Balaclava Holidays

There’s a Morse code pattern of beaches in Balaclava Bay. The smaller ones have a private vibe, thanks to their volcanic rock bookends and palm tree backdrop. Hotels usually stick to the longer beaches, where you can kick back on a lounger and sink cocktails in a sand-side bar.

Fine dining is the theme in Balaclava. Most restaurants are hotel-based, with fusion menus offering a mash up of Indian, African, French and Chinese cuisine. Spiced lobster and noodle curries are staples and fresh local ingredients are a given.

Sega shows throw together Creole lyrics, rainbow costumes and a drum backing track. And the moves are simple – think foot-stomping, hand-clapping and loads of hip-shimmying. Dance troupes turn up at most hotels, so just check the entertainment schedule.

The Le Caudan Waterfront in Port Louis hosts the king of Mauritian shopping malls. This place has the full monty of shops – tiny craft stores, high street favourites Mango and L’Occitane, and big names like Diesel and Polo Ralph Lauren. There’s also an al fresco food court, a casino and a cinema on hand. It’s all just a 20-minute drive from Balaclava.

Glow-in-the-dark reef fish, shoals of butterfly fish and mushroom coral – on a glass bottom boat tour, you’ll see it all. Some trips venture as far as Blue Bay, over in the south-east. It’s a top fish-watching spot and counts skinny trumpet fish and turtles among its regulars. Glass bottom boat trips launch from most hotels in Balaclava.