Mauritius: 10 most memorable experiences from the island of dreams

When I packed my bags to go to Mauritius, most of my friends asked, "Where is that?" and "Why do you want to go there?"

I will answer in order. Mauritius is located in the Indian Ocean, geographically belongs to Africa, and is located in the southern hemisphere, not far from Madagascar.

Why go to Mauritius?

A big advantage is the ease of entry: you don't need a visa to visit Mauritius. If you have a return ticket and a hotel reservation, you will be allowed to enter the island without any problems. In addition, there is no poisonous flora or fauna (sea urchins don't count) and no vaccinations are required for entry.

Mauritius is a wonderful blend of Dutch and French colonial cultures with island leisure and relaxation. The result is a European-island mix plus friendly locals.

Finally, it is the same warm Indian Ocean as in the Maldives and Seychelles, but cheaper.

And while the Seychelles and Maldives are positioned as romantic paradise islands, Mauritius offers something for everyone — from luxurious five-star hotels and wedding ceremonies to wilderness adventures and volunteer work in nature reserves.

A vacation in Mauritius is still not cheap, and the flight takes 9-11 hours, depending on the departure airport, but the diversity of this island is worth the effort and money spent on it.

Top 10 experiences to have in Mauritius:

1. Watch the sunset on the beach

It sounds cliché, but it's a must. Like clockwork, at 6 p.m., the sun disappears into the clear waters of the ocean on the west coast of the island. Seasoned travelers come to watch it with their deck chairs and sit at sunset, sipping wine or coconut juice and enjoying the view.

Watching the sunset can be a fitting end to a day spent under the pine trees on the green lawn by the shore. This is what the locals do on weekends, coming to the shore with their families or friends, socializing and dancing after sunset right on the beach.

2. Stroll along the endless beach of Flik en Flak

Only the ocean, sky, and sand stretch as far as the eye can see. Along the coastline of Flik en Flak, people stroll leisurely or go jogging. Southern pines with long (up to 20 cm) needles grow on the shore. Small sand crabs scurry underfoot, having made their burrows in the sand a few meters from the sea.

All this is accompanied by the sound of waves, which first crash against the coral reef and then, calmer, as if they have "let off steam," reach the shore. They carry seaweed, sea urchins, and colorful coral fragments onto the sand, which quickly turn into mysterious shapes under the influence of the sun.

3. Climb the Tamarin Falls with a local guide

If you need a guide, you can simply meet one on the road. He will drive up himself, tell you that only with him will you see all the best things, talk endlessly in a mixture of English and French, show you the best angles for photos, lead you under the waterfall rocks, help you climb down the steep rocks using a rope, feed you exotic fruits straight from the bush, guide you through the jungle, and even share his mosquito repellent.

And at the end of this mini-hike, you will want to pay him more, because you will never forget the impressions from the walk: a stunning cascade of lakes and seven waterfalls, the highest of which falls from a height of 43 meters, breathtaking views of the canyon, and an endless charge of optimism. As a bonus, you can enjoy free fish peeling right in one of the lakes of the cascade.

4. Visit the Bois Cheri tea factory or the Chamarel rum factory and go for a tasting

If you choose the rum tasting, you can explore the entire range — there is a hotel near the factory where you can spend the night and "refresh" your mind before continuing your journey.

At the Bois Cheri tea factory, you can learn about the tea production process, from picking tea leaves to packing them into boxes, understand the difference between black and green tea and why green tea is healthier, and be surprised to learn that rooibos does not contain any tea at all. At the end of the tour, you can taste all the available tea varieties and buy your favorites in the factory shop.

For tea enthusiasts, there is a special tourist route: the tea road, which passes through several tea plantations.

5. Go to Port Louis and stroll through the Waterfront shopping center and along the promenade

Apart from the above, the island's capital, Port Louis, is just a big dusty city with business districts, bus stations, and lots of people.

This is not why people come to Mauritius. Nevertheless, many travelers want to see for themselves.

6. Rent a car and learn to drive on left-hand traffic roads

This is unusual for us, you will get confused by the turns, and the locals will overtake you. For a more exotic experience, drive through the towns in the center of the island, where you immediately feel like you are in India thanks to the chaotic traffic and large number of Hindus. If you then visit the Hindu temple complex in Grand Bassin, you can be absolutely sure that India is very close.

To really feel like you're in Africa, I recommend taking a ride on the local intercity buses. They are cheap and fairly safe, but quite fast, with open windows and no air conditioning. You will be the only or almost the only Europeans among the 50+ people on the bus.

An alternative to a car is a taxi service for the day, where the driver also acts as a guide and takes tourists wherever they want to go. The fee is charged per day (tips are at the discretion of the passengers, of course). For the very lazy, there are organized tours on minibuses.

7. Stand on the Gris Gris cliffs in cloudy weather, watch the huge waves and feel the full force of the ocean

The Gris Gris cliffs contrast with the standard image of a tropical paradise. It is more reminiscent of the rugged cliffs of the Atlantic coast of Portugal or France.

But it is here that you can feel the enormous power of the ocean and realize how insignificant humans are in comparison to this force.

8. See the seven colors of the Chamareil sands and the seven colors of the rainbow in the waters of the Chamareil waterfall

The Chamareil sands are a unique phenomenon. Some say it's just a mountain of dirt. At first, I thought so too. But then the sands began to sparkle with different colors: from blue and greenish-marsh to coral and yellowish ocher. Against the backdrop of the mountains rising in the distance, it is an absolutely amazing sight. The uniqueness of the sands also lies in the fact that the colors do not mix under the influence of rain or wind.

Not far from the sands is the Chamarel waterfall. Water falls in two powerful streams from a sheer cliff 95 meters high. Periodically, a rainbow appears in the water and spray—a reminder of the seven-colored sands nearby.

9. Take a walk through the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden and see with your own eyes the giant Victoria water lilies, lotuses, and 200+ species of palm trees, local deer, and large turtles.

White wrought-iron gates, palm trees, and blooming lotuses. And giant water lilies, next to which you feel like Thumbelina, so huge are their leaves. If you come in the afternoon, there will be very few visitors in the garden — and all this tropical natural splendor will belong only to you.

There, in the botanical garden, you can see turtles brought from Madagascar and the Seychelles.

10. Have a blast!

You can also go windsurfing, diving, and fishing in Mauritius. Or ride the zip lines in Casela Park, the longest of which is 1.5 kilometers.

Or feed turtles and see large crocodiles at La Vanille Resort. Or find the Southern Cross and other constellations in the sky that are not visible to residents of the northern hemisphere. You can also take a helicopter tour and see an underwater waterfall, enjoy fresh fish and seafood dishes, lie on the beach and snorkel in the ocean, looking at fish and sea urchins...

And, of course, take pictures of all this magnificent diversity against the backdrop of the ocean and white sand, and then spend a long time proving to all your friends that it's not photoshop :)