Take a tea route tour of Mauritius

Brits love a good cuppa and it’s often the one thing they really miss whilst abroad, so where better to get one than in a place where they grow the stuff. Mauritius is home to some of the world's best beaches, fantastic scenery and wildlife and some of the friendliest people on earth. It is also home to several tea plantations and the tea trade is very much part of the history and culture of the island.

Tea lovers on holiday at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Mauritius looking for a special excursions that will take them off the beaten track to explore the heart of the Mauritian countryside, should take the day-long 'Tea Route' tour. They will learn about tea cultivation and the history of the tea trade, plus enjoy one of the freshest and most delicious cups of tea they have ever tasted.

Highlights include visiting the Domaine des Aubineaux, one of the few remaining colonial houses on the island, watching the processing of the leaves at a traditional tea factory in Bois-Cheri, the centre of the tea making industry and a guided tour of the tea museum and a chance to sample a great cup of tea.

On route guests also travel through some amazing countryside, visiting vanilla and anthurium lily plantations and will stop for lunch at Le Saint Aubin, a beautifully preserved plantation house that dates back to 1819.

The luxury Mövenpick Resort & Spa Mauritius is situated on the south west coast in the heart of the preserved nature of Bel Ombre and has the unique atmosphere of a traditional sugar cane plantation from the early 17th century.

The resort throughout is elegantly designed with Dutch and English influences and the opulent rooms are decorated in traditional Portuguese and Moorish styles, all reflecting the cultural diversity of the island.

The hotel offers first class service, excellent cuisine in its three restaurants, exceptional spa facilities and a wide range of sporting activities from golf to fishing, and from tennis to mountain biking. Those that fancy exploring the colourful marine life can book a diving course at the on site Padi diving school or simply borrow a snorkel and head out on their own.

Other sightseeing options include the ancient colonial house ‘Eureka the Kreol House’ built in the 1830s; the ‘sacred lake’ a natural lake that occupies the crater of an extinct volcano and is a holy place for those of Hindu faith; the Pamplemousses Garden, 25 hectares of parkland with more than 500 species of plants and the quaint colonial capital of the island, Port Louis with its museums, mosques, market and small Chinatown.

Prices are from €360 per room per night based on two people sharing and on a half board basis in March 2009.

For further information and reservations log on to Moevenpick-mauritius.com.