Here you can get to know Mauritius and dream about climbing almost untouched mountains, exploring waterfalls, diving into the reefs, swimming with dolphins and, of course, relaxing at the wonderful beaches, where you can listen to the sound of the sea, the famous tune of the colorful ice-cream-cars and the drums of séga music.
Here you can get to know Mauritius and dream about climbing almost untouched mountains, exploring waterfalls, diving into the reefs, swimming with dolphins and, of course, relaxing at the wonderful beaches, where you can listen to the sound of the sea, the famous tune of the colorful ice-cream-cars and the drums of séga music.
Maybe you are even in the lucky position of not only dreaming about being in Mauritius, but to actually plan your trip to the little island that is so often compared to paradise. When visiting some of the various restaurants or passing by one of the little street stands which sell sweets and other snacks, you can even taste Mauritius’ variety of cultures. You will for example experience the people’s laid back attitude, their hospitality and their ability to speak three languages.
Nevertheless you are spoilt for choice. There are so many things to see! Hopefully the Mauritius Guide can be a source of inspiration where to go and what to do.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any comments or suggestions.
Have fun exploring the Guide!
Tskydiveaustralip of the Month
Do you want to have an unforgetable experience during your holiday in Mauritius? In this case we recommend you to try skydiving with Skydive Austral. Get yourself into this unique adventure and you will never regret it! Step out of the aircraft door with your professional tandempartner at 10000ft and fly towards the ground at 200km/h for some 45 seconds! Do not miss the opportunity to enjoy Mauritius´ wonderful landscape from above! Book now on our website and you get 10% discount! Read more!
Why Mauritius?
You can enjoy a fusion of Asia, Africa, France and Britain on one of the Indian Ocean's most beautiful islands.
Unsurprisingly, Mauritius is prime territory for honeymooners and the jet-set, with palm-fringed beaches, crystal clear water, coral reef-sheltered aquamarine lagoons – plus a luxury hotel for nearly every week of the year.
The stunning coast rings a less-explored but spectacular interior: tall swaying grasses of seemingly endless sugar-cane plantations, forested ridges and gorges, bright tropical flowers and palm trees, meadows and arable land, all interspersed with emerald-green jagged peaks that soar skywards from this fertile isle.
Some history?
Arab traders came to Mauritius as early as the 10th century, followed later by the Portuguese, but neither settled. That was left to the Dutch, who arrived in the late 16th century, in turn passing the island over to the French and British rule. As a result, the island is saturated with their legacies – from the introduction of crops, wildlife and colonial architecture, to the establishment of a thriving trade port and the dark days of the slave trade and imported immigrants.
Independence finally came in 1968. Today there remains a seductive mix of culture and history. One of the most tangible colonial remnants is the plantation architecture that is scattered across the island, much of which is still private. However, in the village of Moka you can visit Euréka (00 230 433 8477; maisoneureka.com), an 1836 plantation house which calls itself "La maison Créole".
Built entirely of wood, the house is a miraculous recreation of 19th-century life for the wealthy Franco-Mauritian upper classes, whose original owners had 17 children. Today it is filled with furniture imported via the French East India Company, including a marble bath, ebony chairs, Pleyel pianos, family portraits and porcelain from Japan and China. Euréka is set amid well-manicured gardens, which back on to a path that leads along a ravine to an impressive waterfall.
The house opens 9am-5pm daily and until 3.30pm Sunday, admission Rs200 (£4). You can also stay in the former servants' cottages on the estate (costing Rs3,450/£69 per double with breakfast), in which case you have free access. If you don't stay the night, linger for lunch, which is served on the veranda. Three courses – for example smoked marlin salad, followed by curry with chutneys and vanilla ice-cream with coconut – will set you back Rs660 (£13.20) per person, excluding drinks.
Another fine colonial example is Château de Mon Plaisir, in Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens (gov.mu/portal/site/ssrbg) in Pamplemousses. The garden bursts with spice plants and palm trees. There is a lake filled with giant lilies, while the house has a photo exhibition. Open daily, 8.30am- 5.30pm (house closed Monday), admission to both free.
The beach – and beyond?
Mauritius's main appeal lies in its 177km of coastline, the majority of which is a dazzling palette of peacock hues. The outlying coral reef means that much of the shoreline is protected by translucent, calm lagoons, with the opportunity for snorkelling, diving and watersports out by the reef.
Hotels are clustered on the west, north and east coasts; the south is quieter and more windswept but is seeing steady development.
Perhaps one of the most romantic spots is the peninsula of Le Morne, on the south-west corner. The hotels here sit under the imposing Le Morne Brabant, a single basalt peak given its poignant name by slaves who jumped from its summit in 1835 when they believed that the soldiers dispatched to free them were approaching with the intent to capture them. There are few more striking sights than the rock bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun.
But you don't have to be a beach bum to appreciate the island. The southern interior rises sharply to the island's highest peak, Mount Piton (828m), via some fabulous detours, such as Chamarel, a village surrounded by lush coffee and pineapple plantations. The town is best known for its Martian landscape of seven different colours of earth atop a valley (00 230 483 8298), thought to be created by the uneven cooling of volcanic rock. There are four Seychellois tortoises on site, as well as a dramatic waterfall that plunges over 100m into a ravine. The site opens daily 7am-5.30pm, admission Rs100 (£2).
Due east is the Black River Gorges National Park (00 230 258 0057; tiny.cc/Lpzh4), where the Black River waterfall thrusts into a gorge of steep forested inclines that fold into the distance – on a clear day you can see as far as Tamarin beach on the west coast. Walking trails weave through the protected habitats of endangered birds, rare plant species and monkeys.
Adjoining the park is Valriche (00 230 623 56 15; domainedebelombre.mu), a private nature reserve with more structured tours of the plains and forests, by quad bike.
A similar set-up is the Vallée de Ferney (00 230 433 1050; cieletnature.com) on the east coast.
From nature to culture – over half of the population is Hindu and the devotees' most holy site is the lake of Grand Bassin, also known as Ganga Talao in the south-west highlands. They believe the lake was created by Shiva spilling Ganges water into a crater here; hundreds of thousands of people from around the island make the annual Maha Shivaratri pilgrimage in February or March, but visitors can come at any time to see the statues and temples.
Any city life?
Yes. The thriving capital, Port Louis, is where you'll find the most compact mix of Mauritian culture, with Hindu temples, mosques, Chinese pagodas and Catholic churches. The city is a spread of low-rise concrete buildings and a small high-rise business district that eventually gives way to the harbour. The hub of the capital is Government House, a handsome colonial building fronted with a statue of Queen Victoria. She faces the Place d'Armes and, beyond it (and a busy highway), the harbour.
Fort Adelaide Citadel, on a hill east of the city, is ugly and shambolic, but it presents an excellent panorama of the city and hills. The most notable sight is the Champs de Mars racecourse (00 230 211 2147; mauritiusturfclub. com); created nearly two centuries ago, it is the oldest in the southern hemisphere.
From the fort, walk down Jummah Mosque Street: you pass homes and schools, shops and workshops, occupied by people from a mix of cultures. Cross Royal Street, the main commercial thoroughfare: on your right is the imposing arch marking the entrance to Port Louis' Chinatown. Pass the big, elegant mosque then turn left along Queen Street – ideally clutching a Rs200 note, which bears a picture of the wrought-iron gates at the entrance to the central market between Queen and Farquhar Streets.
Some wildlife?
Mauritius is famed for being the only habitat of the dodo, the overgrown, flightless relation of the dove that was hunted to extinction by Dutch settlers in the 17th century. Port Louis's Natural History Museum occupies a beautiful colonial building on Chaussee Street (00 230 212 0639; open 9am daily except Weds, to noon at weekends, 4pm on other days, admission free). Inside, the displays – somewhat fusty and old-fashioned – include a stuffed example of the bird. Nevertheless, they are fascinating, given the island's unique animal life.
There's life to be found in the wild, too – try fruit bats, monkeys, pink pigeons, Mauritius kestrels (there were only four left in the world in 1974; today there are more than 800 and numbers are rising), Echo parakeets and native songbirds for a start.
For an intense snapshot of Mauritian nature, head to the Ile aux Aigrettes (00 230 697 6097; mauritian-wildlife.org), a conservation project set up by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (of which Gerald Durrell was a pioneer) on an uninhabited island off the south-east coast. The project aims to turn back the clock 400 years on the reserve's endemic coastal vegetation, birds and reptiles and has reintroduced giant Aldabran tortoises to the island.
Offshore, everything from whales, dolphins and sharks to grouper, snapper, scorpionfish and moray eels can be spotted. The most impressive sealife can be found off Rodrigues island, which is ringed by virgin reefs, but itV C is over an hour away on often pricey flights (020-7434 4375; airmauritius.com) from the main island. The west coast offers the most sheltered conditions, while sharks and whales are often sighted off the wind-buffeted east coast. Blue Bay marine park off the south-east coast is an excellent spot for snorkelling. For information on dive centres, contact the Mauritius Scuba Diving Association (00 230 454 0011; msda-cmas. org). Most hotels hire out snorkels and fins and offer boat trips to the reefs.
Is Mauritius delicious?
Absolutely. The island's blend of immigrant communities has engendered a mouth-watering fusion cuisine that's part Indian, part Creole, part Chinese and part French.
Most hotels offer superb food, but for a more local flavour, head to the market in Port Louis. This is the closest Mauritius gets to "frenetic" – you're hit by scents of coriander and fruit and the yelling of the vendors the moment you venture inside. The food court is an excellent place to eat: choose from Chinese, Tamil or Creole dishes; a good takeaway snack is bhel puri, a spicy chick-pea pancake. In addition, you can buy herbs claiming to cure gout, constipation or cellulite; yards of textiles; and mountains of fresh fruit and vegetables. It opens 8.30am-5.30pm daily (until noon on Sundays).
For something more substantial, La Bonne Marmite on Sir William Newton Street (00 230 212 2403) offers a mélange of cuisines. The Chinese community makes up only 3 per cent of the population of Mauritius, but it has a strong gastronomic influence. The leading Chinese restaurant in Port Louis is Lai Min (00 230 208 3528) on Royal Street.
In Port Louis' Company Gardens, you can find a profusion of shady tropical trees with a bandstand, statues of the great and good and vendors selling pain tika poulet – chicken tikka sandwiches.
Any shopping?
Mauritius has a thriving textiles industry, and tailors in Port Louis can create a suit overnight for around Rs5,000 (£100). Try Mahmood Affejee at 8 Eugene Laurent Street (00 230 208 0421). Otherwise, the central city of Curepipe is the hub of factory shops, with outlets galore just outside in Floréal. Expect to buy designer brands for half the usual price, although most of the best stuff is shipped abroad. What remains are mostly Ralph Lauren polo shirts, Abercrombie & Fitch sweaters and cashmere jumpers. Curepipe is also the centre of model ship-making, with specialist shops such as Voiliers de l'Océan on Sir Winston Churchill Street (00 230 676 6986). On the outskirts of the city is Trou aux Cerfs, the bowl-shaped crater of a dormant volcano, said to counterbalance an active volcano on Réunion island; when Réunion stops, Trou aux Cerfs will become active once again.
In Port Louis' market, you can stock up on vanilla pods, sugar, spices and tea. The latter is produced in the southern highlands, where you can tour a factory at the Bois Chéri estate (00 230 507 0216; saintaubin.mu). It opens Monday-Friday 8.30am-4.30pm, until 2.30pm Saturday, closed Sunday; Rs230 (£4.60).
Maybe you are even in the lucky position of not only dreaming about being in Mauritius, but to actually plan your trip to the little island that is so often compared to paradise. When visiting some of the various restaurants or passing by one of the little street stands which sell sweets and other snacks, you can even taste Mauritius’ variety of cultures. You will for example experience the people’s laid back attitude, their hospitality and their ability to speak three languages.
Nevertheless you are spoilt for choice. There are so many things to see! Hopefully the Mauritius Guide can be a source of inspiration where to go and what to do.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any comments or suggestions.
Have fun exploring the Guide!
Tskydiveaustralip of the Month
Do you want to have an unforgetable experience during your holiday in Mauritius? In this case we recommend you to try skydiving with Skydive Austral. Get yourself into this unique adventure and you will never regret it! Step out of the aircraft door with your professional tandempartner at 10000ft and fly towards the ground at 200km/h for some 45 seconds! Do not miss the opportunity to enjoy Mauritius´ wonderful landscape from above! Book now on our website and you get 10% discount!
Here you can get to know Mauritius and dream about climbing almost untouched mountains, exploring waterfalls, diving into the reefs, swimming with dolphins and, of course, relaxing at the wonderful beaches, where you can listen to the sound of the sea, the famous tune of the colorful ice-cream-cars and the drums of séga music.
Maybe you are even in the lucky position of not only dreaming about being in Mauritius, but to actually plan your trip to the little island that is so often compared to paradise. When visiting some of the various restaurants or passing by one of the little street stands which sell sweets and other snacks, you can even taste Mauritius’ variety of cultures. You will for example experience the people’s laid back attitude, their hospitality and their ability to speak three languages.
Nevertheless you are spoilt for choice. There are so many things to see! Hopefully the Mauritius Guide can be a source of inspiration where to go and what to do.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any comments or suggestions.
Have fun exploring the Guide!
Tskydiveaustralip of the Month
Do you want to have an unforgetable experience during your holiday in Mauritius? In this case we recommend you to try skydiving with Skydive Austral. Get yourself into this unique adventure and you will never regret it! Step out of the aircraft door with your professional tandempartner at 10000ft and fly towards the ground at 200km/h for some 45 seconds! Do not miss the opportunity to enjoy Mauritius´ wonderful landscape from above! Book now on our website and you get 10% discount! Read more!
Why Mauritius?
You can enjoy a fusion of Asia, Africa, France and Britain on one of the Indian Ocean's most beautiful islands.
Unsurprisingly, Mauritius is prime territory for honeymooners and the jet-set, with palm-fringed beaches, crystal clear water, coral reef-sheltered aquamarine lagoons – plus a luxury hotel for nearly every week of the year.
The stunning coast rings a less-explored but spectacular interior: tall swaying grasses of seemingly endless sugar-cane plantations, forested ridges and gorges, bright tropical flowers and palm trees, meadows and arable land, all interspersed with emerald-green jagged peaks that soar skywards from this fertile isle.
Some history?
Arab traders came to Mauritius as early as the 10th century, followed later by the Portuguese, but neither settled. That was left to the Dutch, who arrived in the late 16th century, in turn passing the island over to the French and British rule. As a result, the island is saturated with their legacies – from the introduction of crops, wildlife and colonial architecture, to the establishment of a thriving trade port and the dark days of the slave trade and imported immigrants.
Independence finally came in 1968. Today there remains a seductive mix of culture and history. One of the most tangible colonial remnants is the plantation architecture that is scattered across the island, much of which is still private. However, in the village of Moka you can visit Euréka (00 230 433 8477; maisoneureka.com), an 1836 plantation house which calls itself "La maison Créole".
Built entirely of wood, the house is a miraculous recreation of 19th-century life for the wealthy Franco-Mauritian upper classes, whose original owners had 17 children. Today it is filled with furniture imported via the French East India Company, including a marble bath, ebony chairs, Pleyel pianos, family portraits and porcelain from Japan and China. Euréka is set amid well-manicured gardens, which back on to a path that leads along a ravine to an impressive waterfall.
The house opens 9am-5pm daily and until 3.30pm Sunday, admission Rs200 (£4). You can also stay in the former servants' cottages on the estate (costing Rs3,450/£69 per double with breakfast), in which case you have free access. If you don't stay the night, linger for lunch, which is served on the veranda. Three courses – for example smoked marlin salad, followed by curry with chutneys and vanilla ice-cream with coconut – will set you back Rs660 (£13.20) per person, excluding drinks.
Another fine colonial example is Château de Mon Plaisir, in Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens (gov.mu/portal/site/ssrbg) in Pamplemousses. The garden bursts with spice plants and palm trees. There is a lake filled with giant lilies, while the house has a photo exhibition. Open daily, 8.30am- 5.30pm (house closed Monday), admission to both free.
The beach – and beyond?
Mauritius's main appeal lies in its 177km of coastline, the majority of which is a dazzling palette of peacock hues. The outlying coral reef means that much of the shoreline is protected by translucent, calm lagoons, with the opportunity for snorkelling, diving and watersports out by the reef.
Hotels are clustered on the west, north and east coasts; the south is quieter and more windswept but is seeing steady development.
Perhaps one of the most romantic spots is the peninsula of Le Morne, on the south-west corner. The hotels here sit under the imposing Le Morne Brabant, a single basalt peak given its poignant name by slaves who jumped from its summit in 1835 when they believed that the soldiers dispatched to free them were approaching with the intent to capture them. There are few more striking sights than the rock bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun.
But you don't have to be a beach bum to appreciate the island. The southern interior rises sharply to the island's highest peak, Mount Piton (828m), via some fabulous detours, such as Chamarel, a village surrounded by lush coffee and pineapple plantations. The town is best known for its Martian landscape of seven different colours of earth atop a valley (00 230 483 8298), thought to be created by the uneven cooling of volcanic rock. There are four Seychellois tortoises on site, as well as a dramatic waterfall that plunges over 100m into a ravine. The site opens daily 7am-5.30pm, admission Rs100 (£2).
Due east is the Black River Gorges National Park (00 230 258 0057; tiny.cc/Lpzh4), where the Black River waterfall thrusts into a gorge of steep forested inclines that fold into the distance – on a clear day you can see as far as Tamarin beach on the west coast. Walking trails weave through the protected habitats of endangered birds, rare plant species and monkeys.
Adjoining the park is Valriche (00 230 623 56 15; domainedebelombre.mu), a private nature reserve with more structured tours of the plains and forests, by quad bike.
A similar set-up is the Vallée de Ferney (00 230 433 1050; cieletnature.com) on the east coast.
From nature to culture – over half of the population is Hindu and the devotees' most holy site is the lake of Grand Bassin, also known as Ganga Talao in the south-west highlands. They believe the lake was created by Shiva spilling Ganges water into a crater here; hundreds of thousands of people from around the island make the annual Maha Shivaratri pilgrimage in February or March, but visitors can come at any time to see the statues and temples.
Any city life?
Yes. The thriving capital, Port Louis, is where you'll find the most compact mix of Mauritian culture, with Hindu temples, mosques, Chinese pagodas and Catholic churches. The city is a spread of low-rise concrete buildings and a small high-rise business district that eventually gives way to the harbour. The hub of the capital is Government House, a handsome colonial building fronted with a statue of Queen Victoria. She faces the Place d'Armes and, beyond it (and a busy highway), the harbour.
Fort Adelaide Citadel, on a hill east of the city, is ugly and shambolic, but it presents an excellent panorama of the city and hills. The most notable sight is the Champs de Mars racecourse (00 230 211 2147; mauritiusturfclub. com); created nearly two centuries ago, it is the oldest in the southern hemisphere.
From the fort, walk down Jummah Mosque Street: you pass homes and schools, shops and workshops, occupied by people from a mix of cultures. Cross Royal Street, the main commercial thoroughfare: on your right is the imposing arch marking the entrance to Port Louis' Chinatown. Pass the big, elegant mosque then turn left along Queen Street – ideally clutching a Rs200 note, which bears a picture of the wrought-iron gates at the entrance to the central market between Queen and Farquhar Streets.
Some wildlife?
Mauritius is famed for being the only habitat of the dodo, the overgrown, flightless relation of the dove that was hunted to extinction by Dutch settlers in the 17th century. Port Louis's Natural History Museum occupies a beautiful colonial building on Chaussee Street (00 230 212 0639; open 9am daily except Weds, to noon at weekends, 4pm on other days, admission free). Inside, the displays – somewhat fusty and old-fashioned – include a stuffed example of the bird. Nevertheless, they are fascinating, given the island's unique animal life.
There's life to be found in the wild, too – try fruit bats, monkeys, pink pigeons, Mauritius kestrels (there were only four left in the world in 1974; today there are more than 800 and numbers are rising), Echo parakeets and native songbirds for a start.
For an intense snapshot of Mauritian nature, head to the Ile aux Aigrettes (00 230 697 6097; mauritian-wildlife.org), a conservation project set up by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (of which Gerald Durrell was a pioneer) on an uninhabited island off the south-east coast. The project aims to turn back the clock 400 years on the reserve's endemic coastal vegetation, birds and reptiles and has reintroduced giant Aldabran tortoises to the island.
Offshore, everything from whales, dolphins and sharks to grouper, snapper, scorpionfish and moray eels can be spotted. The most impressive sealife can be found off Rodrigues island, which is ringed by virgin reefs, but itV C is over an hour away on often pricey flights (020-7434 4375; airmauritius.com) from the main island. The west coast offers the most sheltered conditions, while sharks and whales are often sighted off the wind-buffeted east coast. Blue Bay marine park off the south-east coast is an excellent spot for snorkelling. For information on dive centres, contact the Mauritius Scuba Diving Association (00 230 454 0011; msda-cmas. org). Most hotels hire out snorkels and fins and offer boat trips to the reefs.
Is Mauritius delicious?
Absolutely. The island's blend of immigrant communities has engendered a mouth-watering fusion cuisine that's part Indian, part Creole, part Chinese and part French.
Most hotels offer superb food, but for a more local flavour, head to the market in Port Louis. This is the closest Mauritius gets to "frenetic" – you're hit by scents of coriander and fruit and the yelling of the vendors the moment you venture inside. The food court is an excellent place to eat: choose from Chinese, Tamil or Creole dishes; a good takeaway snack is bhel puri, a spicy chick-pea pancake. In addition, you can buy herbs claiming to cure gout, constipation or cellulite; yards of textiles; and mountains of fresh fruit and vegetables. It opens 8.30am-5.30pm daily (until noon on Sundays).
For something more substantial, La Bonne Marmite on Sir William Newton Street (00 230 212 2403) offers a mélange of cuisines. The Chinese community makes up only 3 per cent of the population of Mauritius, but it has a strong gastronomic influence. The leading Chinese restaurant in Port Louis is Lai Min (00 230 208 3528) on Royal Street.
In Port Louis' Company Gardens, you can find a profusion of shady tropical trees with a bandstand, statues of the great and good and vendors selling pain tika poulet – chicken tikka sandwiches.
Any shopping?
Mauritius has a thriving textiles industry, and tailors in Port Louis can create a suit overnight for around Rs5,000 (£100). Try Mahmood Affejee at 8 Eugene Laurent Street (00 230 208 0421). Otherwise, the central city of Curepipe is the hub of factory shops, with outlets galore just outside in Floréal. Expect to buy designer brands for half the usual price, although most of the best stuff is shipped abroad. What remains are mostly Ralph Lauren polo shirts, Abercrombie & Fitch sweaters and cashmere jumpers. Curepipe is also the centre of model ship-making, with specialist shops such as Voiliers de l'Océan on Sir Winston Churchill Street (00 230 676 6986). On the outskirts of the city is Trou aux Cerfs, the bowl-shaped crater of a dormant volcano, said to counterbalance an active volcano on Réunion island; when Réunion stops, Trou aux Cerfs will become active once again.
In Port Louis' market, you can stock up on vanilla pods, sugar, spices and tea. The latter is produced in the southern highlands, where you can tour a factory at the Bois Chéri estate (00 230 507 0216; saintaubin.mu). It opens Monday-Friday 8.30am-4.30pm, until 2.30pm Saturday, closed Sunday; Rs230 (£4.60).
Maybe you are even in the lucky position of not only dreaming about being in Mauritius, but to actually plan your trip to the little island that is so often compared to paradise. When visiting some of the various restaurants or passing by one of the little street stands which sell sweets and other snacks, you can even taste Mauritius’ variety of cultures. You will for example experience the people’s laid back attitude, their hospitality and their ability to speak three languages.
Nevertheless you are spoilt for choice. There are so many things to see! Hopefully the Mauritius Guide can be a source of inspiration where to go and what to do.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any comments or suggestions.
Have fun exploring the Guide!
Tskydiveaustralip of the Month
Do you want to have an unforgetable experience during your holiday in Mauritius? In this case we recommend you to try skydiving with Skydive Austral. Get yourself into this unique adventure and you will never regret it! Step out of the aircraft door with your professional tandempartner at 10000ft and fly towards the ground at 200km/h for some 45 seconds! Do not miss the opportunity to enjoy Mauritius´ wonderful landscape from above! Book now on our website and you get 10% discount!
