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Minister’s Island, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick

New Brunswick is all about space.  Huge wide open swathes of untouched forest, lakes and coastline.  The Canadian stretch of the Bay of Fundy stretches from the Tantramar Marshes in the north to St Stephens in the south; protected from the harsh Atlantic elements by the block of land that is Nova Scotia.

There are also dozens of islets tucked into this area – I find myself picking out my island, plentiful as are they along the eastern coastline; there must be one down there with my name on it.

I’ve come to visit Minister’s Island which is a short drive across a narrow causeway from St Andrews and only accessible at low tide.

The island has been inhabited for more than two thousand years; the Passamaquoddy people settled it initially.  In 1790, the eponymous minister, Reverend Samuel Andrews, built one of the earliest remaining houses on the island, which is a sweet little bungalow, and first popularised the destination.  Railway mogul of the late nineteenth century, Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, soon came along and trumped the minister with his summer holiday home, a ‘cottage’ of considerably bigger size than the minister’s quaint abode.

The island provides a Swallows and Amazons sized adventure of five hundred acres – just two miles long and one mile wide – and overlooks the Bay of Passamaquoddy (meaning bay of plenty fish).  Sir William developed the island and as well as his vast, fifty-bedroomed house built a bathhouse which served as his personal hideaway, a tidal pool, a windmill and a model farm.

Sir William was not much of a sleeper, reputedly getting by on a mere four hours a night.  His room on the ground floor gave easy access to the extensive gardens filled with butternut trees, where he loved to walk and paint.

Sir William was also keen on farming; he adored his Clydesdale horses and had a collection of twenty by 1903.  His farm on the island had plenty of livestock, including Ayrshire cattle, Shropshire sheep, Tamworth pigs and Guinea fowl.  It is easy to see how he achieved such industrial success; the man raised the windows in his barn to prevent his workers from being distracted by the view!

Minister’s Island is now in the process of being brought back to life; extensive refurbishment projects are going on.  Visitors can see ancient fossils from the island, samples of Sir William’s artwork, First Nation arrow points that date back up to two and half thousand years and hear tell of the numerous ghost stories that surround the island.

Time truly stands still on this tiny island.

Hacienda el Porvenir, Cotapaxi National Park 

Adventures in the Andes

Ecuador sits astride the equator. Its relatively tiny size belies its staggering geographical diversity, from the luscious Amazonian rainforests to a battalion of snow-smothered Andean volcanic peaks.  One such peak is the Cotopaxi Volcano, which sits in the centre of the Andean region.  The Andes are wide open to those visitors looking to take part in outdoor activities, visit local communities and relax in lovely country farms or haciendas in exquisite scenery.
One of these stunning haciendas is the Hacienda el Porvenir.  This friendly, folksy place is a few kilometres outside Cotopaxi National Park, on the treeless high altitude steppe covering the lower slopes of Rumiñahui volcano. It is very much a working ranch – specialising in wild Andean bulls and dairy cattle – and some of the staff are genuine  Andean cowboys.  There are all sorts of opportunities for visitors to take part in farm activities which makes this the perfect place to bring the family; children are invited to join in with feeding the animals or even with making chocolate.

The three cosy living rooms, each with the inviting addition of a fireplace, are very welcome on chilly highland evenings.  Guest accommodation consists of rustic, traditional rooms, family suites and five newer suites, which we particularly recommend. The latter have good contemporary heating and fantastic views over Cotopaxi volcano.

There’s a lot to do here when the sun comes up: guests with a penchant for the outdoors can go horse riding, mountain biking and zip lining, or venture out on self-guided hikes along well marked trails.

 

An Empanada Tutorial

When you come home hungry at the end of the day, the dining room at Porvenir serves meals prepared with fresh local produce.  We were treated to a cooking lesson where we were taught a quintessential Ecuadorian Empanada Recipe.

1. Have the dough ready in advance:

 

To make the dough:

Mix together 1300g Plain White flour is best and 500g Butter by hand (just like pasta making) with a Pinch of salt and sugar to fine bread crumbs.
Add 500ml of full fat milk and continue to mix.

It gets very glutinous and sticky. Let it rest in a plastic bag for one hour to increase elasticity and prevent from drying out.

 

 

2. Use grated mozzarella cheese for the filling.

3. Pinch out a small amount and press out with your fingers as thin as you possibly can until there’s enough space to add a small teaspoon of the cheese. Seal and crimp the edge with your thumb. This takes some practising to look pretty.

4. Fry in a hot oil, not olive oil but something that reaches a high boiling point (sunflower or rapeseed are both good)

5. You could use minced meat, chicken or even grated vegetables as options for a filling

Chilli sauce

1. Chop four big chillies and remove seeds (you can put them in water to reduce potency).

2. Put chillies and Himalayan salt in a pestle and mortar to grind into a paste. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to make a salsa consistency. You could add cooked carrot or tomato to make a chutney texture. We added roughly two heaped tablespoons of leek (very finely chopped). Add a bit more water to make the perfect base for a number of dishes.

3. You could add pumpkin seeds or if you have them, some lupin beans, which have been stored in water.

4. Serve with the warm empanadas.

It was a treat to bring the taste of Ecuador home to our kitchen with these delicious recipes and relive our Andean adventures.

One&Only Reethi Rah, The Maldives: Happy As A Sandboy.

At last count, the Maldives had 1,900 islands, 200 inhabited by locals and about a hundred colonized for the sole activity of holidaying. We’re all agreed they look like a honeymooner’s paradise but just how suitable is such a tranquil clime for your brood, however well behaved? Well, in truth the majority of islands are best left as an exclusive domain for cooing couples and if children are not explicitly solicited then the general rule is don’t go where you’re unwelcome.

That said there are a handful of islands that are perfect for families. The phrase ‘as happy as a sandboy’ couldn’t be more fitting for children visiting the Maldives; in essence a giant sandpit surrounded by an irresistibly warm aquarium full of cartoon coloured fish with funny names like oriental sweetlips. There’s no malaria or vaccinations required and people are as friendly as they come.

The larger islands best suit children’s needs for practical as well as esoteric reasons. Space to accommodate an activities club and water-sports in one corner without destroying the sanctuary of peace and quiet for other guests is key to success. Top of the list for older kids and teens is One&Only’s flagship Reethi Rah (literally meaning ‘beautiful island’) lying only an hour by boat from Malé International airport (with direct flights from Europe, the Middle East and the Far East). It’s the largest leisure island in the Maldives – in fact, half-natural and half-fabricated in the shape of a seahorse with over six kilometres of beach.

The 130 villas, many with private pool, are sleek and spectacularly spacious, spread out around the circumference of the island, each with a garden area and ocean view. The offshore breeze that blows three sheets to the wind means that noise doesn’t travel further than you, or your neighbours, want it to and makes the need for air-conditioning redundant both day and night. You can choose how to get around: on foot, bicycle, or by electric buggy. And before you can say ahhh, the children will be shell seeking along the shore, a mere seven metres away.

A kid in tow doesn’t mean compromise. You’ll be met by a guest attendant and welcomed with iced tea cocktails and a soothing ESPA foot massage before a quick orientation of the room and resort, which offers a simpatico blend of comfort and nature, with, I confess, rather more comfort than nature. However, when colours that look like they’ve been picked out of Aladdin’s paintbox surround you, creating an implausible cocktail of blues and yellows, even Mother Nature seems illusory.

The ‘magic’ restaurant

 Of the three restaurants, our favourite was the higgledy-piggledy Fanditha (meaning ‘magic’), resembling a ramshackle open-air furniture sale – as if a ship has been wrecked on the reef and all the islanders have rushed to rescue its booty and brought it ashore. Lamps, rugs, hardwood tables and intricately carved treasure chests laid here, there and everywhere. There’s something remote and out-of-place about a dining table sitting in bare sand, epitomising the whole twenty-first century trend for barefoot-luxury. It’s certainly eccentric and a welcome bolt from the mundane normality of samey restaurants. An added bonus is that teenagers think it’s cool too.

As the competition stakes hot up for who can out-do who, hotels are showcasing their innovative service-par-excellence with new fads and fashions. One new ploy to wow guests – and an absolute winner with kids – is personal iPods down on the beach, pre-loaded with over a thousand tracks.

The KidsOnly Club has been designed to give mums and dads some time out while children enjoy non-stop fun with their peers. Located on the south-eastern tip of the island and surrounded by a sand-filled shaded playground, shallow swimming pool, beach and lagoon, the air-conditioned playhouse offers everything from art decks to PlayStations. Understandably most kids just want to be outside, so days are planned with this in mind. A common passion for hermit crab hunting and racing, fish feeding, snorkelling, building sandcastles and crab kingdoms, nature walks, picnics and pizza making keep younger guests happy.

Teens have their own clubhouse with a tactful semi-supervised choice of activities including diving trips, beach football, windsurfing, campfire soirees, table tennis, snooker and the normal gamut of Internet and computer games.

The 18,000-square-metre spa has embraced the best money can buy – from crystal steam rooms to airbeds and ice fountains. You have the choice of ESPA, Thai or Ayurvedic methods and the Bastien Gonzalez’s foot and leg treatment (not to be confused with a cosmetic pedicure) that left my nails, skin and muscles feeling ten years younger.

A paradise for all

 Various off-island excursions are offered. The dhoni trip to find the Secrets of Tila, an underwater wonder of fish and corals laying only a metre below the surface, is highly recommended. An hour’s snorkelling followed by a feast of salads, tuna, wraps and chocolate brownies. It’s a great and safe way for all age groups to experience the endless spectrum offered by this patch of ocean.

Equally fun, the night fishing trip was a great hit. Sailing from the island just as the sun lost its sting, we immediately began tying hooks and weights on to long spools of twine. Within seconds, the dubiously primitive self-made lures had a nibble, and then a tug as the line went taught, followed by thrilled pulling until a very respectable red snapper came aboard, then a grouper and finally a tuna – too big to pull onto the deck.

On and off the island, it’s a paradise for all. Reethi does indeed come at a price, which will rule it out for many, but world savvy travellers whose kids have seen it all won’t be disappointed. It’s fancy, somewhat flamboyant and full of fun.

Other favourite family hotels include: Reethi’s sister hotel Kanuhura (less chi-chi but especially good for under-fives) in the beautiful Raa Atoll; the brand new Landaa Giraavaru in northern Baa atoll – where Four Seasons has come up trumps again with a critter camp complete with marine biologist, coconut bowling, croqkick and Blu – the world’s most dazzling restaurant (note: rooms on the south of island are preferable for families as the north shore is rocky with a smaller beach). Lastly but by no means least, check out Per Aquum’s Maakanaa, an all-villa resort, purpose built for families and their helpers.

IDEAL AGE: 4–17

FYI:KidsOnly Club for children aged four to eleven, open daily
9.00 a.m. – 9.00 p.m. ClubOne for children aged twelve to seventeen, open every afternoon

Island Hopping in The Caribbean

The Caribbean was traditionally considered a romantic escape destination for couples only. Recent years, however, have seen both the quantity and quality of family friendly options fly off the scale. It’s no longer an adult-only domain. The islands offering the best facilities tend to be those with direct air access, namely Barbados and Antigua, but if you’re happy to take a secondary flight the rewards can be great. What’s interesting about the Caribbean is that each island has its own distinct footprint; different terrain, crops, language, food, even architecture varies from island to island. Once hooked you’ll be torn between revisiting what you know and love and exploring new options. Whatever the case, the Caribbean offers a giant playground for kids of all ages.

Barbados

The most developed of all the islands, Barbados has a good variety of beaches, with a string of excellent hotels along the fashionable west coast and is the most popular choice for first-time visits to the Caribbean. Indeed many love it so much they never ‘risk’ trying anywhere else. The south coast has a younger more active stance, while the east remains rugged and wild.

Top of the list and by far the most chi-chi of the west coast’s great institutions is the legendary Sandy Lane. Once a house party hideaway, it has had the mother of all makeovers and taken a metamorphic leap to become a super-resort, pretty much in a league of its own. Undoubtedly the most successful hotel in the Caribbean, it pampers its little guests in the knowledge that they are tomorrow’s big guests. The Disneyesque Treehouse Club offers an array of supervised activities for pre-teens including arts and crafts and swimming games. Ritzy glitzy gismos and cool decor attract teenagers to the Den, a hangout zone for kids too blasé to hit a ball round the three championship golf courses with their dads while yummy mummies are mollycoddled in the spa.

No less popular and a little further up the coast, traditional style and loyal guests give the family-run Coral Reef a sort of sophisticated clubby feeling (that, some argue, has been forgone by its uptown neighbour). The white wooden cottage suites are particularly well suited to families – scattered around the twelve acres of grounds overlooking lawns and tropical gardens, most with private plunge pools and verandas. Complimentary entertainment for children includes water sports, a tennis pro-clinic, playground, crèche facilities and two swimming pools. Children tend to wander around in little groups choosing whether to swim, play or just chill out under one of the giant palm trees with the O’Hara grandchildren.

 Antigua

Antigua’s glut of beaches and low humidity make it an ideal location for family based holidays, and many of the bays and coves have particularly calm and shallow waters perfect for paddling and snorkelling. The south is unspoilt and peaceful – a pastoral scene of goats being herded by a solitary figure strolling towards the ruined sugar mill on a hilly promontory or a man straddling a tame donkey – still a regular sight and popular mode of transport. For those with vivid imaginations, the Pirates of the Caribbean can be re-lived at Nelson’s Dockyard where you can wander around the fortifications next to the marina. Our children enjoyed some interactive knot tying, rope climbing and model making in the museum before sailing out on a tropical kayak adventure to swim with the rays at Stingray City.

Carlisle Bay is the hotel that put the Caribbean back on the map after a downturn in the 1990s. Set in its own natural bay on Antigua’s southern coast it is in the vanguard of contemporary stylishness. It’s a tribute to owner Gordon Campbell Gray that the mucky-mits brigade is allowed anywhere near this metro meets minors haven. Movies are shown everyday in the I’m-a-famous-Hollywood-director-style cinema, which can comfortably seat forty-five children while parents eat their dinner in peace. In fact it’s been such a hit with families that Powder Byrne are now running the year-round kids’ club.

Just around the bay is the forty-year-old Curtain Bluff – Antigua’s veteran when it comes to family fun. A spontaneous programme of ‘whatever the kids want to do’ is laid on in an apparently seamless fashion. At one point, we had daughters one, two and three, learning to dive for sea biscuits and conch shells, race a catamaran and crab race simultaneously, thanks to the very accommodating and undaunted staff. We lay on the beach exhausted at the thought, overlooking Montserrat’s (nicknamed Monster Rat by the kids) smouldering volcanic mass towards the distant silhouettes of Guadalupe and St Kitts. Curtain Bluff may still have swirly-print bedspreads and Florida-cum-Eastbourne decor but its two strikingly different beaches, consummate local staff and relaxed atmosphere make it a winner for families.

All in all the Caribbean is on the up and once you’ve got your toes in the water, go on and take that extra flight. Try the unhurried pace of Nevis with its old West Indian airs and graces and stay in one of the exemplary Four Seasons villas. Or pop up to the sophisticated British Virgin Islands and marvel at the sweeping crescent of white sand and commendable kids’ club at Little Dix on Virgin Gorda. Once you start you won’t stop hopping.

IDEAL AGE: 2–16

 

 

 

Cary Arms – The Inn on the Beach

Tip top for flip flop fun

For all the loving attention we received down at Babbacombe over a wet and very windy weekend last Spring we decided that the Cary Arms should be called the caring arms. It’s like staying with your favourite aunt who takes you out for big teas, long walks and cosy evenings – and just gets you feeling yourself again.

 

Set on the water’s edge of Babbacombe Bay outside Torquay, this Victorian inn is great for a sneaky romantic weekend, an adults only break from it all, or a full on summer holiday for the family in one of the four self catering cottages. And it’s very dog friendly in true Enid Blyton style – I mean what’s an adventure without a willing mutt in tow.

 

If owner entrepreneur Peter de Savary was a MasterChef finalist you can bet your bottom dollar that he’d be the one taking all the risks. He specialises in doing up tired, unloved yesteryear hideaways of the rich and famous like Skibo- and Bovey Castle. As soon as they’ve benefitted from his Midas touch they become palpable palaces of pleasure once more, leaving a wake of bemused hoteliers wondering why they hadn’t spotted the potential. The eight hotel bedrooms at Cary Arms are fresh New England styled abodes with long views across the coast from the private sea facing terraces. Simples. Bucket, spade, sun, a glass of Chablis or two and everyone’s happy.

Better grub than pub

The food is way above normal pub grub, with a deep rooted respect for the surrounding waters and countryside. The menu changes daily and includes local specialities such as Devon beef, Lyme Bay lobster, Brixham crab salad and grilled spatchcock spring chicken. Do try the Otter ale pie, a local  favourite. And escape into the nautical themed residents’ saloon for a quick tipple of local ales from Otter and Bays.

Beach pamper

The Cary Arms in-house therapists use Yon-Ka (a leading Parisian spa and skin care brand) in the cosy treatment room for facials, massages, pedicures and manicures. There’s a fabulous Gommage treatment, hot stone, Swedish massage and fairly comprehensive choice of pampering.

In a nutshell the Cary Arms has all the qualities of your favourite pub with a good dollop of boutique beauty. Golfers are kept happy a few minutes from the hotel at the south Devon Links; there’s excellent fishing, boating and bathing all in the bay; and some of the most gorgeous coastal scenery around accessible from your front door. In fact the walks around this part of the English Riviera are renowned for their enjoyment due to the particularly sunny climate and south-westerly winds and sea currents.

A word of warning; their space is limited and it gets booked months in advance so call now if you’ve got something special in mind.

Evason Hua Hin, Thailand: Family Thai Fun 

Hua Hin is unlike most other beach resorts in Thailand: far from Bangkok’s bright lights and frantic all-night action, it’s very much a family holiday destination. As a seaside town it offers the best Thai seafood in the country, served by so many international restaurants that you’re spoilt for choice. On top of this, there’s tempting shopping, nightly street markets and Thailand’s first golf course. And roughly thirty kilometres south of Hua Hin, you’ll find the Evason Hua Hin Resort and Spa, set among twenty acres of beautifully landscaped tropical gardens filled with lotus ponds and waterways, the resort faces the Gulf of Siam.

Intelligent luxury

Designed and operated by Six Senses hotel guru Sonu Shivdasani (of Soneva fame), together with his creative director, his wife Eva, the hotel was bound to be a success from the outset. They have moved away from using common old-fashioned stereotypical concepts and have created a mode of what Sonu describes as ‘intelligent luxury’. This embraces a ‘can do’ style and service ethic that is a pleasure for guests and considerate to the local environment and indigenous population.

Eight separate two-storey buildings set among manicured tropical gardens accommodate 145 luxurious guestrooms. There are also forty generous stand-alone villas each with a private pool. A number of interconnecting Evason and Studio rooms have been designed with families in mind and are filled with child-friendly furniture, a box full of toys and various board games for hours of entertainment (a Play-Station is also available on request).

All rooms have twin or king-sized beds covered in ‘tropical tog’ duvets, and a full-sized day bed that can be used as a sofa during the day. A third bed is available at night on request. Secluded pool villas, shaded by massive banana plants and coconut-laden palm trees, have the added benefits of their own butler, a private plunge pool and a sunken outdoor bathtub surrounded by a lotus pond – bath time has never been more popular. Fun is at the forefront of every mind, and at night housekeepers place sand-filled cotton lizards under pillows and bed legs to amuse the children.

High-quality dining at affordable prices is a major consideration at Evason, with a number of gourmet options for all tastes. The Restaurant serves a sumptuous buffet breakfast including popular local dishes in a semi al fresco location, to the sound of local musicians playing kaens, suengs and ranardaiks. The casual open-air Beach Restaurant next to the seashore entertains children with its windowed show kitchen operating a traditional wood-fired pizza oven. It serves gourmet breakfasts to the sound of the ocean’s waves, an à la carte lunch menu, and a special seafood menu at dinner which changes daily. Beside the pool a two-level, open-air bar offers a sophisticated snack menu – ideal for kids’ lunches at any time of day – and a special gourmet dinner menu. The Other Restaurant specialises in creative Asian fusion cuisine, and opens for dinner in either the chic air-conditioned dining room or al fresco courtyard for those who prefer to dine in the balmy tropical air overlooking terraced lotus ponds.

Evason’s holistic Six Senses spa is one of the prettiest in Asia and provides an extensive menu of relaxing and revitalising treatments in the five thatched salas each surrounded by tranquil pools. Inside the spa there are six treatment rooms including three especially designed for couples, two dry saunas and two steam rooms – it’s definitely a place for expert pampering.

Little VIPs

Facilities for children are exceptionally good. Younger ones are supervised by qualified staff dedicated to providing an exciting list of locally orientated activities including umbrella painting, Thai language lessons, kite flying, beach nature walks, batik printing, junior yoga, soap carving and archery, to name but a few. They’re treated like little VIPs at Just Kids! – the hotel’s professionally managed club. Real thought has gone into what children will enjoy and, while they’re happy just to splash in and out of the pool most of the day, an hour or two of respite in the club is a welcome option for all parties.

Older children are offered such entertainments as elephant trekking, go-karting, tennis and swimming lessons. They can also enjoy the option of a sleepover – pitching their own tents, setting up sleeping bags and roasting marshmallows on the bonfire while singing ‘Ging-gang-goolie’ under the starlit sky. It’s easy to keep little girls out of the midday sun here. Down on the beach local Thai women cheerfully plait hair and paint nails under their shady canopies during siesta time. Throughout the day, staff walk around the poolside offering fresh water melon and ice lollies for ‘good children’ – and adults. And adults in search of adventure can choose from a lengthy list of unusual activities including tandem skydiving, a workout around Thanarat’s military camp, cave trekking, golf or leisurely sunset cruises.

Evason is an absolute hit for children and adults alike, meeting the needs of both in equal doses. Adults feel neither short-changed by the world-class standards of accommodation, food and spa facilities, nor uncomfortable having their little darlings running around barefoot in lolly-stained clothes chasing lizards. The only problem is that at the end of your stay your children will be utterly reluctant to leave – and so will you.

IDEAL AGE: 1–12

Holiday Highlight: At night the whole hotel is transformed by hundreds of flickering candles illuminating paths throughout the grounds, lending an atmosphere of sanctuary and calm after a full day with the children

FYI: Just Kids! club for children aged between four and twelve, open 24 hours

Le Touessrok, Mauritius: The Infinity Edged Playground It was once a sleepy island known almost exclusively to French travellers and those interested in the chronicles of the dodo. But in the last ten years Mauritius has conspicuously risen in status to become one of the world’s premier playgrounds for the rich and famous. So, what is all the fuss about? Unparalleled service, a coral reef to vie with the Maldives and dozens of hotels with groups such as; Beachcomber, Naïade, Oberoi, Accor, Club Med, Constance and Kerzner, all augmenting this pleasure isle. In spite of this, one hotel sticks out as particularly impressive for all age groups. Fifty minutes from the airport, Le Touessrok looks like a whitewashed Mediterranean style village. The first, and lasting, impression of Le Touessrok is that it is hugely spacious. The main resort and a small islet called Frangipani linked by an unusual covered wooden bridge. Its 193 bedrooms are designer-chic and very contemporary with subtle tropical nuances like carved wooden screens and vibrant Mauritian artwork. Designer Janice Clausen has created something fresh for world travellers on the premise that, ‘luxury no longer has to be traditional’. Huge bay windows give access to dramatic sea views as the changing light reflects different shades across the horizon. The semi open-plan bathrooms, housing bathtubs that look like sliced eggshells, allow you to wallow in bubbles while staring out to sea. The result is distinction. Mauritius has been ruled by many nations but it was the French who had the greatest influence on the island’s culture, language, religion and civil law. Surprisingly the British agreed to maintain what the French had established, which explains why so much of the island feels French but with a distinctively British attitude. The first thing that strikes you as you land on this bead in the Indian Ocean is the dramatic scenery. Handsome Mountain peaks covered in emerald green grasses drop straight into cerulean blue waters – an everyday view from just about anywhere on the island.

Making your mind up

For epicureans Le Touessrok is a gastronomic paradise. Set on three levels, Three-Nine-Eight features nine different cuisines: Mauritian, Indian, Middle-Eastern, Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Spanish, Italian and French all prepared in eight open-plan kitchens. As if that wasn’t enough, the resort also has a specialised Michelin level Indian restaurant, Safran, offering a modern interpretation of classical Indian cuisine cooked in its two tandoori ovens, and an Asian-European fusion restaurant, Barlen’s, with stunning views overlooking Trou d’Eau Douce Bay. Making your mind up what to eat has never been more demanding. Based along a secluded cove overlooking a lagoon and coral reef, the resort’s main beach is picture perfect, washing up pretty shells and miniature starfish each morning. For something more active a wide range of complimentary water sports is available from the resort’s private pontoon on nearby Isle aux Cerfs, protecting the tranquillity on the beaches around the hotel. The eighteen-hole par-seventy-two champion golf course, designed by Bernhard Langer, is also located on this island surrounded by dramatic sea views and mangrove forests – again just five minutes by boat from the main jetty.

Undaunted instructors

I rate the KidsOnly club at Le Touessrok among the very best in the world. It is often written, but in this case it is true to say, that nothing was too much trouble for the staff at the Robin Hood themed club – we had to entreat our children to spend some time in the ‘Mummy and Daddy’s club’, and found ourselves furtively going to see what they were doing and why they preferred their club to being with us on the beach. Our parental espionage proved to be good spectator sport; hardly believing our eyes as we watched the undaunted instructor patiently teach our four-year-old how to water-ski (all inclusive) on a purpose made ski-cum-boogie-board. The squeals of laughter and joy were all too evident – they were having the time of their lives. Underseawalks, golf, kite flying, crab hunts, glass bottomed boat trips, team games on the beach, sailing races and snorkelling adventures to find hidden treasure. We decided we couldn’t compete, sat back and enjoyed some respite. The Givenchy Spa adds a sophisticated touch to the resort’s abundance of leisure options. Decorated with archival sketches and classic designs from the Parisian couturier, its eight therapy rooms offer everything from Lomi-Lomi to the Canyon Love Stone Therapy. If top notch pampering is what you seek, its holistic approach for rebalancing mind and body won’t disappoint – a warning: it’s so popular you’ll need to make your reservations well in advance. The only thing that was missing was the dodo. IDEAL AGE: 4–16 Holiday Highlight: A five-minute boat ride takes you to Ilot Mangénie, a little sanctuary, exclusively reserved for Le Touessrok guests, that feels like your own romantic desert island. The appropriately named Robinson and Friday proved ideal for a barefoot lunch on the beach of fresh dorado and wood-fired pizza. FYI: The Ocean suites on Frangipani Island are the best for families as they can be connected to an adjoining junior suite. KidsOnly club for children aged four to eleven, open daily from 10.00 a.m. – 10.00 p.m.