Mauritius has no shortage of beach resorts, but this one on the north-west coast has a knack for sending you home in better shape than you arrived. It sits at Balaclava on the gentle curve of Turtle Bay, a marine park where the reef does most of the entertaining, and wellbeing is the house speciality. Days begin with yoga on the sand as the sun comes up and end with something less virtuous from the cocktail list. In between come two pools, a clutch of restaurants and a spa to iron out whatever the flight did to you. Halos are optional. So is changing out of your swimming costume.
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Dinner is a nightly dilemma. One restaurant turns out sushi and live teppanyaki, another serves Indian classics in a tropical setting, and the beach grill does its work within sight of the waves. Breakfast happens under parasols or in the courtyard, with cooking stations that change their tune daily. The main pool looks straight out over the ocean, the spa handles massages, facials and body wraps, and after dark the bar slips into jazz and bossa nova. Resistance is pointless.
The rooms and suites each open onto a private balcony or terrace, so a morning coffee in the fresh air is a given wherever you land. Nineteen of them are family suites, pairing a king-size bed with a day bed that works for lounging by day and a smaller sleeper by night. For the full sea-and-sand effect, the Beachfront Suites are generously proportioned and look out to sea from terraces of their own.
The bay is a marine park, and you're positively encouraged to get out on it. Kayaks, pedal boats and windsurfers are all on the house, and a glass-bottom boat shows off the reef to anyone who would rather stay dry.
Skip the taxi to Pamplemousses Botanical Garden and join the guided cycle ride instead. You arrive having earned your wander among the greenery, and the pedal home makes that first cold drink taste a good deal better.
A complimentary kids' club running from 9am to 10pm tells you who this resort is built for. Families will be in clover. Couples after peace and quiet should head for the adults-only pool, the aptly named Whisper Zone.
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13 nights from $5.6K per person
11 nights from $5.4K per person
12 nights from $4K per person
11 nights from $4K per person
The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa can be booked with Timbuktu as part of a tailor-made Mauritius trip, rather than as a standalone room reservation. Start online, customising one of our recommended Mauritius trips featuring The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa or get advice and suggestions from one of our Mauritius specialists who will design the trip around your dates, check availability and handle every booking for you.
Stays at The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa start from around $190, or US$190, per person per night as part of a tailor-made trip. The exact price depends on your travel dates, room type and the shape of the rest of your itinerary. A Timbuktu travel specialist can give you an accurate quote for your dates.
The original beach paradise where water activities and land adventures are just as important as R&R.
