TOUCH DOWN // SUMMER 2020
loungers and a private plunge pool
came into focus. How could we fret
about lost passports in the lap of such
luxury?
The only worry we had for the next
seven days came from trying to figure
out how to balance our time between all
the activities and serious R&R that come
standard with a stay at a Beachcomber
resort and our matriarch’s itchy feet.
My mom has never been big on lolling
on a sunbed for the day; she likes to get
out and explore new places, usually by
getting into the car and putting foot with
neither map nor plan. My daughter, on
the other hand, was perfectly happy to
stay at the resort day and night – with
Freed from the worry
of costs and exchange
rates, we went all out:
lunch at L’Oasis, pancakes
at the pool and, our highlight,
the Thai discovery dining
experience at Blue Ginger
land and water sports, pools, ice cream,
pancakes, pizza, kids clubs and buddies
from all around the world, what kid
wouldn’t be? I was somewhere in the
middle: keen to explore Mauritius beyond
the resorts and beaches, but equally
happy to melt into the five-star spoils.
So we struck a compromise to balance
our time resorting and exploring, and,
sealing it with a triple Pinkie Promise, we
all promised not to whine about anyone
else’s choice of activity.
Less than two hours later, as my mom
and I searched for spices, haggled for
hand-embroidered table cloths and
sampled freshly squeezed lemon and
citronella juice at the Flaq Market, Noa
broke the sacred vow. As it turns out,
the Flaq Market – the biggest open-air
market on the island and far less touristy
than the markets found in Grand Baie
– pales in comparison to the kiddie
wonders of Trou aux Biches.
We eventually gave in to her whines
50 // MAKE MEMORIES FOR LIFE
PHOTO COURTESY FIVELEMENTS
Clockwise from above: Aerial view of Trou
aux Biches, where the ocean is never further
than a few steps away. From breakfast to
fine dining, Beachcomber has all the culinary
bases covered. The exquisite Le Banyan
Spar at Cannonier is literally whittled into
the boughs of an ancient banyan tree.
and headed back to the resort to take
advantage of the free water sports that
Beachcomber offers in all its packages:
glass-bottom boat trips, stand-up
paddling, snorkelling … grandma even
joined us for a pedalo boat ride. On an
all-inclusive package, freed from the
worry of costs and exchange rates, we
went all out: lunch at the ocean-front
L’Oasis, pancakes at the expansive pool
and, our culinary highlight, the Thai
discovery dining experience at Blue
Ginger – one of the resort’s six dining
choices. At night, bordered by wooden
walkways over water, Blue Ginger is
lit up with fairy lights and serves up
eight-course taster menus that even had
the smallest in our party declaring it to
be “the best meal ever!”
ADVENTURE ISLAND
Our next resort stop was the four-star
Cannonier Beachcomber Golf Resort &
Spa, a short drive from Trou aux Biches