With its stunning coral ringed coastline and desert island atmosphere, the appeal of a luxury holiday to Mauritius isn't hard to understand. As a five star beach destination it is difficult to better, yet the appeal of the island goes far beyond the pristine beaches and outstanding coastal hotels. Here are just a few of the things you can do while you are out there?

Experience Desert Island Golf

For many travellers, a trip abroad just isn't the same without a round or two of golf at the local courses. If you go on a luxury holiday to Mauritius looking for golf, be aware that almost all of the best courses are part of individual resort hotels, so select your accommodation carefully!

A particular highlight for golfers is the Constance Belle Mare Plage ? in addition to being an outstanding luxury hotel, it is home to two excellent 18 hole golf courses, The Legend and The Links, and green fees are included in the price of your stay at the resort. Alternatively, pay a visit to the Dinarobin Hotel, which has arrangements allowing you to play at three high quality courses; the Paradis Golf Club, Golf Du Chateau and the Tamarina Golf Estate and Beach Club.

Relax With Traditional Spa Therapies

An island like Mauritius, combining luxury living with natural splendour, is the ideal place for a spa holiday, with excellent spas available at all the leading five star resorts. Most of the island's spas focus on Thalasso therapy (warm seawater treatment) although there are also many practitioners of Ayurvedic therapy, a traditional Indian healing art.

You'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to selecting a luxury spa hotel in Mauritius, but both the Shanti Ananda Maurice and the Maradiva Villa Resort are amongst the best on the island. The former offers personalised spa treatments focusing on detox and distress packages, while the Maradiva's beautiful spa concentrates on an Ayurvedic programme of treatments.

Go Scuba Diving Amidst Shipwrecks and Coral Reefs

With coral reefs along the entire Mauritian coastline, it's no wonder that it is regarded as one of the finest scuba diving destinations in the world. The warm, crystal clear waters provide perfect conditions for diving all year round, and with dive sites that mix vibrant coral reefs and caves (such as Whale Rock and Cathedrale) with stunning wrecks (including the justly famous Stella Maru), there's a hugely diverse range of experiences on offer to keep even the most eager diver occupied for weeks.

Almost every luxury hotel in Mauritius has its own dedicated dive centre, with the Shandrani standing out as perhaps the finest choice for a five star diving holiday in Mauritius.

Of course, you aren't limited to just one of these experiences ? on a tailor made holiday to Mauritius, you can combine as many different elements as you like. From championship golf courses to personalised spa treatments and coral reef diving, a Mauritius luxury holiday can be as relaxing or as adventurous as you want it to be.