Mauritius Uncovered

One of the most relaxing and invigorating activities that can be enjoyed in Mauritius is a catamaran cruise. A catamaran (originating from the Tamil word kattu maram!) is a big boat used mostly nowadays for recreational purposes. Catamaran cruises in Mauritius are rewarding activities where people sail onto the clear turquoise waters for a day while either sunbathing on the deck with a slight wind on the face or enjoying beautiful views of the ocean and the coasts of Mauritius. They can be arranged as part of an excursion package for tourists or locals can contact agencies involved in this business to organize the cruise.

Cruises are done on three coasts of Mauritius namely the north, east and west coasts whilst the south coast presents too strong currents for leisure sailing. From the northern part of the island, the journey is from a specific pickup point at Grand Bay or Pereybere (depending on the organizers) to sail onto the northern waters around Gabriel island, Flat island, Gunners’ Coin; lunch is usually served on one of the islets depending on the choice of the clients. On the east coast, the pickup point is at Trou d’eau douce, a journey which involves sailing onto the eastern waters up to Ile aux Cerfs for lunch. The pickup points on the western coast are at Tamarin, Riviere Noire or Le Morne; the cruise is about sailing onto the western waters with lunch on Ile aux Benitiers. All through the cruise, people can enjoy limitless drinks (alcoholic and non alcoholic) whilst the skippers inform the public about interesting sites along the way.

Prices may vary from agency to agency and from boat to boat but typically it is around Rs 1,500/person which includes a full day cruise, lunch (barbeques/salads/soft drinks/water/alcoholic drinks) on a nearby islet and loaning of snorkeling equipment. The cruise is ideal for all persons and of all ages such as families, friends, honeymooners etc; it starts early in the morning at around 9am up to 4-5pm in the afternoon. Packages can be tailor made based on the clients’ desires such as parties, weddings, sunset dinners, swim with dolphins (west coast) etc.

Cruises allow people to enjoy a nice day out sailing over the paradise waters, visiting far away islets around Mauritius, swimming in the warm waters, snorkeling and discovering the rich marine life. While some agencies offer only full day cruises, others offer overnight charters too (check out different agencies if you want to do this). The sailing time can be roughly about 2hours depending on the weather and speed of the boat during which you can lie lazily on the deck or hammocks on certain boats and sunbathe or just enjoy the ocean views before heading off to lunch.

Dolphins, being naturally graceful and intelligent mammals, are loved and admired by many people. Most of the time they can be observed in pools or from boats but Mauritius offers an exceptional chance to enjoy a splash with these creatures in their natural environment. Dolphins can be seen on the west coast of Mauritius, preferably at La Preneuse, Tamarin, Riviere Noire or Le Morne, but sightings can extend from the whole north to south coast of that part of Mauritius.

Numerous species of dolphins have been observed in the Mauritian waters such as the pacific bottlenose dolphin, pantropical dolphin and on rare occasions Fraser’s dolphin, rough toothed dolphin, hourglass dolphin, indo pacific humpback dolphin, long beaked common dolphin and Risso’s dolphin. However the two main species that can be commonly seen near the coasts and can be encountered during the journey are namely the bottleneck dolphin (dark grey in color with decreasing color on the undersides, about 2-4m long) and the spinner dolphin (dark grey with dark spots on the back, 1.5-2.5m long).

The best way to go for the dolphin swim is via speed boats which can get the anxious and excited visitors to the place in relatively a few moments but catamarans can also be chosen which tend to be slower and hence take more time to get to the spot where the mammals may no longer be present. Before the activity starts, skippers brief the visitors on the dolphins that will be seen (sometimes may not be seen depending on the weather, in that case a second trip is usually arranged but there is no money refund), safety measures and how to behave around them because even if humans are getting into the natural habitat of the mammals, it is done with all respect to nature following specific rules laid down for the dolphins’ benefits.

This activity is proposed by most of the hotels found in the regions where the mammals can be seen as part of an excursion package but very often people having speed boats also offer the service right on the beach where there are numerous people. The excursion package usually consists of a 2hr swim with the dolphins, lunch (barbeques, salads, alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks) on nearby Ile aux Benitiers where people can relax on the beach or swim or snorkel to enjoy the diversity of corals found in the waters there. The trip starts as early as possible so as to catch the dolphins like 8am/9am; a specific pickup point is arranged or transport to and from hotels for tourists can be organized.

Whether you would like to know how to get around Mauritius island by public transport or what are the must see places, just ask us and we’ll get back to you straight away. You can send us your questions in the following ways:

• On our Mauritius Q&A website (CleverDodo.mu) – this is our preferred method because we have an active mauritian community there and you’ll get a faster reply to your question there.
• On our facebook page (Mauritius Uncovered Facebook Fan Page)
• Using the comments form here
• Through our contact page

So no matter how trivial your question is, don’t hesitate to ask us and we’ll clear your doubts.

The beautiful haven that Mauritius is does not only call for lazy holidays on the beach under the blazing sun but also invites people from over the world to come and tie the knot by this wonderful scenery. In fact, Mauritius is one of the best 10 places for weddings and why not enjoy a nice honeymoon while you are there! A civil marriage is the union of two people recognised by a state as per the marriage laws. Three types of regimes are recognised in Mauritius: legal sharing of property and goods, legal separation of property and goods and legal write up of a marriage under a notary.

Mauritian to Mauritian marriages
The legal age of getting married is 18 years old but someone under 18 but above 16 can do so with the consent of the parents; in all cases two witnesses are required (with ID). The date of the proposed marriage must be published 10 days before the ceremony at the civil status office of the district takes place. Documents needed by the parties include originals of birth certificates, ID cards, previous marriage certificates (if applicable) and death (widow/widower) certificates (if applicable).

Mauritian to Foreigner marriages
For a marriage between a Mauritian and a foreigner, it is requested that the non Mauritian should have stayed on the island for at least 7 days before publication of the marriage date and after 10 days, the marriage can be celebrated; such a marriage is done only at the civil status office in Port Louis. Both parties need two witnesses, the same original documents as above, medical certificates and in addition to those, the foreigner needs an affidavit of good attendance from his/her country and an affidavit sworn before the registrar of Mauritius that he/she is in employment (plus one from the country of origin as well).

Non-Mauritian to non-Mauritian marriages
For non-Mauritian marriages, the parties must send copies of the above mentioned documents one month before the proposed marriage to the civil status office in Port Louis. The marriage can be celebrated one day after publication of the marriage date once the originals have been verified at the office.
Many hotels and agencies in Mauritius offer wedding packages in terms of the perfect location, clothes, decorations, bouquets (even witnesses if you don’t have them) and parties to make the big day a memorable one. Wherever and however you choose to say “I do” in Mauritius, the friendly and helping nature of the staff will make its best for you to feel right at home!

Mauritius offers a wonderful setting worth every hunter’s dream: plenty of livestock in a very natural and breathtaking surrounding. Hunting in the Mauritian’s forests takes the hunters down the history lane where the Dutch and Portuguese used to run around rifles in hand looking for their daily food. On the other hand this may just be an opportunity for a holiday maker to enjoy what he likes best away from home: hunting!

The most common game type and also the most coveted one is the java deer. This animal was introduced to Mauritius by the Dutch in the 1600′#s and successfully colonised the island later on. Unfortunately, the deer overpopulated and caused serious damage to the sensible flora of the island by trampling and browsing. Today, they have been removed from the remnants of native forests left where conservation programmes are held but are bred on private properties for the sport of hunting. Their numbers are strictly regulated and only the surpluses of herds are the objects of hunting.
Other animals commonly hunted are the wild boar, hare and guinea fowl (ground nesting bird).

While all these animals can be hunted all year round, the deer hunting period is during November to May. Numerous places such as Domaine du Chasseur offer hunting activities as well as accommodation. These places can be contacted directly and booked for the hunting sessions. Other areas offer packages such as transport from and to hotels, hunting and material rental as well as food. Taxidermy (making part of the dead animal into a trophy) is also feasible and then sent to the home land of the hunter. Hunting prices differ at the different hunting areas but they normally constitute of the number of animals killed as well as the type of animal killed (pig, stag etc).

All materials (rifles and ammunition) are available at the hunting domains; guides are present throughout the whole process to assist the persons in what they are doing. Mauritius offers a thrilling hunting experience: the hunter either gets to build on his adrenaline by stalking his prey and then attacking it or he can have hunting dogs sniff the odour of the prey and then launch after it. In either case, the hunter gets to enjoy to the max while following his prey in the beautiful forests!

The wonderful setting in which Mauritius is has without a doubt inspired many artists. Art is an expression of oneself, of giving vent to one’s inner feelings; this is exactly what Mauritian artists try to show in their work and this is also what has led to their successes. The works of Mauritian painters can be seen far away from Mauritius as in France, England and Germany. Famous Mauritian artists who have left their prints on the sands of time are Malcolm de Chazal, Xavier le Juge, Herve Masson, Gaetan de Rosnay to name a few.

The most common type of art is the fine art where people turn blank canvasses into paintings vibrant with colour and life with oil, acryl or water colour; styles include cubism, abstract, realism or expressionism. Themes are usually portraits, people, still life, land and seascapes, animals etc. Famous Mauritian artists are Philip Kerry, Harold Louis, Ismet Ganti, Tulsi Joymungul.

Other artefacts that can be seen on the island are sculptures. These objects are intricately made with care reflecting the artist’s vision of things. One of the most amazing sculptors is Pem who works with wood; he can be seen working on old wood at Le Caudan Waterfront and turning them into formidable totems just as you can imagine tribes own! Other objects worth looking at are the glass materials; dishes, lamps, bowls, vases, souvenirs, all beautifully made objects to attract clients and to share the knowledge of art.

There are many different art galleries on the island but The National Art Gallery of Mauritius is where most expositions (local and international) are held. One very interesting one is the Moulin du Casse found in the north of the island at Pereybere. It is an old restored sugar mill that contains relics of De Chazal’s works as well as photographs of Diane Henry (nature photographer). Another one worth a visit is the Partage gallery found at Flic en Flac; this former house has been turned into a beautifully painted art gallery and paintings are exposed in the different rooms thematically.

Mauritian art has gained much confidence over the years as artists turn to their vocation and believe in what they are doing. Many have left the island to study the arts abroad and thus made a life out of it in the respective country while others have returned back home to exhibit their works. Young artists can be seen at the big shopping malls (Caudan, Shoprite) exposing their works for sale or doing portraits of people at cheap prices just for the love of it. If you are an art amateur Mauritius will surely teach you a few things and its beauty will hopefully be the muse for some work!

Mauritius has a very interesting history of currency going through the Indian rupee, pound sterling, Mauritian dollar to the final Mauritian rupee (code MUR). Established by law in1876 and enforced legally in 1877, the Mauritian rupee became the means of currency of Mauritius because of the great number of Indian workers coming to the island during that time period; one Mauritian rupee was equal to one Indian rupee then. Interestingly, the Mauritian rupee was also the currency being used in Seychelles up to 1914 when it got replaced by the Seychellois rupee.

The Mauritian rupee can be divided into 100 cents. Because the island was owned by the British during that time period, all coins made then bore the portrait of Queen Elizabeth. But as of 1987, the portrait of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, the Prime Minister then, was engraved on all new coins. Mauritian coins consist of 1, 2, 5 copper cents, 10, 20, 50 silver cents as well as the 1 and 10 silver rupees; in 2007 the 20 rupee coin was introduced to celebrate the anniversary of the Bank of Mauritius. Commonly used coins are the 1, 5, 10 and 20 rupees while cents are very rarely used.

Money was being issued by the government itself since 1876 but the bank of Mauritius is now the responsible body for the manufacture of money on the island. The bank notes currently in use today are the 25, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 and 2000 rupee; each note is of a different colour and bears the figure of a famous Mauritian figure. Each note also bears special characteristics to discern it from a fake one such as the feel of the paper itself, the picture of a dodo under direct light, a security thread along the note reading ‘Bank of Mauritius’ amongst others.

Mauritian money is quite cheap compared to other currencies such as the pound or euro but the rate changes based on the international norms. Exchanges can be done at the local banks (HSBC, Barclays) or at private money exchangers. ATMs are located all over the island (hotels, restaurants, shopping malls) where money is readily available; usually the respective bank charges an additional fee for money retrieval outside the home range. Cards readily used are the MasterCard and Visa cards as well as the American Express and Diners Club. Cheques are also accepted in banks, hotels and some shops and are usually subject to an additional fee when changed in banks (though the rate varies from bank to bank).

Golf is an activity enjoyed by many people throughout the world. It consists of hitting a ball placed on an elevated ground with a club until it gets into a hole within the minimum number of strokes. In Mauritius this sport has become common over the last few years when the price of sugar dropped and sugarcane land was cleared; hotels thus bought off these lands to create golf courses. However this sport is quite expensive and therefore reserved almost exclusively for the tourists. The equipments themselves are very expensive going as far as £1000 for good quality equipment though China does provide for them at cheaper prices.

The golf courses normally have 9 or 18 holes. One of the most important elements of the fairway is the grass itself which is kept in good condition at all times and always taken care of. It usually takes about one hour to one hour and a half to finish with a 9 hole course while an 18 hole course can be finished in about 4 hours; this great time span allows business persons (who enjoy this game quite a lot) to discuss about their works while they walk about 7-8km here and there along the course without even realising it. It is a very relaxing sport that causes at least 90 muscles to work during one golfing session.

In Mauritius there are several 9 hole golf courses namely at the Maritim Hotel (Balaclava), Trou aux Biches (Triolet), Sofitel Imperial (Flic en Flac), Shandrani Hotel (Blue Bay), Le Coco Beach Hotel (Belle Mare), Le Telfair Golf and Spa Resort (Bel Ombre) and the Saint Geran Hotel (Poste de Flacq). 18 hole golf courses can be found at Belle Mare Plage Golf Club (Poste de Flacq), Paradis Hotel (Le Morne), Dinarobin Hotel Golf and Spa (Le Morne), Le Golf du Chateau – Heritage Golf and Spa Resort (Bel Ombre), Lemuria Championship Golf Course (Belle Mare), The Anahita Golf Course (Belle Mare).

There is one privately owned golf course in Vacoas where a Green Fee must be paid for access (18 hole course). The Tamarina Golf, Spa and Beach Club is a residential golf estate on the island providing golf and accommodation facilities. The golf courses are found in beautiful settings right next to white beaches or surrounded by hordes of coconut trees or even better is the golf course (18 hole) found on the islet of Ile aux Cerfs. These panoramic views make Mauritius one of the best destinations in the world to enjoy golf. Many hotels of the same group often share the same golf courses such as the Dinarobin and the Paradis hotels.

Caddies for travelling over the courses are available at all resorts though those under 16 are not allowed to drive them. The golf courses in Mauritius are open both to professionals and amateurs alike; golfing lessons can be arranged at the golf clubs. Golf is open to everyone but as in any other sport, the younger you start the better you get. The golf courses have been designed by well known golf lovers such as Gary Player, David Leadbetter to name a few.

Like in any other place, sports are of primordial importance in the life of Mauritians in terms of the health benefits that they provide as well as the role that they play in maintaining social peace. The Ministry of Youth and Sports is the responsible body for the promotion of sports on the island as well as providing all the necessary infrastructures. Though a small remote island, sportsmen and women in Mauritius have been to international games such as the Olympic games and one of the local, Bruno Julie, even got the bronze medal in boxing in 2008 (Beijing).

Physical education is crucial in Mauritius and it is a compulsory part of the educational system during the whole of secondary education. All secondary schools thus have facilities such as football and volleyball grounds for sports practice. The youngsters are thus made to enjoy sports as from an early age and they even go further as to represent the island in regional games. Amongst the sports practised in Mauritius are the common ones such as football, volleyball, badminton, boxing, athletics, swimming, handball, tennis, basketball, wrestling etc.

For tourists, Mauritius provides an excellent setting for land sports. What could be more exciting than trekking in the beautiful forests surrounded by nature and the call of birds! Or even better, lashing after your preys over hunting lands amongst the endemic trees rifles in hand! The experience of golfing in Mauritius is indeed an unforgettable one given the natural surroundings of white beaches and blue waters. For horse lovers, the sugarcane fields, green meadows and sandy beaches provide a wonderful platform to enjoy your strolls.

No one can deny the fact that water sports in Mauritius is one of a kind; it is next to impossible to refuse the call of the sea while sojourning on the island. A broad spectrum of these sports are available on the island ranging from free swimming, diving, snorkelling, scuba diving to underwater walks, kayaking, catamaran sailing, parasailing, kite surfing, water ski. They can be practised either individually or as part of a hotel package.

Most common sports worldwide can be practised on the island; the choice is up to you. While some of them may depend on current weather conditions such as golfing others can be practised at all times. So even if you are far away from home, rest assured that you will not miss on your usual sport on the island!

Found in the inter tropical belt, Mauritius has a pleasant weather almost all year long. It can be described as dry at about 23.7˚C making it ideal for tourist to enjoy the sea water all the time. The uplands are usually cooler than the coastal plains while the west coast remains the driest part of the island. Temperatures drop at night making it better to sleep while the days can be quite hot and thus a little uncomfortable for sightseeing in the busy cities but great for tanning and swimming.

There are two main seasons: summer (from November to May) and winter (June to October). Being an island found near the tropics, the summers are not so hot (though temperatures can peak at certain times) because of the constant blow of the South East Trade Winds over the island and the winters are not so cold as the island is situated where the sun is directly located. Summer temperatures can range from 20˚C to 28˚C on the highlands and 25˚C to 33˚C on the coasts; winters usually have temperatures of 16˚C on the central plateau and 22˚C on the coasts.

During the summer months, at least one cyclone with wind gusts exceeding 120km/h hits the island (usually about four cyclones arise in this part of the equator during the summer times) and is usually characterised by heavy downpour and rough sea. Mauritius however has its own system of cyclone detection and mitigation measures given that it has evolved in such an area and has thus to be prepared in case of extreme cyclones (such as Hollanda); so there is no need to be afraid if the island is hit by a cyclone during your stay as Mauritius has had numerous dealings with them.
The winter in Mauritius is characterised by low bearable temperatures but with cold winds. It does not snow on the island given its position in the Indian Ocean but from time to time during the very cold periods on the upper parts, hail does fall though in small quantities. The temperatures tend to drop even lower at nights during the winter months though heaters are very rare to be used in Mauritius.

The amount of rainfall received per year is about 2100mm but can range from 4350mm on the highlands to 750mm on the coastal plains. Tides are diurnal ranging in height from 0.5 m to 1.3 m. Sunrise and sunsets differ during the different seasons; in summer sunrise is at 5am to 6am and sunset is at 7pm; in winter sunrise is at 6.30-7am while sunset is at 6pm. All weather broadcasts are available from the Mauritius Meteorological Services which is the responsible body for the prediction of weather conditions on the island.