Mauritius has topped Flight Centre South Africa’s list of favourite international destinations for well over a decade. It promises, by almost any measure, a near-perfect holiday, delivering reliable sunshine, extraordinary beaches, seamless accessibility, and a hospitality culture that has been refined specifically for the South African traveller.
“Just over 23,000 South Africans travelled to Mauritius in the first quarter of 2026 alone – an increase on 2025’s Q1 arrivals – making SA the island nation’s fifth largest source market, right behind France, Germany, Reunion Island, and the UK. Mauritius’s status as our country’s leading cruise destination also continues to grow,” says Antoinette Turner, General Manager of Flight Centre South Africa.
“SAA’s recently launched direct Cape Town–Mauritius service, operating three times weekly year-round, combined with Air Mauritius’s equally frequent direct flights, has made the island more accessible from the Western Cape than ever. Johannesburg travellers, meanwhile, also continue to enjoy a wealth of direct flight options from both carriers,” she adds.
Turner believes that Mauritius will always be South Africa’s most-booked international destination, but she reports that Flight Centre is beginning to see an appetite among well-travelled Saffas for something that pushes their boundaries a little further. “They’re looking for something more unexpected,” she explains.
The good news is that the islands surrounding Mauritius offer some of the most compelling travel experiences in the world. Here are a few to consider, hand-picked by Flight Centre’s Travel Experts.
Réunion: For the traveller who wants their island wild
Just 200 kilometres southwest of Mauritius, Réunion is French territory, which means European infrastructure, exceptional cuisine, and a standard of hiking trail maintenance that would make most destinations envious. But what makes Réunion genuinely unmissable right now is Piton de la Fournaise, one of the world’s most active shield volcanoes, which is currently in the midst of a spectacular eruptive cycle.
“2026 began with a smaller eruption in January, followed by a highly significant sustained eruption on February 13th, generating massive basaltic lava flows down the volcano’s south-southeast flank. By mid-March, those flows had travelled approximately seven kilometres, cutting across the island’s coastal highway and pouring into the Indian Ocean for the first time in nearly two decades,” Turner explains.
Piton de la Fournaise is one of the most active volcanoes on earth, and because the underground system is still showing seismic activity, scientists expect new eruptive phases to happen before the year ends.
To stand at a safe viewing distance and watch molten rock meet the sea is one of the most extraordinary natural spectacles available to travellers anywhere on the planet right now. Add to this Réunion’s three UNESCO-listed calderas (covering over 40% of the island), its network of world-class hiking trails, and its Creole culinary culture, and the picture that emerges is of an island that delivers something Mauritius, for all its considerable charms, was never designed to offer.
South African arrivals to Réunion have grown between 10 – 13% annually, with over 5,000 South African tourists visiting last year. So, word is getting out.
Seychelles: For the traveller who wants to island-hop in style
If Mauritius is the reliable favourite, Seychelles is its more enigmatic, architecturally dramatic cousin. An archipelago of 115 islands scattered across the western Indian Ocean, it promises the pleasure of moving between entirely distinct worlds, each with its own its own beaches and its own pace.
2026 is a particularly meaningful year to visit, according to Turner. “The Seychelles celebrates its Golden Jubilee in June – 50 years of independence from the United Kingdom. Furthermore, the archipelago has entered the year with a significant accolade: the US News & World Report has named it the world’s number one destination for eco-tourism in its 2026 Best Countries rankings,” she says.
According to Christine Vel, Tourism Seychelles’ Market Manager for South Africa:
“The Seychelles has always delivered a wilderness experience wrapped in world-class luxury. Our Golden Jubilee year feels like a natural moment for the world to rediscover what makes these islands so extraordinary. The eco-tourism recognition reflects something our islands have always embodied: that the most memorable travel experiences are the ones where the natural environment is the centrepiece. For South African travellers looking to experience island-hopping at its finest, there has never been a better time to explore the archipelago.”
Zanzibar and Tanzania: For the traveller who wants beach and wilderness in a single trip
Zanzibar recorded 100,739 international tourist arrivals in December 2025 alone – a 10% increase on the previous year. These numbers reflect a destination that has matured into one of Africa’s most compelling propositions: a spice-scented, historically layered island with turquoise water and white sand, currently more accessible from South Africa than it has ever been.
“Airlink’s newly launched twice-weekly direct service from Johannesburg to Zanzibar, operated on its flagship Embraer E195-E2 jets with complimentary meals, a generous baggage allowance, and no middle seats, removes the last remaining friction from the journey. A Cape Town to Zanzibar route follows in October, opening the island to the Western Cape market without a Johannesburg connection,” comments Turner.
What elevates Zanzibar beyond a beautiful beach destination, however, is what lies on the mainland. A Zanzibar beach stay combined with a Tanzania safari (the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, or the Selous) creates a two-part itinerary that delivers the full spectrum of what travel can offer.
Your next favourite destination is probably one you haven’t considered yet
Mauritius will always deserve its place at the top of the list, but the most interesting thing about South African travellers right now is that they’re asking more questions – not just “where can I go?” but “what do I actually want from this trip?” That shift in thinking opens up an ocean of possibility.
“Once a traveller starts thinking in terms of experiences rather than destinations, the whole map changes,” says Turner. “Réunion, the Seychelles, Zanzibar – these aren’t consolation prizes for when Mauritius is fully booked. They’re world-class destinations in their own right, each delivering something very different. The Indian Ocean rewards the curious. It always has,” she concludes.
