Upon our arrival at the resort, which is hidden away between a mountain, forest and the sea, we had a brief induction into the local culture, language and lingo, and couldn’t wait to experience everything first hand.
The rich history
Our first stop was at the sacred lake of Grand Bassin. Nestled away in the mountains, large statues of the Hindu deities Lord Durga and Shiva welcome visitors to the colourful temple, where priests are constantly praying and sacrificing fruits and vegetables.
We then set off to the Rhumerie de Chamarel Distillery, for a tour and talk on how the plentiful sugar cane on the island makes its way there to be distilled into the famous bottles of rum. Even better, we got a taste of the powerful nectar, before sitting down for a superb lunch at the L’Alchimiste restaurant. The tour ended at the Chamarel Waterfall, where were saw the Seven Coloured Earths – a geological wonder of seven colours streaked across a small area of sand dunes.
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Club Med resort
The all-inclusive package means you don’t need to worry about carrying cash for meals and drinks. The resort’s two restaurants and tea-time snacks will ensure that you leave a few kilos heavier — not to mention the yummy beverages at the three bars. La Distillerie serves buffet-style dinners and a fusion of the island’s cuisine influenced by its diverse French, Indian, Chinese and Creole cultures. We enjoyed stews, mild curries, fabulous seafood and poultry, and sampled a variety of pickled condiments.
For the more active, a gym and various land and water sports are available.
Blue Safari Marine
The island is surrounded by a coral reef, and for those who want more than snorkelling, there’s no better way to see the aquatic ecosystem than in the sub scooter or submarine at Blue Safari Marine. The submarine is hands down the winner for once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to spot the most diverse ocean creatures.
The amazing food
For a food fundie like me, the most amazing part of the trip was experiencing a day in the heart and soul of Mauritius, the capital, Port Louis. You can feel the buzz as soon as you enter the Central Market. It is here where locals do their shopping for super-sized fruit and vegetables, straight from the island’s fertile soil.
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Walking can make you thirsty, so we were happy to enjoy freshly made tamarind and lemon juice (a health drink) and some coconut water. All that shopping also built up an appetite for some street food, and we were not disappointed. We indulged in the dalpuri, a flat bread similar to roti, served with ground yellow split peas or bean curry topped with some chilli pickle and chutney. And to wash it down, we had the island’s signature drink, Alouda — a sweet milk-based shake with tapioca balls avoured with vanilla syrup.
For dessert, we walked away with some of the beautifully-carved pineapple sprinkled with chilli spice. Some in our group bought gajak (similar to potato samoosas) for an afternoon snack.
Overall, the stay was nothing short of amazing and I would definitely go back to that piece of heaven.
To book your all–inclusive holiday package or to nd more specials, visit www.clubmed.co.za or call 086 025 8293 for an agent. You can also contact an agent at Club Med at 011 212-214 on the second floor, Design Quarter, Fourways.
