Mauritius is a destination many people see only as a honeymoon spot, but this beautiful Island in the middle of the Indian ocean with its mix of African, Indian, Creole, British and French influences actually has plenty to offer all types of travellers.
With airlines like Emirates, British Airways and Air Mauritius from London serving the island, travel is straight forward or you can combine it with a stop in Dubai.
Famed for its pristine beaches, crystal-clear water, friendly people and flavoursome food, I recently visited and fell in love with the island all over again.
Here is my list of: 10 things you should do in Mauritius
Visit Flic en Flac in the West of the island
It’s roughly a 45-min to an hour journey from the airport, but it is the home of some beautiful hotels, great restaurants and bars. The Sun Resorts Sugar Beach Hotel and Spa is located here and is a must visit for their tides event or for a glass of champagne or cocktail on the handmade bar on the beach.
Head to Capital Port Louis Visit in the north of the island
There are plenty of eateries and some historic features. Don’t forget to visit the Labourdonnais Hotel which overlooks the Port, offers some lovely food and has some stunning décor. You can also walk round the Port and look over for Umbrella Alley on your way to getting some well-deserved gelato.
Try a roadside Roti
Mauritius is renowned for its many delicacies, two of which are Roti and Biryani and there are a number of places you can try either of them. Roti is a flatbread filled with Veg, Fish or meat curries with the optional chilli thrown in. They are delicious and are very cheap, a great snack to try on the go! Biriyani is a rice dish mixed with meat, fish or veg and is very filling.
Visit Grand Baie in the north
The beaches are pristine and white and you can try a number of water sport activities. Try the Sea Bob which allows you to bob and weave both on top and underneath the water out at sea for 20 minutes.
Visit a temple and get a blessing
There are a number of beautiful and colourful temples all over Mauritius. Try Kovil Montagne (Sri Siva Subramanya Kovil), where there are 500 steps to climb. The panoramic view at the top is stunning.
See the Coloured Earth in Chamarel
You can find the area not far from Flic en Flac in the west of the Island. Most people visit to see the coloured earth heaps. If you go early enough in the morning, you can see the varying colours as the sun reflects on it.
Visit the 95-metre waterfall in Chamarel on the side of the cliff
The more adventurous can choose to abseil, though this isn’t for the faint hearted as it can be quite slippery, so ensure you go on an accompanied tour.
Visit Rhumerie de Chamarel
A rum distillery based on Sugarcane. There is a museum onsite to learn about the process and history of the site. You can then visit the restaurant, which is called L’ Alchimiste where you can of course try the all-important task of sampling the rum!
Visit a tea factory
Visit Bois Cheri plantation and have a guided tour of the site, the museum and the plantation itself ending with a tea tasting with biscuits! This particular site has stunning panoramic views of the south of the island but it is a great way to learn about the history of tea in the region as a whole.
Book a Catamaran Cruise
To best enjoy the bright blue ocean, you can visit a number of neighbouring small islands, such as Gabriel or Flat Island. You can either look out for dolphins, or stop off for drinks and lunch before enjoying a more private beach elsewhere in the Mauritian sun.
