One of the most accessible islands in the region
Mauritius is one of the most accessible islands in the region. Although it is nestled next to East Africa, it is more heavily influenced by Britain and France. The specific atmosphere of the island is due to the typical Asian peace of mind and the French way of life, visited by over 550 thousand tourists a year.
Fabulous beaches surrounded by palm trees and crystal clear water - this is what the island of Mauritius looks like, named by the French poet Baudelaire "The Garden of Eden".
Detailed information about interesting places to visit and activities can be found here: mauritiusnow.com
A complete vacation for everyone
The island offers a complete vacation for everyone:
lazing around all day on the beach;
water sports – surfing, kite surfing, diving and swimming with dolphins, water skiing, ocean fishing;
SPA tourism - incredible variety;
World class golf. Mauritius is the third place in the world where golf appeared and the first courses were created as early as 1858. Five 9-hole and three 18-hole golf courses at Le Paradis at Le Morne Belle Mare Plage hotel, Gymkhana private club Vacoas and One&Only Le Touessrok Golf Course. The latter is probably the most impressive – designed by Bernard Langer – entirely overlooking the ocean, surrounded by white sands and green mountain lawns.
There are many resorts on the island located on the nicer beaches. The most famous are Grand Baie, Tamarin, Flic en Flac.
Landmarks
- The historic buildings of Port Louis, among which: the city theater, the police barracks of Casernes, the cathedral "St. Louis" and Fort Adelaide (or the Citadel), built by the English in the 30s of the XIX century. From the fort there are wonderful views of the city and the sea;
- The Stamp Museum in Port Louis, where the extremely beautiful stamps of Mauritius are on display. There are two more museums in the city - The Natural History and Blue Penny Museums (here is a collection again of post stamps);
- Port Louis Market - it is open and very cheap goods are available on it. Local delicacies are most easily found in Gaddafi Square. Also of interest to tourists is the Chinatown, which is also a popular place for shopping and dining;
- Aapravasi Ghat - the place where the indentured laborers brought by the English disembarked. Today, Aapravavasi Ghat has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Another interesting area near the harbor is Caudan Promenade, which is a favorite meeting place for young people and offers a wide variety of places to eat;
- The many beaches and resorts outside Port Louis - here tourists can lie in the sun or have fun with water sports in the warm transparent waters of the Indian Ocean;
- Grand Baie - the first territory of the island to experience a tourist boom. Nowadays, this is where the people of the island go to have fun. The unique Blue Bay beach is also among the most visited destinations here - it has perhaps the bluest waters combined with white sand. Part of the bay has been turned into a Marine Park, which makes a trip here on a boat with a transparent bottom a unique experience. Another very popular and beautiful beach is Tamarin Beach;
- Triolet Shivala - the longest village on the island. Here can be seen the largest Hindu temple - Maheswarnath, which was built in 1819;
- Île aux Cerfs - a real paradise for water sports that has one of the best beaches in Mauritius. The small island is a true pearl of the Mauritian landscape. Many vessels operate courses here - catamarans, yachts and "pirate" ships;
- Chamarel - the ground in this place represents waves of different and contrasting shades of colors. The shades of blue, green, red and yellow are apparently the result of the erosion of volcanic ash;
- Walk to Signal Mountain - it offers impressive views of the island and the sea;
- The Horse Races on the Field of Mars, which are the oldest in the Indian Ocean region (since 1812) and the second oldest in the Southern Hemisphere;
- Grand Bassin Lake is in the mountainous part of Mauritius. It is considered sacred after water from the Ganges River in India is added to its waters.
- They are no less interesting to visit Ganga Talao Lake, Black River Gorges Park, rich in many rare birds and plant species, the aviary Casela Park, which is home to over 140 species of birds from all 5 continents.
- Sir Seeluzagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens - These modest but well-tended gardens are perhaps the most important thing to visit during your stay in Mauritius. The main attraction here are the huge water lilies (Victoria regia), which change colors from white to red. Other interesting things you can see are golden bamboo, gum trees, 200 year old Buddha tree, etc. The garden is also known for its fragrant flora.
- Mocha Town and its surroundings
It is located 12 km. from Port Louis. It is the academic center of the island. Here you can find incredible forest landscapes as well as impressive mansions. The People's Museum of Indian Immigration, founded by Mahatma Gandhi, houses around 2,000 volumes of Indian archives, as well as small collections of jewellery, traditional musical instruments, books and more. Also of historical interest is Le Reduit, the residence of the former governor, now used by the military. It is open for visits only 2 days a year (in March and October). - Surfing was well developed on the island until the 1970s, but rising prices drove surfers away. Now the prices are reasonable again and the crowds are growing, and the season runs from June to August. Snorkeling is quite practiced. True anglers will love deep sea fishing. Although Mauritius is known more as a beach destination, inland excursions are quite common. For walks in the lowlands, be aware of heat and humidity, and for higher ground, prepare for rain at any time of the year. For those who like to tour caves, it will certainly be interesting to visit Caverne Patate.
- SEGA Dancing - Traditional "sega" or "saiga" dances, which originate from Madagascar and Africa - www.infoilemaurice.com/le-sega/
- This is the place to mention the food – it is a mixture (like the population of the island) of Creole, Indian, African, Chinese and European cuisine. An incredible variety of marine species, some specific to the region. The emphasis is on fresh grilled fish, which is plentiful and tastes amazing. For example, Briyani - rice and fish combined in a truly special dish. It used to be for poor people, now it's a specialty. You must also try the salted fish in tomato sauce, Chinese fried rice and rice spaghetti, Indian curry, Dholl puris - a type of Indian bread with different types of curry, spinach or tomatoes, made in a roll. And of course, interesting tropical fruits. For example, jamalak - looks like a small pear, but has a very different taste, lychee, mango, papaya, pineapple.