Bazaruto Archipelago
The Bazaruto Archipelago
is a protected conservation
area. It is the only marine
reserve in Mozambique and
one of the largest national
parks in the Indian Ocean.
A good diving spot with an
abundance of fish, turtles,
devil rays and the last of
the endangered dugong.
Known as the ‘Pearl of the
Indian Ocean’, Bazaruto
Archipelago is an almost
untouched paradise with
sandy beaches and calm
turquoise waters.
Better suited to the affluent
traveller as the exclusive
accommodation is pricey.
Madagascar
Madagascar offers diverse
wildlife for visitors in
its national parks and
reserves. Many parks offer
great hiking options. Large
parts of its forests have yet
to be widely explored.
Many activities make for an
action-packed trip. These
include kite and windsurfing,
guided kayaking, deep-sea
fishing and diving.
The beaches are a major
drawcard.
Madagascar is fringed by a
number of islands. Nosy Be
is the most popular while Ile
Sainte Marie (Nosy Boraha),
Nosy Komba and Nosy
Iranja are quieter.
Maldives
Maldives is ideal for diving
with under water vision up
to 50m. There are more
than 3 000 coral reefs, so
divers only have to travel
between 15 and 60 minutes
by boat to get to a different
dive spot.
Great for honeymooners,
it has secluded, beautiful
settings where couples
can dine under the stars
and visit uninhabited
islands.
Up to 99% of the Maldives
is sea. There are around
200 inhabited islands, of
which 90 are developed as
tourist resorts.
Although there are two
seasons, dry and wet, the
weather doesn’t change
much, with the average
temperature around 30C.
Mauritius
Accommodation options
range from small to
medium-sized hotels and
charming villas to luxury
resorts. There are 12 major
hotel groups in Mauritius.
A good family destination
and a short flight from
South Africa. Most hotels
offer kids’ clubs and
babysitting services.
The island has 330km of
coastline encircled by a
coral reef. There is a wide
variety of dives.
Cuisine is a mix of Indian,
Chinese, European and
Creole. Mauritians are
creative with food, often
mixing styles in a menu.
Pemba, Mozambique
While Pemba has all the
modern amenities, the older
part has authentic local
markets (souks).
A good destination for water
sport and diving with a coral
reef close to the shore.
Has the closest major city
and airport for travellers
visiting Quirimbas Island
and National Park.
Features Portuguese
colonial architecture with
strong Arab influences.
Réunion
Réunion has breath-taking
scenery, with more than
42% of the territory listed
as a World Heritage Site.
Culture is varied, with
ancestry from Asia,
India, Africa and Europe,
translating to gastronomy
with a mixture of tastes.
Being French, Réunion’s
infrastructure and safety is
on a par with the mainland.
Suited to the outdoor
enthusiast as it offers more
than 70 activities in the air,
on land and in the sea. It
also has an active volcano.
A mere four-hour flight from
Johannesburg, Air Austral
offers direct flights.
Seychelles
The Seychelles are home to
some of the rarest species
of fauna and flora on earth.
Ideal for honeymooners
or couples looking for a
romantic tropical retreat.
Comprises 16 islands, of
which 12 offer only a single
lodge.
The inner islands cluster
around Mahé, Praslin and
La Digue. The outer islands
are flat, coralline islands
little touched by man.
Located outside the cyclone
belt, Seychelles offers yearround
sailing, moderate
swells and gentle tides.
Zanzibar
Zanzibar’s heritage is seen
in traditional sailing dhows,
carved wooden doors and
the scent of cloves.
Offers some of the best
deep-sea fishing in the
Indian Ocean with a wide
variety of sporting game
fish.
Historic Stone Town is said
to be the only functioning
ancient town in East Africa.
Zanzibar is known as the
‘Spice Island’ and the food
is mostly spicy seafood.
Resort
This family-friendly
property offers a selection
of activities from diving
courses for children
to horse riding, dune
boarding, snorkelling and
island excursions.
A variety of dining options,
ranging from cooking
classes, exclusive dining
in remote, romantic
locations to family picnics.
Has an on-property
Anantara Spa.
Cultural village and island
excursions are available.
Medjumbe Private Island
(to be rebranded Anantara
Medjumbe Island Resort
& Spa)
An exclusive, private
island with beach access.
Good diving with a reef
wall that drops off from
about 14m down to an
estimated 800m. The
wall has many caves
and overhangs to
explore.
Has its own, locally built
dhow.
Me Time spa treatments
offer guests a
personalised pampering.
Airlines
Air Mauritius offers a free
‘meet and greet’ service
for group and MICE travel.
Pre-booking seats comes
at no extra cost, except
emergency exit seats,
which cost R550 per
seat.
Cheaper fares offered in
the low season.
Passengers who check
in online earn 300
Kestrelflyer bonus miles.
Tour operators
Beachcomber
Beachcomber has been
perfecting island holidays
for over 60 years. Offers
efficient and reliable service
and quoting at the time of
booking.
Enjoys massive repeat
business.
In Mauritius, Beachcomber
offers eight resorts at prime
beachfront locations. The
hotels form one of the
most profitable groups on
the island and continually
reinvest profits to maintain
high standards.
Loyal to the travel trade,
operating strictly as a
wholesaler.
Holiday Tours
The Holiday Tours website
offers live availability for
most Mauritius hotels.
This allows agents to
quote, confirm and pay for
a booking online without
keeping clients waiting.
Holiday Tours offers various
experiences in destinations
like Mauritius and has
worked with preferred
partners to create unique
experiences.
Holiday Tours’ staff have
in-depth knowledge of
beach locations and
properties on offer. The
company also offers
competitive rates and
all quotes are based on
availability of air and land at
the time of the enquiry.
Island Light Holidays
Exclusively represents the
LUX* Resorts and Hotels in
Réunion and The Maldives.
LUX* Ile de La Réunion is
the only five-star property
on the beach in Réunion.
A twin island package
enables travellers to visit
Réunion and Mauritius in
one stay.
At Café LUX* guests can
enjoy organic green beans
roasted on the island. LUX*
also has its own ice cream
brand, ICI.
Resorts feature vintage
telephones boxes that
house VOIP phones.
Guests can make local and
international calls free.
The Holiday Factory
The Holiday Factory offers
a large variety of products
from three- to five-star
deluxe in Mauritius,
Zanzibar, Seychelles and
Maldives.
Provides quick turnaround
on quotes and has a
speedy invoicing and
documentation system.
The owner-managed
business is committed
to the retail trade and
has well-trained and welltravelled
staff.
World Leisure Holidays
World Leisure Holidays
owns hotels in Mauritius
and Maldives. Mauritian
hotels Ambre, La Pirogue,
Sugar Beach, Long Beach
and Le Touessrok are
exclusive to Worls Leisure
Holidays, as is Kanuhura in
the Maldives.
In destinations where WLH
does not own properties,
such as Zanzibar, it is very
selective. Properties include
the PlanHotel Group,
Mapenzi and Neptune.
