Mauritius among top 10 for Irish honeymooners

DESCRIBED as a sparkling crystal in the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, the island of Mauritius, where Michaela Harte met her untimely end, is among the top 10 destinations for Irish honeymooners.

Located to the east of Madagascar, the tropical paradise boasts eight months a year of beach weather temperatures of 29C-31C — a perfect sun destination for newlyweds.

According to a spokesperson for Tropical Sky, the popularity of Mauritius among Irish tourists is down to the island’s white-sand beaches and unspoilt beauty.

“It is traditionally popular as there is no mass market or charter flights to it, and the fact that it is not very convenient to travel to has allowed it to remain a traditional Indian Ocean paradise. At its basic level, it is a beach destination but visitors can enjoy day excursions to the island’s mountainous interior and see its diverse flora and fauna. It is very popular as a honeymoon destination but there are quite a few active family resorts.”

A week-long break starts from €1,000 per person for a three-star resort to €2,500 for a five-star hotel.

The barefoot luxury of the Legends Hotel, where Michaela died, describes itself as a “new four-star luxe hotel” in the fishing town of Grand Graube on the north-eastern corner of the island. According to a spokesperson for Sunway, the hotel is very popular with honeymooners, describing it as an “absolute romantic paradise” and honeymooners can expect to pay in the region of €1,275 for a seven-night stay there.

One woman who spent her honeymoon at the resort last summer said that she and her husband “never felt unsafe” during their stay at the hotel.

“It is a beautiful resort, very secluded — an absolute paradise. On one of the days during our stay I was suffering from allergies and went up to our hotel room while my husband went out diving,” she said.

“We had a balcony but I felt really safe because the hotel was pretty secure, it was gated, and the staff were lovely.”

However, one caller to Cork’s 96fm yesterday named “Jack” had a different view of the tropical island, and told of how his wife was robbed of her engagement and wedding bands while she slept in their room at the Legends Hotel. “On our third night there my wife and I went for a meal and came home around 12. We got up the next morning my wife’s wedding and engagement ring had been stolen out of the room while we slept.”

Jack said he had little confidence in the security and police there, and it was not until he “kicked up a fuss” that his wife’s rings were mysteriously returned.

“They were found on top of a wardrobe in our room, even though we had already checked there.

“Mauritius is a paradise, but a scary one too,” he added.