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Activities |
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Shopping |
Shopping in Mauritius is a shopper’s haven since the
country was declared a Duty Free destination. Luxury
goods, fashionable clothing, cameras and electronic
goods are among items which will attract any shopper
looking for bargains at duty free prices.
The Grand Bay Bazaar offers row-upon-row of stalls
selling shirts and other fashionable clothing both
formal and casual, stunning table linen, handicrafts
and anything else you could imagine well below its
market value. Floreal Square shopping centre
includes a Textile Museum and a Café. Numerous duty
free shops will tempt you to a choice of adult and
children's wear, silk, home wares, jewellery,
handmade carpets and delicious cuisine. The
Mauritius Glass Gallery located in the heart of the
island, at Pont Fer Phoenix, is the Glass Gallery
where practiced craftsmen, devoted to the
preservation of the environment, bring recycled
glass back to life using traditional techniques.
Visit Caudan Waterfront, a modern precinct not only
known for its exclusive shops and duty free
jewellery but also for its multinational craft
market, covering two floors of spices, souvenirs,
basketry and craftsmen at work. |
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Golf |
Golf enthusiast, honestly what could be more
enjoyable than being on holiday on a dream island
whilst having the opportunity to improve your
golfing skills?
Several of the hotels on the island have excellent
golf courses. Three 18 holes: Le Paradis at Le Morne
Belle Mare Plage hotel, and One&Only Le Touessrok
Golf Course. Five 9 holes: at Trou aux-Biches,
Shandrani (Blue Bay), St Geran (Poste de Flacq),
Maritim (Balaclava) and the Sofitel Imperial (Wolmar).
Belle Mare Plage has two championship golf courses:
Legends and Links. Most of these hotels have a club
house with a locker room for your convenience.
Instructors are most willing to attend to your
individual needs including private tuition. Golf
balls, clubs and caddies can be hired at the greens.
An 18-hole golf course exists at the Gymkhana
private club in Vacoas and a spectacular golf course
at Le Touessrok. This golf course is on its very own
tropical island, fringed by white sands with a
backdrop of green mountains and is truthfully one of
the world’s great golf settings. All 18 holes have
spectacular views of the ocean including nine lakes.
A number of holes require tee shots across sea
inlets to the fairways. Bernard Langer the designer,
designed the course to challenge advanced players,
while remaining exciting and playable for
recreational golfers. |
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Vanilla Crocodile and Tortoise
Park |
Located in the south-east of the island at Cluny, Le
Val offers a view of the natural marine life of
shrimps, eels and freshwater fish. The park also
hosts anthurium green-houses, watercress ponds, deer
parks, as well as monkeys and various bird species.
This 2,800 hectare nature park is named after the
luxurious valley, at Cluny south east of the island
in the Grand Port district. Isolated chimneys on the
property are vivid reminders of early sugar
factories in the area.
Enter the sparkling forest of Vanilla Crocodile and
Tortoise park and see a haven of luscious tropical
flora: a variety of common and exotic plants. In
these lush green surroundings banana and palm trees
as well as giant bambous grow. In the park more than
a thousand Nile crocodiles are bred. During a guided
tour, you will meet these animals, view the lush
green surroundings at leisure. |
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Diving |
Nearly all of the large hotels include diving on
their list of sports activities. Diving instruction
is also available for those wishing to explore the
reef. Spectacular coral gardens are found at a depth
of 25 metres. The waters around Mauritius are the
playground for over a thousand different species of
fish.
The coral reef extends right around the island and
water temperature is warm and crystal clear,
attracting divers from around the world. The
majority of those who dive in Mauritius are first
timers attracted to the sport by the safe and near
perfect conditions that exist on and around the
reef, secure in the knowledge that there is expert
tuition on hand for the novice. The majority of
large hotels in Mauritius have approved instructors
on site; many of them accredited members of the
Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI)
who can assist beginners with the basics of the
sport. |
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Sailing & Windsurfing |
Conditions for sailing are generally excellent for
sailing and windsurfing. Most major beach resorts
have small sailing dinghies which guests can use
within the calm waters of the lagoon. Yachts can be
chartered for excursions into the open sea allowing
for a totally different experience. A number of
activities combine sailing with shore excursions to
otherwise inaccessible spots. Sailing regattas are
held annually. Grand Baie is the main centre for
yachting and the Grand Baie Yacht Club has a
temporary membership scheme for visitors. Sailing
cruises are available on the schooner Isla Mauritia,
a 19th-century 32m-long tallship, the last existing
vessel of her class, operated by Yacht Charters Ltd.
The popularity of windsurfing and the ideal wind
conditions for it have resulted in numerous
competitions, including World Championships, being
held in Mauritius. Windsurfing lessons is available
and equipment can be hired at beachside boathouses.
Water skiing in the sheltered waters of the
reef-protected lagoons is also available with
instruction for beginners. The Bay of Tamarin is
rumored to be the best spot for surfing, and the
season lasts from around June to August. |
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Glass bottom boat |
Discover the beautiful islands surrounding Mauritius
and be seduced by the crystal clear lagoon, the
wonderful tropical underwater scenery, multicolored
flora, fauna and sandy stretches. Packages are
available for groups, sunset cruise, weddings or
individual charters.
Visitors wanting to view the oceans bounty from a
secure platform have two alternatives. The majority
of large hotels, operate glass-bottomed boats that
allow guests to view the marine life on the coastal
reef - or for a more personal encounter can opt for
an underwater walk in Grand Baie. This activity is
like diving except that you walk along the bottom
wearing a diver's helmet over your head and with the
oxygen fed by a hose line from the boat. |
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Fishing |
The Blue marlin's huge size and well-known fighting
ability makes it one of the most highly sought-after
game fish in the world. These giants are top of the
food chain, they lie in wait in the waters adjacent
to Mauritius, waiting to ambush unsuspecting tuna or
a lure bubbling and splashing behind a boat. They
are usually loners and put on an impressive fight
when hooked, jumping all over the surface while also
staying under and fighting down and dirty. Battle's
with these monsters can last well over two hours;
the longest fight in Mauritius to date was twenty
six hours before the line broke!
Blue Marlin is caught trolling artificial lures and
live baiting. Authorities encourage catch and
release of all marlin whenever possible, ensuring
these courage’s giants will fight another day. |
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