Mauritius
Your Introduction to Mauritius
Paradise
Island - Indian Ocean.
In 1896 the author Mark Twain wrote of Mauritius " You
gather the idea that Mauritius was made first and then heaven and
that heaven was copied after Mauritius".
That's
possibly a little "OTT" - as we say these days, but Mauritius
is still a beautiful, delightful tropical island where you
relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the island, along with its
many gorgeous 'powdery white sandy beaches' and bathe in its clear
turquoise Indian Ocean waters that surrounds the whole island.
Mauritius : In
the Indian Ocean, is of volcanic
origin and sheltered for its major part by barriers of coral reefs
forming natural, safe, crystal clear lagoons. Mauritius has long
been a dream destination known to the Arabs in particular, as early
as the 10th Century.
The waters around Mauritius island are home to some of the varied
and sacred species of marine-life on earth. Diving (click)
is a favourite with visitors and most beach resorts offer scuba-diving
excursions out to the coral reef and to many hidden ship-wrecks
around the Mauritius coast-line due to the many conflicts and Pirate
activities that have taken place around these beautiful shores.
Beaches
: White
powdery soft sandy beaches which form numerous 'natural bays' around
the islands' coastline, with warm, clear tranquil, turquoise sea,
ideal for safe bathing, with many a hidden beach resort.
Hotel Resorts : Are
primarily located as "beach resorts", of an extremely
high standard with the majority being 4 to 5 star rating - larger
than average room sizes, luxury bedding and furniture, exceptional
cuisine, gorgeous locations
and more - at our 'selective
beach resorts'.
Deep-sea fishing : The
waters around Mauritius are home to the Blue
Marlin, held in high regard by all who seek her. The
Beachcomber Paradis resort,
has a fleet of 'Challenger Boats' complete with the latest in fishing
gear, rods, lines and tackle etc; to enable visitors to engage in
the popular sport of 'big-game-fishing' just off the shores of Mauritius.
(click)
Honeymoon
:
Mauritius has been re-discovered by honeymooners seeking the perfect
romantic idyllic location, honeymoon packages in Mauritius start
from 5days and can be tailored to suit your personal requirements,
with stop-overs in Dubai, Seychelles or Safari in South Africa (all
optional).
Wedding :
Getting married in Mauritius is simplicity itself,
using our tried-and-tested procedure, just give us a call, let us
check our 'wedding diary' - many of our resorts only perform
and cater for one wedding per day. Weddings start from £295
and our local wedding co-ordinator will take care of everything
for you, all you need do is 'turn-up'.
(wedding info)
Sports
: FREE land and watersports
are included at the majority of our beach resorts. The whole 'sports
operation' is operated by professionals - the equipment is superb
and safety codes are in place.
Holidays : Whether
you are seeking holiday packages to Mauritius, - one of the exclusive
Luxury Hotels Mauritius, a Family Activity Holiday - Sports, Golfing,
young and old - Mauritius has it all.
Driving :
Is on the left for UK visitors that's the same as home.
Time Difference -
Mauritius is 4 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and
3 hours ahead of mid-European time.
Currency
: Mauritius Rupee, of which we suggest you change your existing
currency into at the airport upon arrival, there are 'exchange bureaus'
just before exiting the airport building, our overseas representative
will show you exactly where.
Electricity
: The power supply throughout Mauritius is 220 volts.
Mauritius Health Requirements
: For UK visitors there are recommendations such
as make certain that your Typhoid and Tetanus vaccinations are up-to-date,
certification is required over 1 years of age and coming from infected
areas (more)
Climate :The
best time to go - you choose !
The hottest months are January to April when the temperatures are
customary ranging from 25 degrees C to 35 degrees C.- humidity during
this time can be high.
The Mauritian winter is known to be July through to September when
the temperatures range between 24 degrees C to 16 degrees C (at
night), humidity is at its lowest during this period and can be
a most pleasant time to visit.
What
To Wear : Take your best beach
and casual wear - In the months June to September carry
some light woollens for the cooler evenings in Mauritius.
Visitors to Mauritius are requested to dress properly when visiting
religious shrines (no shorts, mini-skirts etc) and please remove
shoes when entering temples and mosques).
Environment : When
snorkelling, walking along the many beaches
etc. you are asked to respect the natural beauty and environment
by not disturbing the natural habitat of the many the land or marine
species on or around the island. We urge you not
to purchase anything made out of 'turtle shell' and not to pick-up
or take any shells from the beaches (no matter how attractive or
unusual they are.), checks are made by the authorities
and fines with large penalties are deployed along with the confiscation
of all such items.
Birds : The
native songbirds of Mauritius include the Mauritius cuckoo-strike,
the Mauritius black bulbul, the Mauritius fody and the Mauritius
olive white-eye, many of these gorgeous birds are now threatened
and down in numbers to only a couple of hundreds. Birds species
that have already disappeared from Mauritius include the black fightless
parrot and the rail, a small wading bird. The most common
bird of all on Mauritius is the red-whiskered bulbul.
Newspapers : The Mauritian press is one of the most
dynamic in Africa, with two English weekly papers, they co-exist
with several French written newspapers. The press in Mauritius is
totally free and reflects perfectly the plurality of the country.
Shopping
Mauritius Style : Mauritius has a solid reputation
for textiles production, namely for pullovers and knitting in general.
Shirts, trousers, suits, dresses suits for women, shorts or swimming
costumes of well-known brands are sold at unbeatable prices The
jewel trade has a long tradition of local craftsmen who work particularly
with 18 or 22 carat gold.
PS - If you use Simon (our driver) for an excursion - he
knows where all the best bargains are to be had !.
Give
us a call
Speak to Someone who's Been !
Below are some of the many sights you can
enjoy whilst visiting Mauritius.
(
Listed
in brackets are the names
of the nearest 'beach resorts')
Port
Louis:
Is the capital of Mauritius, named after Louis XV. The multicultural
nature of the island is in evidence here especially in the exotic
covered market, selling everything from coloured saris, to natural
remedies and lottery tickets. (Royal Palm, Trou Aux Biches, Le Victoria,
Le Canonnier)
Domain
les Pailles:
Is a colonial sugar estate on Mauritius, that has been restored
to its former glory. Some of the attractions include a working replica
of an ox-driven sugar mill, a rum distillery and four restaurants,
Chinese, Indian French and Grill restaurants. (Royal Palm, Trou
Aux Biches, Le Victoria, Le Canonnier)
Pamplemousses:
The tropical island of Mauritius Is famous throughout the world
for its superb botanical gardens. Started in the early years of
the French reign, the remarkable collection includes hundred year
old trees, the tallipot palm that grows for 40 years, flowers then
dies, incredible giant water lilies and amazing spice trees.(Royal
Palm, Trou Aux Biches, Le Victoria, Le Canonnier)
Mahebourg:
Regular visits are arranged to this small colonial town full of
history. Named after the famous French Mahe de Labourdonnais, the
town is also home to the Mahebourg Naval museum. It is a colonial
style house built about 1771 that became a naval museum in 1950,
commemorating the dramatic naval battle that took place in 1810.
Relics include coins, old manuscripts, beautiful porcelain, prints,
engravings, antique maps, furniture, a collection of weapons all
testifying to terrible battles or shipwrecked people. (Shandrani)
Casela
Bird Park:
Is a bird sanctuary well known to ornithologists around the world,
and home to the world's rarest pigeon, the pink pigeon. The Mauritius
kestrel is being hand-reared, aided by science in an attempt to
save it from extinction. (Paradis)
Black
River Gorge:
There's more to Mauritius than just gorgeous beaches and the warm
clear turquoise sea - Nature lovers can walk for miles in the Black
River Gorge, up the river, which has cut its way into the basalt.
It is inhabited by the two rarest birds in the world, the Mauritian
kestrel and the Pink pigeon. (Paradis)
Grand
Bassin:
Resting in the crater of an ancient volcano, this natural lake is
a place of pilgrimage for the Hindus. (Paradis, Shandrani)
Chamarel:
A phenomenon that attracts scientists from all over the world to
Mauritius. Chamarel is a mound of multi coloured earth- ochre, red
and violet in colour - thought to be caused by the erosion of the
residue volcanic ash. (Paradis)
The
Rochester Falls and Tamarind Falls:
Located on the plateau near Souillac and are breathtaking in their
beauty as they plummet amidst the lush vegetation of Mauritius.
(Paradis, Shandrani)
Domaine
du Chasseur:
Stretches over 2000 acres of Mauritius and is bursting with indigenous
species including stags, wild boars, partridges and pheasants. However
the park also provides a spectacular setting for paragliding. (Shandrani)
Grand
Baie:
Known as the Mauritian Côte d'Azur, Grand Baie boasts a beautiful
beach with emerald green water. This vibrant fishing village has
a host of clothing shops selling designer clothes under different
labels as well as craft shops, restaurants and casual night clubs.
(Royal Palm, Le Mauricia, Trou Aux Biches, Le Victoria, Le Canonnier
Curepipe:
Is the main residential town on the island of Mauritius, a great
place to shop. In addition to the model ships, jade, porcelain embroidery
and clothes, Curepipe is ideal for buying duty free gold and diamonds.
You can enjoy a good view of the town and the surrounding area from
the extinct volcanic crater of Trou aux Cerfs. (Shandrani, Paradis)
Speak To Someone Who's Been !
Telephone: ( 0113 ) 2773 663
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