17 Years, One Tree: A Family Story with Coconut Tribe
In 2009, a five-year-old girl planted a frangipani tree at Constance Belle Mare Plage in Mauritius.
Almost 17 years later, she came back to find it still standing, taller, fuller and flourishing.
What began as a childhood moment during World Environment Day has since become a beautiful family story about returning, remembering and watching the natural world grow alongside us. And at the heart of that story is a place she remembers particularly fondly: the hotel’s Kids Club, now rebranded as Coconut Tribe at Constance Hotels & Resorts.
A childhood holiday in Mauritius
The little girl had just turned five when her family first travelled to Mauritius. It was her first visit to the island, and among her favourite memories was spending time at the Kids Club at Constance Belle Mare Plage.
In June 2009, as part of the hotel’s World Environment Day celebrations, she was invited to plant a frangipani tree near what was then known as KaKoo Club.
“I felt it was an honour to be chosen,” she remembers.
Her parents recall a five-year-old who was delighted to take part although, in true childhood fashion, she was perhaps even more excited about what came next.
“She was five years of age and having so much fun! She was thrilled to plant the tree outside of the then called KaKoo Club, where she wanted to spend all her time, rather than with Mum & Dad!”
At the time, the family hoped the tree would thrive and perhaps become something their daughter could return to later in life.
They could not have known quite how meaningful that return would become.
From Kids Club to Coconut Tribe
Today, the experience that she remembers as the Kids Club has evolved into Coconut Tribe, the kids club at Constance Hotels & Resorts.
Designed for young guests aged 4 to 14, Coconut Tribe brings together play, discovery, creativity, nature and meaningful experiences, with each activity encouraging children to connect with the world around them.
The spirit remains familiar: a place where children can have adventures of their own while families enjoy time together.
For this family, that connection to the children's programme began long before Coconut Tribe had its name.
“I have lots of wonderful memories of our family time in Mauritius, especially the Kids Club,” she says. “Going to Kids Club was always my favourite part of the holiday!”
Returning to Constance Belle Mare Plage years later also meant reconnecting with familiar faces, including Natascha and Anabelle, as well as remembering the resort buggy rides with Kaylash.
“It was great fun and still is! I really do love coming back here.”
Finding the tree again
When the family returned to Mauritius in 2025, after a 13-year gap between visits, finding the tree was high on her list.
There was some uncertainty. Had it survived all those years? Had it weathered the strong winds of the east coast?
It had.
In fact, it had flourished.
“It was wonderful to see how much it had thrived and grown,” she recalls.
She recognised it thanks in part to the photographs her parents had taken during previous visits. The tree had remained a small but constant part of the family's memories of Mauritius.
For her parents, seeing their daughter standing beside it again was equally special.
“You never know whether things will survive in this day and age, especially in an area known for strong winds. Both had grown and blossomed considerably and had clearly made their way through the intervening years very well!”
The comparison is difficult to miss: the five-year-old who planted the tree had grown up, and so had the tree.
A tree with a deeper meaning
There is another reason why the date of the planting has become especially significant.
The tree was planted on 5 June, her maternal grandfather's birthday.
Now that he has passed away, the date carries an added emotional significance, making the tree an unexpected living connection to a much-loved family member.
“It’s amazing really that something I helped plant in another country, so far away from my home is still there and flourishing,” she says.
“And also the significance of the date it was planted, now that my grandfather has passed away.”
What was once simply a child's first experience of planting a tree has become something much more personal: a living reminder of a family member, a childhood holiday and a place that continued to feel familiar across the years.
Returning to Mauritius as an adult has also changed the way she sees the island.
In 2009, she remembers the coral reefs surrounding Mauritius as looking healthy. Today, she can see the effects of climate change and the changes taking place in marine ecosystems.
“As you get older you begin to understand the real problems facing the planet and the significant impact of climate change on the world around us.”
Her perspective has evolved from simply enjoying nature to understanding how interconnected it is.
“You also get to understand that everything has its purpose from nature’s perspective and how the loss of a species will have a harmful impact on the area around it and the life systems it supports.”
That understanding is at the heart of why experiences that connect children with nature can be so meaningful. For young travellers, a holiday can be more than a break from everyday life; it can be an opportunity to discover, explore and develop an appreciation for the natural world.
It is a philosophy that continues through Coconut Tribe at Constance Hotels & Resorts, where children's experiences are shaped around discovery, creativity, nature, wellbeing and connection.
What would she tell the little girl who planted the tree?
If she could speak to her five-year-old self today, her first piece of advice would be playful.
“I should have planted trees in more countries so that I could persuade my Mum and Dad to take me back to other places to see them!”
But her second thought carries the wisdom of nearly two decades.
“I would also say that you should seize the opportunities that life presents to you as you never know where they will lead.”
Who would have imagined that being invited to plant a tree during a childhood holiday would eventually bring her back to Mauritius almost 17 years later?
The frangipani has continued to grow through the years, just as she has.
And perhaps that is the most beautiful part of the story.
A tree planted by a five-year-old became a marker of time. A childhood Kids Club became a lasting memory of family holidays. And today, through Coconut Tribe, the same spirit of discovery continues to give a new generation of children their own stories to take home.