Driving down to hole 13 is a bit of a WOW moment , with its elevated staggered tees , dropping down to the green ranging between 104 and 197 yards . Pretty in its appearance , evil in its play , this handicap16 hole caught us both unawares . One not to be taken too lightly as we walked away with one stableford point - between us !
Visiting the capital of Mauritius , Port Louis is a must . Tall ( but no skyscrapers ) utilitarian buildings dominate and line the wide streets as busy people mull around going about their business . Lunchtime comes alive with throngs of people milling around the streets to visit the market or grab some lunch to take to the small parks adorned with monuments . Port Louis is a great mix of the old and the new . Our interest was the markets , with their stalls packed to bursting with pineapples , dragon fruit , lychee , aubergines , green veg , tomatoes and the odd noodle bar to form riots of colour . Herbs arranged in artistic patterns as well as being sold in small bundles of mixed fresh herbs for particular dishes . Noisy and exhilarating as you wander from the fruit and vegetables to the pungent meat , fish and poultry markets .
For a calmer , more relaxing day , walk among the various gardens at Sir Seewoosaga Ramgoolam with its 500 species of plants . Ponds filled with giant water lilies bring out the inner child in me as I wanted to step from one to the other as if stepping stones .
Paradis
Mont Choisy
With so many choices on offer for hotels in Mauritius , we were delighted to stay at Long Beach . Part of the Sun Life chain and under the same management as Ile aux Cerfs golf course , it made sense to stay at this family friendly beach side hotel on the East side the island . The up market Haku Japanese restaurant was as special as any top restaurant in London , with its beautiful presented tingling food . Le Marché was the main restaurant which catered for everyone in buffet style , like most good hotels . An adults only infinity pool offset the beach beyond with more family friendly pools on offer too . A relaxing spa facility followed by the entertaining mixologist , Jack , who loves to mix up drinks and flavors to produce tastes smashed together . Tastes that simply work ! With Ile aux Cerfs golf course being a mesmerizing short boat ride away , Long Beach is a good location for golfers and non golfers alike .
Ile aux Cerfs golf - a timetabled small covered boat starts your journey to this uniquely located 87 hectare island idyl . Meaning Deer Island , the island seems to be dominated by the Bernhard Langer designed golf course . Adopting the no chemical approach this tropical course is one not to be missed - although I can ’ t quite decide if it is technically difficult or just a bit silly in its design - but it does tick the quirky box easily . The long , par 5 , 6th , ranges from 490 to 601 meters . A slight dog leg right around a huge bunker on the inside of the hole brings its own challenges in . At handicap 6 its not one to sniff at ! This is a course built and designed by an illusionist . It plays with your senses ; the eyes are drawn by the narrowing and planting , the smell of the sea allows you to drift into tropical island mode . The fairways don ’ t always respond as you ’ d expect but the soft gritty bunker sand pops the ball out with the gentlest of touches . It is definitely a course one needs to play more than once . Whereupon the lost ball count will hopefully be reduced each time ! It is a course that divides opinion .
Up in the hills we have Avalon Golf estate . Another Peter Matkovich design which brings his trademark tee box system as the course climbs and falls with the lie of the land . Being 500 meters above sea level , the wind
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