End your African adventure in paradise
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Would you like to end your South African holiday with a few relaxing days on the beach? There are two fantastic Indian Ocean destinations to choose from: Mauritius and the Seychelles, each offering a very different style of tropical escape.
And before you fly off to an island, there is actually a third option worth considering: staying right here in South Africa at one of the country’s very few luxury beach retreats. |
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So what is the difference between these three beach paradise options?
So, which one is right for you? Mauritius, the Seychelles, or South Africa? Let’s have a look at the differences.
Both Mauritius and the Seychelles offer beautiful beaches, warm tropical waters and excellent accommodation — but the experience is quite different.
Mauritius is ideal if you want a relaxing beach holiday with plenty to do. The island has a wide choice of resorts, restaurants and activities, from snorkelling and watersports to golf, hiking, sightseeing and cultural excursions. It is particularly well suited to families, honeymooners and travellers who enjoy the convenience of a full-service resort.
The Seychelles feels more remote, natural and exclusive. Think dramatic granite boulders, jungle-covered mountains, powder-white beaches and crystal-clear water. It is less about resort entertainment and more about nature, tranquillity, beautiful beaches and exploring different islands.
In simple terms: choose Mauritius for variety, activities, convenience and value; choose the Seychelles for nature, seclusion and that extraordinary castaway-island feeling.
If you are combining your beach holiday with South Africa, Mauritius is usually the easier and more affordable choice, with convenient flight connections and a broad range of accommodation at different price levels. The Seychelles can also be combined beautifully with South Africa, but flights and accommodation tend to make it a more expensive extension, particularly if you want to visit more than one island.
Both Mauritius and the Seychelles offer beautiful beaches, warm tropical waters and excellent accommodation — but the experience is quite different.
Mauritius is ideal if you want a relaxing beach holiday with plenty to do. The island has a wide choice of resorts, restaurants and activities, from snorkelling and watersports to golf, hiking, sightseeing and cultural excursions. It is particularly well suited to families, honeymooners and travellers who enjoy the convenience of a full-service resort.
The Seychelles feels more remote, natural and exclusive. Think dramatic granite boulders, jungle-covered mountains, powder-white beaches and crystal-clear water. It is less about resort entertainment and more about nature, tranquillity, beautiful beaches and exploring different islands.
In simple terms: choose Mauritius for variety, activities, convenience and value; choose the Seychelles for nature, seclusion and that extraordinary castaway-island feeling.
If you are combining your beach holiday with South Africa, Mauritius is usually the easier and more affordable choice, with convenient flight connections and a broad range of accommodation at different price levels. The Seychelles can also be combined beautifully with South Africa, but flights and accommodation tend to make it a more expensive extension, particularly if you want to visit more than one island.
The differences at a glance
Or stay in South Africa…
There is actually a third option worth considering: Thonga Beach Lodge, tucked away on the remote subtropical coast of northern KwaZulu-Natal. South Africa has surprisingly few true luxury beach resorts, and Thonga is quite unique — an exclusive nature lodge hidden in coastal forest, just steps from a beautiful, largely deserted beach.
At first glance, Thonga can seem expensive. However, when you consider the additional flights and the travelling time required to reach Mauritius or the Seychelles, the comparison starts to look rather different. Instead of spending a day or two of your holiday travelling, those same costs can often go towards four wonderful nights at Thonga, with more time relaxing and a wonderfully intimate, exclusive experience.
It is important to understand that this is not Mauritius in South Africa. The subtropical Indian Ocean here is pleasantly warm, but not quite as warm as Mauritius or the Seychelles, and there are no large, sheltered lagoons for easy swimming. The beach is magnificent, but the open ocean can sometimes be rough. Thonga is therefore more about long deserted beaches, relaxation, snorkelling, forest walks, turtles, lakes and nature experiences than spending the entire day floating in calm tropical water.
For travellers who want to slow down, avoid another international flight and experience somewhere genuinely special, Thonga Beach Lodge can be a fantastic finale to a South African holiday.
At first glance, Thonga can seem expensive. However, when you consider the additional flights and the travelling time required to reach Mauritius or the Seychelles, the comparison starts to look rather different. Instead of spending a day or two of your holiday travelling, those same costs can often go towards four wonderful nights at Thonga, with more time relaxing and a wonderfully intimate, exclusive experience.
It is important to understand that this is not Mauritius in South Africa. The subtropical Indian Ocean here is pleasantly warm, but not quite as warm as Mauritius or the Seychelles, and there are no large, sheltered lagoons for easy swimming. The beach is magnificent, but the open ocean can sometimes be rough. Thonga is therefore more about long deserted beaches, relaxation, snorkelling, forest walks, turtles, lakes and nature experiences than spending the entire day floating in calm tropical water.
For travellers who want to slow down, avoid another international flight and experience somewhere genuinely special, Thonga Beach Lodge can be a fantastic finale to a South African holiday.
