Family Traveler

94LOVIN’ THEOFF SEASONForabetter-valueluxurybreak,ANDREWDENTencouragesfamiliestodiscoverMauritiusinitslow-seasonmonthsofMaytoSeptemberPresentedwithachecklistofvariablesforasuccessfulfamilyholiday,youmightprioritiseyear-roundsun,safe,calmwater,stunningbeachesandlotsofnaturaladventures.Addinswimmingwithdolphins,walkingwithlionsandsomebraggingrightsbackhomeforpickingoutanexoticdestinationthattheneighbourshaven’tbeento,andyou’rewellaway!Withoutashadowofadoubt,Mauritiusshouldhaveaplacehighuponyourbucketlist.Thelongbutdirectflightdeliversyoujet-lag-freeintotheheartofanislandparadisethatallages,energylevelsandinterestgroupswilllove.Onarrival,headtoTurtleBay,Balaclava.Thisdelightfulenclaveonthenorth-westcoastoftheIndianOceanisland,asthenamesuggests,hassolidmarinecredentials.Aslongagoas 1998 ,itwasdeclaredthefirstnationalparkformarinelifeinMauritius–andtothisday,thatmeansthereisahealthymarineecosysteminthecrystalbluewatersjustofftheshore.Nestledbetweensugarcaneattherearandasandybeachatthefront,TheWestinTurtleBayisagreatplacetobasethefamilyforyourMauritianadventure.``````WestinisnotabrandweareoverlyfamiliarwithintheUK,butitispartoftheStarwoodGroupthatincludesbetter-knownmemberssuchasSheraton,WandStRegis.ThisparticularresorthasaBalinesefeeltoit,withlotsofwaterfeaturesandspaciouscommunalareas.Therearetwoenormouspoolsthatyoumighthavetroubleextractingyourkidsfrom.Butonceyoudo,thebeachisjust50maway.SurelynobodyshortofthegravelyillwouldwanttospendmuchtimeintheirroomwhileinMauritius,butwhenyoudoallfinallycollapse,exhaustedfromallthesunandactivities,youwillbemetbyloadsofspaceandwhatmustbeoneofthebestbedswe’veeverexperienced.TheHeavenlyBedsthatareafeatureoftheWestinbrandliveuptotheirname.Westinisallaboutwellbeing,workouts(youcanevengoforarunwiththegeneralmanagertwiceaweek)andrejuvenation,andnowtheyareincludingthekids,too,withthelaunchofthededicatedWestinFamilyprogramme.Fittingly,inanabundantlylushlocationlikeMauritius,theprogrammedrawsonnatureandlocalactivitiestoinspirethekids.Thereareallsortsofresorteffortsthatmaywashovertheyoungsters,likeuse``````oneofthewestin``````turtlebay’s``````twogiganticpools kids’yogaisnowontheactivitymenuhere