Adventure World

Mauritius

Mauritius is an exotic island in the Indian Ocean and is fringed by extensive coral reefs and powder soft white sands shaded by coconut palms - smiled upon by a canopy of blue sky and golden sunshine. The cosmopolitan blend of French, British, Indian, Chinese and Creole cultures creates an island of rich diversity in culture, cuisine and history.

Top Highlights

Mauritius is a beautiful island with an interesting cultural mix, endless sugar cane plantations, striking mountains and some of the finest beaches and aquamarine lagoons in the Indian Ocean.

Port Louis, the burgeoning Mauritian capital, is a wildly busy centre during the day, but virtually dead at night. There is a distinct Muslim area around Muammar El Khadafi Square and a Chinatown around Royal St. If you wish to see a stuffed replica of a dodo, visit the Mauritius Institute. The dodo was a native Mauritian bird that became extinct between 1681 and 1693. Pere Laval’s Shrine, the Lourdes of the Indian Ocean, at Ste Croix, is open daily from 6am to 6pm. Other interesting buildings are the Chinese Pagoda on Volcy Pougnet St and the Jummah Mosque. For a sensational view over Port Louis, go to the hilltop Fort Adelaide.

In the Southwest of the island, the forestry station at Le Petrin is the jumping-off point for hikes into Black River Gorges National Park, the most scenic corner of Mauritius and home to several rare animal species, including the threatened echo parakeet. A day walk will take you from Le Petrin right down to the coast at Grande Riviere Noire. The main route from Le Petrin leads to perpetually rainy Plaine Champagne, which is the largest undeveloped area on the island. The highest point on the Curepipe to Chamarel road is marked by a radio tower at 744m.

Beyond is the Riviere Noire lookout, affording a spectacular view over the Balk River gorge, the Riviere Noire Falls and Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire, which, at 828m, is the highest point in Mauritius.

Chamarel: The 100m Chamarel Falls lie near Chamarel village, which is inland from Baie du Cap on the south coast. Further along the same road are the Coloured Earths, an intriguing area of seven differently coloured layers of earths.

Grand Baie & Pereybere: Some of the island’s best beaches are at its northern end. For nightlife, trendy Grand Baie is your best option, while the quieter, lower-budget area of Pereybere lies several km north.

Tamarin: a popular surfing area, has a good public beach with views across the river estuary to Montagne du Rempart. Nearby is the Casela Bird Park, which has exotic and endangered birds, including the rare Mauritius pink pigeon.

Highlights of Mauritius

• A vibrant cultural mix reflected in cuisine, dress, festivals and everyday life.
• Plenty of wonderful beaches and water activities, especially at the northern end of the island
• Black River Gorges National Park, for nature lovers and keen hikers.
• The Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens at Pamplemousses

Fact Sheet

• Country Dialling Code: + 230
• When to Go: Mauritius is a volcanic island lying about 800km off Madagascar’s East Coast. The country includes the island of Rodrigues, and other scattered coral atolls such as Cargados Carajos and Agalega. All the islands are surrounded by coral reefs and have a tropical summer (average temperatures 25°C to 30°C) from November to April and a slightly cooler winter between May and October.
• Food & Water: Standards of cuisine, whether French, Creole, Indian, Chinese or English, are generally very high but fruit, meat, vegetables and even fresh seafood are often in short supply and restaurants must usually depend on imports.
• National specialities:
  • Venison (in season).
  • Camarons (freshwater prawns) in hot sauces.
  • Octopus.
  • Fresh pineapple with chilli sauce.
  • Rice with curry.
  • Dholl purri is a wheat pancake stuffed with dholl and dipped in tomato sauce.
  • Samosas.
• Currency: The unit of currency is the Mauritian rupee (Rs) which equals 100 cents.
• Tipping: 10% is usual in most restaurants and hotels.
• Language: English and French are the official languages of Mauritius, but French is more widely used. The everyday language is Creole, a blend of French and assorted African languages.
• Email: There are Internet cafes in Phoenix, Vaoas and other main towns. Most hotels offer Internet facilities.
• Electricity: Mauritius generally has a 220/240V current. However, there is a mixture of 110 and 240V. When it comes to sockets, you’ll come across virtually every type ever invented - and a few others! But in general the sockets will be the same as in a European country.
• Shopping Hints: Mauritius is more of a holiday resort, than a shopping mecca. However, it is worthwhile to visit the lively market, between Farquhar and Queen Sts, which sells everything from medicinal herbs to Malagasy handicrafts. Be sure to bargain hard.