Swing by Mauritius: This Indian Ocean island may be small, but it’s home to rainforests, giant tortoises and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world

The elderly couple in front of us is full of passion. I say ‘passion’, but to be precise, the old fellow tries to clumsily creep up on his lover, making for a slow and ineffective escape.

Well, it’s not easy to be left out when you’re almost 150 years old and crippled by bodies about the size of a hatchback.

This is a problem that Tizean and Rosette (or could it be Toto and Tifam?) should have solved somehow, with the wisdom they gained from being among the oldest inhabitants of Mauritius, as over the decades they apparently produced dozens of offspring. .

Located in the Chamarel Seven Colored Earth Geopark in the southern hills of Mauritius, my wife and I should be mesmerized by the seven shades of spectacular volcanic sand that rise and fall in dunes of mesmerizing iridescence.

A coconut seller in Blue Bay, one of the “beautiful” beaches of the South

Instead, we watch a pair of Aldabra giant tortoises, the second largest tortoise species in the world, run wild in the park. Clack, clack, clack.

This is the first outing of a ten-day journey that will take me and my love from the glorious surf beaches of the pristine southern tip to the new jewel in the crown of Mauritius’ luxury hotel scene in the north. This is an omnivore tour that gives you a little taste of everything this diverse country has to offer in its compact but incredibly diverse 790 square miles.

Our driver, transporting us along the way, is Yves, whose encyclopedic knowledge of Mauritian history is matched only by his penchant for macabre stories behind every black spot on the island. (“Here the river overflowed and a passing priest was washed away”; “Here a flood came one day into the cemetery and the streets were full of floating coffins”).

The Chamarel Seven Colored Earth Geopark (above), where spectacular volcanic sand “rises and falls in dunes of an enchanting iridescence”

Harry was impressed by all that Mauritius has to offer in its “compact but incredibly diverse 790 square miles”. Above is the island’s Le Morne Brabant peninsula

We start at Lakaz Chamarel, an independent eco-hotel owned by the former manager of a five-star beach resort. The result is a wonderfully casual yet stylish retreat with lots of little luxuries alongside the halo of green virtue, not least the fantastic food.

A true melting pot of cultures with no indigenous population, Mauritian culture and cuisine absorbs the best of the African, Indian, Chinese and European influences that have shaped its past and its taste buds.

We eat while watching flying dragons soar through the dusk sky (actually, flying dragons are what Mauritius is blessed or cursed with, depending on whether you are a naturalist or a farmer).

The next day we opt for a guided forest walk in the Black River Gorge with part-time dreadlock musician Steeve Larridain, who explains how each tree has its own purpose: the wild apple for medicinal magic; the pink pepper tree for its delicious spices, and the “wandering tree” whose sprawling palm leaves store water at its base for parched wanderers.

We sweat our way through the sultry subtropical morning to a viewpoint where the island stretches in valleys and peaks in an emerald, so dazzling to the distant sea it almost hurts the retina.

We were hoping to see a crane, but most of these can be found in Casela nature parks. Time for a quick dip in the river to cool off before returning to civilization.

And what civilization awaits us when we go to the beach resort of Shanti Maurice – spacious, authentic and full of character.

Food goats who would rather travel with our own G&T ingredients than lose a limb at minibar prices, we arrive with supermarket bags of tonic that promptly burst open at the feet of the driver’s welcome row.

The embarrassment is compounded when we are shown to our upgraded room – a spectacular villa with a private pool overlooking the sea, floating a tray with a bottle of chilled Bollinger. It’s like the set of a TV commercial that wins the lottery.

The Shanti Maurice Beach Resort pictured is “spacious, authentic and full of character”

“I bet we’re the only ones who stayed here and brought our own lemons,” moans my wife as the butler-designate shows us through our quarters.

However, it is not the Bolly that is the star of the Shanti drinks menu. For that, head to the Rum Shed, which stocks more than 250 spirits for which the island is justifiably famous – the perfect accompaniment to a plate of grilled jumbo prawns or the biggest, most exquisite burger I’ve ever eaten.

During a final post-meal nibble, we speak to Corina Matuka, the Shed’s resident singer, who has just returned from visiting her brother in Haywards Heath, West Sussex.

During a guided forest walk in Black River Gorge (above), Harry learns that each tree has its own purpose – for example, the pink pepper tree is known for its delicious spices

Cranes are mostly found in the island’s Casela National Parks (above), reveals Harry

I ask her what she missed most in her absence. “The sea,” she answered. “I missed it so much that one day I took the train to Brighton, but it was so cold. How can you swim in it? Now I say thank you every day that I can swim here again.”

We are also grateful for each daily dive into the warm Mauritian sea and the lush beauty that lies beneath the surface for snorkelers. The more sheltered beaches and reefs of the north were the big draws to our final destination, the newest and most luxurious of the Lux Group’s many Mauritian resorts, the Lux Grand Baie.

This architecturally stunning new building, with its traditional thatched roofs contrasting with the ultra-modern interiors designed by British design queen Kelly Hoppen, will divide opinion.

Skeptics might criticize this for a hotel rumored to be designed around Instagrammable set pieces — the rooftop pool’s “love swing” has already gained notoriety on social media. Others will enjoy the seven flavors of kombucha tea at the breakfast buffet; the Ibiza Lite music emanates from every postpoint; and rooms with these high-tech Japanese looboxes that spray water in unexpected places—as demonstrated by my wife’s eardrum-splitting scream.

It’s a place of grand design, where the color palette – stark black, white and scarlet – extends even to the spines of the novels that line the bedroom’s bookshelves.

“We wanted to create the atmosphere of a city hotel, but on the beach,” explains manager Ashish. It might seem as logical to some as a beach hotel in the middle of Soho, but to each his own.

The Lux Grand Baie features ‘ultra modern’ decor with a black, white and scarlet design palette by British design queen Kelly Hoppen

USA? At first we worry that Grand Baie might not be our cup of tea: more Love Island than actual love. But after three days of unabashed indulgence, which included a truly sensational massage at the massive modernist spa and a feast of Kobe beef flaming over flaming rice straw at the Japanese restaurant, it was hard to catch your breath .

And for those water sports addicts, the selection of equipment and the super friendly beach staff was a delight. Nowhere else have I come across a “pedalboard” – half paddleboard, half upright bike, and completely hilarious fun.

As we reluctantly head home, asking for feedback, I ask why, for all the fashionable opulence, there don’t seem to be any bins in the rooms (a personal abomination). “Kelly is very particular about the type of tank she is happy with,” explains Ashish. Apparently no one was found in time for launch day. I wonder if they only allow color matched litter when they get there.