My wife and I got married in May and had always wanted to visit Africa, but the timing never seemed right.
We figured our wedding was the perfect excuse to splash out on an all-inclusive two-week stay in the northern part of Mauritius.
The non-stop flight from Gatwick Airport to Port Louis took nearly 12 hours, but it was more than worth it.
As soon as we arrived we made a compromise. We alternated our days between relaxing and adventure, which worked out perfectly because I love being active, while my wife enjoys chilling on the beach.
We spent some days snorkelling, swimming, and kayaking in the crystal-clear water, but we also decided to challenge ourselves by climbing some steep mountains.
One of them was Le Morne. We went in thinking it would be a casual hike, something similar to a hike in the Peak District – how wrong we were.
We arrived in trainers, but it quickly turned into full-on rock climbing. The view from the top made the effort worth it though.
We were even treated to a double rainbow over the famous “underwater waterfall,” which, fun fact, isn’t a real waterfall but an illusion created by the contrast of the shallow and deep water.
Aside from the natural beauty, what really surprised me was just how wealthy the country is.
I knew Mauritius had the strongest economy in Africa, but seeing it first-hand was something else.
Everywhere we looked, there were cars worth more than £20,000, people were well-dressed, and there were loads of shops.
But it was the capital Port Louis that blew my mind. It was extremely modern with expensive-looking trams going all over the city.
There were shops that sold expensive watches, there were even a McDonalds, a Burger King and a KFC.
Honestly, if someone blindfolded you and dropped you in Mauritius, you wouldn’t ever guess you were in Africa.
It’s not cheap though. Not only do you need to consider the cost of flights and accommodation, but also day-to-day expenses if you’re not on an all-inclusive holiday.
This country is a lot pricier than you might expect. But that’s great for the local economy and Mauritius is setting an example for other African nations.
We will definitely be going back at some point. Just need another good enough excuse.