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Unlock culturally immersive experiences

Mauritian dancers
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Travelling abroad isn’t only about seeing new places, meeting new people and trying different foods. It goes beyond that! Culturally immersive experiences can help us to discover and appreciate the unbelievable diversity and beauty that exists in the world around us.

Wherever you grew up or live today, you probably think of everything that happens in your day-to-day life and the customs surrounding you as ‘normal’, but everyone has their own ideas and experience of what ‘normal’ is!

Local Mauritian paintingsDiscovering Mauritian culture: beautiful artwork created during the Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau in Mauritius

Venturing a little further afield and embracing a different culture can be so rewarding and may even give you a new perspective on life.

  1. Authentic destinations

Travel somewhere that will offer you simple yet authentic touches during your stay!

Fresh coconut water at ConstanceGo on… grab yourself some fresh coconut water!

From the overall ambience to rooms made from and decorated with local materials, to smaller touches like fresh produce readily available for you to enjoy, it’s these individual aspects that allow you to gain a deeper understanding of how local people live.

Breakfast served on a traditional DhoniBreakfast is served – a traditional Dhoni at Constance Halaveli Maldives

The key is, don’t say no! Take advantage of everything your chosen destination has to offer, whether it’s a boat ride, a fishing trip, or a chance to meet the local turtles…

Madagascan turtleA beautiful turtle spotted on the beach at Constance Tsarabanjina Madagascar

  1. Spectacular Performances

One of the best ways to sample local culture is through performances. Dance, music, and theatre… whatever you fancy!

Need some inspiration? Pick a destination or hotel that offers traditional local performances and you won’t even have to think about how to experience a new culture!

Floating performance at Constance Moofushi MaldivesA floating performance at Constance Moofushi Maldives!

At Constance Tsarabanjina, guests have the chance to sample a traditional Malagasy menu while enjoying some local folklore dance! Can you think of a better way to spend an evening while on holiday?

Spectacular fire showOr how about a fire show at Constance Ephelia Seychelles?

  1. Gastronomical delights

The easiest way to get a flavour of local tradition and culture must be through its gastronomy. Eating in local restaurants and sampling street food is deliciously fun, but why not step it up a notch and go in search of a truly immersive gastronomical experience?

For the last twelve years, Constance Hotels & Resorts has been hosting an immersive culinary exchange like no other at Belle Mare Plage and Prince Maurice in Mauritius – the Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau. It’s an annual culinary festival that goes beyond food and wine, created in partnership with Dominique Loiseau and Patrick Bertron in honour of the late great chef Bernard Loiseau and comprising competitions, demonstrations and, of course, incredible dinners for guests to enjoy.

Pierre Hermé judging at FCBLWorld-renowned pâtissier Pierre Hermé judging at Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau

At the centre of the festival, six Michelin-starred chefs are paired with six of Constance’s chefs to compete. How does this make for such a valuable cultural exchange? It’s the celebration of Mauritian ingredients and traditions that make the festival truly special.

It’s certainly a star-studded affair! We had the chance the welcome Three-star Michelin Chef, Harald Wohlfahrt; Tommy Myllymaki, Bocuse d’Or Europe 2014, Bocuse d’Or 2015 Bronze Sweden, Best Sommelier of Norway 2013, Liora Levi; Pierre Hermé, World’s Best Pastry Chef in 2016, Anne-Sophie Bercet, 2017 France Young Pastry Chef among many others.

Flacq marketVisiting local markets for local ingredients and inspiration

As well as a range of compulsory ingredients, the chefs visit the local markets of Flacq to find inspiration. Incredible ideas flow and extraordinary dishes are created!

Prince Maurice Barachois restaurantJust one of the beautiful locations for the festival – Le Barachois floating restaurant at Constance Prince Maurice

The 2018 edition of the Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau has been a success with a collection of talented Michelin-starred chefs from around Europe to compete: Andrea Camastra, Ugo Alciati, Michael Reis, Olda Sahajdak, Arnaud Viel and Mark Kempson.

Cultural immersion at Festival Culinaire Bernard LoiseauGuests have the opportunity to discover what makes Mauritian food so uniquely delicious!

Not only is this an invaluable opportunity for chefs with varied gastronomic and cultural experiences to get together and exchange ideas; it’s also a truly immersive experience for guests to savour. Throughout the week, guests lived and breathed Mauritian culture and cuisine with a twist while enjoying the spectacular scenery of this beautiful island.

Will you be joining us in Mauritius next year for the 14th edition of Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau? It all kicks off on the 23rd of March and runs until the 31st.

Dive into this week-long extravaganza celebrating Mauritian culture and cuisine and experience world-class cooking at every turn. With a wide array of exciting events including seven-star dinners hosted by truly sensational chefs, Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau is certainly not to be missed!

So whether it’s fantastic food, delightful dance or amazing art, seek out a truly immersive experience on your next holiday and discover how enriching it can be.

What’s been your most memorable culturally immersive experience? Have you joined us at the Festival Culinaire Bernard Loiseau before? Let us know in the comments!

 

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