Mauritius vs Maldives: Which is the paradise island for you?

The Independent

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00:00Today we're taking you to the Indian Ocean to explore two of the world's most beautiful island

00:15getaways. The Maldives is all about switching off for that perfect beach holiday. It's the

00:19classic honeymoon spot. Private villas, secluded islands and crystal-clear waters as far as the

00:24eye can see. Mauritius on the other hand is all about laid-back luxury and activity so you can

00:30have adventure and wildlife along with culture and lazing on the beach. In this episode of Travel

00:36Smart we're comparing the two to see which is best for your next big escape. Flight time from the UK

00:45to most Indian Ocean destinations is around 10 to 12 hours and while flights can be on the pricey

00:51side the good news is that once you're there food drinks and accommodation can be surprisingly

00:55affordable especially if you opt for an all-inclusive package. While the Maldives comprises of more than a

01:00thousand islands Mauritius is just one large landmass but within this area there's a ton of diversity

01:08with rugged mountains, serene beaches and forests filled with wildlife. Comparably each resort in the

01:15Maldives is on its own natural or mal-made private island. Each resort appeals to different interests

01:20whether it's marine life, cuisine or the size of the island to explore.

01:28The Maldives is the ultimate do-nothing holiday and I mean that in the best possible way. It's all

01:33about switching off and enjoying the beautiful white sand beaches, the crystal clear sea and some of the

01:38most impressive marine life in the world. If you're going to the Maldives you'll likely get a seaplane to

01:43your resort. This is quite a unique experience that adds to the fun. You'll have an overwater villa or a beach

01:48villa. Both of them offer a completely private, unique, castaway experience. There's a real emphasis

01:54on wellness in resorts in the Maldives from luxury spas, couples massages, yoga decks, private infinity

02:00pools and more. However if you're bad at sitting still then choose a resort with built-in activities

02:05whether it's sports facilities or boat excursions. We do the sunset boat tour to see dolphins and

02:09salmanta rays during shoulder season. If you love snorkelling then choose a resort with a teeming house

02:14reef which means there's marine life right on your doorstep. When it comes to dining you're a captive

02:19audience on the resort but most offer a varied range of cuisine for every kind of traveler. There's

02:23lots of Sri Lankan and Arab inspired cuisines but there's also Mediterranean and Italian fare.

02:28A week is the perfect amount of time to spend in the Maldives especially considering the long-haul flights.

02:33Any less time and you can't really unwind and any more you might start getting itchy feet.

02:37Mauritius is a destination filled with character and vibrancy. If you're after awe-inspiring landscapes

02:46and adventurous hikes Mauritius really delivers from dramatic coastlines to lush green mountains.

02:52One of the most striking is Le Mourne on the southwest tip of the island. Backed by the towering

02:58Brabant mountain it's as rich in beauty as it is in history. For something a little bit different

03:03there's the seven coloured earth. This formation of rainbow-hued sand dunes is one of the most

03:09photographed sites in Mauritius. It's a great day out for families with giant tortoises roaming the

03:15grounds and plenty of tropical birds. You may even spot some giant bats. Mauritius is known for its rum

03:21and while on the island I would highly recommend doing a tasting. At the one I did we learnt how different

03:28blends were suited to different tastes and of course try plenty ourselves. Now you might not

03:33necessarily associate Mauritius with wine producing but the island does actually have its own wine.

03:40It's made out of lychee which are plentiful on the island and taste absolutely delicious.

03:46The wine itself not to my personal taste but you may well like it.

03:53So Daisy you've just got back from the Maldives and I've just got back from Mauritius.

03:57What was your favourite part of travelling in the Maldives? I think it was just fully switching off.

04:02It's just so unlike anywhere I've ever been before. You really do just lie on the Sun Ladder, read your

04:06book and fully disconnect from reality. It obviously has that stereotype of honeymooners and having been

04:11it really is just full of couples on their honeymoon. You can have private dining experiences,

04:16private dinners on the beach, you can even be taken on boat excursions to a private island to have a

04:20dinner on a sand dune. For me Mauritius was a little bit different. My favourite parts were probably going

04:25for a hike. You could go out dolphin spotting and the snorkelling was absolutely amazing. It's a really

04:31good destination for families because you have beaches with very calm waters where children can

04:37have a great time and there's also plenty of water sports and lots of fun things for kids to do.

04:41Both of these Indian Ocean destinations are kind of known as luxury or very high-end destinations.

04:47Does it have to be that way or is there a way to keep the prices down in the Maldives?

04:51You don't have to go to the Maldives and go to a resort. You could stay in the local islands,

04:55you could even stay in hostels which could be up to $20 a night if you're lucky and you can eat at

04:59local restaurants which is a lot cheaper than going with the resort option. So I went to Mauritius in

05:04the rainy season which was kind of May-June when I travelled. You did something similar for the Maldives.

05:11How was that experience? It's a lot cheaper, you can get a good deal at resorts but you do have to

05:15prepare for the weather being very temperamental. You can have rain showers, thunderstorms and then it's bright sun

05:21an hour later. So whether you're looking to switch off and unwind on the beach or if you're the type

05:27to pack in the activities, hopefully we've helped you decide which Indian Ocean escape is best for you.

05:34For more guides, reviews and explainers head to independent.co.uk travel and for more episodes

05:39are travel smart, check out Independent TV. Bye for now!

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