Country 45/196: Mauritius
Destinations: La Gaulette, Le Morne, Black River, Chamarel, Terre de sept couleurs, Blue Bay
Mauritius is a relatively small tropical island on the eastern coast of Africa. It might not have as many spectacular beaches as Seychelles, but it does offer turquoise waters, tropical forests, colorful earth, countless adventures, and tons of fun! 🙂
Things to see and things to do
We’re always trying to visit the most iconic and unique places in each country, so this time around we decided to visit the southwestern and the southeastern part of the island, even though we’ve heard that the northern part also has a lot to offer. Well, we were more than in-awe with what we saw in the South. 😉
From Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport to La Gaulette
If you’d take the fastest route from the airport to La Gaulette it would only take you an hour to get there (the distance is 49 km). You can take a taxi or rent a car. We decided to take a bus. We thought we would still be there on time, but the bus driver told us that we have to transfer three times to reach La Gaulette. In the end, due to the fact that the bus schedule is very unreliable and because of common delays, the journey lasted almost four hours! On our way back we decided to take the easier way, and we took a taxi.
La Gaulette
We were staying in La Gaulette, a quiet little place by the sea, around 5 km away from the expensive resorts and noisy tourists. We loved the peaceful mornings and the serene evenings, but most of all we loved the food. There are many nice local restaurants in La Gaulette and they all serve delicious food. Besides, in La Gaulette there is a big supermarket, where you can stock up on food and snacks for the day.
Le Morne
Le Morne is considered to be the most beautiful beach on the island of Mauritius. It is widely popular thanks to its white sand, turquoise sea, and the view of the island’s most iconic mountain (Le Morne Brabant Mountain) in the background. Due to many fancy resorts in the area, the entire Le Morne peninsula is pretty touristy, during the high season even too crowded. Other than that, the beach really is wonderful and you should definitely check it out. 😉
Black River
Wanna swim with wild dolphins? Black River is the place to go. 😉 There are many agencies that offer lots of different adventures, including swimming with dolphins in the wild. We decided to book a tour with JPH charters. The tour started at 7 am. We took a boat ride to the open sea where we got our snorkeling equipment and jumped in the water. The experience of swimming alongside a big group of wild dolphins was exhilarating, even though there were lots of boats and people, so it got a bit crowded and a tad too touristy for our taste. The amazing animals didn’t seem to mind the crowd but they did keep their distance. And as the tour guide didn’t tell us about the code of conduct while dolphin watching, you can read all about it here.
Chamarel & Terres des sept couleurs
Chamarel is a village located on a hill on the southwestern part of the island. It is widely known for the many natural attractions in its proximity, including the Chamarel Falls and the stunning Seven Coloured Earths (in French:
Terres des sept couleurs). Now, the latter is truly a natural wonder. It’s a small area of sand dunes of seven distinct colors (brown, red, purple, violet, green, blue, and yellow). The layers of sand of different colors mix and give the area a unique, surreal look. This place is definitely worth visiting. 😉
Blue Bay
Blue Bay Beach is considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches on Mauritius, so naturally, we had to check it out. It’s located on the southeastern side of the island, near the airport. We loved the fact that there were also lots of locals on the beach, instead of just tourists. They were listening to some cool island melodies, snacking the food from the many nearby restaurants and food stands, and simply enjoying the beautiful day. The beach is lively and lovely, though maybe a bit too crowded.
Where to stay
In Mauritius, there are many luxurious hotel resorts, but they tend to be very expensive. In order to save some unnecessary expenses, consider staying in a cozy guesthouse.
Are you planning a trip to Mauritius? Here you can get a room with a 10% discount! 🙂
Budget
Mauritius isn’t one of the cheapest travel destinations, however, it is entirely possible to travel the country on a low budget. Make sure to stay in cheap guesthouses (prices start at 15 USD/13 EUR a night), travel by bus, take your meals streetside (this way you can eat for less than 5 USD/4 EUR a day), skip the costly activities and attractions, and consider visiting Rodrigues – the cheaper neighboring island.
Best time to visit
In Mauritius, temperatures are warm year-round. However, the best time to visit Mauritius is from May to December when the weather is dry, sunny, and slightly cooler.
Environmental issues
Romance and adventure
Mauritius is a wonderful island that offers countless romantic sights and tropical adventures. You can go snorkeling, diving, canoeing, swimming with dolphins, hiking, cycling, explore the lush rain forest, or the local cuisine.
196xLOVE
Found lots of LOVE on Mauritius. 😉 ♥
Honeymoon rating of the visited destinations: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♡
With its beautiful white-sand beaches, romantic resorts, swimming with wild dolphins, and other unforgettable adventures, Mauritius is definitely a world-class honeymoon destination. 🙂
* Note: This is NOT a general rating of the country, it is merely our personal opinion of the mentioned site(s) as honeymoon destinations, based on the level of tourism development, the number and quality of romantic and adventurous activities and sites it offers, and safety. We strongly believe that every country is beautiful in its own way, they may simply be more or less honeymoon oriented/friendly.
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