Mauritius Vacation: Travel Report & Experience
Highlights in Mauritius – my experience on my first Mauritius vacation.
Mauritius! Sounds like a dream vacation, right? I recently went to Mauritius for the first time. I’ve heard from some that it’s supposed to be paradise. Even the nice employee at the Eurowings counter gave me an envious “I would like to fly there now”. My anticipation was all the greater.
All I knew about Mauritius so far is that it’s a hotspot for newlywed couples. In fact, I felt like I spent the flight between all the German newlyweds who were on their way to their honeymoon. Understandable, as will turn out later.
Regardless of whether you explore Mauritius on your own by car or bus, or simply relax in one of the wonderful hotels, I can already reveal that the trip is worthwhile. I have summarized my personal highlights for you here.
1Port Louis
The capital of Mauritius is on the west coast and is the largest city on the island with around 150,000 inhabitants. I was told several times that I absolutely had to visit the Central Market. There are numerous stands with fresh fruit and vegetables, clothing, and souvenirs, each with its own meat and fish hall.
Tip: try the food at the stands at random. There are really crazy things.
My personal favorite: is Pani Puri (caution: spicy!). Basically, the cuisine of Mauritius is a mixture of Indian, French, and Chinese food. Really delicious.
Just under 20 minute walk from the market is Fort Adelaide, or “La Citadelle” as the Mauritians call it. The British-built fort sits at 100m and offers excellent panoramic views over the capital. Admission is free and offers especially on sunny days a perfect 360-degree view.
2Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden
The Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden is one of THE attractions in Mauritius. It is about 12km from the capital Port Louis. Locals often spend their whole day here on public holidays or weekends.
The approximately 90-hectare garden has a lot to offer: a large water lily pond, giant tortoises, deer, and a variety of tropical plants. Personally, two hours were enough for me to get an overview.
Opening hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m
Admission: 200 MUR (approx. 6 USD)
Incidentally, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam was a Mauritian politician and the first Prime Minister. He is considered the “father of Mauritian independence”, which is why many things in Mauritius are named after him. So e.g. B. the airport, hospital or international airport.
3Crater Lake Grand Bassin
The crater lake Grand Bassin is the major place of pilgrimage in Hinduism outside of India. The Grand Bassin is located near the Black River Gorges Nation Park, about 2 km from Le PĂ©trin.
You are greeted by two imposing, 33-meter-high statues that watch over the temple complex. Both the Hindu god Shiva and Durga are 33 meters tall, making them the tallest statues in Mauritius (Durga even has the tallest image of them in the world). That’s really very impressive.
Around the crater lake, there are numerous temples (please never enter with shoes!), sacrificial shrines, and Hindu gods in the form of colorful statues. Again and again one sees smaller ceremonies and offerings.
But basically, it’s pretty quiet. Up to 400,000 believers make a pilgrimage to the sacred lake for the Maha Shivaratri Festival (late February, early March). According to legends, it is connected to the holy river Ganges and is therefore also called Ganga Talao (Eng. “Lake of the Ganges”) by the Hindus.
4Black River Gorges National Park
The almost 68km² park accommodates the majority of the rainforest in Mauritius. It accounts for about 3.5% of the total area of the island. Although the park offers many hiking opportunities, including waterfalls, I was satisfied with the view from the “Gorges Viewpoint”. From there I was able to fly the drone to the waterfall.
Tip: From the viewpoint it is about 10 minutes by car to “La Rhumerie de Chamarel”. There you can take part in a tour and have the exact process of the rum distillery explained to you – rum tasting included.
Admission: 400 MUR (approx. 11 USD).
5Mauritius is a Paradise for Water Sports!
Whether diving, snorkeling, surfing, wind and kite surfing, or standup paddling. Mauritius is also a place of pilgrimage for water sports enthusiasts.
Le Morne z. B. is one of the world’s best kite spots. The so-called One-Eye Wave also has legendary status and is said to be one of the fastest and cleanest waves for windsurfers. You can also use your Mauritius vacation to learn one of these sports.
But remember that no master has fallen from the sky yet. Count on at least 4-5 days to be able to register a sense of achievement.
Personally, my muscles were sore after the first day of kite surfing, even though I was only navigating the kite. The corresponding courses can be found almost everywhere. I was able to book mine directly at the hotel.
6My tip: Fantastic Luxury Hotels
If you don’t want to plan everything yourself, or just want to enjoy your honeymoon, you can simply experience Mauritius from the hotel. You can often take a shuttle from the airport to the hotel and then explore the surrounding area on a rented bike.
Some of the most beautiful hotels in the Indian Ocean are located directly along the coast on the beaches. Including huge luxury hotels that are almost like small villages.
Hotel tip: Westin Turtle Bay and St. Regis Mauritius
The Hotel Westin Turtle Bay in the north or the St. Regis Mauritius in the southwest, which until recently housed the largest villa in the Indian Ocean (this was only recently replaced by a 20 sqm larger villa in the Maldives), is particularly recommended.
These hotels offer everything you can imagine, including a personal butler. You enjoy your peace and quiet on the beach or pool, you can withdraw to your room at any time. Or you can book a massage. Many hotels offer program items such as B. Cooking or cocktail courses.
At the St. Regis Mauritius, I was taught sabrage in a festive ceremony. Means: I opened a champagne bottle with a saber and was then beaten to the sabrage knight. You can imagine the fun and show-off factor.
Of course, luxury hotels come at a price. But if not on the honeymoon, then when?
7Best Travel Time for Mauritius
Roughly speaking, you can go to Mauritius all year round. The tropical oceanic climate ensures little fluctuation. Mauritius is in the southern hemisphere, so May to October is winter time and November to April is summertime. The average temperatures are between 25 and 30 degrees. The winters are a little drier than the summers,
You can swim all year round; the water temperature in winter is about 23 degreesw and in summer 28 degrees. But if you fly to Mauritius for kitesurfing, experts recommend the time between June and October.
85 reasons to travel to Mauritius
It doesn’t matter whether you’re newly married, adventurous or a sports enthusiast. Mauritius is a great travel destination for many reasons.
8.1 Heavenly flair on the beach
The island is really beautiful. Turquoise, transparent water, powder-sugar-white beaches and silhouettes of palm trees everywhere you look. In addition, sunsets that you hardly see anywhere else. The coasts of the island offer everything to really switch off and enjoy the moment.
8.2 Honeymoons and Weddings
The fact that such a scenery is not only impressive, but can also be emotional, explains why Mauritius was voted the best wedding and honeymoon destination by the World Travel Awards in 2013. Every year, thousands of newlyweds tie the knot on the island.
8.3 World-class water sports
No matter from kitesurfing, windsurfing, stand-up paddling or snorkeling. Mauritius has a very wide range of sporting activities to offer, not just for professionals. If lying on the beach all day is too boring for you, e.g. B. learn kite surfing or get a diving license.
8.4 All in one luxury
For those who can afford it, we appreciate the luxurious possibilities of the island. Especially the Hotel Westin Turtle Bay or the St. Regis Mauritius leave nothing to be desired. No wonder celebrities from all over the world book here.
8.5 Good climate all year round
Whether in summer or winter, Mauritius is actually a consistent travel destination. So if you see a cheap flight, you don’t have to worry about flying there at the wrong time.
9More Information and Travel Tips for Mauritius
9.1 Where is Mauritius located?
The island of Mauritius is located in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Mauritius is located about 2000 km east of the African continent and forms the three islands of the “Macarene” with the islands of La Reunion and Rodrigues.
Mauritius is particularly well known for its snorkeling and diving conditions. The coral reef is unique and still very much alive.
9.2 The best travel guides for Mauritius
For this trip, I bought the DuMont travel guide for Mauritius and Marco Polo’s small and compact travel guide for Mauritius. I found both very well and was able to find all the important information in them.