer), it felt like we got to see a ton of Mauritius from the air. Our pilot gave us a good mixture of flying over inland Mauritius, hitting beautiful spots like the Chamarel waterfall, as well as flying over the beaches so we could find our hotel, and most breathtakingly, flying out to see so we could admire the beautiful views of the ocean.

To document the ride, I took my Nikon DSLR, as well as my iPhone. I spent a lot of the ride snapping away to document the stunning views, but if I could go back and do it again, I would probably try to give myself more time just in the moment enjoying the ride, being the air, and marvelling at the sights in real time!

If you have some cash to splash, I would highly recommend taking this tour. Despite its short length, you really do get good bang for your buck!

Dolphin spotting

Dolphin spotting sounds like it will be something you want to do on paper. And don’t get me wrong, I did find it cool to be up close and personal with incredible creatures like dolphins – something I’ve never experienced before.

And you can get very close! Look at these gorgeous dolphins!

However, I did have some reservations about this excursion. Namely:

You don’t think about it, but your boat will not be the only one out there. How it works is that the boats will all descend on a pod of dolphins they spot in the water, so you basically end up with a few dolphins frantically swimming through the maze of 5-10 boats full of people that are all gawking at them. This pic is a relatively low-key representation of what its like showing just one boat – but there were mostly 5-10 boats present with us out on the water tracking the dolphins. Firstly, this didn’t feel like a great experience for the dolphins, and secondly, the amount of boats, people, shouting really affected what I was picturing as a low-key excursion.

The other aspect to this excursion that I hadn’t really thought about before the day was that this wasn’t a private boat hire for just us. There would be multiple other people on the boat. When we got to the waiting point to embark on our boat, I got really nervous that a very loud, raucous group of girls sitting with us in the waiting area would be on our boat with us. (Luckily they weren’t!)

There was also a stop to an islet that was part of this excursion. How it was described, I was expecting a secluded slice of heaven where you could perhaps get a drink, sunbathe for a bit, before getting back on the boat. What it actually was, was a small strip of land that was exclusively used as a place for locals to sell knick-knacks to tourists. There were no facilities there like toilets or seating, just rows of stalls with wares. Nobody had actually brought much/any money with them on my boat because this was unexpected, so we spent a fairly unhappy 30 mins waiting for our boat to come back and let us on again.

Finally, the food. When we had booked, the catering sounded fairly luxurious. In reality, it was someone barbecuing some meat off the side of the boat (although delicious!) and a few drinks options. It certainly wasn’t the end of the world, but there was a mismatch of expectation.

However, there were plus points to this excursion as well! As I said, seeing dolphins in the wild for the first time was definitely special. Being ‘at sea’ was also fun and we saw some interesting bits of Mauritius that we wouldn’t have otherwise..

Overall, I probably wouldn’t recommend this excursion if you have already experienced dolphins in the wild. If you’re really wanted to do it, budget-dependent, I would suggest looking for more private and customisable ways to do it.

Ganga Talao

Ganga Talao, or Grand Bassin, is a lake in the middle of Mauritius, considered the most sacred Hindu spot in the country.

Aside from the lake itself, there are multiple statues and temples dotted around it, for Hindu worshippers. It’s completely open and free for visitors, and is certainly worth a visit to see the incredible temples and statues.

Because of all of the fruit offerings that are brought there, the area is also rampant with monkeys! We spent about 45 minutes just observing monkeys, and was a really amazing experience to be so close to wild monkeys who have very little fear of humans.

I would definitely recommend taking a break from the sun worshipping and visiting here when you’re in Mauritius! A truly beautiful and calming experience!

La Rhumerie de Chamarel

The Chamarel Rum Distillery was a stone’s throw from Lakaz Chamarel, and, as you’ve probably guessed, is where you can go and see how rum is made, as well as sample a delicious selection of Mauritian rums!

The grounds of the Rhumerie itself are very well-kept and include some beautiful gardens, and the distillery itself is interesting to tour – you get to see how they make rum at every stage of the process, and view the vast machinery that is needed to make the rum.

But, there’s no denying that the start attraction is the promise of being able to sample a selection of rums at the end of the tour. The Rhumerie sets up tables for its guests, and you’re taken on a flavour tour of around 9-10 rums. They are generous with the sample sizes, and they were happy for us to have second sips or gulps of the ones we really liked!

For rum lovers, this is a great excursion. If you’re not into rum or alcohol, avoid at all costs. It is literally all about the rum!

I would also say, don’t plan to spend too much time here. You could easily do it all in 60 – 90 minutes. Most of the time we spent there ended up being in the gift shop at the end deciding what rums to buy to bring home

Chamarel Geopark

The last excursion to spotlight was our time in the Chamarel Geopark, again handily located near Lakaz Chamarel.

The park consists of the Chamarel waterfall, the seven-coloured sands, and some elderly tortoises. and cost around £5 per person.

When you look up things to do in Mauritius, the seven-coloured sands often comes up as near the top of the list. I was expecting an extraordinary sandy vista and for my breath to be taken away.

While it is interesting that there are naturally forming different coloured sands, I do have to be real and say that it wasn’t that impressive. The plot is fairly small and you could almost think it looks like someone’s dumped a bunch of sand in the middle of a park

I probably spent approximately 3 minutes looking at the seven coloured sands, and then my attention wandered to the real stars of the geopark: the tortoises!

There were about 10-15 tortoises I could see in the enclosure, and having never been up close to a giant tortoise before, I was completely mesmerised. You could get fairly close to them and I had a lot of fun staring at them for a while

The other part to the Geopark is the Chamarel waterfall, which we had seen from above in the helicopter ride, but now got the opportunity to see at ground level.

There’s a little trail that takes you to a lookout point that is perfectly situated for photos, but be aware that there will be hundreds of other people jostling you for the exact same shot – so its not the kind of place you’ll necessarily be hanging out at for long.

Most of the activities in the Geopark are fairly short in length. We did the Geopark and the Rhumerie in a single morning, and that was absolutely fine.

And that sums up the main excursions we did in Mauritius! If you have any questions at all about any of these excursions, feel free to comment below and I’ll do my best to answer any questions you may have!

A big thank you to Athena at Trailfinders who helped us organise these excursions and ensured everything went smoothly!

After a few days in the jungle, it was finally time to get closer to the beach! We had a 2-week stay at our second hotel, the Heritage Le Telfair.

Personally, I couldn’t wait to get there. One of its biggest draws was that, aside from the promise of incredible comfort, luxury and service, it was situated right on the edge of the Indian Ocean, and I was incredibly excited about the prospect of waking up to the sound of the waves gently lapping at the shore. just moments from our bedroom.

Upon arrival

The Heritage Le Telfair has one of those entrances to a hotel that makes you literally take a sharp breath in.

Driving down a palm-tree lined driveway for what feels like ages, you finally get a glimpse of a breathtaking white structure at the end that, as you draw closer, you see is the absolutely beautiful hotel lobby.

Check-in was, as you could imagine, a very smooth process. We were directed to sit in plush seating, offered a deliciously fruity cocktail or soft drink, and a personal hotel representative came to talk us through our stay, give us all the right information, and walk us to our room.

Walking out of the lobby into the rest of the resort, the beauty of the Heritage Le Telfair hits you straight in the face! Check out the view you get on first entrance into the hotel! You get to have a clear line of sight all the way to the sea , which just makes you all the more excited for the stay you’re about to experience!

For us, after a few days seeing the sea on the horizon but not getting to be near it, this view was all the sweeter.

The white covered path is actually a bridge that crosses a slow-moving river that winds through the resort, and is a beautiful place to stop off, cocktail in hand, as you look over the stunning view.

Our Room

We booked a Junior Suite Beach Front for our stay at Le Telfair, which clocks in at about 81 metres squared, and includes a bedroom, bathroom, indoor AND outdoor shower, and an indoor sitting area.

And thats just the inside bits… If you’re staying on the ground floor, the sea-front suite also comes with a sizeable outdoor veranda with seating area and a large garden that leads directly onto the beach! Yep, the sand was mere steps away from the bed – absolute dream!

One thing I really did appreciate that was different from Lakaz Chamarel, perhaps because we were no longer in the jungly inner bits of Mauritius, was the reduction in animals and insects in our room.

Although, thats not to say you may not come across the occasional cheeky lizard…

The Resort

I cannot emphasise enough how beautiful the Heritage Le Telfair resort is, and how well-maintained and looked after it is. Everything was pristine, and showed a real care from the hotel in how everything was presented.

The grounds are pretty large – with many spacious rooms and suites mostly close to the beach and pool area. Then there are plentiful restaurants, bar and entertainment areas, a gym, spa and walks.

The resort also adjoins its sister hotel, the Heritage Awali, and the paths interconnect, so you’re able to freely wander around that resort as well. The Awali restaurant and bar areas are also available for your use, so it adds a lot more options onto the dining and entertainment available at the hotel.

Finally, there are a couple of other areas to the resort that are worth mentioning – one being the golf course (which is a primary draw for many of the guests who come for a golfing holiday). It won’t surprise you to know that we didn’t play any golf , however, we did eat a very good lunch in the restaurant at the golf club, which was also included in the package we were on.

The last piece to mention is the gorgeous Chateau, a 19th Century property on the hotel grounds that serves as a standalone restaurant and events space.

The Chateau is available for lunch or dinner, and its immediate gardens are also a beautiful place to walk around and explore.

The dining

There are an incredible 15 or so dining and bar options available, across both Heritage Le Telfair, and its adjoining property, the Awali.

Aside from enjoying the high quality of food available, it was really noticeable how having a multitude of different options available really elevated our experience at Le Telfair.

Your every culinary delight is taken care of – whether you fancy a steak, amazing sushi and sashimi, a good curry, or fresh Mauritian seafood dishes. The choice was definitely above expectations! Here is a small selection of some of the variety you can expect:

Room service was also included in the package. Whilst the menu was short, it had the no-fuss staples you’d expect, like sandwiches, chips, and salads.

Oh and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the alcohol situation. Including in our package was a plethora of premium spirits, wines and other beverages. That I of course drank responsibly

Finally, the other thing I loved was the man who would serve fresh coconuts next to the pool Top tip: get a fresh coconut!

The spa

On a rare cloudy day, we decided to make use of the spa facilities, which are set in a more secluded area of the resort, and have their own enclosed grounds.

We had a couple of treatments, and also made use of their incredibly relaxing lounge area, that includes a small pool.

Definitely a good use of time if its not super sunny for a few hours (which did happen a couple of times on the trip), but be aware that the spa treatments cost extra. Prices were on the relatively costly side, in line what I would expect a hotel of this calibre to charge.

The pool

Real talk – we didn’t actually use the pool that much, because the sea was so perfect. But, for those who really like a pool, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

It’s a good sized pool, with cabanas and loungers lining the edges. The pool is also situated right next to the beach, so you can use both interchangeably pretty easily.

There’s also a bar and kitchen right there so not only do you get the heavenly smells wafting over the pool, but its super easy to get a drink or pool snacks.

The sea + beach

I couldn’t wait to get the beach and to the sea, after a few days in Lakaz Chamarel. I had heard the best things about the Indian Ocean – the golden sands, how clear the water would be, the warm sea temperatures, as well as how it would be teeming with marine life, being situated near the coral.

It really didn’t disappoint – on every level. Here are a selection of photos of the beach at Le Telfair, most of them being taken mere seconds from our room:

Thinking of booking? Here’s what you need to know

We had an unbelievable stay at Heritage Le Telfair. We really didn’t want to leave, even though we were there for around 2 weeks!

In case you’re thinking of booking, I wanted to round up the main plus points and areas for improvement that I felt after my stay:

Expect on point service, and impeccable surroundings

You’ll not want for anything while you’re here, and you’ll be very well taken care of by every single member of staff. Go for ultimate relaxation in the most gorgeous surroundings.

Ground floor, sea-view suite was the one!

There are plentiful options for rooms and suites, but we really did feel like we had hit the jackpot with our ground floor, sea-view suite. The huge private outdoor area that led directly to the beach was a serious win. Highly recommend.

Think about the extras!

If you’re so inclined, budget for some so-worth-it extras – like indulging at the spa, water sports (there’s a plethora offered from the hotel – we did a glass bottom boat ride and snorkelling by the reef) – and the big ticket item, taking a helicopter ride around Mauritius from the hotel grounds (more on this here!)

Visit all the restaurant options!

There are so many restaurants to choose from – my top tip is to book a few in advance and then leave later nights free for you to be able to revisit your favourites! Get the Gourmet Bliss package where you can eat at the Awali restaurants too, which will add a fantastic extra selection of dining options to the repertoire!

Make sure to explore all of the hotel grounds

The grounds really are expansive, but it can be very tempting to just stick to the short radius between your room, the beach and the pool.

However, if you do want to venture further afield, you won’t be disappointed. For example, Le Chateau is a short golf buggy ride away but so worth it!

Finally, if you have any questions at all about Heritage Le Telfair, feel free to comment below and I’ll do my best to answer any questions you may have!

The next post in the Mauritius series explores the various excursions we did through our time in Mauritius! Read on!

Lakaz Chamarel was our first hotel stop in Mauritius and we stayed for three nights.

Going there straight from the airport was an experience in amping up our excitement to be in Mauritius.

We had had a long flight, and were exhausted, but this didn’t stop us marvelling at how we seemed to be penetrating deeper and deeper into the Mauritian jungle with every twist and turn our taxi made on its path to Lakaz.

Finally arriving was actually a magical moment. I had been looking forward so much to getting there that, as we drove down the sweeping entrance to the hotel, through the greenery and hooting animal sounds, I actually felt a bit emotional!

Upon arrival

On getting there, we were welcomed by the person who would check us in. We were offered a deliciously refreshing iced tea, sorted out our paperwork, and then got whisked to our room, in one of the many golf carts the hotel has on hand to transport you around.

Our Room

We were lucky enough to secure Piton Canot, the exclusive suite that sits at the highest peak of the hotel, and has the most breathtaking views across Mauritius out to sea.

The best bit of this suite was its exclusivity and privacy. To get there, the golf cart takes you on a 10-minute drive past all of the other rooms and suites situated at various points up the mountain.

When you finally arrive at the top, you’re greeted with your own staircase to take you up even further into seclusion (don’t worry, they deposit your suitcases for you so you can just stroll up!)

Because its at the highest peak, nobody can just “walk” past it, so you really did feel like you were in your own little bubble.

So, let’s talk about the suite itself! Piton Canot is not just a normal room – it’s a secluded chalet that boasts a large bedroom, spacious bathroom, ample seating space, storage room, and, my favourite thing, an outdoor shower!

One of my favourite moments on holiday was showering under the canopy of Mauritian trees hearing the birds making all kinds of noises, and feeling really close to nature.

The private outdoor space was the real deal-cincher though. The suite comes with its own private pool (unfortunately unheated), sun loungers and two different outdoor seating areas.

It was a pleasure to be able to sunbathe all day in complete tranquility and peace, knowing you couldn’t be disturbed, and looking out at the most beautiful views .

We also utilised the outdoor areas for relaxation. In the evenings after dinner, we would play cards or read outside in the balmy temperatures.

Another great memory was that one night, we watched Game of Thrones outside – as it was in its very last season and we wanted to avoid spoilers . That is a night of TV-watching I will never forget!

The final thing to say about this suite, was that included in the room rate were evening snacks (like mini pre-dinner canapes), and fresh fruit delivered to the room.

The Resort

The hotel grounds were absolutely beautiful and very calming. You really feel like you’re in the middle of some forest retreat.

There was a very relaxed and quiet ambience everywhere, almost as though the entire hotel was a big spa. This was fantastic if, like us, you are looking for some rest and relaxation. But it probably is not your vibe if you’re looking for a hotel that has more of a lively atmosphere.

The hotel amenities were spread out across the grounds, and were all fashioned in much the same way – wooden structures with traditional Mauritian craftsmanship.

Everything felt like it had been there for a long time, but not too say that it was shabby, more that the structures felt blended into the natural environment really well, and well-weathered.

Some specific things to call out on hotel amenities:

The gym

So the facilities were small but had the basics inside. The killer thing about the gym was the view that you had as you were working out… absolutely incredible:

The spa

I love a spa and was looking forward to getting a massage at Lakaz, especially because the whole vibe is so spa-like.

The one thing I will say is that the spa was so well hidden, we almost missed our massage appointments The trees and foliage mask the buildings so well, and the spa is in its own little enclave inside the ground, so our top tip is get somebody to walk you to it the first time!

The communal pool

If a pool is super important to you, I would suggest trying to get a room with a pool. The communal pool felt a bit on the small side to me (but we didn’t try it), and I think it was also unheated.

FWIW, this pool was empty every time we saw it despite the hotel being full.

The dining

As big foodies, the dining options are super important to us. And first off, I definitely have to stress that everything we ate at Lakaz Chamarel was delicious! There is one restaurant area which covers where you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, although they do open up/shut off various bits of it depending on the meal to try to provide a different ambience.

There is also a bar area where you can relax for a drink pre or post dinner, however, it was very empty everytime we went past and I don’t think we ever used it.

A note on the food package options:

Booking through Trailfinders, we had paid extra to upgrade from half-board to full board. We were under the impression that this meant we would have a good selection of food at every meal.

However, we were disappointed to find out that full-board at Lakaz Chamarel wasn’t exactly what we were expecting. For lunch, there would be two main meal choices (one vegetarian and one meat/fish), and at dinner there was a couple of meat/fish choices and one vegetarian.

This wasn’t ideal, as it meant for example, one day for lunch, the main options were Spaghetti Bolognaise or a vegetarian salad.

What made this worse is that there was a plentiful menu available, just at an extra charge. And considering we’d already paid extra to upgrade to fullboard, we weren’t particularly happy at this unplanned-for cost.

So, biggest tip is, if you’re looking to book, to confirm exactly what the full board offer is providing you to make sure its what you’re expecting.

Thinking of booking? Here’s what you need to know

We had a great three nights stay at Lakaz Chamarel. It was a great first, shorter stay before we moved to our longer hotel at the beach.

In case you’re thinking of booking, I wanted to round up the main plus points and areas for improvement that I felt after my stay:

Be prepared for animals and insects!

Being more in the jungle environment, Lakaz Chamarel does get more than its fair share of living things hanging around.

Whether its the constant presence of lizard type things on the ceilings or floors, wasps flying around, or the perennial presence of mosquitos – you’re pretty much guaranteed to be coming into daily contact with other living things.

Make sure you get your shots, take insect spray and if you’re really squeamish, stick to resorts by the beach where I felt there were less animals or insects.

As a plus point, you do get to feel like you’re really surrounded by nature. It was adorable to have, at every meal, various beautiful birds flying onto your table and gathering up your crumbs. We did a ton of birdwatching as we ate.

Pools are unheated, and actually pretty cold!

I might just be allergic to the cold, but I found the pool water to be way too cold, even after waiting till the sun had been heating the water up for a while.

As a result, I didn’t actually utilise the pool at all really, and just sunbathed instead.

So, if like me, you hate being in cold water, be mindful that the pools at Lakaz are unheated.

The atmosphere is on the… quiet side

Maybe it was just when we were there, but we did find the calm atmostphere at times, a little too calm. It was actually really great during the day, when you felt like you were in a spa, but at night, we were definitely on the look-out for something to amp up the liveliness.

We ended up retreating to our suite to be a bit louder in the evenings, as the bar area or even the restaurants just ended up being a bit too quiet and staid for our liking.

Food packages are kind of odd

As already noted above, I found the conception of full-board at Lakaz Chamarel confusing, and would definitely recommend you looking into that properly if you choose that option.

Stunning, private views from the top, not sure about elsewhere

Whilst our suite, being at the top, had fantastic views and real privacy, I can’t talk to the vista or privacy that other suites or rooms had.

If you’re looking for unparalleled views towards the sea as well as exclusivity and privacy, Piton Canot is the one for you!

Great base for exploring – very near lots of things!

Lakaz Chamarel was well situated to explore a number of attractions that were close by. So, if you’re looking for a good base inland to explore the non-coastal areas of Mauritius, I highly recommend Lakaz!

If you’d like to find out more about the excursions we took, read this post!

Finally, if you have any questions at all about Lakaz Chamarel, feel free to comment below and I’ll do my best to answer any questions you may have!

The next post in the Mauritius series takes you out to the coast of Mauritius, onto our next hotel stay at the gorgeous Hotel Le Telfair – a completely different vibe! Read on!

Mauritius is an island jewel nestled in the Indian Ocean, around 1000 miles off the coast of Africa, and a hugely popular tourist destination for those in search of pristine beaches mixed with the allure of the jungle.

I have wanted to visit Mauritius for the longest time, and I was so excited to finally get to go! We visited in May 2019, at a time of year where the sun and rain balance would be in our favour. We had plenty of hot days, and some days where it would be overcast with a little rain, but never for long.

We split our holiday into two parts: the first to celebrate the wild, untamed forests of green that make up the heart of Mauritius, and the second to luxuriate in the coastal fringes, staying on the beach.

This post will take you all the way through our Mauritian adventure! It is split into 3 parts:

• Our stay at Lakaz Chamarel in the heart of the Mauritian forest
• Our stay at Heritage Le Telfair on the beautiful Mauritian beach
• Excursions! Our travels around Mauritius

Thank you Mauritius

I had the best time in Mauritius, and whilst a huge part of that was down to the picture-perfect views, the just-right beaches, and the tasty food, the biggest thing that made a difference was the people. Every single person we met was incredibly helpful, kind and generous with their time.

We knew we were in for a treat when even in our taxi ride from the airport, our cab driver went out of his way to take us for some impromptu fruit picking, because they were in season!

The biggest thank you to the people of Mauritius for the best memories and experience. Cannot wait to return! A massive thank you as well to Athena at Trailfinders who helped us arrange this holiday!

Hope you enjoy reading about our Mauritian adventures. Any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments.

The next post in this series takes you into the Mauritian jungle and our stay at the gorgeous Lakaz Chamarel. Read on!