Peaceful, friendly, and relaxing: Mauritius is an extraordinarily unknown however great getaway vicinity that combines awesome tropical views with a serene atmosphere.
This island off the coast of south-east Africa boasts high-quality luxury inns perfect for pampering, as well as gorgeous reefs and an environment tailored for wind-and-watersports. It is warmest and sunniest from November to May and windier in the course of the island’s wintry weather months.
Transportation
A flight from North America to Mauritius is about 30 hours long, so travelers ought to reflect consideration on this when making their arrangements. Our suggestion is to take your connecting flight via Dubai rather of Paris and to permit yourself a few hours to relax between flights. The Dubai airport is a much more comfortable area to spend a layover and, have faith us, you’ll prefer time to recuperate after a 12-hour flight.
Once on the island, the type of transportation you’ll want will rely on the whole on whether or not or no longer your layout to continue to be on the resort or discover the island! Many of the island’s motels offer chauffeuring services around their own properties, as well as island tours.
However, if you’re searching to strike out on your own, you have two basic options: public transportation or rental. The island does have a lively bus schedule, however, the busses won’t run after 8pm local time. Calling a taxi or renting an automobile or scooter will allow you a good deal extra freedom.
Food & Culture
Mauritius is an eclectic mix of cultures from three continents: Africa, Europe, and Asia. Its meals and way of life virtually reflect this variety! The island has a range of festivals all through the year, from Chinese New Year to Divali to their Independence Day.
The language is a mixture of English, French, and Mauritian Creole; however, considering the principal function of tourism and hospitality offerings in the economy, it’s not uncommon to discover that Mauritians employed in these fields will communicate many distinctive languages.
Being an island, seafood is of the path a major staple of Mauritian fare. Mauritian dishes take a remarkable deal of impact from its history as a French colony, as properly as from the Chinese and Indian immigrants who moved there as indentured servants after the abolition of slavery. The end result is a special and distinguished twist on traditional dishes like bullion, rice noodles, curry, and coq au vin. The island also homes three rum distilleries, which contribute to the island’s nearby flavor.
Sights & Activities
Coral Reef Snorkeling — Mauritius is surrounded via a protecting wall of coral reefs which leave the water glassy and protected from large predators like sharks. This lets the marine life thrive safely and presents a magnificent area for snorkeling, scuba, and glass bottom boat rides.
Rhumerie de Chamarel — One of the most popular destinations on the island, this neighborhood distillery devotes itself to producing incredible white and gold rums in the most sustainable way possible. Tours and tastings at the distillery are provided Monday thru Saturday, as is lunch at their in-house restaurant, L’Alchemiste.
Seven-Colored Earth — This fascinating geological formation is amazing for the multicolored sand that makes it! The large dune is composed of red, brown, yellow, purple, green, blue, and violet sands, a result of the island’s past volcanic history. Absolutely breathtaking!
When to Go
My sole complaint about Mauritius is the unpredictable climate in the winter. I, in my opinion, love hot, hot, warm weather when I’m touring an island due to the fact I prefer to be in the ocean at all times. If you opt for balmy climate and lukewarm ocean water, like we do, I propose touring in their summer season (November to May). The wind is additionally calmer for the duration of the summer, which will grant those glassy ocean stipulations which are ideal for surfing, SUP and kayaking. However, if you like slight temperatures or any water game that requires wind, such as kitesurfing, then wintry weather is the time to visit.
The Best Way to Go to Mauritius from The United States
The most vital question: how to get to Mauritius! We are all about assisting others study from our mistakes, so here’s one of them: if you are headed from the United States to Mauritius, go via Dubai as an alternative to Paris.
The Dubai route eliminates a few key inconveniences. The Dubai airport is one of the most blissful locations to spend a lengthy layover, and after your first flight, you will want some time to relax. I propose giving your self at least a six-hour layover. This will let you stretch your legs, get a room at an airport hotel, sleep for a few hours, and take a shower. Trust me, two twelve-hour flights in a row may additionally no longer appear that horrific on paper, however, it’s now not something either of us wants to journey once more each time soon.
Mahebourg Mauritius Sunset
If you go thru Paris, there is a danger you will have a give up on Reunion Island. That would possibly no longer sound too terrible in theory, till you comprehend last minute (ahem… like we did) that you solely have three hours to clear customs at Paris Charles De Gaulle, seize your luggage, and maneuver your way to seize a bus (that will most probably be late) to Orly airport, which is over an hour away. The Paris route is fine, as long as your second flight goes at once to Mauritius on a flight that leaves from Charles De Gaulle, but the Dubai route is better.
Once you arrive, you can either lease an automobile or let any individual else do the using for you. We knew we would be too worn-out to drive on our arrival, so we booked vehicle transfers instead. Your resort will probably provide this service, or you can book thru Maki Car Rental who gives tours and transfers, as nicely as automobile rentals.
The Dubai route eliminates a few key inconveniences. The Dubai airport is one of the most blissful locations to spend a lengthy layover, and after your first flight, you will want some time to relax. I propose giving your self at least a six-hour layover. This will let you stretch your legs, get a room at an airport hotel, sleep for a few hours, and take a shower. Trust me, two twelve-hour flights in a row may additionally no longer appear that horrific on paper, however, it’s now not something either of us wants to journey once more each time soon.
Mahebourg Mauritius Sunset
If you go thru Paris, there is a danger you will have a give up on Reunion Island. That would possibly no longer sound too terrible in theory, till you comprehend last minute (ahem… like we did) that you solely have three hours to clear customs at Paris Charles De Gaulle, seize your luggage, and maneuver your way to seize a bus (that will most probably be late) to Orly airport, which is over an hour away. The Paris route is fine, as long as your second flight goes at once to Mauritius on a flight that leaves from Charles De Gaulle, but the Dubai route is better.
Once you arrive, you can either lease an automobile or let any individual else do the using for you. We knew we would be too worn-out to drive on our arrival, so we booked vehicle transfers instead. Your resort will probably provide this service, or you can book thru Maki Car Rental who gives tours and transfers, as nicely as automobile rentals.
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8 Reasons to Visit Mauritius
1. Ile aux Cerfs … and Starfish
Am I the only one who thinks starfish is amazing? We not often see starfish in San Diego, so the thought of traveling an island included in starfish used to be like a dream come true. These stars of the sea can be discovered on the uninhabited island of Ile aux Cerfs, simply a short boat trip from The Four Seasons Mauritius (who offers a complimentary boat shuttle for inn guests).
On the hunt for solitude and sea stars, we took the recommendation of a group of workers member at our motel and accompanied a small dust path, which led to a quiet seashore on the opposite facet of the tiny harbor. This is the place you’ll locate heaps of starfish along the shore, on the middle of the night colored rocks, and in ankle-deep water. I notably suggest carrying footwear along the seashore because this area also has a thriving sea urchin population!
2. Protected Lagoons
The entire island of Mauritius is surrounded through coral reefs, creating glassy lagoons out of reach of big fish (AKA sharks). The healthful coral reef attracts sea life, making this a perfect spot for snorkeling and glass backside boat trips. The calm water also offers perfect conditions for kayaking, SUP, and even gaining knowledge of how to sail for the first time.
3. Romance
There’s no shortage of luxurious beachfront hotels for relaxing with your cherished one. Mauritius attracts couples looking for some quiet time to reconnect and it’s also a super spot for a romantic honeymoon. That said, we did see a few young households at the St. Regis, however, it wasn’t overrun with energetic kids. The relaxing vibe of this tropical island seems to envelop traffic from the second they land at the airport.
4. Chamarel Seven Colored Earth
I sense fortunate that we didn’t omit ago to this herbal wonder. It wasn’t on our unique agenda, however, our Mauritian tour information presented to make a stop right here on our way from Mahebourg to The St. Regis Mauritius. This geological formation is comprised of sand dunes with seven one of a kind distinct colorings — red, brown, violet, green, blue, crimson and yellow. The dunes pretty never erode and the colorings are induced via the decomposition of volcanic rock. If you pick up a handful of sand and mix the colors together, they will, in the end, separate again — it’s, in reality, a brilliant phenomenon.
5. Rhumerie de Chamarel
Just a brief distance from Seven Colored Earth, you’ll locate the Rhumerie de Chamarel — one of Mauritius’ most popular attractions. Half hour excursions of this rum distillery are handy from Monday via Saturday for about 350 Rupees. I’m told the restaurant — L’Alchimiste — is one of the great locations to consume lunch on the island and serves special cuisine, organized with nearby merchandise sourced from the estate.
6. The Locals
Every local we encountered went out of their way to assist us. They are proud of their island and seem comfortable to share it with visitors. A buddy of ours who lives in Mauritius speaks very fantastically of the locals and has dozens of testimonies about Mauritians going out of their way to assist her — in the supermarket, on the street, etc.
7. Endless Water Sports
What is your favorite water sport? We love them all, so we spent most of our time in the heated water. We visited the island in the iciness — the windiest time of year — which is perfect for cruising and windsurfing. Mauritius is home to a world-class windsurfing spot — proper next to the St. Regis — so even if you don’t desire to try it for yourself, it’s one heck of a show. Mornings are commonly calm, even in the winter, so that’s when you’ll desire to take out a kayak, SUP or paddle boat.
Waterskiing and wakeboarding can be finished year round, however, the lodges will solely take the boat out if the tide is excessive enough (otherwise you may discover your self-landing on a patch of sharp coral). Snorkeling can obviously be completed 12 months round, but the visibility and water temperature is at its best in the summer. Summertime — when the winds die down — is also the best season for surfing.
8. Sunrises and Sunsets
Even after a few days of acclimating to the twelve hour time difference, we nevertheless made certain to wake up earlier than daybreak every single day. Here’s why….
We didn’t desire to omit single daybreak or sunset the complete time we were on the island due to the fact they were all uniquely gorgeous. We were in no way disappointed.
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