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The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Shangri-La Le Touessrok, Mauritius, hotel review
A fun, lively resort with beautiful white sand beaches and a private island that's perfectly suited to families or an active holiday in luxury surroundings. Location Staff at the hotel will be quick to tell you that as one of the first hotels on the island, the Shangri-La Le Touessrok had its pick of locations on the east coast and chose the best. And although there may just be a nugget of truth to this, the location is indeed exquisite. Situated on the east side of Mauritius where many of the most luxurious resorts are located, the Shangri-La has arguably some of the most beautiful stretches of white sand on the island with uninterrupted views across the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. It is also the only resort in Mauritius that has a private island. The hotel is roughly an hour's drive (45km) from Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. The vibe Recently renovated to create a more modern coastal vibe, this sprawling resort has a bit of a buzz about it, while also being laid-back and never feeling too busy or crowded. Sleek and fresh with lots of white and natural tones, and surrounded by greenery, it has a real 'paradise' feel. While many luxury hotels on the island can feel quite sleepy after dinner, Shangri-La has music and performances that go on into the evenings, creating a livelier ambience (without too much of a party atmosphere). Service A WhatsApp service allows you to contact the front desk and concierge directly, and this is relatively efficient. The weather can be changeable here and if plans need to be changed at the last minute, staff are friendly and helpful. Bed and bath The resort is split into three sections – Coral, Hibiscus and Frangipani – and all rooms look out towards white sands and turquoise waters. The rooms are chic and modern, with white decor contrasted with splashes of colour and touches of wood. Minibars are free (excluding alcohol) and replenished daily. There are several suites with direct beachfront access and three very upscale private villas Food and drink There are five restaurants at Shangri-La (including one on the private island), as well as various dining 'experiences' that are seasonal. Safran serves excellent South Indian cuisine, including fluffy naan cooked in the open oven in front of you. At Coco's you'll find simpler beachside fare with burgers, sandwiches, salads and pastas for both lunch and dinner, while Kushi is a chic Japanese restaurant featuring a Sake Alcove where guests can sample rare bottles. Breakfast is at Touessrok Soul Kitchen (TSK), which also serves dinner part-buffet and part à la carte, and Sega bar is open for evening drinks. Facilities This is where Shangri-La stands out. Although it's very easy to spend a week relaxing on the beach, there is so much to do at this resort that you'd struggle to fit it all into a week or even two. There are regular boats to the resort's private island Ilot Mangénie where you'll find 3.5 kilometres of beach with cabanas and a restaurant, and several walking trails. The resort itself has two swimming pools: a large family-friendly pool and a quieter adults-only one. You'll also find three well-maintained tennis courts; the fourth has been converted to a padel court. There's a large gym with all the weights and cardio machines that you would expect, plus a full schedule of classes, including boxing, HIIT and yoga. The Chi spa offers infra red and Japanese treatments, as well as a more conventional menu including massages and facials, and there's a nail and hair salon attached, with the latter using Kerastase products. Alongside watersports from the beach, there is a wide range of excursions on offer, including kayaking among mangroves, e-bike tours around the local villages, and a private dolphin-spotting boat tour that includes snorkelling and a waterfall visit. The wildlife at this resort is incredible. Giant bats soar overhead during the day, geckos and lizards scamper through the undergrowth around the resort, and rare birds can be spotted from the restaurants. Not to be missed is a visit to Toto, the 100-year-old giant tortoise who roams near the tennis courts, alongside the relatively more youthful female tortoises Fifi and Lola, aged around 80. Accessibility The resort is partially accessible, including the lobby area and parts of the Hibiscus Wing. In this section, two rooms – one Signature Beachfront Suite and one Beachfront Junior Suite – are accessible by ramp and feature walk-in showers. There are ramps available in the lobby area and in some areas in the Hibiscus Wing (other areas are accessible by wheelchair via the concrete pathways). There is also an elevator located in the lobby area to access the resort's main restaurant TSK. Pet policy The hotel does not accommodate pets. Check in/check out Check in from 2pm; check out by 12noon. Family-friendly? Shangri-La boasts the largest kids club on the island. It's for children aged 4-12 and has its own pool, a stage, treehouse, and a kitchen where kids can make cookies and pizzas. Significantly, it's open until 10pm in the evenings so parents can enjoy dinner before picking their children up. There's also a games room for teens and young adults that includes karaoke, a foosball table and a pool table. At a glance: Perfect for: Families who want a five-star experience
News.com.au
a day ago
- Business
- News.com.au
What impact will Chris Bowen's gas review have on ASX explorers?
WA's 15% gas reservation policy has kept local prices lower for nearly two decades The federal government now plans to apply a similar model to the east coast What impact will this have on ASX gas players on the east coast? We tap MST Access energy analyst Saul Kavonic to give us a breakdown of possible scenarios Gas reservation – the retention of a percentage of a gas development's reserves for domestic use – has been a feature of Western Australia's energy picture for nearly two decades and the federal government, via Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen, is now looking to do the same in the eastern states. The policy has been credited with ensuring comparatively lower gas prices in WA, which had required offshore fields to set aside 15% of their gas for domestic use. While wholesale gas prices in the state have increased significantly since 2020 when the state government allowed onshore fields to export gas, it remains lower than over in the east with Santos (ASX:STO) reporting realised prices of about $8.24 per gigajoule during the first quarter of 2025. This compares with the average gas price of $13.26 per gigajoule on the east coast during the same period, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). Anthony Albanese's Labor government is now hoping that a similar gas reservation scheme could increase domestic gas supplied as it stares at the potential for shortfalls in 2029. Gas policy shake-up For ASX small cap gas players operating on the east coast, implications will vary depending on the details of the reservation policy and how it is executed. Speaking to Stockhead, MST Access energy analyst Saul Kavonic said that if the government simply introduces a forward-looking gas reservation policy for new fields, it's unlikely to shift the dial much for the east coast gas market. But if the government goes down the more aggressive pathway, applying the policy retrospectively to existing projects, Kavonic said it would artificially push more gas into the domestic market for a period of time. 'And that would put some downward pressure on pricing,' he said. 'Even in that scenario, we are still likely looking at double digit gas prices at the very low end, so for the small east coast producers, both the demand and the pricing outlook still appears like it will remain supportive. 'What it will do for those domestic players is drastically limit their market routes by cutting off export of the volumes as an option, and particularly for those players where exports would be the most natural market, that could potentially reduce the availability capital and joint venture approvals for them to proceed.' Another potential benefit for small-cap producers on the east coast is if the policy is structured to incentivise domestic gas development by allowing new gas supply to offset reservation obligations, Kavonic said. 'The policy could open up opportunities for small-cap producers, as LNG players may look to support their projects in order to secure the domestic gas volumes required under the new framework,' he added. 'The risk lies in the government calling it a prospective policy, but then defining it to include new fields, expansions, and third-party supply in a way that effectively makes it retrospective – impacting existing assets and operations. 'I think the government wants to pursue this in a way which encourages more supply, which is in line with the Future Gas Strategy and the statements being made by the Prime Minister,' Kavonic said. 'If they get the settings right, it could see a boost for small independent suppliers as the LNG projects would be incentivised to support and fund them.' But if the government doesn't get the policy right, it could end up doing more harm than good, discouraging new gas supply and making the market situation worse. Testing trade relations Over the past few years, the Australian government's intent to increase supply has tended to backfire. Since 2022 when the Labor government introduced its gas policy, relations with our international trading partners – including Japan – have been impacted. Now, the Albanese government's move to consider an east coast gas reservation is adding even more fuel to the fire, and reportedly causing concern in Japan – a country where securing LNG supply is a national security. WA Premier Roger Cook has flagged serious trade concerns from Japanese stakeholders over the potential east coast gas reservation policy, following meetings with senior government and industry officials during a recent visit. Gas thirst could fuel growth Regardless of what happens in regard to the reservation policy, the hunger for gas supplies could be a benefit for Advent Energy – an unlisted company that's 36% owned by BPH Energy (ASX:BPH). Advent continues to maintain that its PEP 11 permit in the offshore Sydney Basin is in force with respect to matters such as reporting, payment of rents and the various provisions of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 and is currently seeking a judicial review. PEP 11 could host multiple trillion cubic feet of gas, which could go a long way towards meeting east coast gas demand.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Federal govt not neglecting Kelantan, Zahid says
Deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the federal government comes to Kelantan's aid whenever the state is struck by floods. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has rubbished claims by a PAS leader that the federal government is obstructing development in Kelantan and neglecting the east coast state. Zahid, who is also the rural and regional development minister, said such claims were outlandish. He added that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim would announce allocations for Kelantan each time he visited the state. 'The latest announcements, one of which I heard for myself, included the approval of RM6.6 million to repair a collapsed slope,' he was quoted as saying by Berita Harian. On July 1, the Kelantan government thanked the federal government for approving the sum to repair the collapsed slope near a water treatment plant in Bukit Merah. The slope collapsed on Nov 26 last year, following heavy rain. Zahid said the federal government would also come to Kelantan's aid when floods struck the state. 'So I hope he gets the details from his leadership,' Zahid said, referring to PAS vice-president Amar Nik Abdullah. 'He should not mislead the public,' he added. Amar had said in a Facebook post that Kelantan was the only state that did not have a highway. He also said that the federal government had dragged its feet when it came to executing development projects.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Google, Costco and more popular sites crash amid outage
By Published: Updated: A massive internet outage has hit the US, knocking dozens of popular websites offline. According to Downdetector, Google, Costco, Spotify and many others went down around 10:30am ET. Many features of Google Workspace are also experiencing issues, including Gmail, Drive, Cloud and Chat. Users may face challenges accessing their accounts and files in the middle of a workday. Google has acknowledged the outage, saying: 'We're currently experiencing elevated latency and error rates for several Cloud services in the us-east1 region. 'Our initial investigation points to a hardware infrastructure failure as the likely cause.' Google noted that the incident is also affecting Google Cloud Storage, Google Cloud Support, Google Compute Engine, Identity and Access Management, Secret Manager and Virtual Private Cloud.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Google, Costco and more popular sites crash as massive internet outage sweeps US
A massive internet outage has hit the US, knocking dozens of popular websites offline. According to Downdetector, Google, Costco, Spotify and many others went down around 10:30am ET. Many features of Google Workspace are also experiencing issues, including Gmail, Drive, Cloud and Chat. While thousands of Americans issued reports to Downdetector, the outage seems to be plaguing all parts of the globe. Google has acknowledged the outage, saying: 'We're currently experiencing elevated latency and error rates for several Cloud services in the us-east1 region. ;Our initial investigation points to a hardware infrastructure failure as the likely cause.' This is a developing story... More updates to come
