Mauritius, the beautiful island nation known for its serene beaches, rich coral reefs and being an all-round exotic beach destination that is perfect for a couple’s getaway has recently seen a huge spike in popularity. For those who are not familiar with the island and what it has to offer. Here is a guide that should help you understand Mauritius better and plan the perfect itinerary for your next romantic getaway to the island paradise.
The Geography & Weather:
Mauritius lies to the east of Africa and Madagascar in the Indian ocean. The island has a central plateau and small mountains that line the plateau, You then have beaches and shores making up the outer edge of the island. More than half of the area in Mauritius is fertile and great for growing crops and most of it has been put to use to grow sugarcane which is the country’s major cash crop for exports. Mauritius also has generally warm weather throughout the year with the major exception being the wet cyclone season between January to March which isn’t a great time to visit Mauritius. Apart from that though, the remainder of the year is great and Mauritius is best experienced towards the end of the year during November and December which is also when you will see the most foot traffic on the island!
Where to Stay:
Mauritius being a very popular island destination has a multitude of accommodation options. However, for a destination that is best known for its beaches and amazing azure waters, It makes the most sense to stay in a beach side resort to get the best possible experience. There isn’t a dearth of these and you will find that a lot of popular hotel chains have resorts in Mauritius. I would recommend that you go out there, compare and pick what works best for you. Instead of outright recommending properties to stay at (With seasonal discounts and with new properties opening up all the time, its best sometimes not to stick to a few options and have an open mind), I’ll give you a broader sense of which areas in Mauritius you can stay in.
(i) Grand Baie, Troux Aux Biches & Balaclava:
When it comes to Mauritius these three areas that lie towards the north and northwestern parts of the Island are the most happening places. It has some of the best bars and hangouts and is a must if you are looking for great nightlife on your vacation. All the best parties happen here and you also have some of the best private beach resorts. Out of these three areas, Troux Aux Biches will be the most affordable compared to the other two and Grand Baie is the most popular out of all these three destinations
(ii) Flic En Flac:
Now if you are looking for better beaches and a place that is a bit more serene and laid back. Well, then Flic En Flac fits the bill. Situated on the west coast of the island, its closer to the airport than the other 3 and has some of the best beaches in Mauritius. Know for its amazing waters with protected reefs and being a more relaxed part of town, It’s still quite popular with a lot of tourists but the crowds here are not as much as what you’d find in the northern parts.
(iii) Belle Mare:
Located on the east coast of Mauritius is Belle Mare, If you want the feeling of being on an amazing beach getaway then this is the best place. Its the least commercialized of the three and has some of the most exclusive resorts and properties that you can stay in Mauritius. Its also quite expensive but its relative remoteness makes it a great place to stay for those looking for some calm and quiet. Do note though that you won’t find a ton of restaurants, cafes or bars in this area. You will be quite reliant on the resort here.
Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
Activities and Sightseeing:
When it comes to sightseeing most tour operators in Mauritius will offer three main options. These three tours will cover the Northern part of the island, the southern part of the island and the Ile Aux Cerf which is an island off the east coast of Mauritius. If you book a bundled Mauritius honeymoon package, in most cases you will get these 3 tours bundled as part of it. So, let’s break them down and see what each tour has to offer.
1. North Island Tour:
The North Island Tour, which as the name suggests, covers the northern part of the Mauritius island. This is quite the standard sightseeing tour and can be skipped if you’re not too into it and if your accommodation is somewhere near grand Baie, Troux Aux Biches or Balaclava then you can explore a lot of these places by yourself. The tour covers Port Louis which is the capital of Mauritius, The citadel fort, the Caudan waterfront shopping complex, a tour of the sugar museum and a few other smaller attractions. If you aren’t taking the north island tour as a whole and instead opt to explore it by yourself, then the citadel fort and the Caudan waterfront are nice places to be at.
2. South Island Tour:
This tour covers the southern part of the Mauritius island and in my opinion, this is the more exciting one out of the two we have spoken about. You cover the Grand Bassin crater lake which is a sacred Hindu site, you get to see Le Port which is Mauritius ship model factory and its super fascinating to see the excessive amount of detail that goes into these models and they also make for great souvenirs, from there it’s time for the Charamel waterfall and the seven-colored earth. The waterfall is great to behold on its own but the seven-colored earth is very much unique and deserves a visit. It’s a geological oddity caused by volcanic activity and it’s quite a wonder of nature as you can see sand dunes with sand made up of 7 distinct colors. What are the colors you ask? Well, it’s brown, red, yellow, blue, green, purple and violet. One other unique thing about the dunes is that the sands settle in such a way that each color is grouped together and it looks like a trippy rainbow. After you’re done admiring the dunes you then move on from there to take in the views of the Black River Gorges National Park before you call it a day
3. Ile Aux Cerfs Tour:
Ile Aux Cerfs is a large island on the east coast of Mauritius, known for its amazing beaches and lagoons, its a popular hangout spot for locals and tourists alike. If you’ve felt that there is a huge lack of water sports in the itinerary so far. Well, people generally tend to take up all the water sports on the island since the experience is said to be superior here. Everything from parasailing, speedboat rides, snorkeling, scuba dives….. The list just goes on. If you are very much into kicking up some fun, you can get your fix here.
Now those are the three major tours that most operators will provide. There are some things to keep in mind before booking with an operator though. First and foremost check the inclusions and places covered on the tours. While multiple operators advertise these tours pretty much with the same names, they are not created equal. Some choose to skip a few attractions, some come with lunch included, you get the picture right? Also, its best to check with the operator’s ratings as well to make sure that you will be getting your money’s worth and If you don’t prefer taking shared pre-planned tours, you do have the option of taking private car hires for a day and exploring on your own pace. But, it is going to cost you more, almost twice in some cases.
Other Activities to do on a Honeymoon Trip:
Now let me quickly list a few things that you can take up apart from the three standard tours to make your trip to Mauritius much more exciting. In no particular order here it goes
1. Catamaran Cruise
2. Skydiving
3. Candlelight dinner by the beach
4. Visit the Casela Nature park and interact with lions
5. Take a Helicopter Ride to see the underwater waterfall
6. Take mini-submarine rides and observe the amazing aquatic life and coral reefs
7. Swim with Dolphins at Tamarin Bay
8. Hire a self-drive car and take romantic rides around Mauritius
9. Go sea kayaking at the Ile d’Ambre Island
So those are all the basics you need to know to plan your itinerary for Mauritius. Hope this gave you a better understanding of the destination and how to plan accordingly for it. Do let us know if you have any other questions or doubts in your mind and we’ll do our best to answer for the same. If you are still quite unsure how you wanna go about it or you are looking for the best deals on Mauritius packages, Head on over to Pickyourtrail to get your customised Mauritius honeymoon packages at the best prices. If you need any help planning, their inhouse destination experts will be there to help you out and plan the best vacation for you. Head on over now and check them out.
