With over 160km of sandy beaches, a beautiful turquoise sea and a backdrop of rugged peaks, it is easy to see why Mauritius has made its name as a dream holiday destination.
Take a look at our whistle stop guide and see if it will take a place on your bucket list for 2018/2019.
Things to do
Seven Coloured Earth
A natural phenomenon the Seven Coloured Earth dunes in Chamarel are a rare sighting. Mauritius is a volcanic with only one dormant volcano still alive. The dunes are made up of several layers of molten lava which now contains oxides of iron and aluminium
Casela World of Adventures
Huge outdoor amusement park with safari tours, camel rides and zip-lining, you can even be a zoo keeper for the day.
Tamarind Falls
Take part in a full day or half day hiking tour to Tamarind Falls. Tamarind falls is one of the most beautiful areas on Mauritius, perfect for nature and animal lovers
Solar Sea Walk
A form of helmets diving, where you seawalk on the sandy bottom of the lagoon whilst receiving a fresh air supply.
La Vanille Nature Park
Feed a giant tortoise, have a picture with a baby crocodile and immerse yourself in extraordinary diversity of plant and and animal species. Mauritian hospitality, conservation of nature and welfare of the Animals are privileged in this magical setting, where the guides will take you on an unforgettable visit of the reserve.
Weather
January to April – this is the hottest and most humid time in Mauritius with temperatures reaching low 30’s. It does rain at this time of year but it tends to be heavy and short lived.
May to August – the day time temperatures are warm at around 25 degrees on a average. The weather is perfect for children and those that don’t like it to hot.
September to December- traditionally a great time to visit Mauritius, warm temperatures between 27 – 30 degrees and humidity is not at its peak.
How to get there
Fly direct from London Gatwick and London Heathrow
Fly indirectly from Leeds Bradford via Amsterdam with KLM
Getting around
Buses are a great way to explore the island with routes covering all over except Plaine Champagne and Le Morne Peninsula. Choose express buses over standard ones as these have air conditioning and travel much faster.
Car hire is becoming increasingly popular, but be warned the attractions are poorly signed and the Mauritian driving is erratic. The nicest drive is on the south and east coasts where the roads are quieter.
Eat local
Fish Vindaye is supposedly adapted from the Indian dish vindaloo. It is cooked with mustard, garlic,turmeric onion and usually fish, then served with wit( rice,lentils,pickles and chutneys
Dumpling soup is known as ”bouillon boulettes” in Mauritius. They can be eaten as a side dish, appetizer or as a main dish and at any time of the day.
Did you know
Mauritius is home to one of the oldest botanical gardens in the Southern Hemisphere, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Garden. It covers over 33 hectares and has a Giant Water Lilly pond.
I hope you have enjoyed reading about Mauritius and all that the wonderful island has to offer.