TWO-COCO ISLAND

Managed by the LUX* Resorts hotel group, this islet on the edge of the Blue Bay Marine Park has been fitted out for lounging and water sports. It's not a rustic robinsonnade, although it is an island, the coast is too close and comfort is "too" present. Instead, imagine a day of seaside pleasures, starting with a welcome in large Tuareg-style tents furnished with sofas. Then it's on to glass-bottom boat trips, snorkeling in the Blue Bay lagoon, fishing... unless you want to take advantage of the island's facilities: deckchairs, sofas, unlimited bar and outdoor showers. Worth a visit: the former Moorish-style residence, the only one of its kind in Mauritius, and the work of one of the island's first English governors, Sir Hesketh Bell, who wanted to create an architectural "folly" here: a villa combining several decorative styles. Entirely renovated in riad style, it is available for exclusive rental for events or dream overnight stays (2 bedrooms). The island itself is well worth a coastal walk, especially along its southern coastline where the ocean, exposed to the prevailing winds, offers a restless face in complete contrast to the bay's gentle waters.

At lunchtime, a large Mauritian buffet is served on a terrace overlooking the sea or in the shade of a pavilion. After lunch, the afternoon is spent in zen mode: relaxing and swimming again, then returning by boat. VIP service, reserved for just a few hundred lucky guests a day, often fewer.