Introduction:
Mauritius is the most accessible island in the Indian Ocean,
boasting as much tropical paradise as Maui or Martinique and,
better still, offering it at a bargain price. Though nestled
up alongside Africa, it's actually more influenced by its
British and French ties and massive Indian workforce.
Here, you can enjoy a dish of curried chickpeas or a nice
Yorkshire pudding on the terrace of a French café,
sipping imported wine or a thick malty ale while listening
to Créole music and the conversation of locals in any
number of lingoes.
Its range of visitors facilities runs the gamut from pamper-happy
beach resorts and organised excursions to locals who'll put
you up in their homes and rent you their cars for daytrips.
If you're looking for a lazy beach vacation, you could certainly
do worse, but don't forget the rambling interior and the multicultural
capital Port Louis.
When to
Visit Mauritius:
Apart from the busy Christmas to New Year period, Mauritius
doesn't really have a high or low season. The depths of Mauritian
'winter' occur from July to September, when daytime temperatures
drop from sticky to balmy. With less rain and humidity, this
is one of the choicest times to visit. Weatherwise, the least
agreeable period is from January to April, when the long days
can prove too hot and humid for some and the threat of cyclones
is in the air. Visitors should be prepared to spend several
days cooped up indoors during extra-heavy rains. December
through March is the best time for diving, when the waters
are at their clearest; June through August is best for surfing;
and October through April is excellent for big game fishing,
when the large predators feed close to shore.
Attraction
in Mauritius:
Port Louis
Backed by mountains at the northwestern end of the island,
the burgeoning capital of Port Louis is a relatively large
city (in proportion to the size of Mauritius), though it contains
a relatively small percentage of the country's total population.
During the day, it bustles with snarling traffic. By night,
in contrast, all is quiet - except for the swish Le Caudan
Waterfront, where you'll find a casino, cinemas, shops, bars
and restaurants. There's a distinct Muslim area around Muammar
El Khadafi Square and a Chinatown around Royal St.
Curepipe
The town of Curepipe owes its size and prominence to the malaria
epidemic of 1867, during which thousands of people fled mosquito
infested Port Louis for healthier, higher ground. The bulk
of Franco-Mauritians live in outlying communities and come
into Curepipe mainly to shop.
With the flavour of an English market town, Curepipe is the
centre of the island's tea and model-ship building industries
and the best place to scatter your money. The town itself
is worth a quick visit at most as the surrounding countryside
has a more universal appeal.
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical
Gardens
These attractive gardens are one of the most popular tourist
attractions in Mauritius, but the shady avenues of palms seem
to swallow the numbers. One key attraction is the park's giant
Victoria regia water lilies, native to the Amazon. Other attractions
include golden bamboo, chewing-gum trees, fish poison trees
and a 200-year-old Buddha tree.
These gardens were started in 1735 by Governor Mahé
de La Bourdonnais as a vegetable garden for his Mon Plaisir
Château. The grounds were gussied up by French horticulturalist
Pierre Poivre in 1768 in his bid to introduce spices, but
afterwards lay neglected until 1849, when a British horticulturalist,
James Duncan, took over. His legacy is seen today in the garden's
array of palms.
The fragrant flora of the garden - ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg,
camphor and sandalwood - is a high point, as are glimpses
of Mauritian wildlife that are all but unavailable elsewhere
on the island. Look for enclosures of Java deer and giant
tortoises. There's also an art gallery and a cemetery, whichever
way your tastes run.
South of Port Louis
A scant 12km (7mi) south of Port Louis, the town of Moka -
in terms of ambience - is a world apart from the capital.
Not only is it the island's centre of academia, it's also
blessed with sylvan landscapes, towering mountains and a number
of impressive manor houses.
The university is found here, as well as the Mahatma Gandhi
Institute, founded to preserve and promote Mauritian Indian
culture. The Gandhi Institute's Folk Museum of Indian Immigration
houses around 2000 volumes of Indian archives dating from
1842 to 1910 as well as a small collection of artefacts.
Belle Mare
A long, luscious, casuarina-fringed beach along the eastern
coast, Belle Mare is best seen from atop a reconstructed lime
kiln that's been converted into a lookout tower just inland
from the beach. On the far side of the road that parallels
the beach stand the ruins of a sugar mill.
More substantial sugar mill ruins hide behind Belle Mare.
Aside from swimming, which is probably the best the island
has to offer, about the only thing to do here is lie back
and relax. It won't take long to get used to the idea. Belle
Mare is a long, rollercoastery bus ride east of Port Louis.
Black River Gorges National
Park
This highland area southwest of Curepipe is like no other
part of the island. About 6km (4mi) from Curepipe, Mauritius'
only mountain road reaches the wall of the park's large reservoir,
Mare aux Vacoas. Dotted with casuarina and coniferous trees,
it's more alpine wilderness than island paradise.
About 6km (4mi) southeast of Mare aux Vacoas is a lake sacred
to Hindus, Grand Bassin, and, further east, Plaine Champagne,
the largest natural area on Mauritius. The Rivière
Noire lookout overlooks waterfalls and the 830m (2720ft) Piton
de la Petite Rivière Noire, the highest point on Mauritius.
Rodrigues Island
A volcanic island 18km (11mi) long and 8km (5mi) wide, Rodrigues
is in many way a miniature Mauritius. It's surrounded by coral
reefs, covered with similar vegetation and landscapes, and
blessed with an equally tropical climate. The vegetation isn't
as lush, but then neither are the tourist throngs.
The pace of life is more relaxed and the people prone to stop
and chat. On the down side, it's more likely to be hit by
the cyclones that plague the region. The last big one, Cyclone
Bella, swung through in early 1991, bringing with it winds
in excess of 200km/h (125mph).
Reaching
Mauritius:
Apart from a handful of people who arrive by yacht or cruise
ship, visitors to Mauritius fly into the country. Many flights
originate in France, but there are also flights from several
African, Asian and European capitals as well as from the US
(via Europe) and Australia. You must have a return or onward
ticket before arriving in Mauritius.
Cargo ships ply the Indian Ocean regularly, though few take
passengers. You're more likely to find passage on the private
yachts that call in at Mauritius outside of cyclone season,
berthing at Grand Baie or Port Louis. Still, opportunities
are rare. About the only guaranteed way to come or go by sea
is to book fare on the MV Mauritius Pride, which cruises several
times a month between Mauritius and Réunion, or to
board one of the cruise liners that periodically drops anchor
in Port Louis. |
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