When it comes to sports travel, most destinations are chosen because of what they offer the traveller or because of their association with a particular sport or major event.

“Mauritius is becoming an increasingly popular sporting destination. We have seen good growth in this sector with various sporting tournaments taking place on the island,” says Air Mauritius’s Carla da Silva. These, she adds, are mostly linked to golf, cycling, kite surfing, rugby and triathlons.

Joanne Visagie of Beachcomber Tours highlights some of the most popular formal sports events hosted in Mauritius. The Paradis Golf Challenge has become so popular that to keep numbers down a second one is being held in August/September.

For those seeking a shot of adrenaline, there’s the Mauritius Tour Beachcomber (held in May this year). It includes four races as well as a dedicated kids’ race. This year also saw the third Beachcomber World Club 10s, which makes it possible to combine exciting rugby at professional and amateur levels with a beach holiday. There’s also the Ultra Trail Raidlight Beachcomber, which allows trail runners to discover the wild and authentic side of Mauritius. It took place in July this year.

According to Visagie, there are numerous reasons for Mauritius to be the ideal sporting destination for travellers, including the multitude of events on offer, the short flight, no visas required, entertainment and affordable babysitting, safe swimming in the calm ocean sheltered by the coral reef and water sports, to name a few.