We’re leaving the long, hot days of summer behind in Mauritius, and as we move towards Easter it’s one of the most pleasant times to visit the island. If you’re planning to spend your holidays in Mauritius this Easter with us this year, here’s a handful of ways to make the most of your trip…

1. Stay at a luxury hotel

Many hotels across the island offer special activities and menus at Easter time. This year, Angsana Balaclava Mauritius is hosting a special Easter-themed dinner buffet at Oryza Restaurant on the evening of Saturday 19April, followed by a one-of-a-kind feast for lunch on Easter Sunday itself (20^th April). Well known for its exquisite cuisine, guests can expect an exceptional culinary experience, and kids are in for a sweet treat too – with special events like the Golden Eggs Hunt taking place every Sunday throughout April.

Over at Constance Belle Mare Plage and Constance Le Prince Maurice, kids can expect just as much fun. Another Easter Egg Hunt, Easter eggs from the Easter bunny, a pancake party, chocolate truffles cooking session, Easter crafts workshop and an Easter banana trip will ensure your children have a truly memorable stay.

Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita are offering the ultimate treat for creative kids – Easter egg decorating at the Hobbit Village Kids’ Club on Friday 18April, using milk chocolate rice crispy eggs specially made by the hotel’s pastry chefs.

2. Visit a colonial house and garden in the Mauritian interior

Celebrate the Easter weekend by taking a trip to historic Eureka, La Maison Creole in Moka. The house, with its 109 doors and windows, is said to be one of the island’s largest, and has been converted into a museum which reflects the past of its aristocratic owners. On display are an abundance of treasures, from old chinaware and photographs to intricately carved ebony and mahogany furniture.

Easter is a great time to visit, as the beautiful gardens will be looking especially fine and lush. Original sugarcane fields have been replaced by English style gardens full of palms, mango trees, camellias and azaleas, with tracks leading through rare endemic plants towards four small waterfalls. And once you’ve worked up an appetite, you can settle down for lunch. The restaurant prides itself on a varied menu of Mauritian specialities, reflecting all the different cultures across the island.

3. Enjoy a family picnic on a beautiful offshore island

With hundreds of tiny islands and islets dotted around the coastline of Mauritius, it’s a breeze to stock up on picnic items and take a day trip – the only question is deciding which island to pick. If you have young children and don’t mind holiday crowds, try Ile aux Cerfs, with its shallow waters that stretch for more than 100 metres offshore. Or settle down on one of the casuarina-lined beaches of Ile aux Benitiers off the coast of la Gaulette on the south west coast – you may even spot a dolphin or two on the way there.

If snorkelling’s your thing, then Gabriel Island in the north is a great bet for a pre-picnic dip, or take a lazy post-lunch stroll along the white sands of Flat Island. If there’s a skip in your step, follow the trail up to the lighthouse on the island’s single hill – one of only two working lighthouses in Mauritius.

4. Hike up Piton du Canot mountain

Spend some of the Easter weekend seeking out Mauritius’s best views instead. The trail up to the summit of Piton du Canot mountain – a perfectly triangular peak in the island’s south west – can be traversed in around 45-60 minutes depending on your level of fitness, though there are no technical difficulties other than a couple of steep scrambles in places.

Once at the top, you’ll get some fantastic views over the Chamarel Valley and along the south west coast, including Ile aux Benitiers and the iridescent lagoon between Le Morne and Black River – the colours here really need to be seen to be believed.

5. Try your hand at water-skiing

Work off all those Easter eggs with some energetic and exhilarating exercise - there are few places as perfect as Mauritius to find your ski-legs. Several places around the island offer sessions for beginners, but the northern coast is generally considered the best as the lagoon is well protected from the bigger waves of the open ocean.

Photos: Four Seasons Anahita, Eureka House, Ile aux Cerfs, Chamarel. 

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