Located in the Indian Ocean to the East of Madagascar is the small island of Mauritius. This tropical paradise is a favourite amongst honeymooners and we thought we would continue with this trend for ours. Jack and I were in this stunning place for a week during April this year. With my Master’s course now completed, I finally have time to log back on and tell you all about this very special trip. To kick things off, I want to inspire you. Without further introduction, here are my top ten reasons to visit Mauritius.
1. The Climate
Let’s start with the obvious one. Mauritius has a fantastic climate and the weather is warm all year around. The island itself is an old and ancient volcano, meaning that the centre is raised. Because of this, most of the rain only falls here, meaning that the beaches and surrounding areas are relatively dry. To put it in perspective, the only rain we saw during the day was in the centre of the island. The wettest months tend to be December through to February, where cyclones can also hit. Aside from that though, it has an enviously tropical climate which is perfect for a getaway.
2. The Pamplemousse Gardens
One of the highlights of our trip was the world-famous Pamplemousse Gardens. These are near the north of the island and so were only a half-hour drive from our hotel. I loved exploring these and our guide was excellent at pointing out the different stories behind the plants and animals. This garden was originally planted as a farm to provide French colonials with a source of vitamin C – after all, Pamplemousse translates as ‘grapefruit’. A particular favourite had to be the Giant Lily Pond, where the pads easily reached over a metre. When you visit this special place, be sure to keep your eyes up to the sky to watch the giant fruit bats fly overhead.
3. Ebony Forests
One of the main reasons to visit Mauritius has to be the legendary Ebony Forests. Once readily found on the island, they are now limited to a few pockets in National Parks. When the island was first colonised by Europeans, these forests were quickly felled and the wood was sold for a very high price. Ebony trees are also notoriously slow at growing which means that recovery is challenging. We were lucky enough to be booked onto a ‘safari’ across the forest and plant a tree to help with conservation. Along the way we were treated to rare flycatchers, vibrant lizards and sleepy bats. Easily one of the best days of my travels to date.
4. Coral Reefs
A trip to a tropical island wouldn’t be complete without a trip to a coral reef. Our hotel, the Lagoon Attitude, had an on-site Marine Science Lab, which was right up my husband’s street. They also Ca dive centre that would take you outside the lagoon and to the hotel’s very own snorkelling trail. We had an amazing time and saw tonnes of tropical fish and other sea creatures. We sadly didn’t see any turtles, dolphins or sharks, but all of them are really quite common. If you are into your diving, Mauritius is a great opportunity for a leisurely dive.
5. Culture and History
Before I visited, I wasn’t aware of the rich history on the island. My eyes were opened by our incredible guides, who told us about all of the different colonies that had lived on the island. Arabic, Dutch, French and English settlers have all brought their own take on the island, leaving it as a rich melting pot of cultures. In fact, our guides told us that the four-coloured flag symbolises this mixing of religion and cultures and that Mauritians are very tolerant of one-another’s beliefs. I really enjoyed learning about this and was surprised about how much history was on this tiny little island. All I knew about was the dodo…
6. Food and Drink
With the culture being a rich melting pot, it is only right that the food is too. We ate some incredible food in Mauritius, ranging from local cuisine to exquisite seafood. Our hotel had some great options. The local restaurant brought in produce from across the island and hired local chefs to prepare it. The flavours were amazing; it was a fusion of Indian and Caribbean cooking. There was also an incredible seafood restaurant that we visited for our honeymoon dinner. A dish in particular that stood out was the smoked swordfish. It was super tasty and was extremely light.
Outside our hotel, we visited a number of local places too. My favourite had to be Karay Mario, which specialised in authentic Mauritian cuisine. The curries we shared had an amazing level of flavour, though watch out for some of the chutneys; when they say it is hot, they mean it!
7. The Different Mountains
When we left the airport, and headed to the hotel, I was struck by the scenery. It was reminiscent of Jurassic park. The rich greens, the giant bats flying overhead, the burning orange of the sunset; I really felt like I had entered a lost world. Perhaps the biggest surprise for Jack being a newcomer to the island was the mountainous landscape. All around the island are large, green mountains. They each have their own names and stories. A personal favourite of mine is Pieter Both, named after the first Dutch Governor-General of the East Indies. This is the second tallest mountain on the island and, on the summit, is a giant stone carving of Peter’s head. One of the biggest reasons to visit the island is to see Le Morne and the iconic underwater waterfall.
8. Beaches
On one of our final days, we decided to head on out for a walk from the hotel. We entered a native forest that ran adjacent to a small bay. As we carried on walking and eventually left the trees, we stumbled onto a local beach. There was a rich smell of authentic cooking and the locals were really friendly and happy to see us. I could have stayed on that small beach all afternoon, eating some grilled fish and watching the world go by. The beaches in Mauritius aren’t all like this and some are naturally busier / more touristy than others. But, set against the turquoise, calm sea, alongside the sounds and songs of the local birds, make them a top reason to come to the island. In my view, these are some of the best beaches I’ve ever seen.
9. Nature Reserves
We really wanted to see as much wildlife as possible and so we booked a trip to île aux iegrettes. This island is by the airport and requires a booking to get across. Once there, you can walk along a genuine coral island. One of the main reasons people visit Mauritius is for the pink pigeon and the other native wildlife. To this day, I am unsure whether we did see a pink pigeon (our guide said so, but I am not convinced..). However, we did see plenty of giant tortoises and rare native birds, including the native foddy. If you want a great day out in Mauritius, I cannot recommend a visit here enough.
10. Relaxing
Lastly, one of the best reasons to visit Mauritius is to relax! Jack and I are not very good at this on holiday and this island forced us to chill. Relaxing on a sun lounger, drinking cocktails and reading a book in the sun is glorious and Mauritius almost forces you to do it. I loved relaxing by the pool with a good book, watching the tropic birds fly overhead. In truth, I am itching to go back to a tropical paradise for round two…
This just gives you a taste of future blog posts and I cannot wait to share all my amazing memories with you guys. Be prepared for plenty of bird pictures, top tips and guides to this breath-taking part of the world.
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Other posts that may help you:
- 50 Thailand Photos to Inspire your Next Trip
- 21 Things You Must do in Fuerteventura
- Reasons to visit Chiang Mai
- 7 Reasons To Visit Madeira
Thank you for reading and I hope I have inspired you with a few ideas and gave you a few reasons to visit Mauritius! If you have any questions about the items on my list or the island in general, please do get in touch in the comments below.
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Happy exploring,
Love Victoria X
