Each year, I spend hours researching where to go during our kids’ winter school vacation, and end up with the same conclusion each time – the beautiful tropical island of Mauritius.

Working in the hospitality industry, we don’t get much time off in the summer, and take our annual big holiday during the June/July school holidays – mid winter in South Africa. We are extremely lucky to live in an area surrounded by incredible beauty, and some of the best beaches in the world. But winter’s not the best time for a beach holiday in the Cape – it’s definitely not bikini weather, and can be pretty miserable.

So, for the past few years, we chose to ditch the winter woollies, and head to the tropics for a couple of weeks of blissful mid-winter sunshine. Our tropical wish list includes the Seychelles, Maldives, Madagascar, Mozambique, Thailand and Zanzibar – but each year, we end up choosing Mauritius, and here is why:

1. So close to SA
Hop on a plane at Jo’burg and 4 hours later you land in Mauritius. No jet lag, no travel exhaustion – just the excitement of international travel and voila – from 10 – 25 degrees Celcius in a few hours. Mauritius is far enough away to feel completely different to SA, but close enough to avoid ratty kids from long confined journeys.

2. Kids stay free!
And when you have three of them, that says a lot. Pay for 2, get 5! Most Mauritian hotels offer winter specials that let your kids stay, and sometimes eat and even fly for free. As we have 3 kids, we always choose accommodation with at least 2 separate bedrooms, and still the kids stay for free! This reason alone makes Mauritius so much more affordable than the other destinations on our wish list.

3. All inclusive
The prices of beverages at resort hotels is eye-wateringly high, and the South African Rand doesn’t get you very far. I hate working out what each beverage costs and then trying to abstain for the budget. We always choose to go all-inclusive, where all the food and drinks are included, meaning we can eat and drink when we like, without having to do complicated mental arithmetic. We like to eat lots of smaller meals throughout the day, rather than load up on a huge breakfast and wait until the free dinner. Mauritian hotels are the bomb when it comes to all inclusive deals, with all your meals and snacks being included, as well as a huge selection of drinks. You literally don’t have to pay a cent for anything!

4. First world medical facilities
When travelling with kids, it is vital to make sure that your destination has decent medical facilities. One year while in Mauritius, my child contracted a tummy virus, and had to stay in hospital on a drip for a few nights. The medical attention at the hotel, and the Clinique Darne hospital in Curepipe were amazing, and the travel insurance covered it all. We were allocated a family hospital room, with a bed for the patient and a bed for a parent, and the quality of care was world class.

5. Something for everyone
Mauritius resort hotels are geared up for the entire family. Family rooms, kid’s clubs, teen clubs, babysitting facilities – these all ensure that your kids will have a ball and you can relax and enjoy a bit of romance too. We love to be with our children, and don’t book them in the kids club for the entire holiday – we check out the list of planned activities each day, and then let them choose what they would like to do. The good hotels have some really great kids entertainment, and it’s a treat for them to enjoy in a group with other kids.

All in all, a fantastic winter holiday destination that gets a massive thumbs up from the Dirsuwei family!