Mauritius with Tots in Tow, Indian Ocean Blog

May half-term saw Emily head to the tropical sands of Mauritius for a well-earned beach-break with her husband and daughters Evie (6) and Anna (3). There might have been just a little bit of hotel research thrown in for good measure! Emily tells us why Mauritius is the perfect destination for a young family looking for good value beach fun!

As our first long-haul trip with the girls, Mauritius ticked all the boxes. Travelling with young children it proved to be a great choice for so many reasons:

Overnight flights

Overnight flights made the long journey much more bearable; it meant keeping fairly in sync with the girls routines and actually they slept really well on-board whjen not enjoying the personal seat-back entertainment and endless supply of snacks and drinks! We flew BA who are in the process of upgrading their fleet. Emirates currently offer the most comfortable cabin experience, but you do have to transit via Dubai - although that could be a very fun add-on!

Minimal time-difference

The brilliant thing is that there was no jet-lag. Apart from feeling a little tired (us rather than the girls!) we all felt great when we arrived - helped by the super-smooth transfers in Family Club Minivan vehicles which were very comfortable and of a high standard with good child seats. It meant we were able to really enjoy our first full day - kicking things off with a dip in the rather fabulous pool at Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa of course! It was great that we lost none of our precious holiday days at the airport or travelling - the beauty of overnight flights! We would certainly consider Mauritius for a 7-night holiday because of this.

Lovely weather

We travelled at the beginning of the winter season but for us and especially for the children, the weather was ideal - high 20s, pleasant breeze and no humidity - look at the blue skies from our balcony at One&Only Le Saint Geran!

Family experts

The hotels on Mauritius are literally experts at catering for families; from childrens menus (even babies had their own menus at some hotels) to kids’ amenities. The super-cute slippers and dressing gowns at One&Only Le Saint Geran were a definite hit with the girls and us and they were quite partial to the lilos at Sugar Beach Golf Resort and Spa - as you can see below!). There were treats galore and we accumulated a plethora of goodies and crafty things to keep them entertained when not enjoying all the facilities, the pool or the kid's club.

Brilliant value for money in our summer months

We've had some great European family holidays but if I had to compare on value for money, Mauritius definitely (if rather surprisingly) comes out on top with all the fabulous inclusive activities. Complimentary water-sports meant we could try lots of new activities….even if just for 10-15 minutes throughout the day. Older children and sporty teens would absolutely love the choice on offer. Lux* Belle Mare for example offers complimentary wind-surfing, pedal-boats, kayaking, aqua-gym, mini-sails, snorkelling, glass–bottom boat rides and water-skiing!

Complimentary kids clubs

Need we say more! Even if you prefer to spend most of your time together, it's great to know they can enjoy a fun hour or two with caring, qualified staff whilst you head to the spa or perhaps try out a daring new activity. It's always nice to squeeze in at least one 'grown-ups' only meal too!

Beaches and pools that are perfect for younger children

The mainstay of any good family holiday is time spent by the pool and beach. Mauritius scores 10/10 for both and will be a hard act to follow! Most hotels have beautiful kid-friendly pools with plenty of shallow areas. Heated pools which we also found in most hotels meant we could enjoy extended pool time too. If you're travelling in June and July this is a particular consideration! As far as beaches go, leaving aside the alluring soft, white-sand, we loved the calm sea waters and pleasant sea temperatures - and there's plenty to see as well - did you know the island is surrounded by coral reef?

So, as far as we can see, the only downside to a family beach holiday in Mauritius is that you most definitely will not want to leave! Fortunately, there is next year....

Do speak to Emily if you'd like any information on Mauritius and/ or any of the hotels she visiited. She can be contacted on 0845 124 4455 or 07500 705310.