Mauritius - A soothing and adventurous vacation in the middle of natural bliss!
Amidst all the crazy schedules in your busy workday life, our hearts often crave to run away and travel to the ends of this Earth. And if you follow us you know how energetic both Ravneet and I are and how much we love to try new things and places. For our trip, however, we wanted to visit a place that balances the best of both worlds, giving us something adventurous along with having a serene and calm vibe to unwind and relax. As we started exploring different itineraries, one thing was sure - we needed to satisfy our love for beaches. Amidst our search for ‘the spot’ - Mauritius seemed like the perfect vacation getaway for our much-needed break.
Visiting Mauritius is a travel experience that stays extremely close to our hearts as it was the first international destination we visited as a couple. Our time there was absolutely blissful right from the beaches and adventure sports to the immense warmth the people here welcomed us with. The best part? Mauritius has a completely free ‘Visa On Arrival’ policy for Indians with a validity of 60 days from the day of arrival.
Unwrapping memories from the Archives
We traveled to Mauritius in September which also happens to be the best time to travel in this part of East Africa as the weather is extremely pleasant and the average temperature is around 22°C. The sky is completely clear and the winds are soft and cool. We still remember the gorgeous sight from our plane where we could see the vast landscape of sugarcane fields just a few minutes before landing. That was one of the best views ever!
In case you didn’t know, Mauritius is popular for its sugarcane fields and most people here are involved in businesses related to sugarcane. Moreover, you will find a lot of Indians in Mauritius and interestingly they are all multi-lingual as Mauritius is majorly a french speaking island.
For our stay in North Mauritius, we booked one of the best properties called the Zilwa Attitude. Now, this was a whole different experience. For us, luxurious comfort is extremely important and our resort had facilities and aesthetics that went beyond our expectations. The space is massive with a private beach and spa along with an Indian restaurant called Tadka. Indian food is also available in the resort’s buffet food options so if you are a true desi like us, this is a straight 10!
Once you have checked in to your favorite property, it is time to dive straight into ticking off everything on your itinerary.
Exploring local streets and learning about the rich history.
The best way to get to know any place better is to explore the local markets. It is here that one gets to learn about the local people, their cultural preferences, the authentic food options and so much more. The markets here were probably the most aesthetic markets one can ever come across. Packed with so many rich, local products and souvenirs, the market is covered with umbrellas on the roof which makes it even more intriguing.
Next, Ravneet and I toured the Citadel Fort which also happens to be the oldest fort in Mauritius. Post that we also visited the Le Caudan Waterfront and the Red Church.
Living the beach life!
We were fully charged to enjoy the Ile Aux Cerf which is a beautiful island known for its water activities. And when I say we, I mean just me because Ravneet is super nervous around water and left me to explore these with another couple (teary-eye emoji). Anyway, this island is packed with multiple water activities including Snorkelling, Banana rides, Parasailing and so much more. I did underwater sea walking among many others. While snorkeling our guide also gave us fins to swim with, so that was a memorable experience.
Pro Tip - You need to carry your beachwear from India. You don’t get that on the beach so you better get it along. Plus, you will need a very strong sunscreen with nothing less than SPF 50. The sun is quite strong and there are high chances of getting a bad tan or even a sunburn.
Shopping areas and cultural significance.
Probably Ravneet’s most exciting day during the trip was the day we kept it a little light and easy and went out to explore the shopping options. We were amazed to see the floral showrooms along with the glamorous diamond showrooms along the streets. An interesting aspect of the locals in Mauritius is that wherever you go you will see a ship. For people here, the ship is sacred and it is believed that if you point the ship in the direction of your entrance you will be gifted with prosperity. So Ravneet and I collected one of these as a souvenir for ourselves too.
We also visited the Trou Aux Cerf aka the Dead volcano. One can see the breathtaking panoramic view of the actual lake and witness an amazing site of Port Louis. There is also a sacred place in Grand Baie which includes a Shiva temple full of fishes.
Slow walking through the Natural trail
After enjoying the relaxing views from the previous day, it was time to appreciate a natural tour with the Mauritius Volcanic Wonder. This included adventure activities like Zip Lining through the Nepalese Bridge which is a 500-meter-long plane that runs from the peak of the mountain all the way down to the ground level.
This place is also a natural park, so one can see many Tortoises and Peacocks here. It was here that we also got a chance to witness the 7 colored soil. This is a majestical natural phenomenon that is caused because of a chemical form of volcanic rocks.
A close encounter!
For our final day in North Mauritius, we decided to experience the Casela Nature Parks - one of the most glorious experiences here. One does not usually get a chance to come this often and that was an even bigger reason why both Ravneet and I were absolutely mesmerized by the beauty of this place. The park had many animals of different species and one of the kindest instructors who patiently guided us with everything. We also got a chance to walk and interact with the lions which was an exclusive paid activity. The fact that you are so close to them was absolutely amusing and intimidating but also equally warm.
Overall, vacationing on Mauritius island was a mix of all exciting combinations while - one of the most glorious experiences here. One does not usually get a chance to come this close to wildlife very often and that was an even bigger reason why both Ravneet and I were absolutely mesmerized by the beauty of this place. The park had many animals of different species and one of the kindest instructors who patiently guided us with everything. We also got a chance to walk and interact with the lions which was an exclusive paid activity. The fact that you are so close to them was absolutely amusing and intimidating but also equally warm.