DUBAI: Located on the famous Flic en Flac beach, one hour away from the airport, Mauritius’ Sugar Beach offers a majestic coastline and breathtaking sunsets combined with activities for all ages, making it the perfect destination for travelers.

Mauritius is an accessible luxury travel destination for GCC-based travelers, as there are direct flights available from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, and Riyadh.

Upon arrival, a bell rings to welcome each guest individually and a homemade iced tea is served from the adjoining tea room, paired with a pianist playing in the background, setting the tone for a relaxing luxurious vacation.

Sugar Beach offers three main restaurants, providing a variety of cuisines. Mare Mare offers Mediterranean cuisine, while The Patio serves themed buffets with a night dedicated to seafood. Lastly, Buddha-Bar Beach combines a lively atmosphere with nightly entertainment. One of only a handful Buddha Bar Beach worldwide set beside the sea, it welcomes families as readily as couples, even children are encouraged to join the dance floor during live performances.

Moreover, water sports are a major draw at the resort, as guests can enjoy kayaking, pedal boating, sailing, glass-bottom boat rides, snorkeling, windsurfing, and stand-up paddleboarding, all included in their stay.

The resort also organizes private catamaran tours, which offers guests a chance to swim with dolphins and visit Mauritius’ stunning Crystal Rock— a coral-like rock floating on ocean’s surface.

On land, guests can enjoy a variety of entertaining activities like yoga, dance classes, table tennis, croquet and pedalo races. There are six outdoor courts for tennis and padel which guests can book on the resort’s mobile application.

Additionally, guests can enjoy a relaxing massage session at the Glow Spa. Its signature Mauritian massage blends Ayurvedic oils with deep tissue therapy. The massage is offered alongside a hammam and relaxation table.

Sugar Beach also offers a dedicated Kids’ Club, which is open from 9:30am until 10pm, offering age-specific schedules for children between 2 and 11.

From arts and crafts to karaoke, treasure hunts, and beach games, the resort’s Kids’ Club is ideal for families traveling with kids.

Among the resort’s unique highlights is the Atelier de Parfum. Running in collaboration with France’s Gallimard of Grasse, guests can design a custom fragrance with the help of in-house experts. They also have the chance to name their own fragrance bottles so they can be reordered later– a rare experience that levels up guests’ vacation. 

At Gallimard, the perfume designer is Japanese and has been creating fragrances for the past five years, infusing his work with distinct cultural influences that shine through in each scent.

Sugar Beach also invites guests to enjoy creative and sustainable workshops at its Glass Studio lead by Jean-Claude and his wife. 

A Paris exhibition decades ago sparked Jean-Claude’s interest in stained glass, leading him and his wife to train abroad and eventually bring the craft to Mauritius. After initial struggles competing with mass-produced décor, the couple mastered glass painting, beadwork, and jewelry, opening a workshop in Calodyne that gained traction through exhibitions. Business flourished in the 2010s but collapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with further challenges from the influx of cheap imported goods.

Their fortunes revived when Le Jadis hotel placed major orders for artisanal keychains and pendants, opening doors to collaborations with Les Moulins de la Concorde, the Rhumerie de Chamarel, Rogers Capital, and other hotel groups. The couple has been leading the workshops since October 2024. 

Those who are staying at Sugar Beach can also access its sister resort, La Pirogue. Set among 2,000 coconut trees, it offers bungalow-style accommodation and a relaxed atmosphere alongside a complementary experience. 

With extensive dining options, a full kids’ program, wellness facilities, and activities on land and sea, Sugar Beach is one of the island’s best family resorts. Direct flights as well as various entertainment activities make it a compelling destination for GCC-based travelers.