Mesmerizing Mauritius- The Top 10 Things to See and Do in the Paradise Island

Mauritius was made first, and then heaven; and that heaven was copied after Mauritius. – Mark Twain

Whenever I think of Mauritius, I always think of this quote by Mark Twain. Is Mauritius truly a paradise like Mark Twain and everybody else rave about? From years we have been planning to visit Mauritius and last December we finally did it.

Mauritius has warm tropical weather and it can be visited all year around. But the best times of the year are from May to December. And December is the peak tourist season and the prices for the air tickets to accommodation to everything else shoots up.

From Dubai, we flew by Emirates airlines and it took us 6 hours 50 minutes. The Visa was on arrival for Indian passport holders, so it was convenient and time-saving.

After landing in Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, we took a taxi to Balaclava Fort where our Intercontinental Resort was situated. It took us an hour to reach our resort.

Mauritius is a paradise on earth, its sapphire-blue waters, pristine beaches and lush greenery made me feel like I was in heaven. It has an interesting mix of Indian, African and French influences. Mauritius is a multi-cultural Island nation. French, English and Creole are the spoken languages in Mauritius.

Mauritius is also known for its luxury resorts that offers a stunning view of the Indian Ocean. Most of their resorts offer top notch facilities with water sports options. We chose Intercontinental Resort for its family friendliness as we had our 2 kids with us.

Mauritius is not only about ethereal beaches, there are many others things to see and do. Here’s our list of things to see and do in the paradise island

Casela Nature Park

Spending half day or a full day in Casela Nature Park is a must when you visit Mauritius. It is situated in the West Coast of the country, atop sugarcane fields. The mountain view from Casela is just amazing. This nature park offers a mix of adventure, wild life and scenic beauty, you’ll never have a dull moment.

Mauritius National Botanical Garden

Popularly known as the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, it is the oldest botanical garden in Southern Hemisphere. It is home to a huge variety of diverse plant species brought in from across the globe and also plants native to the island. We loved the Baobabs, Palm collection and giant water lilies.

Chamarel

Chamarel is a quaint little village that has seven-colored earth which is a geological wonder. While in Chamarel, we also visited Chamarel Waterfall.

Grand Bassin

Ganga Talao or commonly known as Grand Bassin is a crater lake located in the Southwest of Mauritius. On the shore of the lake is a big temple along with a collection of small shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva and other deities. We were awestruck by the gigantic statue of Lord Shiva (Mangal Mahadev) in Ganga Talao.

Trou Aux Cerfs

One of the most famous attractions in Mauritius is the Trou aux Cerfs, a dormant volcano. The volcano is more than 600 meters high and has a crater of 300 meters in diameter.

Île Aux Cerfs

We did a day trip to Ile Aux Cerfs, a large island located off the East Coast of Mauritius. Its a picture perfect island, we had a great time at the beach and did some water based activities and enjoyed our lunch. 

Benitiers Island

From Balaclava Bay we went on a speedboat to Benitiers Island which is on the West Coast of Mauritius. The first thing we saw when we reached the island is the rocky formation coming out of the sea, like a clam shell. We spent our afternoon in the island where we had a traditional Mauritian lunch, went for a swim and then snorkeling. We saw plenty of dolphins.

Port Louis

We visited Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius and did some shopping in the main market and craft market. We enjoyed our lunch in the waterfront and then had a leisurely stroll at the Caudan Shopping Complex.  

Sugar Estates and Museum

We loved our visit to the Sugar Estate and Museum. It tells the history of Mauritius in great detail. Our visit included sugar and rum tasting. 

Discover the Beaches

Mauritius has some the most gorgeous and unspoilt beaches in the world. Take a swim, lie down and relax, snorkel, surf, swim with the dolphins or do any water related sport of your choice. Our personal favorite was the Le Morne beach.

So Much More to See and Do in Mauritius

There is much more to see and do in Mauritius. Try Mauritian cuisine, watch the traditional Mauritian dance, hike, learn about their history and culture, get to know the people, I can go on and on.Mauritius is one country, I would want to visit again and again. If there is a place called paradise then it is certainly Mauritius.We made most of our bookings through Mauritiusattractions.com and they sent us a private car with driver/guide for ourselves. He would pick us from our resort and drop us back too.

Website: http://www.mauritiusattractions.com

Email: info@mauritiusattractions.com

Phone : (230) 269 1000