I previously shared my experience of Mauritius during Diwali with you in my post THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. Now, over 2 years later, I am excited to share with you some of my favourite parts of Mauritius to visit journeying from North to South!
Port Louis, Port Louis District
Beginning your island journey not entirely at the northern tip of the island, but slightly north-west from the centre of the island, at the capital of Mauritius, Port Louis.
As with any other destination, the capital is the hub of economic activity where tourists and locals alike are able to embrace the history, culture and traditions which have been integrated with a modern lifestyle. There are a number of sites to visit around the Capital that a whole day may not seem enough to be able to visit every single place of interest. If you only have a few hours to spare, I would recommend spending some time by Le Caudan Waterfront, a shopping centre located on the harbour front adorned with colourfully lined umbrellas. My favourite part of the vicinity was L’Allée des Artistes (The Artists Corner), a pedestrian promenade where local talent (musicians and dancers) perform, as well as handmade decorative items made by local artisans.
Cascavelle, Riviére Noir District
Around 40 minutes’ drive south of Port Louis is the village of Cascavelle in the region of the Black River. There are two main spots in this area that I want to highlight; The first is aimed towards the animal lovers and slightly more adventurous folk – but don’t get me wrong, Casela National Park offers a multitude of fun for the whole family such as safari adventures and animal interactions to thrill seeking activities, rides and much more! One of the most impressive and rare creatures to see at Casela is the Aldabra Giant Tortoise. They are the only remaining species of tortoise that once inhabited the islands of the Indian Ocean and therefore hold a conservation status of ‘vulnerable’. They’re also said to hold the longest life span of all animals on earth, living up to 100years old!
The second location is great to wind down from a day at Casela or to simply relax and soak in the beauty of the Indian Ocean. Flic En Flac beach is amongst one of the top-rated beaches to visit in Mauritius. The others worth visiting are: Pereybere, Le Morne, Belle Mare, Blue Bay and Ile aux Cerfs. A day at the beach is also a great opportunity to mingle with Mauritian families who enjoy picnicking on the beach on sunny days.
Curepipe, Plaines Wilhems District
Just a 30-minute drive east from Cascavelle, up a steep hill – where many joggers like to get their cardio in (champions for attempting such an ascend, if you ask me) is Curepipe. From this point, you can expect breath taking 360-degree views stretching over the town and further out you can even see Port Louis in the distance. If you don’t get too distracted by the views and spare a minute to take in your surroundings, you will be able to see what appears to be a lake hidden behind overgrown luscious greenery... It is in fact Trou aux Cerfs’ crater, which resides 605m above sea level! It was pretty spectacular to see the dormant volcano in such a setting and unlike how I imagined a volcano would look – rocky and monstruous. Rather, there was a peaceful ambience as it’s surrounded by the protection of mother nature.
Grand Bassin, Savanne District
If you hadn’t guessed from my previous post THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN, the majority of the Mauritian population are of Hindu descent. Subjects of the British Empire brought around half a million Hindu labourers to Mauritius in the 19th century with the fake promise of a better life. Another 30-minute drive south from Curepipe is the sacred site of Ganga Talao (commonly known as Grand Bassin in Mauritius), where a temple along with a collection of small shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva and other gods are located. Here you will also find two of the tallest statues in the world - Lord Shiva (also known as the Mangal Mahadev - destroyer of the universe) and Durga Maa (goddess of war) both standing at a magnificent 108ft (33m) high. Many people visit the site to pray, meditate or simply to walk by the lake. Once a year thousands of Hindus make the journey to Grand Bassin to celebrate Maha Shivratri, a festival that celebrates Lord Shiva. During the festivities you will see Hindu’s carrying hand-made kanwars (shrines) dedicated to Shiva, to Ganga Talao where they will perform private prayer rituals and place offerings of fruit, incense sticks and lamps into the water.
Note: If visiting, please dress appropriately (shoulders and knees covered) as to not offend others and remember to remove your shoes before entering any of the temples.
Chamarel, Riviére Noir District
The final leg of the journey is a 30-minute drive west from Grand Bassin, to Chamarel, where again, there are two main spots I want to share with you. The first is Chamarel waterfall. Have you ever come across a waterfall you can observe from both the top and bottom? From the top, you can admire the magnificent 80m high Chamarel Falls from the upper deck - bear in mind that the location of the observation deck and greenery growth can obstruct the ability to see the base below. For the more adventurous explorers, hike through a secret valley in the south of the island, making your way to the pool for a refreshing dip in its shallow waters.
The second site is rated as one of the ‘Top 3 must see’ in Mauritius – they say to leave the best till last after all! Chamarel 7 Coloured Earth is a natural phenomenon of 7 coloured sand dunes evolved through conversion of basaltic lava to clay minerals. As Mauritius has a tropical climate - all water-soluble elements have been washed out over time, leaving remains of reddish-black iron and aluminium oxides which create blue, cyan and purple hues.
Of course, there are many other areas and attractions on the island worth visiting, but these are the ones that stood out most to me back in 2017. I hope this also gives you a sense of time frames needed to visit and plan your trip to Mauritius. Happy exploring folks!
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