Mauritius Uncovered

One of the best ways to visit the island is by helicopter where an exceptional view of the island is offered: patches of green sugarcane fields, meandering rivers, rocky mountains, white beaches and turquoise lagoons. Everything that you see on TV becomes a reality through a helicopter tour of the island. It is without a doubt one of the best memories you will have once you get into the air at 500m altitude and cruise the island.

Actually Mauritius does not possess many helicopters given that there is no real military service; there are 4 Chetak and 1 Fenrec used for helping in police works and the Dhruv helicopter for rescuing purposes that can fly quite some distance offshore. Air Mauritius, the company that hires the helicopters, has 3 Bell Jet Ranger helicopters (helicopters which were created initially for the US Army but were rejected; they were then redesigned successfully for commercial uses!) for touring the island. The helicopters are modern looking with the white and red colour of the Air Mauritius logo, about 3m in height, 12 m long, with two blades, one pilot cabin and 4 passenger seats; they can move at a rate of 6.9m/s with a maximum speed of 224km/h going up to an altitude of 693km.

Air Mauritius proposes different helicopter activities. They include sightseeing tours where the beautiful scenery of the island is unleashed before your eyes (craters of volcanoes, descending waterfalls and top view of coral reefs); pick up can be made either from the airport or from your hotel. Airport pick up for tours lasting 15minutes are £211, £311 for 30 minutes, £488 for 45 minutes and £577 for an hour. Hotel pick up or from other areas with helipad facilities are at £266 for 15 minutes, £377 for 30minutes, £555 for 45 minutes and £711 for an hour.

Other services are namely direct pick up from the airport to your hotel or vice versa (at £445), flying off to the wonderful golf courses on the island in no time at all (at £1067) and enjoying an hour tour of the island to be dropped off at one of the restaurants with helicopter pads for a two hour lunch (£1333 excluding lunch receipt). The helicopters can also be hired for photo and filming sessions for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes and an hour for £666, £933, £1111 and £1377 respectively.

All fares are for couples; additional fees must be paid for each new passenger. All pilots are thoroughly trained as per the ‘global standards’ guidelines. They also act as tour guides giving tips about the important areas being flown over all the while keeping the passengers safe and secure. The helicopter tour is quite an enjoyable business given that Air Mauritius receives more than 10,000 passengers per year!

Mauritius is a beautiful place and one of the best means of sightseeing is via excursions that are offered by many travel agencies. Usually there is a fixed pick up and drop off point whereby the excursions can start as early as 9am and finish as at 5.30pm. The price ranges from agency to agency (minimum of £25/person) as well as the number of persons per excursions (usually minimum of 4/persons). Excursions can be broadly categorised into land activities which comprise of visits to breathtaking places on the island; water activities involving numerous water sports and visits to the beautiful underwater world and aerial tours of the island via helicopters.

Inland tours comprise visits to the different parts of the island such as the north, south, east, west and central plateau. Common places to visit in the North are Grand Bay and its shopping malls, the world renowned Pamplemousses garden with all its rare plants, the orchards of Labourdonnais and the Sugar Adventure.

In the South, wonderful scenes unfold such as the Gris Gris cliffs with the breathtaking views of the crashing waves, the Vanille Crocodile Park, La Nef Museum and the Rault Biscuiterie (where cassava biscuits are made from a family based recipe) and the Naval museum of Grand Port, the tea factory and the beautiful Rochester falls.
On the Western part of the island where the temperature is quite dry, salt pans are one of the most amazing views not to miss; other attractions include the Chamarel coloured earth, the Casela Nature Park where safaris can be organised. It is also the best place to observe dolphins and whales from boats that reach up to their whereabouts or swim with these adorable creatures.

On the East coast of the island, the weather is more windy but beautiful beaches can be seen; the water park is located there as well as the balaclava ruins, the Domaine du Chasseur and other nature parks where hunting is allowed. Further away at sea is the Ile Aux Cerfs which is ideal for basking in the sun and swimming; it also has a luxurious golf course.
On the Central Plateau, dormant volcanoes can be seen as the Trou aux Cerfs, Trou Kanaka; the sacred lake of Grand Bassin attracts a lot of people because of the lake itself and the spiritual feeling that emanates from it; a patch of the pristine Mauritian forest is located in the National Park where endemic trees can be observed and endemic birds such as the Pink Pigeon reside.

Alternatively the capital Port Louis can be visited in one day: the visit include the huge shopping mall of Caudan, the little hill of the Citadelle, the Mary Queen of Peace Park that overlooks the entire city and a number of worship places of different religions (Mosque, Mandir, Kovil, Church etc).

One of the best excursions in Mauritius is definitely the sea cruises: catamaran cruises can be done in the North which includes visits to the Ilot Gabriel and Flat Island. If you want to explore the rich marine life you can go for underwater walks, unique in the Indian Ocean, submarine safari or the subscooter submarine stroll. For fish lovers, deep sea fishing is unique and you are almost certain to hook on a marlin!

Where to stay is the most important question when you are planning your holidays anywhere. Mauritius being naturally beautiful, almost anywhere is great to stay at depending on your particular taste. Since the touristic sector is one of the major pillars of the economy of the island, quite a number of places are available for people to stay at. Surveys have shown that tourists stay at four main places during their visits: hotels (82%), bungalows (6%), boarding houses (4%) or over at their friends’ or families’ (8%).

Hotels
A lot of the hotels in Mauritius are found on the coasts of the island so as to offer wonderful views of the white beaches and turquoise waters. They range from cheap ones that offer the basic services to very expensive ones that include all facilities such as spas and golf courses. From the north to the south of the island, a large variety of hotels can be booked (usually many hotels offer discounts for online bookings) with differing settings all suited to your tastes. Amongst the most common hotels in Mauritius are Le Saint Geran hotel, Le Touessrok, The Indian Resort, The Hilton Resort and Spa, The Anahita etc. They offer exquisite service and the staff are all very welcoming.

Bungalows
Bungalows are usually available at better deals and are also scattered all over the island. They are not as grandiose as hotels but are modern looking, fully equipped and found in nice settings with private pools (most of them) and are quite comfortable for those who like their privacy. They can be booked for either individual uses or can be co-habited with other people.

Boarding houses
Boarding or guest houses are easily available and easily accessible over the island. Found in nice places with beautiful settings, they are usually at the best deals and can even offer services such as breakfast, dinner and room cleaning.

Friends and families
One of the best ways to enjoy your stay in Mauritius with the minimum expense in accommodation is to drop by a friend or family. Many tourists enjoy staying at their peers where they can enjoy their company and also save up on accommodation!

The horse is an animal that is loved and admired by many people. One of the great activities that you can indulge yourself in while in Mauritius is horse riding. This is a superb opportunity to enjoy a ride on the beautiful beaches of the island or parade through the lush greeneries. All horses are imported (South Africa, Zimbabwe) and are fully trained to make them lovely creatures fully attuned to human presence. They are usually of the thoroughbred family known best for their agility and speed.

The horses used for commercial horse riding are those that have retired from racing (one of the main entertainment on the island is the horse race held at Champ de Mars every Saturday). In this way these animals are given a second chance to live a peaceful life where they are pampered without being entirely cut off from the human world. They are doted upon in their new homes as compared to the rough routine of previous training with the aim of winning the races.

Many of the hotels now offer horse riding activities to the delight of many horse lovers on holidays. Many stables for this purpose are also found on the coast where the beaches offer beautiful settings for riding. It is becoming a common business now to find people offering horse rides along many of the beaches on the island without the need to go to a stable.

The trails that the horses cover are for most of the time tailor made. You can choose where you want to ride your horse but generally beautiful trails have been thought of: along the beaches with the sun on your face and the horse trotting in the water, through lush green sugarcane fields, along cliffs overlooking the ocean with the waves crashing in or in the yards of farms where the stables are located.

It is recommended to wear comfortable clothes and shoes for the strolls and riding hats are compulsory for the safety of the rider. All equipments are thoroughly checked and the horses are kept healthy to be adorable creatures to hang out with. However, most stables require that riding bookings are made beforehand. Other services that some stables offer are birthday hunts, housing your horse in the stables, training sessions as well as gift vouchers. Beginners, experienced people and children are welcome just the same!

Being surrounded by turquoise water full of rich marine life, the underwater sea walk is a wonderful experience for all those visiting the island. This is the chance to form part of the ocean and experience something unique. It does not matter if you cannot swim, dive or snorkel, the walk is a perfectly safe experience for everyone (children as from 7 years old) where you get to walk on the seabed and interact with living creatures that you normally see in aquariums.
Undersea walking can be done in the north of the island at Grand Baie. It is usually done in groups of 6 and can even extend to 16 people. This is indeed a walk worth remembering and as such a DVD of pictures can be obtained for about 45 Euros while the walk itself is for about 25 Euros. A speed boat carries passengers from the beach up to a moor in the middle of the lagoon. The people are briefed on safety procedures and underwater communication methods and then equipped with a clear plastic bubble that rests onto the shoulders. Because it is an air tight vessel, the head is kept dry which makes it easy to wear glasses or contact lenses.

It is recommended to wear swimming outfit for the stroll as only the head will remain dry. Other equipments for the walk such as under water shoes and wetsuits are offered by the crew. The persons then start to descend into the water to the sea floor via a ladder attached to the moor. Guides are present throughout the whole journey. Oxygen is pumped from the boat to the helmet so that the person can breathe normally while underwater.

The walk is a 20-25 minutes’ business where you get to admire the panoramic colourful view of the Indian Ocean at a depth of about 3 metres. In fact Mauritius is one of the few places of the world offering under water walk and the sole destination in the Indian Ocean to do it. This is the perfect chance to witness marine life in its natural environment: beautiful coral reefs, clown fishes, angel fishes, soldier fishes, eels, sea turtles all swarming around your head. If you want to attract a shoal of fishes just hand out some bread and it will disappear in no time at all!

Parasailing (also known as paradescending) is an activity where a person is attached to a special parachute and towed by a boat in open waters. It has become a common activity worldwide but the plus that Mauritius offers is that the person gets a bird’s view of the marvellous lagoons with the wind in his/her hair while the sandy white beaches and lush mountains fly by. It is a sport offered by numerous hotels on the island and can be easily accessed without pre booking. The price is £ 20 per person for a 15minutes’ ride.

A parasail is a huge parachute of vibrant colours that attracts attention from miles around when a person is parasailing. Though this activity has existed for near 30 years, it is now that it is becoming a common recreational business. The rider is attached by a harness to a parachute (which is connected to the boat by a rope) while crew people spread out the parachute around him/her. The boat then starts to move while at the same time pulling on the tow rope which is about 300 feet thus stretching it. The rider resists the pull until a certain speed is reached until he/she is suddenly pulled into the air.The altitude can go up to 200 feet depending on the length of the tow rope.

The rider is also equipped with a life vest and safety shoes to soar high above the beautiful waters. There are two options for parasailing. The first one is the normal parasailing where the person gets to fly above and simply enjoy the view and the second one involves dunking into the ocean for a fresh dive before being reeled back onto the boat.
When the trip comes to an end, the boat reduces its speed gradually while the rider flies down into the water or onto the boat. Parasailing can be done either individually or in couples on the same parachute and if the boat is strong enough, up to three people can be pulled. This is an activity for everyone as of the age of 6. Parasailing can be done at several places in Mauritius such as Blue Bay, Flic en Flac and Grand Baie.

Deep sea fishing in Mauritius is an unforgettable experience: calm blue waters, constant sunshine and a rich marine life, everything is there to make an angler happy! In fact, Mauritius holds many world records of different fish species caught in its waters such as the Yellow Tuna of 96 kg and the Blue Marlin of 650 kg. At about one kilometre offshore, the seabed is around 70 metres deep; this is where many deep living creatures thrive and where anglers’ patience is rewarded.

Amongst the deep sea fishes found in the Mauritian waters are namely the Blue Marlin (average weight of 160 kg), the Black Marlin (a great fighter of about 181 kg), the Striped Marlin (quite rare, about 113 kg), the Sailfish (uncommon, record of 65 kg), the Yellow Fin Tuna (good fighter, less than 91 kg), the Dog Tooth Tuny (biggest fished is 104 kg), the Skipjack Tuny (record fishes found in Mauritian waters, about 19 kg), the Wahoo (average weight of 20 kg), the Dorado (average weight of 23 kg), the Mako Shark (dangerous fish, record weight of 506 kg), the Hammerhead Shark (record of 314 kg), the Blue Shark (rare, record of 181 kg) and the Tiger Shark (good fighter, 552 kg).

Deep sea fishing can be practiced at several locations over the island though the most common areas are in the North at Trou aux Biches and at Le Morne in the South. Deep sea fishing trips can be pre booked by the hotels themselves as part of a package or you can just walk to one of the many deep sea fishing clubs and book for a boat; they are available for half a day (7am to 1pm) or a full day (7am to 4pm). Usually a max number of 6 persons are allowed per boat with two cruise people and no more than three anglers. The boats are high powered machines with built in showers and toilets, galley, canopy and sun deck, first aid kits, life jackets, cooling chests, shore to land radios as well as basic fishing equipments of Penn International reels, Fenwick rods and lures. Material rental is included in the total boat rental fee which can range from £ 260 to £ 700 depending on the size of the boat and the length of the journey (half day or full day).

The boats are usually equipped with bottled water, beer or soft drinks but lunches or any other foodstuff remain at the discretion of the parties. Though fishing can be done all year round, from November to April is the best time to hook on the Blue Marlins. One of the most yearned events for many anglers is the World Cup Tournament held annually in Mauritius. Whether you are a professional angler or just enjoy a rod and reel, you will not be disappointed with your fishing trip.

For those who want to experience paradise on earth, Mauritius is the perfect destination for them. Located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is a tropical island with soft white sand, turquoise lagoons and a warm climate. Although many people think that a holiday to Mauritius will cost thousands of pounds, that’s not necessarily true. Of course if you want to indulge in the finest service and all the luxuries that the country can offer, then you will have to pay a premium but if you want to enjoy a rather simple but pleasant vacation, you will not need to break the bank as all inclusive Mauritius holidays are the way to go.

With an all inclusive holiday, you will get your 3 meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) in the hotel you’ll be staying at along with your flights. This is the perfect way for you to budget your holiday to Mauritius. You don’t have to worry about eating out, otherwise you will have to go outside the hotel and look for a place to eat and that can sometimes be a difficult task because although many people understand English, the preferred language is French/Creole. It is usually best to have everything sorted out for you when you’re on holiday rather than having the hassle of organising everything yourself.

So now that your flights (return tickets), accommodation (hotel) and meals have been taken care of with the all inclusive Mauritius holiday package, it leaves you with the task of planning what you’d like to do there. There are many excursions to choose from – you can leave the main island to go explore another tiny island called Ile aux Cerfs or visit Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth or Rochester Falls. If you want something more challenging, then you can obviously go for parasailing, quad biking or under water walking. That’s completely upto you!

You can find out the prices of excursions beforehand so that you can plan ahead. The local currency in Mauritius is the mauritian rupee (Rs) and it’s usually 50:1 which means that for every pound (£) that you have, you’ll get Rs50. Since the pound is way stronger than the rupee, you’re bound to get more for your money.

A Mauritius All Inclusive package is a cheap way to travel to this beautiful island. It gives you the opportunity to relax without having to worry about your food/place of stay and to enjoy your vacation to the fullest without spending a lot of money. There are some amazing deals all year round and you’ll regret if you don’t book one now.