Welcome to Anahita, “a world-class sanctuary” being built on shrub and woodland on the edge of a giant sugar plantation in a laid-back corner of the south-east of this Indian Ocean tropical paradise, to use tour-operator speak.

At the moment there is a muddy brown building site with a few yellow diggers pushing earth from one side to another, helping to bulk up an area of reclaimed land overlooking a beautiful blue lagoon. But by March 2008 this will turn into a five-star, 90-room Four Seasons hotel and resort — with 40 villas for sale to the public — attracting affluent holidaymakers from across the globe.

More than 800,000 overseas visitors arrived in Mauritius last year, when four new five-star hotels were built on the island, which has a population of 1.2 million.

If all goes well, officials hope to tip the tourists-to-locals annual balance in favour of tourists some time around 2015.

All of which makes Anahita an interesting investment prospect — more visitors almost inevitably meaning more rental income and, eventually, higher property values.

But prices are unlikely to attract many first-time buyers. The 40 villas, which weave along the mangrove-lined waterfront, cost from round about $2 million (£1,067,000) for two bedrooms up to $6 million for “super luxurious” with five bedrooms.

On December 6 these are being put on the market and a stampede is expected, if sales of the first phase of Anahita properties are anything to go by.

The Four Seasons development is just one part of the Anahita project, which also includes 70 marina apartments costing about $800,000, and 215 luxury villas for around $5 million each, covering 213 hectares (526 acres) of land.

These are being sold in a series of “phases” over the next couple of years with all work completed by 2010, 200th anniversary of Britain’s defeat of the French and takeover of Mauritius. The island gained independence in 1968 and is a member of the Commonwealth.

Earlier this year the first phase sold out in a staggering six hours, I was told by Nicolas Vaudin, general manager of Ciel Properties, the local development company in charge of construction. “We expect these ones to go quickly too,” he said. “We are extremely encouraged by the interest. We expect yields to be about 5 to 6 per cent a year. Lots of Brits, South Africans and Swiss have registered.”

Will it be ready in time, I asked, looking across the site a bit doubtfully — it was not exactly a hive of activity. “Oh yes,” said Vaudin. “The construction industry here now knows how to do it fast. Le Touessrok ’s haunt, a five-star hotel on land adjacent to Anahita was taken down and rebuilt in nine months in 2002.”

But the Four Seasons’ villas — which are probably the prime properties in Anahita — should not be considered holiday homes in the sense that owners can go and stay at them at any time. There is a mandatory rental pool for 30 of the cheaper villas, which means that owners can stay on the properties for only 21 days a year. Owners of the “super luxurious” villas, likely to attract football-star-type clientele — can stay as often as they like.

Why might they attract footballers? Well, because footballers tend to love golf and the Four Seasons resort will have a lush 18-hole course designed by Ernie Els weaving between the properties, which Anahita hopes to be the best on the island. Villa-owners will be able to use the course (though they must pay green fees) as well as the other facilities at the hotel, including the swimming pools, four restaurants, a spa, a gym, two tennis courts, a club for children aged up to 11, and a young adults’ club for those aged from 12 to 18.

The villas will be detached with swimming pools designed with grey Chinese slate, large verandas, outside showers, his-and-her sinks in en suite bathrooms, DVD-players, flat-screen televisions and wireless internet in all rooms. There will be a choice of interior décor, included in the asking price.

The big downside to Anahita, and Mauritius in general, is that it takes a very long time to get there — 11½ hours from Heathrow. This makes it farther away than the Caribbean and a serious trek for the holiday-home crowd. There will also be an annual service charge, which has yet to be set.

However, Vaudin said: “We see the Four Seasons as an investment product. We believe property here is how it was in the Caribbean 15 to 20 years ago. Values are likely to jump. Something bought for $5 million now could be worth $10 million 15 years down the line.”

For this “world-class sanctuary”, millionaires only need apply.

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