Mauritius is mostly associated with tropical beaches, sun and sea. That Mauritius additionally has much to offer for hikers, water sports, nature and culture lovers is less well known. We would like to change that. Travel designer Mariëtte talks extensively about all that you can see and experience at yet another wonderful travel destination of Untamed Travelling. Where the world can’t find you…
Friday, March 22, 2024
After a fine flight arrival at 2 p.m. local time at large and modern Mauritius airport. Efficiently and quickly we were through customs and luggage, we are neatly picked up.
We drive to our first hotel and see plenty of colorful villages along the way and the streets are very lively and inviting! The time difference from the Netherlands is three hours (in daylight saving time it is two hours). Not enough for jet lag, but combined with the trip, we did get a little glassy-eyed. We will stay at the luxurious Beachcomber Dinarobin, located directly on the beautiful long sandy beach of Le Morne. Very spacious and beach is beautiful with many palm trees and beautiful gardens and grass. Enjoyed swimming in the sea and pool, one of five located between the rooms.
At the cozy beach bar we enjoyed a delicious sundowner and on the west coast the sunset is really fantastic! After dinner the glassy feeling quickly gave way to real fatigue, time to go to sleep because the next day begins the full program of the study tour.
Study Tours Untamed Travelling
All Untamed Travelling team members go on regular study tours. This is not a vacation, there is hard work! The purpose of such a study tour is primarily to speak to our local agents and other contacts again in persona and to see special resorts, boutique hotels, restaurants and all kinds of amenities with their own eyes. The icing on the cake is to also experience all kinds of activities ourselves, so travel designers can inform our clients even better. The days are packed, but since we all have a passion for travel, it is the best work there is! All information is shared with all Untamed Travelling colleagues after the trip so that we all become more knowledgeable about our destinations. For our travelers, Mariëtte wrote this blog about Mauritius’ many excursion options.
Saturday, March 23
Got up early because I did want to swim in the sea, great to start the day. From the water, I take a good look at the surroundings. Le Morne Bay is surrounded by several hills but the most eye-catching is Le Morne Mountain, a striking basalt formation that juts into the height just behind the resort. You can do fantastic cycling through the hilly landscape here as well as hiking to the top of Le Morne (556m), where you will have an insane view. Our itinerary does not allow for such an extensive hike, but I am already savoring the information and documentation I am receiving about it.
We left for the inland village of Chamarel, just a 20-minute drive from the hotel. Along the way it is beautiful and very green, different views after every turn. We first went to see the beautiful waterfall of Chamarel. Very worthwhile and besides, it was nice and quiet early in the morning. Many cruise ships call at Mauritius and then hordes of tourists arrive at the same time, and they often go to this waterfall.
Not far from the waterfall is Ebony Forest, where we were given a tour by an enthusiastic young guide. He talks about the island’s flora and fauna, and especially the last patch of old-growth forest with the rare native Ebony trees, which used to be found – before the Dutch came – on practically all of the island. Then Dodos, a large flightless bird, also occurred here. The Dodo is extinct, and unfortunately only 2% of what is now Mauritius still consists of primary forest. A reforestation project aims to expand the forest again by planting endemic species. Here I also donated a tree.
Then we went to one of the most famous tourist attractions: the Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth Geopark. Volcanic sand oxidized to beautiful hues. It does depend on the light how deep the hues are.
By now it had become time for lunch and that too was in a great spot overlooking Le Morne Bay. What delicious food, typical Creole. That consists of legumes, lots of vegetables and corn, seafood or meat and a delicious spicy sauce. We also see on the menus many Indian dishes (curry, biryani, parata…) prepared with a Mauritian twist, and, of course, lots of fresh fish and seafood.
Sunday, March 24
Up early again this morning to take a dip in the warm sea water. I realize how special it is that I was able to start each day swimming in the sea, while sometimes the activities take place “all the way” inland in Mauritius. It highlights how small Mauritius actually is; travel distances are limited and roads are generally fine. Yet there is much variety, surprisingly much variety!
Also today, we head to the middle of the island: the Midlands. We were here for a cooking workshop with local Kot Marie-Michelle. All sorts of things had to be prepared so we got a good insight into daily life here. Two lovely women set up a cooking/dining restaurant years ago. It is now a popular place where tourists are introduced to the varied Creole cuisine. Very fun to prepare your own meal, discover which herbs and spices provide that typical Creole aroma, and of course delicious to eat.
Further north, we visited another highlight: the SSR Botanical Gardens, also known as Pamplemousses. Fantastically beautiful landscaping with many trees and plants, there is some overdue maintenance. Absolutely worth seeing are the very large lily pads Victoria Amazonica, simply beautiful.
We made a brief stop at Cap Malheureux with a pretty red church and a small beach with local scenes. The drive continued north to the busy town of Grand Baie. This is the entertainment spot in Mauritius, with many stores, restaurants and nightclubs. Those who like a lot of liveliness should be here.
Monday, March 25
My alarm went off early, ready for a morning dip in the pool. It was the end of the rainy season and it had rained heavily during the night. It was tepid rain, however, and after such a shower there was an unreal calm. Everything also smells so different after a big rain, even the water has a different smell.
We drove to the capital Port Louis for a guided city tour. The tour began with a visit to a colorful Hindu Tamil temple. In Mauritius, Hindus, Muslims and Christians (especially Roman Catholics) live side by side in harmony. Consequently, temples, mosques and churches can be found everywhere.
After the temple, we visited Fort Adelaide, the citadel built by the British in the 19th century, as a defense against all invaders. Eventually that defense proved unnecessary, and the citadel is now a popular spot for an outing with great views of the city and surrounding ocean.
In Chinatown, we made stops at a beautiful street with Manga graffiti and at a Chinese snack shop. After this, we walked to the Foodmarket, a colorful, vibrant local market. There was a pleasant atmosphere and it is interesting to see and also smell all kinds of products!
Our city tour ends late in the morning at the waterfront. My impression of Port Louis: so vibrant and diverse!
Just south of Port Louis, we visited Eureka House, a colonial house that has been beautifully restored. Here you can visit the museum and garden, it is also a good lunch spot in a special setting. As we sat on the veranda we were served delicious local dishes.
Our next overnight spot was Zilwa Attitude on the north coast. The beaches on the north side of Mauritius tend to be smaller and narrower than elsewhere. Nevertheless, it was very pleasant here: a nice family pool with cozy beach bar, food truck with terrace and there is a great choice of water sports activities. The rooms are beautiful, modern, spacious and in Mauritian atmosphere, very nice. We finally had some time to relax so off to the pool and time for a Gin & Tonic.
As at many resorts, we could choose from several restaurants, for casual BBQ or fine dining with diverse menus: Creole, Japanese, Thai, Indian and European.
Tuesday, March 26
Mauritius is best known as a beach destination, a country where you can do some wonderful snorkeling and diving. Unfortunately, it was blowing way too hard to go snorkeling, which was on the program today. Bad luck, but in the rainy season, wind and precipitation can cloud visibility underwater too much. We did get a brief tour of the Marine Center, which has a lot of focus on coral conservation, sea turtles and whales.
Wednesday, March 27
The last day has arrived. After breakfast, we drove to the Otentic Eco Lodge located on the Grand River South East, which empties into the sea just south of Ils aux Cerfs. A mid-range ecolodge with 20 safari tents spread over green grounds with many plants, flowers, palm trees, herb garden, swimming pool, outdoor restaurant and bar, and a beautiful terrace overlooking the river. Everything here is about sustainability and nature. You can kayak in the river here, hike in the area, mountain bike and just relax. This is not for everyone, but for the traveler who enjoys relaxing and sporting activities in nature, this really is a particularly nice place.
After the tour and a blissful lunch, we drove on to La Vallee de Ferney where we visited unique and small-scale Ferney Nature Lodge. Also located on the west side overlooking the town of Mahebourg. You leave the car at the reception from where you are taken by 4WD over bumpy roads through a beautiful hilly landscape with many native trees and grasslands, very beautiful and serene. About 2,000 deer live here, which you can spot along the way. The small-scale ecolodge is very stylishly decorated with many African elements and with a restaurant, bar, swimming pool and terrace for up to eight guests very special. Guests can go hiking here, take 4WD drives to viewpoints and hopefully spot deer along the way. A wonderful nature experience, impressively beautiful!
At the buffet restaurant of the luxurious Anantara Iko Mauritius Resort & Villas, we had another delicious meal and then it was time to head to the airport again. That felt so abrupt! Less than a week ago we arrived here, in a short time we saw and did so much. The time was certainly well spent and it tasted like more. I feel wistfulness as I take one last look at the landscape of Mauritius, but most of all I feel extremely fulfilled because I got to know the other side of Mauritius.
