The poor old dodo may have been gleefully hunted to extinction by damn colonials, but its image is alive and well on Mauritius - the only place where it ever existed. Soaps, fridge magnets, toys and even the stamp in your passport parade its beaky grin and supersize posterior.

It is a cute mascot, but it also highlights the fragility of one of the world's most beautiful islands. The dodo's extinction is said to be the first time Man truly realised that he could be stupid enough to wipe out a species. Today, many of the plants and birds on Mauritius are endangered, but Man has finally woken up environmentally and there are determined efforts to save species often unique to this smidgin of beach and sugar plantation in the Indian Ocean. Tourism, the island's No 1 earner, is vital to fund these projects. So, if one of your new year's resolutions is to get away to an idyllic holiday destination, you could have your treat and help the environment at the same time.

Although it is tempting just to lie on the impossibly white sand, occasionally ordering another G&T, it is worth the effort of heaving yourself off that sunbed to explore.

Of course, first you will need a conducive base. The Grand Mauritian is a new luxury resort on the north west of the island. Set right on the beach, the 193 spacious rooms have beautiful views and bathrooms as big as many a flat in London. The beds could accommodate my entire extended family.

From this haven, you can travel nine miles (15km) to Grand Baie, full of bars and restaurants, while nine miles in the other direction will take you to Port Louis, the island's capital with modern shopping malls and a busy traditional market. Nearby you can see many rare plants and flowers, including the giant Victoria amazonica water lilies, at the Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens. .

Experience the underwater landscape on a subscooter, an ingenious contraption that looks rather like a moped with a large bubble helmet big enough for two. After submerging on the scooter, you bob along three metres under the water with air being pumped into the bubble - I felt like Angela Lansbury in Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

If you want to head inland, explore a sugar plantation and, perhaps, spot some rare Java deer, you can take a quad bike tour at Domaine de l'Étoile. It is dirty and bumpy, but it is an exhilarating way to see the countryside. Back at the Grand Mauritian, you will surely feel the need to sort out those aching muscles. The Mandara Spa's signature massage, performed by two therapists, combines five styles including Thai, Swedish and Hawaiian lomilomi. Frankly, it could have been Liverpudlian and Glaswegian for all I cared as the four synchronised hands rendered me incapable of rational thought.

The hotel offers excellent food, including Italian cuisine at Brezza and international and Mauritian fare at Season by Stéphane, created by the French chef Stéphane Brallet. Then you will be driven back to your giant bed in a golf cart. This does not indicate sloth on your part but simply ensures that the next day you will be more “let's do”, than dodo.

Destination Mauritius offers B&B at the Grand Mauritian from £1,785 for a week or £2,245.00 for a fortnight. The price includes return economy Air Mauritius flights from Heathrow and private airport transfers on the island. The best prices are after Easter and through the British summer, so expect to pay more in the winter months.

www.destmauritius.com - 0870 0666474

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