Mauritius
Piece of paradise in the Indian Ocean
"Heaven was copied after Mauritius", Mark Twain
Highlights
- pristine beaches with turquoise colour of water
- Underwater waterfall - a natural phenomenon, a heritage of UNESCO
- Seven Colours of Earth
- Le Morno
- Magnificent mountains
- Incredible sunsets
- Giant turtles
- diving and snorkeling
Short facts about Mauritius
*Area - the island is 28 miles wide and 40 miles long
*Capital - Port Louis
*Population - about 1,3 millions of people
*The flag with its red, blue, green and yellow colors was adopted in 1968 when Mauritius got its independence. Red color symbolizes times of slavery and colonization, blue - the Indian ocean, green - lush vegetation, yellow color is a symbol of the bright future and independence.
* Dodo bird is a symbol of Mauritius. This now extinct bird was only found in Mauritius. Dodo bird was a type of pigeon weighting up to 50 pounds with no ability to fly.
*Currency - Mauritius Rupee (MUR)
*Language - Mauritius Creole, English, French. English and French are the official languages
*Sugarcane is grown on 90 per cent of land.
Mauritius
Mauritius is luxury destination for those in search of paradise on Earth. This idyllic island in the Indian Ocean is a truly unique place. Mauritius with its gorgeous snow-white beaches and high-end resorts is often compared with Seychelles and Maldives which are another paradise destinations in the Indian Ocean.
The Republic of Mauritius is a small country South East from Africa, 500 miles east from Madagascar. Being a former French and British colony Mauritius with its exotic mix of African, French, Indian and British cultures is considered to be the safest country in the whole African continent. This luxury destination is known for its numerous beaches with crystal clear water of all hues of blue, sugar-white sands, luxury world-class resorts.
The island is an extremely popular holiday destination among celebrities. Being on the list of the most beautiful and expensive places in the world, Mauritius is a dream for many people. And what is more important, even travelers with a tight budget can afford going there as prices for accommodation, dining options and activities vary greatly. So, before going there plan your trip properly. Here, I share my experience and hope you will find the useful information you are looking for.
Why should I go there?
This question I ask myself every time when I think of going somewhere. What I really like is to explore beach destinations, I am always in search of the best, and try to be objective visiting "paradise" islands. The way we choose the destination is quite simple - we just google for the best places to visit, choose the most suitable for that period of time and start our trip planning. Sometimes it is better to postpone a trip if, for example, the tickets are overpriced because of high season, or due to high demand.
There is a good saying - difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations. So, no wonder most gorgeous islands are always somewhere in nowhere and they are so difficult to reach. You should always be ready to spend pretty much time to get there if necessary. Believe me, it is absolutely worth it, and definitely much better than go to a touristic place with an easy access and no efforts. We live only once, so try to spend every day as if it is your last day. Because it is not important how many days we live, it is important how many life in our days.
Being in Maldives, Fiji, Flores, Bali, I made up my mind to continue this list of gorgeous islands, and go to Mauritius.
Best time to visit Mauritius
In spite of having winter and summer seasons, you can plan your trip to this piece of paradise any time of the year. Mostly all days here are sunny.
Summer in Mauritius is hot and humid with a high possibility of rains. Winter is characterized by a low level of humidity. warm sunny days and cool nights. But even if it is raining in one part of the island, just few miles further it can be sunny and clear.
The chance of rains is higher in central part of the island, along the coastline it is always the sun. The average temperature in January, the hottest month, is 26 degrees, and in July, the coldest one, is 21 degrees. The month with the most daily sunshine is November.
How to get there
There are many direct flights worldwide - Germany, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Australia.
The flight from Hong Kong is about 10 hours and the price is about 1000 USD for return tickets.
Quite often the flight is the main expense, here is that case. Flying to Mauritius from Europe can be as cheap as around 500 USD for a direct flight if you fly from Germany or the United Kingdom. The cheapest option is from Madagascar as it is very close to Mauritius, just 500 miles away.
Another good news is that most nationalities don't need to apply for a visa and stay visa free for some period. But when going through the immigration, you have to prove your staying by showing the hotel reservation and a return ticket.
Exploring Mauritius
The best way to explore the island is by car, traffic is not too heavy, the roads are of a very high quality, close to perfection. So while driving in Mauritius you really enjoy your trip.
Moreover, you save time and money, you are an independent traveler and can plan by yourself all the sights you would like to visit.
The rental price for a car of an economy class is around 35-40 USD per day.
Accommodation
Mauritius offer a wide range of accommodation depending on your budget. Along with luxury world famous five-star hotels and resorts there are a lot of affordable hotels at a very reasonable price.
The average prices for a standard room:
The 3-star hotel is 60-200 USD per night;
The 4-star hotel is 200-400 USD per night;
The 5-star hotel is 300-900 USD per night.
As you see the prices vary greatly. And you should be ready Mauritius is not a place with backpackers hostels and home stays for 20 USD, it is one of the top beach destinations in the world. The main point is you have a good choice of different types of accommodation - condo hotels, resorts, guest homes etc. For our staying we chose three different hotels with a different price level.
Beaches
The island is totally surrounded by the Indian Ocean and its magnificent beaches are one of the main reasons why people go there. There are about twenty beaches which are really worth visiting. Having not too much time we managed to visit the beaches on the west, east and south parts of the island. Every beach is like a postcard scenery, it's impossible to choose the best one as all of them are so beautiful. No wonder Mauritius beaches are among the best beaches in the world.
Blue Bay - South of the island
Blue Bay located in the South East coast of Mauritius is well known for the Glass bottom boat trips .The marine park that shelter a very unique network of coral reefs rich in sea life protects this part of the island against the oceanic waves. The public beach offer a lot of attractions and is perfect for a peaceful day for tanning lovers.
Belle Mare - East
Belle Mare is one of the best beaches on the east coast of Mauritius. The beach is set in a picturesque environment surrounded by greenery. The white sandy beaches and the pure blue sea will left your speechless, many consider belle Mare as the most beautiful beach in Mauritius.
Le Morne - West
Nestled on the west coast of Mauritius, White sand and clear turquoise sea surrounded by a gorgeous coral reef and unforgettable view of Le Morne Brabant; sight of the World Heritage monument. Le Morne is the perfect place for kite surfing.
Dinorobin Beachcomber Experience
Restaurants
Mauritius is very popular for its street food. But there are many seafood restaurants with fresh fish, squid, prawns and crabs.
What to do
Mauritius offers a wide range of activities.
Hiking to Le Morne Brabant
Majestic Le Morne Brabant mountain in the southwest of Mauritius is a UNESCO World heritage site and a symbol of freedom or better to say Le Morne Brabant represents a fight of slaves for freedom. In colonial times when slaves preferred to suicide by jumping from the top of the mountain instead of returning to work in the fields. Now it is a popular tourist attraction as it opens for public and any person can climb to the peak to admire the breathtaking views. Hiking to Le Morne Brabant is a three to four hours hiking trail, and usually it is a guided tour as the trail is not so distinct and the second part of it even has access only with permission. I can't be sure if it is true or not, but for a first time hiking it is definitely much more convenient. The way to the mountain is all in lush greenery and impressive views. The exotic scenery of Mauritius is really worth trying this exciting hiking experience
Visit the National Park which is famous for giant turtles
Vanilla Crocodile and tortoise Park
Enter the glittering forest and discover a lush tropical haven: find a variety of native and exotic plants. In this green where banana and palm trees and giant bamboos grow, more than a thousand Nile crocodiles are bred. During a guided tour, you will meet these animals in their breeding ponds, in perfect safety.
7 colored earth of Chamarel
Most unusual tourist attraction of the island the seven colored earth located at Chamarel, believed to result from the weathering of volcanic rocks. These undulating and vividly contrasted layers of earth are not far from the beautiful Chamarel waterfalls.
Underwater waterfall - a true wonder not to be missed
One of the main attractions of Mauritius is the Underwater waterfall. It is a magical optical illusion, which is considered a natural phenomenon. The Underwater Waterfall is located in the South-West of Mauritius near Le Morne Brabant. Under the influence of powerful underwater currents sand and silt sediments move and create a stunning illusion of the underwater waterfall.
The best way to see this breathtaking illusion is to take a helicopter tour. The view is absolutely unbelievable.
But as you can guess the price for a helicopter tour is not that cheap, the sightseeing tour will cost you around 300 USD per person, but if you are a group of four, the tickets will be cheaper, maybe 200 USD per person. Anyway there are plenty of options, check out the prices in the internet first. This amazing experience you can have nowhere else.
My impression of Mauritius in one sentence - Being there I had the constant feeling of being in paradise.