Funnily enough, they call themselves Paradise, and when you arrive at the airport you are greeted with this sign :
But to be honest, they really deserve to call themselves that way since the island offers everything a discerning tourist would like. Although the island has a reputation for being expensive (the flights are indeed not cheap) you can find all types of accommodations and eateries, from the local beach food stall to the posh star-studded restaurants.
Mauritius is well known for its beautiful landscapes, and nature welcomed me with a beautiful rainbow when I arrived at the hotel :
So off I went to do all the things I like : swimming and diving (no pictures, unfortunately, as I have not bought the underwater camera case yet) but most importantly visiting the beautiful areas the island has to offer. Since the island has a volcanic origin, the mountains are stunning and the views impressive :
There is a lot of indigenous vegetation but also (unfortunately) a lot of imported plants and animals. The islanders are actually trying to clean up this mess by tearing down the non-native trees and trying to get back to the original vegetation. The Vallée de Ferney (see http://www.cieletnature.com/vallee-ferney/index.php ) is a great example, and if you like to see what they are doing you can book a two or three hour guided walking tour in the valley which was saved from destruction just a few weeks before the trees were cut to give way for a highway construction. Actually the valley contains five unique mahogany trees, found nowhere else on earth. And the view from the top end of the valley is gorgeous
But surely Mauritius would not have its reputation if it did not have the sea and the beaches it has. There is a lagoon with some strong corals protecting the island, and therefore all the beaches are safe and the water is not too deep. The colors of the sea, and the different shades of blue are probably the most stunning I have seen in my life. Here is an example : the harbor of Blue Bay
And the beach at Cap Malheureux - probably th most scenic spot in Mauritius, to be found on every postcard. It has to be seen in the late afternoon when the colors are softer and the temperatures perfect
A few things not to miss :
- the 'Route du Thé', where you can see the tea plantations of Mauritius,
- the Casela nature park (where you can interact with lions - obviously they are not native to Mauritius, but it is quite an experience to pet a lion, see below)
- the 'Pamplemousses' botanical garden, small but very interesting, with lots of local plants
Here are a few pictures of those three highlights of the island :
It's nice to be close to a lioness - but I was not really feeling comfortable... By the way, my cat's hair is much more silky...
Pamplemousse botanical garden. Huuuge lotus and water lilies
And finally, the most romantic moment of the day: sunset on the beach...
Truly paradise
Mauritius, I'll be back !
