Avalon Golf Estate

Rolling greens give way to tea fields on one side and ocean on the other. Avalon Golf Estate sits high in the Bois Chéri region of southern Mauritius, its 18-hole course laid out by designer Peter Matkovich across 220 hectares of undulating ground. Tree ferns line the fairways rather than dense stands of timber, keeping the layout open and the wind a constant factor in play. Early rounds catch the sun rising over the sea to the south; turn north and the course frames the mountains ringing Grand Bassin, Mauritius's largest natural lake, formed in the crater of an extinct volcano. The elevation brings cooler air and low cloud that regularly drift across the fairways. A three-storey clubhouse anchors the estate at its highest point, holding two restaurants, a pro shop, and conference space used for weddings and corporate events. Golf instruction runs from beginner packages to video swing analysis, backed by a 280-metre driving range and two putting greens. The estate is also residential. Six villa types, from two to four bedrooms, sit on plots of between 1,800 and 4,500 square metres, each with its own pool and a view of either fairway or mountain. It is a working golf estate as much as a lodge. Streams cross the grounds between the tea fields and the greens, and a wellness centre on site runs meditation and energy-based therapies alongside the sport.