Mauritius, which part of the island is best to relax in. When is the best time to go on holiday to Mauritius? day – elite beach of Flic en Flac

We offer you a route along paradise island Mauritius. The mysterious lands of Chamarel, the La Vanille nature reserve, the Bois Cherie tea museum, the Pamplemousse botanical garden and much more await you. You will have to drive several tens of kilometers, observing the beauty of the island and go a long way through parks and reserves. Mauritius is not at all beach holiday, as many people think. Mauritius is amazing island, where real African madness awaits you!

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To avoid any incidents during your trip, you need to plan your trip several months in advance. For example, to visit the country in winter, at the height of summer in Mauritius, you need to think about everything already at the beginning of autumn, accurately decide on the dates and the airline whose services you plan to use. A huge advantage of Mauritius over other countries and islands in Africa is its convenient flight.

Flights to the island are carried out daily by various airlines from around the world. Undoubtedly, the best are Emirates, Mauritius Airlines. Dubai Emirates airline takes a flight from Moscow to Mauritius with a transfer in Dubai. At the same time, Emirates is one of the most best airlines world and guarantees you a comfortable flight from 35,000 thousand rubles and more. Mauritius airlines are among the top 5, and the price of a round-trip ticket per person is quite significant - 70,000 rubles.

Visa to Mauritius

If you plan to stay in Mauritius for less than 30 days, a visa is not required. If it is more, then it will have to be issued. This can be done directly upon arrival on the island by providing a valid passport, return plane tickets and confirmation of booking a villa or hotel. Don't forget that when leaving the country you must pay $17. It is absolutely not necessary to get vaccinated before traveling, since there are absolutely no infections in Mauritius.

1 day – flight and accommodation

A flight from Moscow to Mauritius will take 12 hours, essentially a whole day. You will land in the only international airport Mauritius, which is named after Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, who became the country's first prime minister. The airport is located just 47 kilometers from the capital, Port Louis.

It is worth remembering that before packing your bags, you need to find out what you can import to Mauritius and what you cannot. Tourists can bring 1 liter of strong alcohol and no more than 2 liters of beer or wine. You can import no more than 1 bottle of perfume; it is prohibited to import any weapons, drugs or medicines containing narcotic drugs.

After passing customs control, you can take a taxi or a pre-rented car to the hotel. When choosing a city in which you want to live, it is best to stay in La Gaulette, which is quite quiet and beautiful city not far from which all the interesting places are located.

Where to stay

Accommodation in Mauritius is very expensive, but if you wish, you can find a suitable option. Today, in the city of La Gaulette the following villas and hotels offer their services to tourists:

• Beachcomber Dinarobin Hotel Golf & Spa (from RUB 18,906 per night)
• Tulsie Apartment & Studio (from RUB 1,957 per night)
• Pingo Premium (from RUB 3,103 per night)
• La Reine Creole (from RUB 1,862 per night)

The season in Mauritius is winter, so if you are going on a trip at this time of year, try to book rooms in advance, it will be much cheaper.

Transport on the island

It is also worth deciding in advance on the choice of transport for further movement around the island. You can get from the airport to the hotel by taxi or by car provided by the hotel, but how to get from one attraction to another should be decided in advance.

Of course, the cheapest transport is the bus, but for tourists it is completely inconvenient. You can always use the services of taxi drivers; a kilometer costs approximately 25 rubles. But the most popular transport in Mauritius used by tourists is a scooter or a car. Renting is inexpensive, only from 14 to 50 euros per day, the price depends on the brand of car. But you shouldn’t rent a vehicle if you don’t drive well - the roads on the island are very narrow, and traffic is on the left.

Day 2 – colored sands of Chamarel and Tamarin waterfall

Having thoroughly slept and rested, we get ready to hit the road. Be sure to take mosquito repellent, there are a lot of them here in winter. Wear comfortable and loose clothing, grab your camera and hit the road. Today we will go to look at the colored sands of Chamarel, and at the same time we will see the Tamarin waterfall, one of the most famous in Mauritius. From La Gaulette it’s a short drive to the colored sands, just over 7 km.

First, we will go to the observation deck from where the famous Tamarin waterfall can be seen. If looking at the waterfall is boring for you and you are an adrenaline junkie, then you should know that there are several paths leading down to the waterfall, but only the most desperate tourists risk going down to the waterfall.

Next, to finally see the colored lands of Chamarel, you need to climb the orange stairs, which are made using Egyptian technology - this is what was used during the construction of the Egyptian pyramids.

To this day, scientists cannot unravel the mystery of the colored sands, which are nicknamed Chamarel. Until now, no one can figure out and prove how the colored sands created by nature do not mix with each other either in rain or wind. The sands have seven colors, which is why they are called the seven-colored land of the island.

The dunes occupy a huge territory, which is fenced off from visitors by a small wooden fence. Walking on the sands is prohibited, but you are allowed to photograph the dunes as much as you like, and completely free of charge. It is best to visit the seven-colored land either early in the morning or just before sunset; the photographs are the most beautiful and mesmerizing

In the evening, you can go to a local cafe and try the vaunted Noodle - spicy noodles with chicken, cabbage and carrots. If you don't like spicy dishes, you can ask the waiter not to add seasonings.

Day 3 – beach holiday

Fly to Mauritius and not swim in Indian Ocean would be an unforgivable mistake. The island is surrounded by coral reefs, which carefully protects the island from sharks and other dangerous fish. Almost all the beaches of Mauritius are home to sea urchins near the shore and in the depths, so to protect yourself from trouble, before going to the beach, you should stop by the store and buy special shoes.

Day 4 – La Vanille Nature Reserve

Today we go to the famous La Vanille nature reserve. This nature reserve in the south of the island is home to hundreds of animals - crocodiles, monkeys, birds, huge turtles and many other animals. Open daily from 9:30 to 17:00, accepting adults and children. An adult ticket costs from 200 to 350 rupees, and a child ticket from 90 to 200. The main attraction in the park is the opportunity to ride on the shell of a hundred-year-old tortoise. But this is not the only thing that pleases visitors: the park is a real jungle where you can walk and look at the most incredible exotic animals.

After a walk through the La Vanille nature reserve, you can have a snack in one of the local cafes. In La Gaulette you can find many fairly inexpensive but cozy eateries where you can have a tasty and satisfying meal. Typically, such cafes are family businesses.

Day 5 – Le Morne beach

After getting enough sleep, we have a hearty breakfast and get ready for the trip. It’s better to choose something light, like a hat or baseball cap. Today we go to the beach in a tiny village near La Gaulette, which is located at the very foot of the Morne Brabant cliff, which is why the place is called Le Morne, quite popular and picturesque.

This beach is often visited not only by residents living in the local village, but also by tourists. Here you can buy a lot of colorful things: jewelry made from natural stones, souvenirs and scarves made from natural cotton. Also, a hundred meters from the beach there is a small cafe where you can have a tasty snack and take away food.

Usually, you spend the whole day on Le Morne beach, but if a beach holiday for some reason does not appeal to you, you can chat with the locals, who will definitely invite you to visit them for real Creole pies. In the evening, after a beach holiday, try to have a good rest and get ready for tomorrow, because we are finally going to one of the most famous plantations in the world - the Mauritius tea plantation, which is located high in the mountains.

Day 6 – Bois Cheri tea plantation

When going to a tea plantation, you need to dress comfortably and sportily, because we have a rather long journey ahead of us. The tea plantation includes a restaurant, a couple of viewing platforms and a tea museum called Bois Cherie. Interestingly enough, the tea is also available under the name Bois Cheri and is very popular on the island. If you live in a hotel, you will probably be treated to this particular tea more than once. But if you want to buy really real tea (which can be exported from the country in almost unlimited quantities), then it’s worth going to a tea plantation, where you can taste it before buying tea.

The Bois Chéry plantations are part of the Mauritius Tea Route. This route consists of three stops, the first of which is at the colonial house Domaine des Aubineaux. The second stop takes place right on the territory of the Bois Cheri tea plantations. The easiest way to get there is by rented car, but you can also take a taxi.

You will be stopped at the plantation gates and you can buy tickets. Having entered the plantation territory, you need to leave the car and make a short journey. Here you will see plantations, a tea museum and a restaurant. First, you should visit the plantations and see with your own eyes how tea grows. This is quite an interesting sight, so be sure to take a camera or video camera with you. Here, if you walk a little around the territory of the plantation, you can find a couple of observation platforms from which a picturesque view opens.

After carefully examining the plantations and having plenty of conversations with local residents or tourists, we go further - straight to the Bois Cherie Tea Museum! It is here that you will be told the history of Mauritius tea, which is compared to the tea of ​​the Ceylon Islands. In these simple rooms you will be shown all stages of tea production - from regular sorting to drying and packaging.

And finally, it’s worth going to a restaurant where you can taste all the types of tea that are produced here. This includes coconut, fruit, jasmine, and even vanilla. In addition to tea, visitors are also offered a menu with various, mainly sweet dishes. You should definitely try the local waffles with ice cream, which will be prepared right in front of you.

Having visited the so-called “tea road”, you should not immediately leave the mountainous areas. It’s worth looking carefully at all the surroundings, you can even take a walk. On the roads, among the exotic plants, you can see small ponds with black swans, monkeys on the trees and the road, as well as various exotic birds and insects.

Day 7 – to the capital Port Louis

Today we will go to the capital of Mauritius - Port Louis, and on the way we will stop at the rather famous Grand Baie. We will also take a stroll through the island’s shops, where you can buy not only souvenirs and colorful things, but also clothes at very reasonable prices. Port Louis is quite far from La Gaulette; the journey by car will take 2-3 hours.

The first stop will take place in Grand-Baie, and the second will be in the capital. You can have a good meal in Grand Baie: there are many decent restaurants and bars. It is also worth stopping by the famous Harley Davidson store, where they sell not only motorcycles and bikes, but also clothes, accessories, and souvenirs.

Having had plenty of time walking around one of the most beautiful cities islands, we get into the car again and go to the capital. Here in Port Louis you can stroll along the promenades, go to the casino, the racetrack or go shopping. So, you should go to Central Market where you can buy almost everything!

Here you can find all the most exotic fruits, vegetables, as well as interesting little things that are perfect as a souvenir for your friends. Not only Mauritians trade here, but also Indians and Chinese, who will offer you various herbs and spices. Indians will offer you saris, the traditional clothing in India, and the Chinese also sell sailboat models and wicker hats.

If your trip to the capital of the country falls on a weekend, then it is worth visiting the local hippodrome, which has been operating for several years. By paying only 70 euros, you can get into the VIP grandstand, where absolutely everyone is offered champagne, which is included in the ticket price. Shopping lovers should visit the local shops, which are concentrated mainly in the city center. There are brands here that are completely unknown to us, as well as global ones: Armani, Lacoste, Re: store and others.

A huge number of local stores are dedicated specifically to cosmetics, so it is better to buy natural shampoos, oils, shower gels and creams in the capital. If you are hungry, you can have a snack in a cafe or restaurant, which can be found on almost every corner of the embankment or right in the shopping center. After a long walk we head home to La Gaulette - a quiet haven.

Day 8 – Pamplemousses Garden

Today we will go to the famous Pamplemousses garden - one of the oldest and most famous botanical gardens in the whole world. The garden area is a little more than 25 hectares, and at least 500 species of exotic plants grow on its territory. Previously, vegetables were grown on the site of the botanical garden, which were constantly bought by the governor of the island himself.

The botanical garden itself was created at the end of the 18th century under the leadership of the famous French botanist Pierre Poivre, who began to grow plants here to obtain spices from them. The garden is located quite far from the town of La Gaulette, but we will be driving along a quite comfortable route, along the Indian Ocean. The botanical garden is open daily from 8:30 to 17:30, and entry costs 3 euros. Several dozen tourists visit Pamplemousses every day, but you won’t even notice it, because the garden, as mentioned earlier, is located on a huge territory.

The botanical garden can be recognized not only by its inscription, but also by its elegant forged gates, which are decorated with coats of arms with figures of unicorns and a lion. Once you cross the threshold of the gate, you will be able to see the extraordinary beauty of breadfruit tree, nutmeg, clove tree, tea tree, camphor tree and many others. You can not only see, but also smell the magnolia, cinnamon, cloves and lotuses growing here.

The main attraction of the garden is the famous water lily, which is called “Amazonian Victoria”; it grows right in the reservoir located on the territory of Pamplemousse. It amazes not only with its extraordinary beauty, but also with its power - guides often offer tourists to sit on a water lily, but on the condition that your weight reaches no more than 50 kg. There are also very small water lilies here, but they are, of course, no less beautiful.

Having seen enough of the graceful exotic plants, we go to La Gaulette. In the evening, you can have a great walk here, have a snack in a cafe, sit on the ocean shore, or relax before a new amazing day at the hotel, sharing photos with friends or reading an entertaining book.

Day 9 – elite Flic-en-Flac beach

Today we will go to one of the most elite beaches of the island - Flic en Flac. You're especially lucky if you're a scuba diver - this beach is renowned for its extraordinary underwater world. But don't despair if you just want a relaxing holiday: Flic-en-Flac is suitable for that too.

The beach is very close to La Gaulette, so you won't have to spend a lot of time on the exhausting road. Don't forget to bring sunglasses, a Panama hat, a swimsuit and sunscreen, which you will definitely need if you want to tan evenly and correctly. You can take a fruit basket with you after purchasing tropical sweets at one of the local markets - La Gaulette has plenty of them. Now you can hit the road!

It's worth bearing in mind that Flic-en-Flac is a fishing village, so if you want to meet locals who enjoy fishing, this is the perfect place! Many residents are so friendly that they will gladly take you fishing or boating. If you get bored on the beach, just walk a little and you will find areas for active recreation.

Day 10 – Grand Bassin

The place we invite you to visit today is the Grand Bassin, a place created for lovers of color and true connoisseurs of art. Grand Bassin is sacred to Hindus natural lake, which formed in a volcanic crater.

A most interesting attraction that is definitely worth a visit. Finding the Grand Bassin will not be difficult for you - it is located very close to the La Vanille nature reserve and the Bois Cheri tea plantation. Moreover, you can navigate by the most beautiful architectural monument in the form of Shiva - its height is just over 50 meters.

A few meters from the statue you can see a temple dedicated to Shiva and, in fact, the Grand Bassin itself. This is a very beautiful sight, especially when local residents come here with baskets in their hands containing “gifts” for sacrifice.

After this, we suggest you go to Gris Gris beach, which is located less than 5 kilometers from the Grand Bassin.

Day 11 – History Museum in Maheburg

Today we are going to the famous history museum, which is located in Maheburg, very close to the airport. The museum is open every day except Tuesday from 9:00 to 16:00, but it is worth considering that on Sunday the museum is open until 12:00. Entry is completely free. The History Museum is simply created for lovers of mysteries, vintage maps, ships and engravings.

Corsair weapons, cannons, colonial furniture and shipwrecks are stored here. The huge stand here is dedicated to the naval battle between the French and the British, at the beginning of the 19th century, where the French fought for Mauritius, which in the past was French colony. The museum attracts many tourists from all over the world with the ship models on sale here. Here they will be carefully packed, so they will not suffer at all during the flight.

We suggest you spend the rest of the day relaxing on the beach or at the hotel. A very active and eventful day awaits you tomorrow.

Day 12 - around the island by boat

Today you will have the busiest day of your entire stay in Mauritius, because today we are going on a boat to travel around the island. It is worth renting a boat in advance or agreeing with local residents who will kindly agree to lend you their transport or personally give you a tour.

If you are staying at a hotel, then you definitely won’t have any problems with this: almost all hotels in La Gaulette offer boat trips to their clients. Such trips are suitable for lovers of fishing, diving and beautiful places. It is best to go in the morning to have time to visit as many places as possible.

It’s worth taking food if you’re traveling without local residents; if they’re with you, then you don’t have to worry about food: they catch sea urchins and use them as food; this, by the way, is a delicacy. For amateur fishermen, this trip is extremely necessary - not every day you have the chance to catch a huge marlin. It is very difficult to catch a marlin; it is much easier to catch an octopus, which is caught by every third tourist. Most often, tourists release octopus, but locals advise preparing delicious fried or boiled dishes from them.

The ideal option for a boat trip would be to stay in the ocean for the whole day; it is beautiful here both during the day and in the evening, closer to sunset.

Day 13 - going to Goodlands

We will devote the last days of our stay on the island to traveling around the cities of Mauritius. Today we offer you a trip to the city of Goodlands - one of the most populated cities on the island. Goodlands is quite a distance from La Gaulette, but that's a good thing: you'll see a lot of beautiful places along the way. The best time to travel is Wednesday or Saturday. It is on these days that a vegetable market is open here, where you can buy the freshest products on the entire island. There are many cafes and restaurants in Goodlance, as well as great places for shopping.

Day 14 – Kasela Park

If you are a lover of wildlife and animal life, then you should definitely visit Casela Park, which many people confuse with the La Vanille Nature Reserve. The park's territory is 14 hectares and is home to ostriches, zebras, lemurs, monkeys, tigers, turtles and many other animals.

Kasela Park is open daily from 9:00 to 17:00, an adult ticket costs 320 rupees, and a child ticket costs up to 210 rupees. The park is definitely worth a visit because it offers photo safaris, fishing, Segway rides, hanging bridge walks, tiger walks and much more.

Day 15 – swim with dolphins in Tamarin Bay

Today we will go to Tamarin Bay, near Casela Park and Tamarin Falls. Tamarin Bay is a small bay favored by many dolphins. Therefore, boat trips or swimming with dolphins are available to absolutely everyone here. This entertainment is quite popular among tourists, so it’s worth coming here early.

The island of Mauritius, where we were lucky enough to spend two unforgettable weeks May holidays this year, there are almost 320 km of stunning beaches. How to navigate such diversity? I’m talking about those public beaches that I was able to visit personally. All of them are located on the west coast (we didn’t get to the east of the island this time), so from each of them you can admire the amazing Mauritian sunsets, when the sun literally “falls” into the Indian Ocean.

BeachBain Boeuf

Located on the northwestern coast, not far from the extreme northern point islands (Cap Malheureux). A spacious public beach, on weekends, like all other beaches in Mauritius, it is quite crowded. There are sun loungers for rent, fast food kiosks, toilets and changing rooms. The beach offers stunning views of the islands of Coin de Mire, Ile Plate and Ile ot Gabriel located north of Mauritius.

BeachPereybere

Located south of Bain Boeuf beach. A small but very cozy beach with all the necessary beach infrastructure and a wide selection of cafes and restaurants nearby. The only thing is that we didn’t notice sunbeds and umbrellas: locals prefer to use their own equipment. There are several diving clubs nearby.

BeachLa Cuvette

A good public beach next to the yacht marina, casino and the most expensive and prestigious hotel in Mauritius - “Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury”. One of the most beautiful and cozy beaches on the west coast of the island.

BeachGrand Baie

Although on the maps there is a beach located in the bay itself Grand Bay(Grand Baie, in French), designated as a public beach, we had no desire to swim here: literally ten meters from the beach there is a busy highway, and Grand Bay is filled with boats, catamarans and other watercraft.

And the mini-fishing market located here, right by the beach, with its smells discourages the desire to relax nearby.

BeachMont Choisy

A fairly long and well-equipped public beach not far from Grand Bay. Traditionally deserted on weekdays and crowded on weekends, when Mauritians and their families go out to relax on the ocean.

BeachTrou aux Biches

The main advantage of this beach is amazing relaxing holiday on a narrow but long (more than 3 km long) strip of snow-white sand. Its huge advantage is that the road is located in the distance, and the noise of cars does not bother you. The beach is equipped with everything necessary for a great holiday.

BeachFlic-en-Flac

The beach is located in the second tourist village, after Grand Bay, with many cafes, bars, restaurants and shops. Quite a wide and picturesque strip of snow-white sand. An interesting feature: you look in one direction - coniferous trees, in the other direction - palm trees. There are sun loungers and parasols for rent, a toilet, a shower and changing rooms. But we didn’t really like swimming here: a large number of sea urchins and sharp fragments of coral were found in the water. For those who snorkel, this is not a big problem, but for others, not to mention small children, the beach is hardly suitable.

BeachLe Morne

Wonderful beach at the foot of Le Morne Brabant mountain. Snow-white sand, smooth entry into the water, the presence of beach infrastructure and the absence of sea urchins in the water made it one of our favorite beaches in Mauritius.

The water here is surprisingly clear and it felt warmer than on other beaches. Another one interesting feature– only on Le Morne beach did we feel a fairly fast current along the shore.

Beach at Cape Gris-Gris (Gris— Gris) – the extreme southern point of the island

No swimming here. At the entrance to the beach there is a sign warning that swimming here is life-threatening. However, the beach itself is beautiful! Visiting this place was one of the most memorable moments in Mauritius for us. Only here on the island you can feel the true power of the Indian Ocean: on all other sides, Mauritius is reliably protected by a ring of reefs, and the ocean waves can be seen and heard only on Gris Gris. But it’s definitely worth doing - I’m sure the ocean elements will not leave anyone indifferent!

A tiny but incomparably beautiful island, nourished by the luxury of the tropics, Mauritius - small state V East Africa, located several hundred kilometers east of Madagascar. Read our article on the Tour Calendar, where we tell you why the best time to visit it is from November to April-May.

Tourist season in Mauritius

Waves quietly roll onto the shore, gently rolling tiny grains of sand, slender rows of stately palm trees sway to the beat of the light wind, and in the gaps of the mangrove forest, where the sun rises, the purple tops of gigantic mountains are visible. The style of holiday in Mauritius can be described in a nutshell as follows: away from civilization and worldly worries, closer to the sources of pristine nature, but at the same time - maximum comfort. Hundreds of kilometers of white sandy coastline are lined luxury resorts, representing a separate world where there is everything for true pleasure - restaurants, swimming pools, spas, golf courses and much more. Given tourist destination Today it is one of the most expensive in the world, however, from year to year the volume of tourist traffic to Mauritius is only gaining momentum: people vacationing here are not at all inclined to complain about high prices, and for many this island is becoming a favorite. Wealthy travelers choose tours to Mauritius first of all for swimming and sunbathing bliss; a considerable number of couples in love rush here to get married; divers are attracted by its rare beauty undersea world, and for anglers, of course, there are excellent opportunities for ocean fishing. Thanks to the warm climate, the tourist season on the island lasts all year round.

High season in Mauritius

The peak influx of holidaymakers is observed from November to April. This is the active season, when about 1 million tourists fly to the island. The key countries providing the main foreign flow are the UK, China, France and Germany. Russia is not on this list last place: the number of our compatriots this year reached 19.5 thousand people. All of them are united by a weakness for impeccable service, comfort and elite recreation. During the New Year, the island's airport operates at increased capacity. There are a lot of people who want to celebrate the winter holidays on the ocean shore under the rays of the tropical sun, despite the fact that prices for tickets during this period of time soar to sky-high heights and it rains periodically. As a rule, the highest density of holidaymakers is observed on the northern and western coasts of Mauritius, where the most luxurious hotel complexes are based and the sun shines all year round.

Low season in Mauritius

Mauritius policy does not provide for the construction of budget hotels or boarding houses on the island; the main goal of the government is to preserve the ecology of the island and ensure that tourists do not relax in the crowd. Rooms in luxury hotels are never idle. However, you can still relax on a more modest budget. For example, planning a trip for the low season. In June and July, the weather is marred by gusty winds, but May, August and September are a great time to save a little, because during this period there are not many tourists on the island, and hoteliers give some relief to prices. And if, in addition, you do not tolerate heat and general turmoil, consider that these terms are the only ideal option for you.

Best time for excursions

Theoretically, the island can be crossed on foot in 24 hours, but the sights of Mauritius are so impressive that it can take several days to explore them: colorful churches and Hindu temples, ancient castles and ancient ruins, botanical gardens and conservation areas. And this is not the entire list of what the island can boast of. Best time his research is from September to December and from April to May, when it is calmest climatic conditions. Bottled water, a hat and sturdy shoes to protect your feet from coral fragments on some beaches are essential items for an excursion in Mauritius.

Beach season in Mauritius

Beach holidays are the main component package tours to Mauritius. And for good reason, because thanks to its protection along the entire coast by coral reefs and the excellent climate, the swimming season here can last 365 days a year. The minimum water temperature in Maurican winter is +23 °C, while the air warms up to +25..+27 °C during the day. In the climatic summer, the ocean becomes even warmer - within +27..+28 °C. The ebb and flow of tides are not significant, their schedule changes every time, the exact schedule can be found in each hotel on the island. The best time for a “seal” holiday on the coast is from November to January and from April to May; during this period the weather is quite hot, but due to the constantly blowing south-eastern trade winds it is not at all debilitating. If you prefer peace and tranquility, you can safely take tickets for the first half of the calendar autumn or last month spring. At the same time, it is worth knowing that solitude can be found during the high beach season; you just need to go to the western part of Mauritius.

Diving season

Diving in Mauritius is truly exciting. In the turquoise strata of the Indian Ocean there is a wide variety of tropical flora and fauna: barracudas, blue marlin, sea eagles, giant turtles, white-tipped sharks, thickets of gargonaria, coral gardens, etc. A continuous ribbon of coral reefs forms safe lagoons for diving not only during the day, but and at night. Diving from the outside of the reefs, beyond the so-called “perimeter”, is no less exciting. There are huge marble caves, rocky plateaus and underwater grottoes here, but the currents in such places are very strong, so diving without an instructor can end in failure. In total, the island has up to 30 specialized dive centers. The most popular dive sites should be found in the south-eastern and northern parts of the island. By the way, East Coast interesting for fans of wreck diving. The most favorable time for diving is from September to January, when the water temperature ranges from +23 °C to 27 °C and visibility reaches 20 m. In some years, this period is sometimes extended to December and March, but sometimes during this period storms happen every now and then.

Surf season

Mauritius has quite a few “tidbits” for surfers. For example, Tamarina Bay in the southwest of the island, facing the winds. Special camps are organized from time to time for foreigners and Russian-speaking tourists. In principle, beginners can surf, kite and windsurf on the “training waves” all year round. However, for experienced athletes, the best time to travel to Mauritius is between November and April and June and July (a wetsuit may be required). It is safest to ride during high tide, provided there are no strong undercurrents.

Fishing season

Deep sea fishing is probably the most popular activity in Mauritius after swimming and languidly reclining on the silky sands. The exotic catch is always impressive: blue marlin, blue-gray shark, yellowfin tuna, barracuda and many other “trophy” fish. In principle, fishing is possible at any time of the year, but the best bite is from September to April/May. For particularly adventurous tourists, it is possible to participate in mini-tournaments for the fastest deep-sea fishing, which usually involve up to 4 teams. Well, you can only enjoy a professional competition as a spectator: in December-March, the “Marlin World Cup” is held here - the most prestigious international competition.

Wedding season

Probably, no couple in love would refuse a wedding package to Mauritius. Newlyweds come here to have an unforgettable Honeymoon, and spouses “with experience” - in order to refresh the relationship by arranging for themselves a romance in the form of a symbolic wedding ceremony. Here the wildest fantasies come true: registration under water, where giant fish act as silent witnesses, a wedding on the top of a mountain or on a snow-white yacht in the open ocean - whatever your heart desires. Largest quantity The ceremonies are held between September and December, when the weather on the island is relatively dry. If you decide to take this pleasant adventure, try to book these services at least 3-4 months before the hour “X”.

It's time for holidays and festivals

Despite the fact that Mauritius is actually a tiny dot in the Indian Ocean, this compact island has a very rich culture, so its festive calendar is filled with various events throughout the year. Moreover, each village has a number of its own local celebrations. The island's widely celebrated holidays include the following: January-February - Chinese New Year and the Tamil holiday Kazadi (purification holiday); March 12 - Mauritius Independence Day; March-April - Hindu spring festival “Holi”; end of March - May - Catholic Easter; the night of September 8-9 is the Day of Remembrance of the French missionary Laval; November-December - International Festival of Creole Culture. Magnificent celebrations in Mauritius are also held on the occasion of the Day of Remembrance of Muhammad Imam Hussein and the Night of Shiva / Maha Shivaratri; for Muslims, the most sacred holiday of the year is Ramadan.

Climate in Mauritius

Mauritius has a typical tropical climate, characterized by island countries Southern Hemisphere. The annual variation of temperatures is quite even, the only thing is that in the period from April to November the average daily values ​​are a couple of degrees lower than from October to May. Humidity levels are quite high, especially during the rainy season from December to May and June to August. Rainfall is quite heavy, but its duration is short. At this time, cyclones come to the island, which often cause storms. The weather tends to change several times a day, but in general the climate of the island is quite favorable - if only because there are no active volcanoes, the dominant cyclones do not have destructive power, and tsunamis do not occur at all.

Mauritius in spring

Rainy weather prevails in Mauritius until mid-to-late April. The western and northern regions of the island, unlike the southern ones, are least affected by tropical cyclones. Humidity levels are as high as in winter, but air temperatures become more moderate and the ultraviolet index drops slightly. However, one should not think that cloudiness prevails on the island in spring. The weather is very unstable, so in one day you can witness rain, gray clouds, and a clear blue sky with a piercingly bright sun.

Temperature and weather in Mauritius in spring

	Weather in March	Weather in April	Weather in May
Port Louis	+28 +27	+27 +27	+26 +26
Maheburg	+29	+28	+26

Mauritius in summer

The calendar summer on the island is the Mauritanian winter, since the air temperature at this time of year becomes slightly lower than usual - from +17..+18 °C at night to +24..+26 °C during the day. The first two months are characterized by not entirely pleasant weather. Reigning cyclones provoke strong winds that are quite cool. And getting into the water can be very difficult. Basically, all swimming comes down to jumping on the waves. However, this is not the only reason why most of the island’s beaches are empty. The water temperature drops to +23..+24 °C, and when it’s very windy, it’s chilly to leave the ocean. “Winter” cannot go without precipitation, the smallest portion of which occurs in August. As a rule, the central mountainous plateau and the south of the island “go to” in greater volume.

Temperature and weather in Mauritius in summer

	Weather in June	Weather in July	Weather in August
Port Louis	+24 +25	+23 +24	+23 +23
Maheburg	+24	+24	+24

- a fabulous island in the southwestern Indian Ocean. It is famous for its numerous beaches that cannot be compared to anything other than paradise. The island has a well-developed tourism industry, so you will find not only blue water, white sands and amazing rocks, but also nightclubs, restaurants and other entertainment - here every tourist will find something to their liking.

The surprising thing is that the beaches are located along the entire coast of the island, so they are all divided into:, and. Each of them has its own characteristics, not to mention that even the weather on some coasts is different.

East coast beaches

The longest beach on the east coast is Trou d'Eau Douce - 11 km. The water there is quite calm, but the depth comes quickly, so yachts are frequent guests at this place (by the way, one of the popular entertainments on the island is). Nearby is the picturesque island of Ser. Every year from July to September, a soft south-east wind appears here, which creates excellent conditions for surfing, so Ser is very popular among surfers and during this period you can see a lot of them there.

West coast beaches

You should start from the west coast of the island, where the best beaches of Mauritius are located. The varied terrain makes this place the most picturesque on the island. It is here that avid fishermen from all over the world gather, wanting to try their luck on the Black River - one of the most amazing places For fishing. The most popular beaches in this part of the island: , Tamarin, Le Morne.

Flic-en-Flac beach is located between the small villages of Albion and Tamarin, so this place is popular not only with tourists, but also with local residents. The name of the beach is quite symbolic, from Dutch it means “free and flat land” and, looking at Flic-en-Flac, these are the associations that arise. This beach is the longest of all in Mauritius, so it is here that all tourists feel a sense of freedom, because there are white sands and a clear ocean all around.

Thanks to the long coastline, there is a place on the beach not only for swimming, but also for swimming, snorkeling and other water activities. Flic-en-Flac is perfect for families with children, because in front of it lies coral reef, which protects it from strong currents. It is this feature that has placed it among the top best beaches in Mauritius for swimming. But when choosing Flic-en-Flac for relaxation, “arm yourself” with special shoes, since the reefs are the habitat of sea urchins and other living creatures, so you need to enter the water carefully. Also keep in mind that on this side of the island the water is cool from June to September, which is important when vacationing with children.

On the beach there are both inexpensive gatehouses and hotels with luxury rooms. Among the most popular are Sugar Beach, Beachcomber Dinarobin Hotel Golf & Spa, which has clubs and restaurants where you can dine and in the evening dance or watch mesmerizing shows.

From coastal hotels they go to and. These places are the island's landmarks, so they are definitely worth a visit. On weekends, quite a lot of locals come to Flic-en-Flac from villages and towns nearby, so on these days the beach is crowded, and there is fun in the streets and clubs.

Tamarin

Another beach on the west coast is Tamarin. The beach got its name from the bay of the same name, in which it is located. The beach captivates with its most picturesque view. It is noteworthy that it is divided by the Black River, but moving from one part to another will not be difficult.

The difference between this beach and others is the slightly yellowish sand, which is often washed away by water, because this beach is not protected by reefs, and therefore currents and large waves are frequent guests of Tamarin. Perhaps that is why it is not very popular among tourists. At the same time, the hotels located nearby are expensive, apparently intended for surfers and other extreme sports enthusiasts who love to observe the full force of the elements.

South coast beaches

The southern coast of the island is less suitable than others for a comfortable holiday. This is due to the fact that the south of Mauritius is famous for its high cliffs and big waves. This part of the island is unusually contrasting: sharp rocks, between which are white sandy beaches, high waves and wind. This beautiful place for surfing and spa treatments, but for family vacation With children it is better to look at other resorts. The starting point of the South Coast is Mount Morne Braban, which, when climbed, offers views of the blue lagoon.

Saint Felix

In the center of the coast is Sainte Felix, a beach adjacent to two small villages and Soilhatx. Local residents, like no one else, can appreciate the delights of such a turbulent but delightful place. Therefore, you need to learn from them when relaxing among the rocks. In addition, between the rocks there are quite spacious areas of the shore where you can safely enter the water. The presence of rocks and reefs makes this place spacious for marine inhabitants, so on the beach of Sainte-Felix you can watch exotic fish, sea ​​urchins and other underwater inhabitants.

Gris-Gris

The second popular beach on the South Coast is Gris Gris. Its visitors have the opportunity to admire the beautiful view of the ocean. Standing on top of the cliff, you will see how high waves crash against centuries-old rocks, creating real fountains of spray. The coast here is quite turbulent, but this is compensated by other gifts of nature. For example, next to Gri-Gri is located small garden, which presents the rich flora of the island.

The south of the island is crowded with comfortable hotels offering a full range of spa treatments, so this place can be considered a paradise for lovers of this kind of relaxation.

Beaches north coast

The northern part of the island is the warmest. The weather here is more stable, and wind appears extremely rarely. The coast is well protected by reefs, so there is no need to worry about waves or currents. The beauty of this place is the many small islands, each of which is incredibly picturesque. You can get to them by boat, catamaran or yacht. There you will feel completely free, because you will be completely alone on this island.

The most famous resort The north coast is . It is compared to Saint-Tropez: it is rich in restaurants, where all the cuisines of the world are represented. Grand Baie is perfect for lovers of fun and dancing - many bars, discos and nightclubs will offer you a great evening.

The main beach of the northern coast is located in the very center of the village of Grand Baie, where its name comes from. It is quite large, but many boats and catamarans depart from it, but the swimming area is very small. In addition, sea transport deprives the water of transparency, and therefore enjoy blue waters ocean and you won’t be able to see the bottom clearly. But despite these shortcomings, the beach has one amazing advantage - it is a view of the “Big Bay”.

The beauty of this place is that there are many inexpensive hotels with good apartments, as well as the ability to quickly get to the best beach on the island of Mauritius, Pereybere, by bus.

Pereybere

Pereybere beach is located next to Grand Baie, so it is mainly visited by tourists who have chosen hotels on the northern coast for their vacation. The beach has a wide coastline, thanks to which there was room for many fast food stalls with various snacks: kebabs, hamburgers, sandwiches and, of course, fresh pineapples. Not all beaches in Mauritius can boast of this; mostly, snack kiosks can only be seen in cities.

Another advantage of Pereybere is its crystal clear water, which creates ideal conditions for snorkeling, so when swimming under the surface of the water with a mask, you will have a great view of the bottom and can easily observe the movement of marine inhabitants even at depth. Snorkeling is the most affordable water fun which even children can do.

Now I can’t even remember exactly how the idea of ​​visiting Mauritius came to my mind. I understand one thing: it turned out to be a great idea!

Much of this trip - 2 weeks in early May - was a first for us: for the first time in Africa (a visit to the Pyramids of Giza for 1 day from Sharm el-Sheikh does not count), for the first time we crossed the equator (the island is located in the Southern Hemisphere) , and the first vacation spent on an island in the Indian Ocean.

At the same time, oddly enough, a 2-week vacation in Mauritius, traditionally considered an elite holiday destination, cost us no more than, say, a vacation in Cyprus would have cost us under similar conditions (subject to an economy class flight).

Text navigator

Air tickets (“ Air France”) bought in advance, the flight turned out to be not the easiest - from St. Petersburg to Paris 3.5 hours and another 11 hours from Paris to Mauritius. Much more convenient is the Emirates flight via Dubai - 6 hours from St. Petersburg to Dubai and another 6 hours from Dubai to Mauritius. But at the time of booking it turned out to be significantly more expensive, we decided to endure a longer flight, but save about 30 thousand rubles. (I was looking for tickets, as always)

For Russians coming on holiday, Mauritius is a visa-free country. At the airport, a driver was already waiting for us with a sign (I ordered a transfer). The driver drove us across the entire island to our hotel in literally an hour, fortunately the island is very compact, only 75 km long and 48 km wide.

Thanks to the local wind rose, the country’s only airport is located not in the capital, Port Louis, but in the south of the island, and I chose northern part islands, since it is known that the likelihood of cloudy weather and precipitation there is lower. (The northernmost point of the island is located 75 km closer to the equator than the southernmost point).

The next two weeks we swam in the Indian Ocean (the water temperature is +27, and this is in early May, that is, at the beginning of the Mauritian winter!) and enjoyed tireless trips along this beautiful island.

What season is best to go to Mauritius?

Holidays in Mauritius can provide pleasure all year round. However, the island is located on the 20th parallel south of the equator, so seasonality is still present here. According to local residents, they have only two seasons: winter in Mauritius (as in the entire Southern Hemisphere) lasts from May to October, and summer from November to April.

Weather in Mauritius:

Month

Jan.

Feb.

March

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Average annual air temperature (°C)

+29

+28

+28

+27

+24

+23

+23

+23

+24

+26

+27

+28

Average annual ocean water temperature (°C)

+28

+28

+28

+27

+26

+25

+24

+24

+24

+24

+25

+26

Average annual precipitation (mm)

200

240

160

158

100

70

75

75

50

50

50

10

At the same time, the amount of precipitation is distributed unevenly across the island: from 900 mm on the coast to 1500 mm in the Central Plateau area.

The peak tourist season in Mauritius is in the summer (from December to March), as well as in July-August - the traditional vacation period for Europeans. We, having arrived here at the end of April - beginning of May - the “low season”, the beginning of the Mauritian winter - were able to enjoy the warmth, the ocean with a water temperature of +27, deserted beaches and low prices for accommodation and excursions. Yes, from time to time the sky was covered with clouds and it rained 3 times (no more than 15-20 minutes), but these little things did not stop us from having a great time relaxing and swimming!

Sights of Mauritius

Coming to Mauritius and spending the entire time in a hotel is a crime! Although, of course, the hotels here are luxurious, the level of service is very high, and local kitchen will not leave you indifferent... I remember, even in the Dominican Republic, living in a luxurious 5-star hotel and diving almost every day, we nevertheless found time and went on a couple of excursions. (Although in the Dominican Republic, compared to Mauritius, security outside the hotel territory is all bad.) Mauritius, with its hospitable residents, cultural diversity and natural beauties, all the more deserving of getting to know him better.

Traffic in Mauritius, like in the UK, is on the left, so it was decided to rent a car with a driver, since it’s quite inexpensive here, around €75 for a car with a driver for the whole day. (By the way, the roads on the island are ideal! They are not wide and are often laid in sugar cane thickets 2 human heights high, but the quality of the surface is beyond praise.) Group excursions, which are offered in a huge range by roadside travel agencies everywhere, - and It’s even cheaper: many excursions are quite high quality and last the whole day (though without Russian speaking guide), cost €10-15 per person. I couldn’t imagine that such prices could still exist somewhere. For example, in August last year in Cuba it was difficult to find an excursion that would cost less than €100 (this is with Cuban salaries: the highest - for police officers - about 50 US dollars per month!).

Sightseeing tour of the south of the island

In the town of Curepipe you need to climb to the top of the crater extinct volcano Trou aux Cerfs, from where a panorama of the northern and western parts of the island opens:

They say that the island was formed as a result of the eruption of this volcano. I can’t even believe it... Today it looks quite harmless, and in the crater you can see a small pretty lake:

Drive through the respectable suburb of Curepipe - the town of Floral, where the luxurious residences of local aristocrats, stars and embassies are hidden behind elegant fences different countries, - this area is called the local Beverly Hills.

In Floreal you can visit a diamond factory, a workshop for making ship models (amazingly fine workmanship, with all the smallest details!), souvenir shops and numerous shops with cashmere products.

The largest reservoir is located very close fresh water on the island (this is surprising, but desalination technologies sea ​​water are still not widely used in Mauritius!) – Lake Mare aux Vacoas.

The landscape here unexpectedly reminded me of Karelian lakes, there are even pine trees. Swimming is prohibited, but fishing is allowed.

Grand Bassin is a picturesque lake, they say, also in the crater of an extinct volcano. For adherents of Hinduism, this lake is as sacred as the Ganges River in India. It was interesting to visit this place, feel its extraordinary aura and watch the families of Mauritian Hindus who come to the shore of the lake with gifts for the goddess Ganga.

Found in the lake great amount fish that feed on the offerings of believers, and the surrounding trees are inhabited by families of monkeys who happily treat themselves to bananas left as a gift to the gods.

Those approaching the Grand Bassin are met at the roadside giant statues 33 m high god Shiva and his wife goddess Parvati. They were built one by one. The statue of Parvati, or, as the locals call it, Ds DOORGA MAA, is completely new (completed in 2017); specially invited craftsmen from India worked on its construction for 3 years.

On the mountain plateau Plaine Champagne there is a very picturesque national park– Black River Gorges (Black River Gorge). We entered its territory from different directions three times, making stops at different observation platforms.

By the way, in this park we came across the cheapest souvenirs on the entire island, and local souvenir sellers in pure Russian tried to sell us magnets “three for a hundred” (one hundred Mauritian rupees is about €2.5).

In the village of Chamarel, we admired the Chamarel waterfall and the local natural wonder, taken under UNESCO protection - the “Seven Colored Lands of Chamarel”:

This is how Chamarel looks from the air, from a helicopter:

Observation platforms in the park with views of Alexandra Falls and the ocean coast:

Observation deck at the gorge Black River, after which this entire impressive national park was named:

An observation deck on the mountainside with a stunning view of the entire western coast, the picturesque Mount Le Morne, the nearby islands and the vast Indian Ocean:

Sightseeing tour of the south and southwest of the island

On the way, the driver took us to a tea plantation, having previously asked if we were interested in seeing how tea is harvested. This is interesting if you have never seen this before: endless expanses of tea bushes, from which the pickers - middle-aged women - literally cut off the top couple of leaves and send them into a huge box attached to the back, like a huge backpack without a top. At the end of the shift, they hand over the entire harvested crop and receive payment based on the calculation - the figure is amazing! – 30 rupees (approximately $0.85) per 1 kg of collected tea leaves. Hellish work, also under the scorching sun!

Tea in Mauritius, by the way, is of quite decent quality, but here in supermarkets, as well as throughout the world, “English” tea is especially valued (the true place of origin of which remains a mystery to us - maybe Mauritius, or maybe Ceylon...) .

Park-reserve “La Vanille” (crocodiles, turtles, lemurs, etc.)

Entry costs 490 Mauritian rupees for adults and 250 rupees for children. This park is famous primarily for crocodiles. Crocodiles here are the highlight of the show in every sense: every day at 11:30 there is a crocodile feeding show (as it says on their website, but in the park itself we saw a sign that said something different):

(Apparently, in the “off season” crocodiles also have to moderate their appetite, according to the principle: “few visitors - three meals a day: Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday”). Also, for an additional fee, you can take a photo with a small one-year-old crocodile. And even – surprising for a nature reserve! - taste in local restaurant crocodile meat (we didn’t: we feel sorry for the crocodiles, and the meat, they say, is similar to chicken, only tough and tasteless) or buy accessories (admittedly, very high quality) made of crocodile skin in the souvenir shop - handbags, wallets, belts, etc. There are quite a lot of crocodiles in the park, of different ages - lying around, sunbathing... not spectacular at all...

I admit, we treat crocodiles calmly. We didn’t come to this park because of them: what interested us most were the giant Seychelles tortoises:

At the entrance to the turtles there are notices that for 25 rupees (about €0.6) you can buy a sprig of their favorite delicacy and feed them, as well as a warning that turtles bite.

As a result, feeding went without incident, although the teeth of these reptiles are indeed sharp:

Before we started, we could not even imagine that turtles, at the sight of green branches, could develop such agility, very interestedly surrounding us from all sides:

The oldest turtle here, a male named Domino, is over 125 years old. But we could not identify him, and the staff, whom we could have asked, as luck would have it, disappeared from view... Maybe this one is waist-high to me? (A rare opportunity to feel like Thumbelina... 😀)

A “bonus” of our visit to La Vanille park was watching the lemurs feed. These guys look really happy, even in the enclosure (to be fair, it’s quite spacious):

We liked La Vanille Park: picturesque, although not big. Rather more like a zoo than a nature reserve. But for at least a couple of hours, I’m sure there’s something for everyone here.

CapeGris— Gris

After visiting the La Vanille park, we moved to the extreme southern point islands – Cape “Gris-Gris”. This - the only place in Mauritius, where there is no reef that practically surrounds and reliably protects the island from the ocean. Therefore, only on Gri-Gri there is an opportunity to enjoy the contemplation and sound of real ocean waves.

The place is fantastic: high black rocks of volcanic origin, on which the waves crash noisily, and the spray sometimes flies up to 15 meters. There is also a beach here, which is beautiful (although swimming on it is strictly prohibited, but we, of course, tried it - it feels that the waves literally pull you into the open ocean).

To be honest, we planned to come here for a short while, take photos and move on. But the place turned out to be almost magical and did not let us go for more than an hour. In general, it seemed that you could sit there and meditate for hours and days, listening to the crash of the surf and admiring the long, bright blue waves:

Visiting Gris-Gris unexpectedly became one of the most vivid impressions in Mauritius.

Rochester Falls (Rochester Falls)

This picturesque waterfall is located in a rather inaccessible place. It was not possible to get to it by car, and we covered the last 200 meters to the waterfall on foot, along a path in the sugar cane thickets:

On the approach to the waterfall, a cable is stretched across a rather stormy stream. Holding onto it tightly (there are slippery stones in the water), you need to cross the stream if you want to enjoy the view of the waterfall or swim in the lake at its foot.

Local boys on duty at the top are ready to jump down for a small fee. Their “chef”, who was guarding the tourists below, apparently classifying us as a paying public, did not want to name the price of this show. When asked about the price, he just rolled his eyes and said “later, in the end.” In connection with this, in order to avoid misunderstandings, he was sent. The place, in general, is nice, but it’s kind of... and not wild, so you can sit quietly there and contemplate the waterfall, and not equipped for tourists - there is no normal road or infrastructure. As a result, we didn’t like this waterfall too much.

MountainLe Morne Brabant

Located on the Le Morne Brabant peninsula, the 556 m high basalt rock, another one of the “postcard” views of the island, is noticeable from afar.

Its flat top was used as a refuge for runaway slaves in the past, as the south has long been the least accessible part of the island. In 1835, after the abolition of slavery, military troops landed on the peninsula to tell the slaves the good news of liberation. But they did not believe the words of the police, deciding that they wanted to return them to the plantations to the slave owners, and many chose to die by jumping off the cliff.

Now at the foot of the mountain there is a heart-tugging memorial - a manifesto against slavery:

It is near the Le Morne Brabant peninsula that there is another one of the main attractions of Mauritius - an underwater waterfall:

From a bird's eye view, it seems that ocean water goes somewhere deep and flows down like a waterfall. This is an optical illusion: a unique underwater waterfall in Mauritius was formed thanks to the play of light, sand, silt, corals and a very strong current.

It is possible to observe this miracle of nature only from a helicopter (they also say that it can be seen even from space orbit). The duration of the helicopter ride to view the underwater waterfall is about 15 minutes. (There are also longer helicopter routes in Mauritius: for example, 1 hour is enough to fly around the entire island and see all its main attractions from a bird's eye view). All helicopter tours start from a site in one of the golf clubs located in the southwest of the island:

Sightseeing tour of the north of the island

The northern coast of the island is considered sunnier, although there is more than enough sun throughout Mauritius. However, this coast is better protected from the winds, so the air temperature here is a couple of degrees higher than in other areas, and the beaches are magnificent.

The town of Grand Bay (or, in French, Grand Baie) is often compared to Cote d'Azur France for its liveliness, variety of ways to have fun, large selection of restaurants, nightclubs and shopping centers. However, this comparison did not seem entirely appropriate to us - in our opinion, they do not have much in common. But all the same, it was nice, living in Pereybere, to periodically stop by Grand Bay to go shopping and have a cup of tea or a glass of wine in one of the coastal restaurants.

We began our acquaintance with the sights of the North from the extreme northern point of the island of Mauritius.

CapeCap Malheureux(Cap Malheureux)

It turned out that the name of this cape translates as Cape of Bad Luck - probably due to frequent shipwrecks, who knows?

Here stands the Catholic Church of Notre-Dame-Oxyllatrice with a bright red roof:

Despite the intimidating name of the cape itself, many couples choose this church for their wedding ceremony.

Nothing remarkable inside:

But from the outside, this temple, like the islands of Coin de Mire, Ile Plate and Ile ot Gabriel, the view of which opens from the cape, is very picturesque, therefore, Of course, they are popular photography subjects. You can take a day cruise to the islands on a catamaran. Particularly interesting in this sense is the small desert island ok Ile ot Gabriel with an untouched lagoon biosphere and a shore strewn with fine sand. Also the island of Flat (Ile Plate) is ideal place for swimming.

Botanical Garden of Pamplemousses (Pamplemousses)

The small town of Pamplemousse is home to the Botanical Garden and the Sugar Museum, housed in a former sugar factory. We didn’t have time to visit the Sugar Museum, a tour of which usually lasts about 1.5 hours, but we did visit the Botanical Garden. And, I must say, we did not regret it.

(You can get to it not only by taxi, but also by buses No. 22, 227 and 85. Open daily from 8:30 to 17:30. Entrance here for tourists costs 200 Mauritian rupees, children under 5 years old - free.)

Today, the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (SSR) Botanical Garden in Pamplemousse is one of the most beautiful tropical gardens in the world, formally called the “royal botanical garden” and covers an area of ​​25 hectares. Its special pride is 85 species of palm trees, stunning giant water lilies Victoria Amazonica with leaves up to 2 m in diameter - the symbol of the Botanical Garden, lotuses, the national flower of Mauritius - Trochetia butoniana, as well as giant ficus and baobab.

In the garden we met many groups of children with teachers. It’s great when biology and natural history classes take place in such a place!

In addition to plants, the garden is home to a large number of Seychelles turtles and deer. For a leisurely walk around Botanical Garden It’s worth setting aside 1.5-2 hours. You can minimize walking by paying extra for an electric car (order along with the ticket at the box office).

After walking around the Botanical Garden, we headed to the capital of Mauritius is the city of Port Louis.

To be honest, the capital impressed us much less than the natural attractions. On a hill above the city stands Fort Adelaide, or, as the locals more often call it, the Citadel. “La Citadelle” is the only one of the four forts of Port Louis that were practically not destroyed, and access to which is always free:

The fort is named after Queen Adelaide, the wife of William II. It was built between 1834 and 1849 under the direction of William IV and designed by Colonel Cunningham. At one time, the fort served the strategic purpose of protecting the harbor from enemy attacks and from fires, which happened very often.

The Moorish-style building with arches and horseshoes is made of huge rectangular blocks that have become greyish-black over time. Inside the fort there is an underground tunnel for the military.

From the top of the 100 meter high fort there are beautiful views of ancient buildings along with the modern skyscrapers of Port Louis:

Also from here you can see the Champ de Mars, a huge green spot in the bustling city of Port Louis:

The Champs de Mars Hippodrome is the oldest hippodrome in the Southern Hemisphere. Naturally, the British could not help but vaccinate to the local population love for horse racing, so this is almost the main Saturday entertainment here! It was here that the independence of the island was proclaimed 50 years ago (in 1968) and monuments to King Edward VII and the French governor of the island, Malartic, were erected.

After the occupation of the island by the British, clashes between them and the French, who no longer felt like masters here, became more frequent. In 1812, passions reached a critical level, and the then governor of Mauritius, Colonel Draper, did not come up with anything better than to direct them in a peaceful direction - he organized a hippodrome on the Champ de Mars, which served for military exercises. The love for horses and the gambling spectacle reconciled the opponents, and since then the popularity of horse racing on the island has only increased.

The hippodrome has three sectors. The first one is located in the center of the Champ de Mars, entry is free, and from here the race itself is visible, but neither the betting board nor observation deck, through which horses are led before the race. Getting into the second sector costs 5-8 euros. From here you can already see the start, the finish, and the scoreboard, although sometimes you have to jump up to see everything over the heads of those in front. Those who can afford to pay 70 euros get a seat in the VIP grandstand, where they can see the entire panorama of the racecourse, and in addition, they can enjoy drinks and snacks included in the ticket price.

The length of the race track at the hippodrome is 1298 meters, and only smooth races take place on it. The most prestigious race is the Maiden Cup. In addition to the weekly unnamed kilometer races, there are also races for the Draper Cup, the Duchess of York Cup, the Barbet Cup, and the Duke of York Cup. Outside of the season, almost every day in the morning you can watch training. Many Mauritians have a real passion for horse racing, so it is not surprising that wealthy people often own very expensive racehorses.

After our trip to Port Louis, we learned that there is a bust of Lenin in the city center. We were upset that we couldn’t see it - can you imagine how exotic it is? We'll have to go back now! 😛 The very history of the appearance of this monument is very sweet: the Soviet government in 1968 was the first to recognize the independence of Mauritius, and in gratitude for this the Mauritians established central park capital this monument. Well done! Although now few local residents remember who Lenin was, except perhaps historians and graduates of Soviet universities.

It was decided to have lunch on the Caudan embankment, overlooking the largest and oldest bay located on the opposite side shopping mall Mauritius – The Caudan:

The Blue Mauritius Museum is also located here, a postage stamp museum opened in November 2001 and founded by the Commercial Bank of Mauritius. The museum's exhibition invites visitors to look at the first two postage stamps of Mauritius from 1847, called “Pink Mauritius” and “Blue Mauritius”. They were purchased on November 10, 1993 at a Swiss auction for $2 million. Also on display in the museum are the remaining postage stamps of Mauritius, old nautical charts, paintings, sculptures, engravings, ancient documents telling the history of Mauritius:

To ensure that stamps last longer, their originals are exposed only briefly to light, and most copies of stamps are exhibited from time to time. Museum address: Dans Caudan Water Front, Port Louis, Mauritius

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped in the town of Triolet to see the largest hindu temple Islands – Maheswarnath Shivala Temple:

Swimming with dolphins in Mauritius

Nowadays, when in everyone more or less big city or the resort has a dolphinarium, or even several, the offer to swim with dolphins will not surprise anyone. Therefore, at first I did not respond to offers from local travel agencies and my husband to go on the “Swimming with Dolphins” tour. And when I found out that check-out from the hotel was supposed to be at 6:00, my reaction was unambiguous, in the spirit of “better shoot me right away.”

In the end, I bet my husband’s wish, thanks to which we went on this tour and spent one of the most memorable days of our lives there.

Firstly, swimming with dolphins in Mauritius does not take place in a pool, or even on a piece of harbor fenced off with nets, but in the open ocean, quite far from the shore. Secondly, the dolphins with whom we had to swim turned out to be not trained animals from the dolphinarium, but wild ones, living freely in the Indian Ocean, not far from the southwestern coast of the island.

Our international group was brought ashore in Tamarin Bay, fed breakfast (it was very humane of the tour organizers to include a light breakfast in the program, since we had to leave the hotel at 6 in the morning, hungry!), put us on a speedboat and taken out into the open ocean. We spent about 15-20 minutes on the road, and these were unforgettable minutes. My husband and I and another couple from Switzerland sat on the bow of the boat, which kept bouncing about a meter and a half on the waves, showering us with spray. Our boat crew raced the neighboring boats (we won!) and it was fun! But for some reason there were no more people willing to sit at the bow of the boat: the remaining 10 people from our group preferred to sit at the stern. When we arrived at the site, one of the boat crew asked if anyone was planning to swim with the dolphins. The question seemed strange at first, but only until we saw that not all the boats rocking on the waves near us were willing to dive. Here and there the groups gathered were very old, and, obviously, none of them planned to part with their photo and video cameras for even a minute. Wonderful: fewer people– more dolphins. 😛 And on our boat there were more than half of those who wanted to swim. Everyone was given masks and fins. A fairly large school of dolphins swam nearby, surfacing here and there. Groups from other boats were already floundering in the water, however, dolphins, as you understand, move much faster than swimmers from the genus Homo Sapiens. Our cunning guide was in no hurry to send us into the water: he took a closer look and, as far as possible, predicted the direction of movement of the pod of dolphins, and only after that he ordered us to jump into the water after him. We made three attempts. During the first attempt, the dolphins left us quite quickly, and I saw them only below me, in the water column at a depth of 15 meters, and then, far in front of me, their fins. The second attempt was also unsuccessful. But when we dived into the water for the third time, it was amazing! - at a depth, in the blue thickness of the water, right below me, I saw a large school - about 20 dolphins, adults and calves. Actively working with my fins, I managed to practically catch up with them, so that when I took another breath at the surface, they came out very close, literally a couple of meters in front of me. I am sure that these extraordinary moments will never be forgotten! But we didn’t have an underwater camera with us this time, so we weren’t able to take photos of the dolphins.

It turns out that it was the lagoon stretching from Tamarin to the Le Morne peninsula that became favorite place their habitat. Here they spend the night and rest in the morning, before heading out to the ocean for fish. So dolphins can be observed in this place almost every day, but only until noon. This is precisely why the tour started so early.

After “swimming with dolphins” we were taken to a small reef where anyone could go snorkeling. Half-dead and not particularly colorful corals, a couple of triggerfish, a lionfish huddling against the rocks—probably, this might have impressed some, but not us, experienced divers. Then we were taken to “Crystal Rock” - a tiny coral island sticking out of the water at a decent distance from the shore, considered one of the business cards Mauritius.

The end of the program was the landing on the small uninhabited island of Benitiers (Ile aux Benitiers). Here it is, by the way, taken from above during one of our excursions:

On the island, the crew of our boat prepared us a delicious lunch - salads, barbecue, and fried fish. We weren’t particularly lucky with the weather that day, the day was cloudy, but the company we had was so warm and sincere that during the conversation, sipping Mauritian rose wine or cocktails with excellent Mauritian rum, no one paid any attention to the weather.

On the way back, we were taken by boat to “Crystal Rock” again; those who wished could swim here with a mask. Another 15 minutes - and we found ourselves at the shore, from where we set sail early in the morning.

Ocean sunsets in Mauritius

Who knows, if I had been born a cat in Mauritius, perhaps I would have been able to turn away from the local sunsets just as indifferently as this red-haired beauty. However, in my incarnation I didn’t want to miss a second of the nightly “show” - the sunsets in the Indian Ocean are divinely beautiful!

As soon as the sun sets behind the horizon, a tropical night quickly falls, woven from purple velvet embroidered with gold - a wondrous mystery, when the unusual constellations of the Southern Hemisphere drop so low that it seems that it is enough to stretch out your hand, and... South Cross will be in your palm...

People in Mauritius

Once again I am convinced that a country is, first of all, not nature or architecture, but still people! In this regard, I cannot help but mention the Mauritians.

Mauritius is an African country, however, despite all the stereotypes, it is much cleaner and more civilized than even, as it seemed to us, some countries that are members of the European Union. You rarely see trash on the streets, and the people are well educated and very welcoming. Almost everyone we talked to during our vacation was sincerely interested in our opinion about the country, how we feel here, whether we like the nature, the weather, the people, etc. Their warmth and cordiality captivated us, and their ability to communicate and serve with sincere respect for both themselves and others also left a very pleasant impression. We have never noticed the attitude of the locals towards tourists as “cash cows”, but only as long-awaited guests, and this is incredibly pleasant!

Mauritius gained independence from Great Britain only 50 years ago, until March 12, 1968, it was a British colony, and even earlier - until 1814 - a colony of France. Therefore, along with their native Creole language, children in Mauritius schools are required to study English and French, and also, depending on their religion, Hindus (the main religion on the island) also learn Hindi, and Muslims - a choice of Arabic or Urdu . The second largest religion in Mauritius is Christianity (the Catholic faith predominates, but others are also present, primarily Protestants), Islam occupies third position, and there are also Buddhists and representatives of other religions. The four colors of the Mauritian flag, in addition to natural features countries, symbolize the four main religions: red – Hinduism, blue – Christianity, yellow – Buddhism, green – Islam. There are also representatives of the Tamil faith on the island (as far as we can understand, this is some specific branch of Hinduism, something close to the Sikhs, but I’m not an expert in this). Today the population of Mauritius is about 1.3 million.

I asked our driver-guide Nizam: “What holidays do you celebrate in Mauritius?” He laughed: “We’re celebrating – that’s it! For example, I am a Muslim, Ramadan is coming soon, my Hindu friend and his family will come to our home. And then we will celebrate their holidays together... Christmas and Easter - we also definitely celebrate - we have complete democracy in this matter! - How else? We all live here in peace and harmony with each other and respect each other's religion. It’s a personal matter for everyone in which God to believe in!”

Who knows, maybe it is in this attitude towards life and each other that the secret of the amazing atmosphere of kindness and safety in Mauritius lies?

Shopping in Mauritius

Surprisingly, you can do some very good shopping in Mauritius. The fact is that many European clothing manufacturers make their collections here, so often things from famous European brands (jeans, shirts, polos, accessories, etc.) can be bought at half the price than in Europe. But there are also outright fakes, so be careful when choosing.

There are also a lot of factories producing cashmere knitwear in Mauritius, everything is of excellent quality and, if you bargain well, it costs less than in Italian outlets and spats.

The clothes of local Mauritian fashion designers also pleased with the quality of workmanship and original design. There is a huge selection of women's dresses, summer and beachwear for the whole family.

We went shopping in Grand Bay (Bus number 82 took us from the beach in Pereybere to Grand Bay in just 5 minutes and 18 rupees (about $0.50) per person).

The largest shopping malls Grand Bay, Mauritius:

Also, during one of the excursions, we were taken to the town of Floreal, considered the Mauritian shopping center. If you're in the mood for shopping, it's best to allow at least half a day to visit Floreal. There are a lot of cashmere and jewelry stores here.

I recommend that jewelry connoisseurs in Mauritius pay special attention to products with the local precious stone tanzanite: this is a real exclusive, the color of this stone is something between the color of sapphires and amethysts, such a lightish sapphire with a purple undertone, very beautiful and rare. Due to the high cost of the stones themselves, they are framed exclusively in gold (perhaps there are options in platinum, but I haven’t come across them).

But the main thing that Floreal is famous for is the factory-workshop where perhaps the most recognizable souvenirs of Mauritius are made - ship models. It’s worth stopping by and at least taking a look: the work of the local craftsmen is so delicate that it will delight anyone.

Naturally, the factory also has a very nice souvenir shop, where you can buy a variety of souvenirs, including ship models made here.

For purchases over a certain amount in many Mauritian stores, you also receive a tax-free refund (at the airport, upon departure). On other stores there is a duty-free sign, hinting that prices have already been reduced, and tax-free returns are no longer allowed. (I was convinced that in some of them they “cheat” with tax-free returns, because in one of the stores where we bought clothes, they wrote out an absolutely normal tax-free invoice for me and asked me to sign for it, but this invoice remained in the store. At the same time, in response to my question “So, you still refund the tax on purchases?” the saleswoman became noticeably nervous and said that no, they say, all their prices are already without tax).

What does the Dodo bird have to do with it?

The legendary Dodo bird (also known as the Mauritian dodo), which you will find on almost all souvenirs of Mauritius, alas, has not survived to this day. According to historians, all the Dodos were barbarously devoured by hungry Dutch sailors who landed on the island starting in 1598. This bird, which previously had no enemies in nature, alas, grew so fat on the food that was available in abundance on the island that it could no longer fly, swim or even run fast. I feel sorry for the bird...

Let her sad fate at least serve as a moral to all of us about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

Mauritius – by far our best beach holiday

On days free from excursions, we simply snorkeled and walked for a long time along the shore. Walking for hours along the beautiful beaches of the northern part of the island, where we settled - it was great: along an unusually picturesque beaches there are cozy villas surrounded by flowers and greenery, and a walk here, among other things, can also bring aesthetic pleasure.

The beaches of Mauritius deserve it. And here I will only say that I managed to choose a hotel located right on one of the most beautiful beaches Mauritius – Pereybere. Here it is (the hotel), but you won’t see it, because in resort areas in Mauritius it is legally prohibited to build buildings higher than the surrounding trees (an excellent law, I think Mauritian legislators are wise people!):

So two weeks flew by, perhaps the best this moment beach holiday in our lives.

During this time, we visited 4 excursions, but still did not have time to see all the sights that we would like to. For example, we didn’t get to the bird and animal park “Casela Nature & Leisure Park” (although we drove past it at least three times), where they live almost natural conditions, giraffes, zebras, rhinoceroses, monkeys and other representatives of African fauna. Entrance there costs 800 rupees per person (about €20), and in a special trailer you can ride around the entire park - take a “safari” with a camera, and for an additional fee (about €80) visitors are offered the “Walk with Lions” attraction - yes , you will have a real walk next to a couple of lions, and you can take pictures. All this, naturally, under the supervision of a trainer. They say that none of the visitors were injured)).

We didn't have enough time to explore the east coast of the island and take cruises to Heron Island (Ile aux Aigrettes), which is nature reserve and to the beautiful Deer Island (Ile aux Cerfs).

And we also decided to postpone the helicopter ride, with the aim of aerial viewing of one of the “calling cards” of the island - the underwater waterfall at Cape Le Morne - until next time.

To all this it is worth adding the fact that the time in Mauritius is only 1 hour ahead of Moscow, this is a huge plus. (For example, in the Caribbean, where the time difference is 8 hours, in the first two days we barely survive until dinner (dinner at a hotel, as a rule, starts at 19:00, and by Moscow time it’s already 3 in the morning!), from -due to severe jet-lag, actually losing the first couple of days of rest.)

As a result of the trip, we realized: when Mark Twain, who visited these places, enthusiastically wrote: “God first created Mauritius, and then, in its image and likeness, Paradise was created.”, it turns out that he was not exaggerating at all!

And we enjoyed this view without getting up from our sunbed:

But there is still one serious drawback to a holiday spent in Mauritius. Or rather, it’s a serious side effect. I warn you, be careful: after relaxing on these beaches, you may completely lose interest in beach holidays in Europe.

As a result, we really wanted to return to Mauritius on occasion (and, I must say, this doesn’t happen to us very often!).

And finally – some more Mauritian beauties:

Photo: Anna Krivova, Valery Chekalov, Victoria Firstova

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