Holidays in Mauritius

Mauritius is the most accessible island in the Indian Ocean, boasting of a perfect tropical holiday trip at bargained and affordable prices for an exotic holiday trip. Finding yourself surrounded amidst spectacular scenery--miles of lush sugarcane plantations, mystical mountains, pretty cascading waterfalls and rainforests abound with coniferous trees and casuarinas, is a real extravaganza. Though nestled up as a small island alongside the big African continent, it's culture and lifestyle is influenced by British, Indian and French ties.
Bare, black volcanic peaks tower over the sugarcane fields, which cover about half of the island. The island satisfies the whims of sunbathers, beachcombers, sightseers, mountaineers, swimmers, yachtsmen, water-skiers, skin-divers, anglers, big game fishermen, philatelists, punters, golfers, gamblers, all night rovers and ultimate escapers. Take a tailormade holiday package to Mauritius and feel the breeze blowing through the palm trees on the beautiful tropical island paradise of Mauritius.

Physical Location

Mauritius is a volcanic island in the Indian Ocean lying in the east of Madagascar and southwest of India. Almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC, Mauritius' terrain is small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau. With about 600 people per square kilometer, Mauritius has one of the highest population densities in the world. There is no monsoon season, though cyclones hit the island every 15 years or so between November and May.

History

Mauritius received many visitors, intruders and rulers, who came here mostly for trade purposes. Arab traders knew of Mauritius as early as 10th century The Dutch claimed Mauritius in 1598. Later, France came and renamed it as 'Île de France' and gave it over to the French East India Company to run as a trading base. During the second half of the 18th century, the island's capital, Port Louis, became a free trading base, which lured the British. Mauritius gained its independence on March 12, 1968. It remained a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Best Time to Visit

Mauritius doesn't have a strict high or low season, but it receives more tourists during Christmas to New Year period. Mauritian winters occur during July-September, when daytime temperatures become little gentle than everyday muggy. So, this can be recommended as the choicest times to visit. The least pleasant period is from January to April, when the long days become hot and humid with an additional threat of cyclones. You should also be prepared to spend some holidays indoors during heavy rains. December through March is the best time for diving in the clearest waters; June through August is best for surfing; and October to April is excellent for big game fishing,

Tourist Attractions of Mauritius


Port Louis is the bustling capital of Mauritius of about 1,38,000 people and a leading port. Here you can have a rendezvous with the spirit of this fascinating land, a potpourri of cultures, colorful traditions and festivals. During the day, it bustles with big-city commercial activities, while at night in contrast all the activity takes place at the swish new Le Caudan Waterfront, where you can enjoy casino, cinemas, shops, bars and restaurants.
You can drop in at the Natural History Museum to see a stuffed replica of several extinct birds as well as specimens of animals and fish; the dodo, an extinct species since the late 17th century. There is also Mauritius Postal Museum, featuring a collection of Mauritian stamps and assorted philately. You can behold Islamic architecture, at Jummah Mosque, built in the 1850s in the middle of Chinatown, and Fort Adelaide, called as the Citadel by the locals. Fort Adelaide is a British fort offering excellent hilltop views. Its harbourside location is world-class.
Père Laval's, who is said to have converted more than 67,000 people, shrine is located at Ste-Croix. Pilgrims swear by the statue's healing powers with just a touch. You can also have a blend of action in your vacation by heading to Tamarin for surfing, Mt Limon and Mt Malartic for hiking, Port Mathurin and surroundings for coastal hiking, Rodrigues for the best diving opportunities and Caverne Patate for caving. The town of Curepipe is also worth a quick visit with its English market town flavour. It is the centre of the island's tea and model-ship building industries.
The attractive Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens are also one of the most popular tourist attractions in Mauritius. Park's giant Victoria regia water lilies, golden bamboo, chewing-gum trees, fish poison trees and a 200-year-old Buddha tree amuse the tourists a great deal. The wonderful Pereybere public beach is also popular due to its shopping facilities, restaurants and pubs.

Important Festivals and Exhibitions

Hence, celebration of almost all the Hindu festivals in this island is a common phenomenon. Festivals like, Teemeedee, Thaipoosam Cavadee, Diwali, Pongal, Mahashivratri, New Year, Holi, Independence and Republic days are celebrated here. Festivals of Père Laval Feast Day and Id-ul-fitr are also marked with celebrations.

How to get there?

Travel and Transport information

Air: Mauritius is easily accessible as it is well connected by many international airlines and shipping companies. The island has two paved airports
Land: For getting around seeing the beautiful scenery of Mauritius, buses and slow moving taxis are available. In places like Grand Baie it is more convenient to rent a motorbike or bicycles. Boats can be rented in Mauritius at major tourist hotspots.

Culture and Lifestyle

The people of Mauritius are as varied as the landscape; a fascinating blend of people from Europe Africa India and the Far East has created a unique cosmopolitan island culture. Mauritius accounts a 63% of Indian majority of which 80% follow Hinduism. Roughly every other fifth person is Muslim. Both groups have descended from labourers brought to the island by the British to work the cane fields from India or China. The remaining population is of Créoles, descendants of African slaves, and Franco-Mauritians, the original settlers of the island. English is the official language of the island, though you may also hear French, Créole and also Indian languages like Bhojpuri and Urdu. The island's main attraction to fun loving tourists is Créole Séga, a foot-shuffling erotic dance that's generally performed on the beach to the rhythm of Latin American, Caribbean and African pop.
Mauritius' delicious cuisines may also attract you. The most common varieties are Créole, European, Chinese and Indian, with seafood almost always the specialty. You can feast your taste buds with a typical Mauritian buffet, which might include a Muslim biryani, Indian chicken curry, Chinese pork dish, Créole roast beef and French-style vegetables with boiled rice, which is a must.

Shopping

Port Louis Market, near the water in the heart of downtown can bring you a good feel of the city life. You can fruits and vegetables, meats and fish, souvenirs, crafts, clothing and spices with some hard bargaining. Flacq market country's largest open-air market is also worth a shopping experience.

Money Currency

The currency of Mauritius is Mauritius Rupee. Traveller's cheques in can be exchanged in any major currency easily. The government sets the exchange rates. Credit cards are widely accepted and cash advances are also available from most major banks.

People used to stay in hotels during their stay in Mauritius. But if you prefer independence and flexibility for your holidays in Mauritius, then one of our villas or apartments is what's probably best for you.

We have selected for you these lodgings where you will get outstanding value for money. They are located on the western coast in Flic en Flac in Mauritius.

The year throughout,you will be delighted by the true pleasure of living offered by Flic en Flac. Your vacation will become memorable by the multiplicity of amenities available here. The radiant sun and a calm and welcoming sea,the beautiful white sand seaside, restaurants, supermarkets, banks, pharmacies, casinos, taxi and bus services, renting facilities of cars, bicycles, motorbikes, deep-sea fishing, excursions, diving, and the multi-lingual melodies of Mauritius will all join a hand to make your stay with us a real success.

The location of Flic en Flac is an excellent base for exploring the island when not snorkelling, diving or sunbathing. There is a wide range of Mauritian, Chinese and international cuisine available at local restaurants.

To discover the fabulous natural treasures of Mauritius, and other beaches of the island Mauritius Rentals organise also tours and excursions.