2016 AND 2017 MAURITIUS HOLIDAYS FROM TRAVELBAG

Making the most of your time in Mauritius

By Elle-Rose Williams

@ellerosetweets

Mauritius is the closest you can get to paradise. The island, which boasts year-round sunshine and amazing weather, is a favourite amongst holidaymakers who want an authentic cultural experience, but also want the luxury and beauty of high-end resorts.

The island is somewhere that has had an interesting history – and that’s what makes this destination a little more interesting than other standard beach resorts. For example, Mauritius used to be a haunt for pirates, which is always a fun fact to think about when you’re sipping cocktails on the beach!

The local community also make the island as popular as it is too - Mauritians, a mixture of French, Indian, Creole and Chinese people, offer wonderful hospitality, are incredibly friendly and welcome back visitors year after year. In fact, it’s this vibrant mix of cultures and ethnicity that is one of the island’s biggest selling points.

So what can you do in the area, and which activities shouldn’t you want to miss out on? Here are my favourite recommendations...

The beaches

You can’t visit Mauritius without dipping a toe in the sea and enjoying the paradise-perfect beaches. If it’s a beach holiday full of relaxation that you’re after, honestly, it doesn’t get better than this. All beaches are public on Mauritius, so it’s easy to see them all and make the most of your visit.

The west side of the island tends to be the calmest on the coastline, meaning the beaches there make for great relaxation spots. Mauritius is known for being windy – but the west side of the island is primarily sheltered from this – making it a really pleasant place to relax and unwind.

If you want to do some exploring along the coastline, and are on the lookout for hidden caves and sea-coves, then the south of the island is worth a visit. You’ll also be able to do water sports down at the south coast (such as wind-surfing), because you’ll find more of that famous Mauritius wind I was telling you about earlier.

Here’s a quick guide to the main beaches and what to find there:

• Blue Bay: Protected marine park with world-class snorkelling
• Trou aux Biches: Stereo-typical post-card beach, white sand and calm water
• Mont Choisy: Large beach with curved bay and lively hospitality nearby such as bars and restaurants.

Les 7 Cascades

One of the best-reviewed attractions on the island, this is one for the adventurous! The 7 waterfalls are there to be explored, and you can either do this on your own (and make your own way around them) or take a guided tour (there are private or group ones available). If you want to truly get back to nature and see some of the natural beauty of this tropical island – this is something you should definitely make time for.

Ile des Deux Cocos

This private island just off the coast of Mauritius is literally paradise-found. If you asked anyone to draw a paradise desert island – this is what he or she would draw. The island is open to day trips and external tours – so you can book an affordable trip over and spend the day living the life of luxury.

National Botanical Garden of Mauritius

If you happen to fall unlucky with weather during your trip, the National Botanical Gardens are a fantastic option to keep you busy. The gardens are expertly kept and the amount of care and attention that has been put into grooming and keeping these gardens will astound you.

Shopping

Port Louis, the island’s capital, is home to plenty of duty-free shops where you can snap up loads of bargain shopping (and I’m talking designer goods here!). Nearby these designer shops you’ll also find plenty of traditional stores too though, selling beautiful handmade goods, and textiles – perfect for souvenirs for friends and family back home.

Try the local food!

Don’t just stay in your hotel when on Mauritius. Make sure you venture out into the communities and try the local food too. There are restaurants, food stalls, market stalls and even casual pop-ups along the beach. And believe it or not – many claim Mauritius is home to some of the best street-food they’ve ever had, so it’s definitely worth missing out on the hotel buffet at least one night during your time there.

And it’s not hard to see why the food here is so good, with a culture that is a unique mix of Creole, African, Indian, and Chinese influences, the food and the dishes they serve reflect that and the flavours are incredible.

Go deep-sea fishing

Whilst this may not be an activity to everyone’s taste, if you like fishing (or have a curiosity about it) you may want to give deep-sea fishing a try. There are many big fish to be caught in the surrounding areas, and Mauritius is actually well known for the amount of fishing that takes place in its surrounding waters.