Mauritius will enchant you, will uplift your soul, making you feel that you belong to the chosen few. Every visitor enjoys personal attention. Every encounter is an opportunity to discover a friendly face. Behind each smile lies the promise of a unique holiday. The contrast of a multitude of colours and tastes, the island, set in its turquoise sea, is an oasis of peace and tranquillity. Mauritius, a melting pot where past and present are smoothly blended together, offers an essential beauty that will compel to return to its shores time and time again. May your stay with us remain engraved in your memory forever.

Mauritius - The Island Paradise

The North

Grand, ancient trees establish royal dominion over well-kept lawns. Palms, some 200 years old, border the alleys. Floating like bluish-green enamelled trays in a rectangular pond are huge Victoria regia water-lilies, their leaves some 60 cm (2 ft) across. The largest can bear the weight of a newborn baby. You may nevertheless not wish to entrust your own offspring to the test, for if you look carefully at a leaf you'll see the underside protected by sharp spines. On the coast north of Pamplemousses lie some of the island's most inviting beaches gleaming with powdery white sand, with Grand Baie, one of the most splendid, as the centre for many sea-related activities-sailing, windsurfing, snorkelling and diving. In Grand Baie itself, visit the local Art Gallery with interesting exhibitions by Mauritian artists. If you go to Trou aux Biches, look out for the lovely Hindu temple nearby and visit the excellent Aquarium with 200 types of fish, live coral, and fascinating exhibits, wonderfully presented.

At Mont Choisy, one of the most popular beaches on the island, you'll find perfect safe bathing with plenty of windsurfing and sailing possibilities. Péreybère, with its lovely clear blue waters, is another paradise for swimmers. At the very far north is Cap Malheureux, which supposedly got its name from the fact that it was the spot where the English landed in 1810 to conquer the island. On a calm day there's a wonderful view out to sea, especially of the island of Coin de Mire with its massive, plunging cliffs.

The East
Excellent beaches abound on the east coast. To the north lies Roches Noires, much appreciated in summer because of the constant sea breezes and the excellent fishing. Further south, Belle Mare has its addicts, drawn to its magnificent sweep of beach round to Palmar and Trou d'Eau Douce. The Ile aux Cerfs, reachable from Touessrok (a 20-minute ferry crossing), has deer roaming wild, while the pristine beaches and lagoon are near-perfect for children.

South of Mahébourg, Blue Bay is surrounded by a semi-circle of casuarina (or filao) trees, whose branches resemble the feathers of the cassowary bird. The beach is often considered one of the best on the island because of its deep, clear blue waters-an ideal bay for water sports of all kinds. And as a change from the beach, why not visit Le Val Nature Park, in the heart of a valley, surrounded by lush vegetation? You can see carp, fresh water fish, shrimp, and prawns bred in chemically treated water, as well as birds and monkeys.

The South
The rugged south coast is less popular with visitors but conceals plenty of charm. Souillac, the main town, was named after François Vicomte de Souillac, governor of the island from 1779 to 1787; the backdrop of the Savanne Mountains is a fine setting.
The sea lashing at the coast and the powerful wind provide quite a contrast to the tranquil northern beaches, though much new development is going on to encourage tourism. To see the vegetation of the area (an area, alas, often scarred by hurricanes), visit the Telfair Gardens, with their gigantic Indian almond trees and banyans. For a little culture, visit the house-cum-museum of the Mauritian poet Edward Hart, who lived on the cliff sculpted by the waves till his death in 1954. For an invigorating whiff of sea air, go to the cliffs at Gris-Gris, the furthest point south on the island. The beach is dangerous, but fishermen obstinately go out laying lobster and crayfish pots. Just outside the town, through the fields of sugar-cane, lie the Rochester Falls, where the waters have carved the basalt into curious, mostly upright shapes. The actual cascade crashes down from about 10 m (33 ft) above.

The West
A small town on the west coast, with the delightful name of Flic en Flac, provides an excellent example of the cosmopolitan mood of the island and boasts a typical beach with gentle white sand fringed with filao trees.
Tamarind trees grow pro-fusely along the west coast, and gave their name to Tamarin, a clean and pleasant little resort with a beautiful beach (one of the most popular with Mauritians), that also has Mauritius's main salt flats. At La Mivoie, visit the Shellorama Museum for some local and less local shells. Note in particular the Harpa Costata, a type now rapidly disappearing.
Chamarel, a few kilometres further south inland, is famous for its coloured earths: test tubes of multicoloured samples can be bought from freelance vendors or from the local shops. The best time to visit the area is at dawn. The colours-violet, blue, purple, red, green, brown and yellow-never fade despite tropical rainfall, and for geologists in particular this lunar landscape is fascinating. Nearby, the dramatic Chamarel Falls stand in total contrast to that landscape, with rich vegetation and humid air.

WHEN TO GO

 Mauritius is a tropical island and it is very green. For sure, there must be some rain coming down here as well…
Usually in winter (means May to October) the highest temperatures vary between 20°C and 26°C in the coastal regions. In summer (November to April) it's slightly higher, meaning 26°C to 32°C .The water temperature of the Indian Ocean can go up to 28°C. Usually wind is blowing quiet steady from easterly directions.

Important to know: Mauritius has a micro-climate: it could rain cats and dogs where you are. Only a few kilometers away sun is shining and no cloud in sight.
If you wake up in the morning with a gray sky, don't worry. Go for your shower, have breakfast and after the sky will be blue.

The island's official language is English, but you'll hear Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu and other tongues. The local Creole dance, Séga, is downright sexy - get those feet shuffling and that body gyrating! But before dancing time, there's eating to be done, and you'll find a magnificent mixture of cuisine here including Creole, European, Chinese and Indian, with brilliant seafood always the highlight.

There are great water sport opportunities, including windsurfing, sailing and diving, and the island is surrounded by reefs. At Grand Baie Reef you can view them in a 'semi-submersible' boat. On dry land, you'll find some idyllic golf courses with views out to sea that may well distract your golf swing. Kids will love La Vanille Crocodile Park and Waterpark Leisure Village, and if you like to shop you'll appreciate the recent removal of import duty on various goods. Be sure to bring back some bargains with you.

Time Difference
GMT +4 hours

Currency
Mauritian Rupees (MRs)

Visa Requirements
British citizens do not require a visa.

Language
The official language is English.

Flying Time
Approx 12 hours to Mauritius.

Additional Information

Beautiful Beaches

Mauritius is blessed with miles of gorgeous beaches. One of the longest stretches is at Belle Mare. The spotless white sands seem to go on forever. Le Morne and Tamarin with their waterfalls are lovely, and popular for surfing. Flic en Flac's sands are fringed with casuarina trees, and in the southeast, Blue Bay is a popular bathing spot. Don't miss the little cove of Pereybere, a fine place for a dip.

Spas and Well-Being

You may think that just being in Mauritius is therapy enough for the body and mind, but you shouldn't pass up the opportunity to visit one of the island's wonderful spas. A couple of the properties we feature, the Hilton and Beau Rivage, are home to 2 of the island's most famous spas. Lie back and put yourself into the hands of capable experts, and you'll feel your everyday cares just drifting away.

Weddings and Honeymoons

What a setting this is for your marriage or honeymoon. You can keep it simple and tie the knot in classic style on a sunny, pristine white sand beach, or in a fragrant garden of hibiscus and palm trees, with the ocean in the background. For something a little different you could exchange vows while sailing on a dazzlingly white catamaran on the Indian Ocean.

Water Sports

Most hotels offer water sports, and there are special hot spots for them on the island. The beaches of Grand Baie and La Cuvette are fantastic for sailing, windsurfing and water-skiing. Join the windsurfers and sailors at Blue Bay, and you must visit the lovely, tiny island of Ile aux Cerfs, a paradise for all kinds of watery activity. For a fun day out, ride the giant chutes at Waterpark Leisure Village.

Golf

Golf is a great game wherever you play it, but with the backdrop of a paradise island, you'll be transported to golfing heaven. The island's courses offer private pro lessons and you can hire clubs, balls and caddies. One of the most beautiful courses is at One&Only Le Touessrok, fringed on one side by white sand and on the other by green hills - all 18 holes have views of the turquoise Indian Ocean.

Families and Kids' Clubs

The island's hotels have excellent kids' clubs and the safe, shallow waters are perfect for the little ones. In this chilled-out environment, you can spend time building sandcastles with them and teaching them to snorkel. When they're demanding thrills, take them to La Vanille Crocodile Park, home to dozens of animals, including aldabra tortoises. A tortoise ride on the beach beats a donkey ride any day.