Mauritius – The Secluded Island Wonderland

If you’ve never heard of the island of Mauritius, then you’re missing out. Mauritius is a tropical island filled with so much history, legendary beaches, exciting nightlife and exotic wildlife. It’s a wonderland – paradise on Earth. And if it’s not on your travel bucket list, then it’s about time you put it in there.

Mauritius is an island off the east coast of Africa. But it’s not considered African. It’s an independent nation that promises a unique holiday like no other place in the world.

There are so many things to see and do on this tiny secluded island. No matter where your vacation tastes run, you’d be sure to find something for you.

To the north of the island, the following sites are a must-see.

• Grand Bay – perfect for shopping and leisure. If you’re after a fun-filled night out, Grand Bay is where you need to be. It has restaurants, bars and discos to satisfy every party crowd.
• Pereybère – a public beach famous for shopping facilities, restaurants and pubs.
• Balaclava Ruins – see the sea walls initially laid down by Mahé de Labourdonnais in this ruined estate just a few meters away from Baie aux Tortues.
• Triolet Shivala – visit the biggest Hindu temple in the island, the Maheswarnath. The temple was built in 1819 in honor of the gods Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu, Murugu, Brahma and Ganesha.
• The Labourdonnais Orchards – houses a huge variety of tropical fruit trees and exotic flowers, the Orchards is perfect for mountain bike trips and hiking.

If those aren’t enough to satisfy your wanderlust, go east and you’ll find the Flacq market. It’s the country’s largest open-air market and attracts a large number of locals and tourists alike. If you have family and friends with you, squeeze in a visit to the Waterpark Leisure Village where you can while the time away sliding down giant chutes. There’s also the Ile aux Cerfs, one of the most beautiful beaches in the entire nation, where you can satisfy your love for water sports.

The southeast part of the country has the following attractions:

• Dutch Ruins – the oldest settlement in Mauritius.
• Domaine du Chasser – a 900-acre hunting ground for stags, monkeys and boars. It’s also home to the endangered bird species, the kestrel.
• Ile aux Aigrettes – houses many endangered and rare bird species.
• Souilliac – a seaside resort famous for a garden overlooking the sea.
• Mahebourg – a fishing village founded in 1804 and built on Grand Port Bay.

To the west, history buffs will love a visit to the Martello Towers. A milestone in the island’s history, it represents the end of slavery and the beginning of Indian immigration. There’s also picturesque Chamarel, with its undulating landscape of contrasting colors and hues, the Casela bird park and the Yemen Reserve.

If you think that’s already a lot to see, it’s not over yet. Going inland will let you experience a different Mauritius in the form of L’Aventure du Sucre. It’s a modern exhibition situated at the heart of a sugar mill. It will let you discover the history of Mauritius as it’s tied to the sugarcane.

But don’t think that you’ll be away from nature just because you’re inland. Ganga Talao – Grand Bassin is an important pilgrimage site and one of two natural lakes in Mauritius. For an even more interesting twist, it’s actually resting within the crater of an extinct volcano.

If a tan is what you’re after, then you’ll be happy with Mauritius’ overabundance of beaches. There’s Grand Bay that’s perfect for sailing and windsurfing, Pereybere, Belle Mare (miles of white sand!), Le Morne & Tamarin for surfing and Flic en Flac.

Mauritius is a tropical fantasy, make no mistake about it. It’s a place where cultures have fused and mixed (East Indies, Netherlands, France, England, Indonesia and the Far East) to create a model of diversity and tolerance. Oh, it’s also the only place where the extinct dodo lived.

Mauritius is an enchanting place, and it will stay with you forever.