“ you ’ ll discover an island packed with new experiences ” search of the island ’ s little villages , vistas , coves and beaches . The capital city of Port Louis is a bustling metropolis , but beyond the busy market there ’ s not a huge amount to see . Although worth visiting for a morning , soak up the atmosphere , smells and sights of the centre before heading back out to the coast . Grand Baie in the north-east of the island offers some lively nightlife and some great places to eat and drink , whilst its harbour is also the perfect place to charter a boat and explore the east coast which boasts some idyllic beaches and islands such as Lle Aux Cerfs and Belle Mare . Whilst in the east we spent two incredible days at Otentic ( www . otentic . mu ), a beautiful eco-tent retreat near the mouth of the Grande Riviere . Perfect for the sustainably-minded traveller , enjoy luxury eco-tent accommodation alongside some stunning food a beautiful range of stilted luxury eco tents and access to a great variety of activities , wildlife and boat trips . For those looking to explore , you can ’ t afford to miss a day spent trekking through the Black River National Park for some stunning views . Drive to the main viewpoints or take a guide if you want to delve deeper without getting completely lost . From here , the west of the island is also right on your doorstep . Le Morne , on the south-western tip of the island , is world renowned for surfing and kitesurfing , and sunsets in this area – and all the way along the coast past Tamarin Bay – are equally phenomenal . Back in the north , Tante Athalie is well worth visiting . A restaurant surrounded by classic cars , enjoy a gluttonous traditional Mauritian lunch in a beautiful and unique setting . To work off the weight , take a trip up Le Puce ( The Thumb ), the third highest mountain in Mauritius , for an exhausting but enjoyable climb which is rewarded with some unbeatable views across the island . Seek out the idyllic and the unexpected in equal measure and you ’ ll make the most of what Mauritius has to offer . Get under the skin of the country and expect stunning scenery , a friendly welcome , incredible local food , and some unforgettable memories .
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BUZZ RECOMMENDS
MAURITIUS
Gareth Ludkin ventures beyond the luxury beach resorts to discover an island rich in colour , diversity , tradition and intrigue .
O
riginally uninhabited and only colonised by Dutch pioneers in 1798 , Mauritius has a relatively short but colourful history which is largely dominated by colonisation and slavery . Indo-Mauritians now make up the majority of the population . Easily navigable by car , Mauritius is 787sq miles in size , taking less than two hours to travel from tip to toe . Buses provide the only public transport , but they ’ re often rundown and by no means reliable for the wandering tourist . If you want to explore the island , hiring a car is essential . It ’ s also worth steering clear of the tourist-orientated areas in
“ you ’ ll discover an island packed with new experiences ” search of the island ’ s little villages , vistas , coves and beaches . The capital city of Port Louis is a bustling metropolis , but beyond the busy market there ’ s not a huge amount to see . Although worth visiting for a morning , soak up the atmosphere , smells and sights of the centre before heading back out to the coast . Grand Baie in the north-east of the island offers some lively nightlife and some great places to eat and drink , whilst its harbour is also the perfect place to charter a boat and explore the east coast which boasts some idyllic beaches and islands such as Lle Aux Cerfs and Belle Mare . Whilst in the east we spent two incredible days at Otentic ( www . otentic . mu ), a beautiful eco-tent retreat near the mouth of the Grande Riviere . Perfect for the sustainably-minded traveller , enjoy luxury eco-tent accommodation alongside some stunning food a beautiful range of stilted luxury eco tents and access to a great variety of activities , wildlife and boat trips . For those looking to explore , you can ’ t afford to miss a day spent trekking through the Black River National Park for some stunning views . Drive to the main viewpoints or take a guide if you want to delve deeper without getting completely lost . From here , the west of the island is also right on your doorstep . Le Morne , on the south-western tip of the island , is world renowned for surfing and kitesurfing , and sunsets in this area – and all the way along the coast past Tamarin Bay – are equally phenomenal . Back in the north , Tante Athalie is well worth visiting . A restaurant surrounded by classic cars , enjoy a gluttonous traditional Mauritian lunch in a beautiful and unique setting . To work off the weight , take a trip up Le Puce ( The Thumb ), the third highest mountain in Mauritius , for an exhausting but enjoyable climb which is rewarded with some unbeatable views across the island . Seek out the idyllic and the unexpected in equal measure and you ’ ll make the most of what Mauritius has to offer . Get under the skin of the country and expect stunning scenery , a friendly welcome , incredible local food , and some unforgettable memories .
WHAT TO EAT Influenced by Indian , Chinese and African cuisine , Mauritian food is extremely varied , relatively cheap and full of great flavour . First on your list should be the ubiquitous Mauritian roti and dahl puri ( named after the type of thin Indian flatbread used in each ). At roughly 20p each the curry wraps are cheap , moorish and incredibly popular among locals . Roti sees a butterbean curry and spicy tomato sauce , whilst the dahl puri sees a similar combination of dahl-style curry and spicy sauce for the perfect lunch .
WHAT TO BUY Mauritians love their rum , and there are some excellent varieties to bring home , but if you really want to return home with something uniquely Mauritian , pick up a small jar of green chilli paste from the supermarket . It has the capacity to blow your head off if you take too much on the end of your fork , but a small ( and I mean small ) dollop on the side of your plate is fantastic with a curry , rice or even on bread .
MUST SEE OR DO Hire a catamaran ! And it ’ s not as expensive as it might sound . From places such as Grand Baie in the north-east , for as little as £ 20pp , you can charter a boat early in the morning and enjoy lunch on board in the calm swell of a nearby island , laze on a white sandy beach and find some deep water on the way back to practise your Tom Daley diving ability .
Flights & Accomodation : If you ’ re going to Mauritius you have to be prepared to spend . With an 11-hour flight time , the island is certainly not one of the cheapest of holiday destinations and you ’ ll be looking at flights from around £ 650- £ 850pp . Fly direct with Air Mauritius or via Dubai with Emirates . Tourist resorts are expensive , but there ’ s plenty of cheaper accommodation away from the coast that is a more reasonable .
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