|
Places of Interest |
|
|
|
Grand Bay |
A shopping and leisure heaven, Grand Bay also is
also the area where Mauritians go to when they want
a fun-filled night out. For the most fervent night
owls, these bars would be your waiting area until
activity in the night clubs gain momentum around
midnight. It was the first coastal village to be
frequently visited by tourists, commerce and tourist
attraction is the general denominator.
Grand Bay is far from being a night life only place.
Packed with the finest shops of Mauritius, and
situated in the north where the sea is most
attractive, it is the ideal landing place for the
tourists wishing to carry a variety of activities.
Due to favourable sea conditions, Grand Bay offers
the best opportunities of Nautical activities. It is
a fairly exposed beach break has quite reliable
surf. Summer offers the best conditions for surfing.
Off shore winds blow from the southeast. Tends to
receive distant groundswells and the best swell
direction is from the NNE.
Grand Bay has however maintained a lot of its
uniqueness one can still observe some typical
grocery shops, more than 40 years old, acting as the
fishermen's pub, the roadside Indian pastry
merchants, and sometimes oxcarts. As a result Grand
Bay remains a favourable destination with visitors
as it takes half a day, on foot or by car to
discover a minimum of Mauritius while taking
advantage of the shopping opportunities and of the
restaurants. |
 |
|
 |
|
Pereybere Beach |
The wonderful Pereybere public beach is popular
because of its shopping facilities, restaurants and
pubs. Located along the coast , between Grand Baie
and Cap Malheureux is stunning Pereybere Beach. The
waters here are deeper than most of the lagoons that
encircle Mauritius allowing for a deeper blue hue to
enjoy.
Pereybere Beach is a definite choice among young
people, making it a "happin'" beach. Well-known as
the fun beach, Pereybere is more frequented during
school holidays and weekends. Sand soccer games and
kite surfing along with some great swimming keeps
everyone in shape on Pereybere.
Because of the depth and crystal clear water, it
makes for great snorkeling. Ensure you stay along
the rocky outcroppings as this is where the coral
begins and fish are abundant. Pereybere Beach is
also excellent for families because the surf is
normally calm.
The Pereybere village has several bars and
restaurants within walking distance to each other
and next to the beach. It offers a wide selection of
cuisines such as French, Chinese, Italian, Indian
and Creole (the traditional Mauritian cuisine),
whose prices will definitely suit a relatively low
budget. Within easy reach from the property, you
will also find a mini supermarket where everyday
necessities can be purchased. Other facilities close
by include chemist, bank and cash point, beauty
salon, car rentals, taxis and buses. |
 |
|
|
|
Martello Towers |
On the coast of Mauritius there remain three of the
best examples of Martello Towers in the world. The
Martello Towers were built at the main bays as a
military response to protecting Mauritius against
enemy landings. The enemy, the French, might aid the
colonists in their opposition to the conditions
surrounding the abolition of slavery; the colonists
having ancestral allegiance to France. The Martello
Towers were never used in battle but are mute
reminders of this turning point of Mauritian
history.
Restoration on the was done to facilitate visitor
access, the door on the ground floor was kept and a
staircase was built linking the first to the ground
levels where there would have initially been
ladders. Lighting was installed by Local Government
and the interior stonework sand-blasted to remove
leached lime cement. The joints between the stones
on the roof were resealed with epoxy and the leaky
internal drainpipes were replaced with plastic
tubing. The gun carriage and platform has been
re-built and the original gun has been replaced on
the roof. Historical museum displays are currently
(1999) being prepared for public exhibition –
National Heritage Fund. |
 |
|
|
|
Ile Aux Cerfs |
A visit to Mauritius further showcases that the
travel destination, Ile Aux Cerfs Island, located in
Mauritius, is a beautiful and naturally splendid
island located on the east coast 20 minutes by boat
from pointe Maurice. The island is 100 hectares in
area and is also provided with a plethora of sandy
beaches in the vicinity in Ile Aux Cerfs Island. The
Le Touessrok Sun Hotel group operates two well
stocked restaurants here, and the island is provided
with a ferry service from the mainland.
On the island, there is a boat house where you can
hire water skis, pedalos, sailboards, surfcats,
Laser dinghies and canoes. Two-hour boat trips are
offered to the Grande Rivière Sud-Est waterfall; and
there's also a tour around Île aux Cerfs.
The island has grown in popularity and it is home to
around 800 visitors per day in the resort and the
island. Ile aux Cerfs is one of the most beautiful
places in the Indian ocean. Don't fail to paying it
a visit. |
 |
|
|
|
Flic en Flac Beach |
Flic en Flac derived its name from an Old Dutch
phrase "Fried Landt Flaak" that literally means
"Free and Flat Land." During the 1960s the village
was known only for its cemetery where people from
nearby villages came to bury their dead relatives.
There was also some artisanal hunting of wild ducks
and birds in the marches of the region.
Today the town of Flic en Flac marks the beginning
of a superb stretch of sandy coastline that
stretches to the southern Le Morne Peninsula.
Development at Flic en Flac is in overdrive with the
result today being that Flic en Flac has lost its
charming village feel and is becoming one long strip
of hotels, expensive restaurants and souvenir shops.
The beach, while gorgeous, comes alive at weekends
when it plays host to throngs of locals from the
central highlands who descend en masse for picnics
by the sea. |
 |
|
|
|
Ile aux Aigrettes |
After a short crossing on the splendid bay of
Mahébourg, where a lasting air of mystery, a palette
of bright colors and the uneven outlines of a
breathtaking landscape blend into a magical setting,
discover Ile aux Aigrettes, a Nature Reserve
anchored at about 800 meters off the south east
coast of Mauritius. The sparkling waters of its
beautiful lagoon, the ruins of an old French
limekiln and the dense green canopy of the island’s
forest welcome you to this charming domain where the
mistress of the place is none but mother nature.
Walk along the rugged trail in a one and a half hour
tour and experience the bubbling rebirth of an
island and its inhabitants, a small and exceptional
population made up of rare endemic species of the
Mauritian flora and fauna. Accompanied by the
distant cooing of the Pink Pigeon, discover along
the way over 20 species of plants endemic to
Mauritius; the Ebony forest, once home to the now
extinct Dodo; the Nursery where thousands of young
plants are produced yearly; the Ornate Day Gecko
licking nectar from flower buds; the Pink Pigeon, a
cousin of the Dodo, pulled back from the brink of
extinction; the Aldabran Giant Tortoise brought in
to replace the two species of Tortoises that lived
on the island and now extinct; the Telfair’s Skink,
an endangered species of reptiles; a cannon, a set
of old buildings and ruins, bearing witness of the
French and British presence on the island; a
breathtaking view on the Mahebourg bay from the top
of a restored generator house and if you’re lucky,
the Mauritius Kestrel, the only bird of prey of
Mauritius saved from extinction.
|
 |
|
|
|
Black River Gorges |
A visit to Mauritius, reveals to the wandering and
searching tourists that the nature tour of the
National Park comprises of awe inspiring vistas and
stunning horizons along with breathtakingly
beautiful waterfalls and the attendant hiking and
trekking opportunities in the rough and tumble of
the gorges and the mountainous intersections that
lie before the tourists in the National Park.
The Black River Gorge National Park of 6,574
hectares was created in 1994 to preserve the
remaining native forests in Mauritius. Visitors can
enjoy magnificent landscapes, with indigenous plants
and rare bird species. A trail leads from the Pétrin
information centre to an area of typical plant life
and to a conservation area. Eureka, an old Creole
residence built in 1830, is an essential place to
visit during your stay in Mauritius if you wish to
soak yourself in tropical sweetness. Eureka is
surrounded by waterfalls of the MokaRiver. A visit
to Eureka is a must to fully understand the charms
of Mauritius.
There are various trails within the park for all
standards of walker including a 7 km walk to
Maccabee Forest, or an excellent 15 km hike down
through the Gorges to Black River. From the road
across Plaine Champagne towards Charmarel there is
easy access to viewpoints at Alexandra Falls, over
Bel Ombre and over the stunning Black River Gorges.
Another (longer) trail leads up to the Piton de la
Petite Riviers Noire (Black River Peak) which is the
highest point on Mauritius at 828m. |
 |
|
|
|
Jardin Botanique de Pamplemousses |
Pamplemousses is a district of Mauritius in the
north of the island. The name of the district is
derived from the French word for grapefruits. Its
capital is Triolet. It hosts the SSR botanical
garden, or Jardin Botanique Sir Seewoosagur
Ramgoolam, renamed in 1988 in honor of the first
prime minister of Mauritius. The garden was first
constructed by Pierre Poivre in 1770. The area is 25
hectares.
The garden features spices, ebonies, sugar canes and
many more. It also features lotuses as well as 85
varieties of palms from Central America, Asia,
Africa and the islands around the Indian Ocean. The
gardens are known to naturalists throughout the
world for their countless species of indigenous and
exotic plants, including the giant Victorial Regia
water lilies, and the talipot palm, said to flower
once every sixty years and then die. |
 |
|
|
|
Tamarin Falls |
|
These falls are difficult to reach, but it's worth
the effort for a beautiful, deep, cool dip awaits
you at the bottom of the series of seven falls. The
falls are visible from the Vacoas side when
following the sign from Henrietta. The journey from
Curepipe or Quatre Bornes, take a bus to Henrietta,
then walk to Tamarind Falls. When traveling from
Tamarin turn right about 3Km north of Tamarin, at
the round about to Magenta and Yemen. A tarred,
bumpy road through cane fields leads to the Magenta
and Tamarind Falls turn-off. Continue through all
the 'Private Estate', 'Permit Needed' and
'Prohibited Entry' signs, down towards the power
station. The last leg of the journey is done by
walking along the river up to the falls, cars or
bikes should be left behind at this point. The path
is significantly overgrown and you must cross to the
other side and boulder-hop the last 300m along the
river bed to reach the top, those who preserve will
be splendidly rewarded! |
 |
|
|
|
Balaclava Ruins |
|
A few metres away from Baie aux Tortues, which 17th
century sailors named after the many tortoises in
the area, can be found the ruins of the old
Balaclava estate. Visitors will be able to see the
sea walls, whose initial foundations were laid down
by Mahé de Labourdonnais. The location of the ruins
now forms part of Maritim Hotel |
 |
|
|
|
The Triolet Shivala |
|
The longest village on the island, Triolet offers an
opportunity to visit the biggest Hindu temple, the
Maheswarnath, first built in 1819 in honour of the
Gods Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu, Muruga, Brahma and
Ganesha. The Labourdonnais Orchards - Discover a
large variety of tropical fruit trees, colourful and
perfumed exotic flowers. Trips on mountain bikes or
hiking are possible. |
 |
|
|
|
|
