Somewhere only we know
Mauritius may be the size of a microchip on the global map, but what a wealth of treasures it holds. There are tassel-topped sugarcane fields to drive through, tropical micro-climates that guarantee balmy weather on the island, and rare flocks of endangered pink pigeons to be sighted. The island’s beaches, with their soft sand and translucent turquoise waves, are a standalone highlight – but to have one to yourself is even more of a rarity, given the country’s egalitarian coastal laws.
The moment you enter the driveway of Shangri-La’s Le Touessrok Resort & Spa towards their three Beach Villas (from €4,900/RM23,974 per night, depending on the season) however, Mauritius is yours – and yours alone – to explore. Each of the 423-square metre villas are secluded island sanctuaries in their own right, offering intimate views of Trou d’Eau Douce Bay and Ilot Bourgault, a quiet, tree-covered island nearby. Private beach access, an infinity pool framed by coconut trees, and three grand bedrooms – plus ensuite bathrooms that deserve their own postcode – grant you a vacation away from curious, watchful eyes.
Le Touessrok will hardly leave you adrift at sea, though. A 24-hour butler service, a personal chef who’ll source ingredients for your meals from the local market, and a villa manager capable of organising your arrival in a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter are at your disposal. Treatments by therapists from the resort’s CHI, The Spa, can be swiftly arranged; opt for a massage with tension-dissipating sugarcane batons beneath your villa’s outdoor pavilion. If you’re in the mood for more than the villa’s open bar, there’s even a champagne butler to drench you in Dom Pérignon, complete with matching canapés, at any hour.
Newly re-energised guests should tootle their way to the main resort area in their complimentary electric car, perhaps for a stellar Indian-Mauritian dinner at Safran or a potent sunset Negroni at Sega Bar. Above all, head for the boat dock (a stone’s throw away from the resort’s helipad) and take a brief speedboat ride to Ilot Mangénie – Le Touessrok’s exclusive private island. There, you’ll be spritzed with fragrant cooling mist and have your sunglasses polished clean, then led to a private cabana (MUR5,000/RM622) by your island butler.
A chilled bottle of rosé will be waiting for you, best accompanied by Mauritian specialties like crunchy palm hearts and smoked marlin salad or freshly opened sea urchins with a squeeze of lime. It may be that the only accompaniment you require is your other half, so you can marvel at the yellow weaver birds building their elaborate nests, and the Indian Ocean’s waves rolling gently off the surrounding coral reefs. Don’t say we didn’t warn you: to experience Le Touessrok’s island life really is the no-holds-barred paradise edition of Mauritius.
