I visited Mauritius again back in 2023. Much has changed since my last visit in 2017. The hospitality industry in Mauritius took a massive hit when Covid happen. Sad to say that it hasn’t been the most pleasant trip. But all the beautiful beaches and clear skies the island has to offer still remains.

A rare tiny island just off the coast of Madagascar, exists a beautiful gem, Mauritius – tucked away from large continents in the middle of the Indiana ocean. It was amazing, the waters were constantly blue surrounding the entire island. It definitely is a place of paradise. It should not be left out on any of your travel bucket list. Come here for a true escape from the stress and enjoy the laid back nature of Mauritius

As I got a very, very personal guide of mine, I’m considered extremely lucky to be taken around the whole island. It is safe to say I managed to cover almost all of it over my 4 visits to Mauritius. To break it down, I’ll give a brief description of each cities I’ve visited.

A few words

Mauritius was previously colonised by the French and then the British. But much of the French influence remained. This is obviously seen through their language and culinary. And with the migration of the Indians and Chinese, the flavours they bring with them has influence the food scene here. It is quite an interesting mix of spices (African and Indian) with Chinese dishes. You will be able to eat delicious pastries and pate as the French cuisine is still a big part of Mauritian dining. Mauritians love their tea, and take most pride on it. Their teas are widely exported to UK and Europe and highly valued over there.

The roads are simple but Mauritius is not an island that is easy to get around (unless you know how to take the local bus). Most of the time it is easier to stay in your resort and head out by foot. A good nightlife can be found in the north of the island near Grand Baie (Grand Bay). Most hotels have night activities which you can take part, served with good and affordable cocktails.

Apart from its pristine and beautiful beaches, the island is also surrounded with sugarcane plantation. In the middle of the island, there are hills which are great for short walks and hikes. The breeze from the ocean makes it cooling even though the sun is out. Mauritius has seasons and occasionally suffer from typhoons and floods. It is also famously known for the island having a waterfall in the ocean.

West

Port Louis

Port Louis is the capital and as with any capital of the city, it is expected traffic to  be heavy, especially during peak hours. The way the city is structured, reminded me a bit of a town back in my home country, Malaysia called Penang. It’s small, congested, full of people and tiny shops everywhere. If you ever thought of driving, you might want to think twice. Unless you are highly experienced in driving in small spaces, driving in Port Louis can be a nightmare. There is a saying that goes “if you can drive in Port Louis, you can drive everywhere else in the world”  

While you’re here, take a chance to try some local delicacies called “mine bouille” which literally translates to boiled noodles. They are usually served with a protein of chicken or beef. If you are interested, there is a place called Noodle Square which serves a hearty portion of this. They also serve some really good “niouk yen” which is your typical traditional Mauritian snack. It’s best to have some of these on the side to go with your noodles.

North

Grand Baie

Grand Baie can be said to be a tourist spot. But locals do hang out here as well. Here you can find good places to shop and eat. A lot of restaurants located by the sea serve up a good dinner which are reasonably priced. You can choose to visit the La Croisette shopping mall or pack light snacks and have a picnic by the beach. Some of the well known public beach which are great for swimming are  Moint Choisy and Pereybere. Try to avoid weekends as they can get quite crowded. I came back here in April 2023 and woke myself up 7am in the morning to head out to the Pereybere beach. The water was clear and filled with little fishes! It was an experience none like any other.

Resorts in the north are highly recommended as the beaches here are said to be better than other parts of the island. The last resort I stayed in was pure bliss, called Paradise Cove.  Advertised as an adult only hotel, it’s a perfect place for couples. Grand Baie is also a great place for night activities as most of the bars and nightclubs are located here. Beach House serves up some great cocktails and affordable seafood. The staff are friendly and the restaurant has a great view. Another resort worth mentioning is Zilwa Attitude. It’s a one of a kind hotel in Mauritius claim to offer you the authentic Mauritian experience. You’ll find that they serve typical Mauritian cuisine and offer the experience of traditional Sega music.

South

I will break the south into a few cities and their unique charms. Here are some of the details of what I’ve personally experienced and what I would recommend doing. There was one particular resort where I really enjoyed my stay and wrote about it here.

Le Morne

You absolutely cannot leave Mauritius without at least visiting “ile aux Benitier“. There are many packages that offer this tour and will most definitely include the visit to the popular crystal rock (picture below). I find this website to be very useful in searching for tour packages. I highly recommend the Swim With Dolphins + Visit Benitiers Island + Lunch package. Swimming with the dolphins was an experience I would never forget. It started off with us getting into a light-motored boat headed out into the deep sea. We weren’t the only ones, there were many other small boats around. The guides from different companies all worked together, calling and waving whenever there are dolphins around. It is one thing to know where they are and another to anticipate if they were going to be swimming where we were. I was lucky.

My guide prepared us and the moment he went “Aller!” I jumped it with my snorkel and he guided me through under the water and I could see, just right next to me, 3 dolphins, swimming in sync!. It was such an exhilarating experience! After that, we were treated with an amazing snorkeling experience around the crystal rock. The waters were clear, blue, shallow made it an absolute paradise.

Chamarel

Chamarel is known for the “Seven colours of the earth“. They are basically mineral coloured rocks which holds a pretty sight. Here you can also choose to visit their “Rhumerie” Mauritius is lesser known for their local rum but what makes it unique is that it is made with pure sugar cane juice, also known as “Rhum Agricole“. I went to Rhumerie De Chamarel and probably had the best rums in my life. In my last tasting package, I got to try 6 glasses of rum with flavours ranging from orange, chocolate, coffee, etc. Another place to try is Saint Aubin. I found the spiced rum from Saint Aubin to be one of the best.

Bois Cheri

If you’re not into alcohol, you’d be delighted to know that Mauritians love their tea. It’s an island with hills that produces high quality black tea. They claim to produce the best black tea in the world. A unique tea trait to Mauritius is that most of their black teas are infused with vanilla. While subtle, it elevates the tea in many ways. There is a tea factory which you can visit and indulge in a bit of tea tasting. After that, you can choose to head over to Le Bois Cheri Restaurant and finish off with lunch. Besides the vanilla black tea, they also make a delicious tea chutney and it’s absolutely delicious as a spread.

Souillac

Here, travel to Gris Gris and witness amazing cliff view points Expect strong winds and soothing sounds of the waves. Just nearby, there is the Telfair Public Beach which is really like a garden built facing the beach. The perfect place to take your mind off things. Come here, with a book or a partner, sit on one of the benches and really, just enjoy the view. Found a hidden gem here to stop by a meal. The place is called Chez Rosy and it serves the best fish curry I’ve had in my life!

THINGS TO DO:

• Mauritius is surrounded by a huge lagoon, head out to any part of the coastal area and deep your feet into the waters.
• Be sure to try local tea and visit some of the tea plantations Look out for : Bois Cheri, Corson, Chartreuse
• Try locally produced rum like Chamarel, St Aubin and La Bourdonnais. Their local rums are really one of a kind. You can find a range of flavours here compared to the ones being exported. Hence, be sure to leave space if you’re planning to bring some back with you.
• You should not miss the chance to try these delicacies in Mauritius : Palm Heart Gratin – Its the heart of the palm and it takes ages to cultivate. Smoked Marlin – not your usual smoked salmon, marlin is a little lighter and sweeter in my opinion. Octopus salad – this is one of my absolute favourite and must-haves whenever I visit Mauritius.
• The variety of French products in the supermarkets is unbelievable – visit some of them like Jumbo, Mr Bricolage and take advantage of the cheeses, pate and pastries
• Try their local dish called “dholl puri“. It is a dish that you probably only ever find in Mauritius. It is a flatbread cooked with dahl which makes it soft and it is wrapped up nicely served with puree.
• Do no skip beach activities, esp snorkeling as the lagoon is rich with many colourful fishes and corals.
• Definitely go on one of those catamaran rides. It lasted almost half a day, and make sure you’d get one that alcohol is included!