AAPRAVASI GHAT: The tidy collection of simple buildings by the sunny seashore on a bright blue Mauritian morning belies the history it encapsulates silently. Situated by the Bay of Trou Fanfaron in the bustling capital of Port Louis, the Aapravasi Ghat is the immigration depot to which half a million people indentured as labour from India, eastern Africa, Madagascar, China and Southeast Asia landed after weeks of sail­ing in the most horrific conditions. They were to be part of the infamous ‘Great Experiment’ to supply labour to the island’s fecund sugar estates. A visit here is a powerful reminder of the resilience and multicultural diversity that survived a troubling history to become modern day Mauritius (aapravasighat.org).
THE BLUE PENNY MUSEUM: This carefully curated repository of Mauritian art and history makes for a delightful excursion. Beginning with the great maritime explorations of the Indian Ocean, visitors are taken through the three colonial periods that mark the extraordinary history of Mauritius which, by all ac­counts, should not have warranted such devoted invaders given its location in the middle of thousands of miles of water. The Port Louis of the 18th and 19th cen­turies comes alive in another exhibit, as does the country’s thoughtfully explained philatelic history. A visit to their souvenir shop is worth more than browse—look out for ship models, lithographs, sketch­books, reproductions of engravings, and high quality postcards presented in thematic series (bluepennymuseum.com)
GET ROMANTIC IN MAURITIUS: Mauritius isn’t one of the world’s favou­rite wedding and honeymooning destina­tions without reason—it’s marvellously well-connected, you don’t necessarily have to burn a hole in your wallet to find accommodation here, the vibrantly multi-cultural setting allows couples to meld easily into the flow of things without any intrusive vibe, hotels have in-house wedding planners, and there’s plenty of leisurely shopping and relaxed fine din­ing to be enjoyed. There’s nothing more romantic than cosying up by an azure sea with miles of pristine white sand at some of the fantabulous Mauritian beaches, and then returning to one of the many ‘adults only’ resorts (kids not allowed)—just pick from a host of tempting packages designed for romancing couples.
WONDERFUL WATERSPORTS: Sure, you can go snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing, deep sea fishing, parasailing over the ocean, or just swimming—Mauritius can make you keep going back for more for all of that. To add to that thrilling list is a bunch of unique experiences (and op­erators provide excellent high-resolution photographs of the memory afterward). Outfits like solarunderseawalk.com and underseawalkmauritius.com offer the expe­rience even to folk who aren’t fish in water—and you will be climbing a ladder down into the deep blue from a pontoon diving platform in the middle of the ocean. Huge visors, oxygen lines and professional divers are alongside for com­pany and soon the aquatic treasures of the crystal clear water will create some of the most unforgettable images you will ever recall seeing. A dry way to enjoy the same visuals would be to get into a submarine, sit by a porthole and hear the captain’s very interesting monologue on the mesmerising world outside your window (blue-safari.com). Sea karting is quite an­other level of fun, including getting into the unforgettably turquoise water with life jackets on for a spot of swimming in the high seas, if you wish.
SCRUMPTIOUS STREET FOOD: A tropical island blessed with lush vegeta­tion (read loads of fresh and colourful fruits and vegetables), a bountiful sea providing everything that’s needed for the ultimate supply of the best seafood, and a variable history that brings Indian, French, Creole, African and Chinese influences—no wonder Mauritian street food is one of the high points of a visit here. You have to try the dholl and chana puri or the roti chaud (puris/fritters/rotis filled with curried yellow split-peas/but­ter bean curry and served with ‘atchars’ or the all-purpose mazavaroo paste (it’s green comes from green chillies); small pineapples dusted with sea salt and chilli flakes; and freshly squeezed sugarcane juice, without sampling which you simply cannot leave Mauritius!
DRIVE BY THE SOUTHERN COAST: Possibly because islands don’t exactly conjure images of long winding drives, most people are surprised to discover that Mauritius is a great destination for beauti­ful drives. Driving is, in fact, one of the best ways to discover this slumbering paradise of mountainous landscapes, isolated coves, black rocks and windy beaches. The main island of Mauritius adds up to about 1,800 square kilometres and it’s ringed by nearly a hundred miles of sandy beaches and pris­tine lagoons, which are protected by the world’s third largest coral reef. Do be sure to take the coastal road, all the way down to the southernmost tip of Gris Gris.
THE SEVEN-COLOURED EARTH OF CHAMAREL: Back in the 1960s, when tourism to Mauritius was just picking up, visitors could clamber up the surreal seven-colour earth (or the terres des sept couleurs) of Chamarel. The geological wonder features a compact area of sand dunes in seven distinct colours—they are striped so startlingly because sand settles in layers (not even torrential rains have caused their mixing or erosion over the centuries). The spectrum of colours could have been caused by the cooling of molten volcanic rock at different external temperatures but it’s not clear how they separated thus. The Chamarel sands and waterfalls nearby have grown to be a subject of great curios­ity for tourists. Just enjoy the magic!
RHUMERIE DE CHAMAREL: Mauritius is rightfully proud of its tradi­tions in creating some of the world’s finest rums and one of the best ways to discover them is to take a tour of the beautifully kept Rhumerie de Chamarel. Driving up to the expansive distillery feels more like an invi­tation to an older way of life. This sophis­ticated rummery cultivates its own sugar­cane, and copper and cork gleam spotlessly everywhere. Aged single barrel rums vie for attention with vanilla and spices-in­fused specialties, and their double distilled rum is a rare signature product. Their L’Alchimiste restaurant offers atmospheric fine dining out of produce grown on the estate (rhumeriedechamarel.com)
THE BEST BEACHES: Now, this is a tough one, it really is! First and most important, whereas most island holiday paradises give over their finest beaches to very expensive private resorts, Mauritius keeps its best beaches public. Grand Baei makes for a lively start—it’s great for water sport activities, people watching and foodie options. Trou aux Biches is loved by all for its powdery white sand, and shallow and mild water (splen­did snorkelling to be had here). Ile aux Cerfs is part of an island dedicated to watersports—very touristy but also loads of fun, reached by a merry boat ride. Belle Mare Plage, Le Morne, Blue Bay and Gris Gris are also among the finest stretches of beaches anywhere in the world—go, see for yourself!
LAND OF THE DODO: Considering that it’s an extinct bird, the dodo is everywhere in Mauritius. The adorable visage of a slightly bewildered bird under a head of what appears to be a judge’s wig is to be found all over the island, from key chains in every corner souvenir shop to exquisitely crafted pewter collectibles at boutique outlets. In fact, the last dodo was seen back in 1683, after the species was decimated by waves of human hunters, natural catastrophes, and as other species stole eggs from nests they built. It’s widely accepted that the dodo died due to its gullibility. Meanwhile, there are plenty of affectionate souvenirs to remind us of what we shouldn’t have lost.