Mauritius Travel Guide
We travelled to Mauritius for our babymoon and had the time of our lives. Since it was the last trip before our baby joined our bubble, we wanted an epic location that was zika-free. My Mauritius travel guide covers the 7 days we spent in this island country travelling slowly from North to South.
I would always recommend researching any country you are visiting; it helps when you have your own itinerary and add or remove as you go along. Spontaneity is definitely very welcome when travelling Mauritius especially as the weather is not predictable at all. One minute it is pouring rain and the other, sunshine on blast. Therefore, it is important to be ready for plans to change at any minute.
Related Post: Travelling while Pregnant
Mauritius Travel Guide - About Mauritius
Mauritius in on the Indian Ocean and is known for its stunning rainforests, reefs, beaches and lagoons. It is in East Africa, off the coast of the southeast coast. Mauritius is the country to visit for hikes in the National Park, spotting wildlife and visiting botanical gardens.
The climate is tropical and has 2 seasons – humid summer from November to May and cooler temperature from June to October. It rains whenever and this was something we experienced; however never for long. English and French are widely spoken in Mauritius and there is Mauritian Creole, which is the typical mother tongue of all Mauritians. Most Mauritians will speak all 3 and switch whenever they feel necessary. The economy currently thrives on tourism and some agriculture. Although, our driver explained that they have competition from a few countries in both industries.
Mauritius’ international airport is Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. It is named after Mauritius’ 1st Prime Minister who is recognised as the nation’s founding father.
One thing I absolutely loved about Mauritius was how they have managed to preserve their history. Everywhere you went, there was evidence of their colonial history.
This was also the first time I was noticing that a country was child-friendly. I remember seeing a few children on the flight and wondered what was so enchanting about Mauritius for them. I soon realised that there were a lot of nature and recreational parks for kids to play and run around. One cannot forget the beautiful gardens and wild life centres, which are fun for kids.
Mauritius Travel Guide - Where to stay in Mauritius
We stayed in Ambre Mauritius which is an adults only resort geared towards couples honeymooning or celebrating anniversaries. Ambre Mauritius is part of Sunlife group of hotels. It was a last minute booking and choices were limited. However, I was particular about picking a seafront room with a terrace and Ambre was the perfect choice. The property sat on the beach and our room opened up to a mini patio leading to the beachfront.
There were lots of onsite activities, which was perfect for Mr E since I was heavily pregnant. On the other hand, there were a lot of chill and serene areas to relax and read my book. This hotel was booked as a part of the British Airways Holiday package, which was fantastic.
We booked it in the New Year sale and got a 30% off discount. I was reminded of how wonderful the BA holiday packages are.
Ambre Mauritius gave everything it was supposed to give. It had a lovely ambiance, the most wonderful staff, yummy food and lots of mocktails. Ambre had my heart.
Mauritius Travel Guide - Getting around Mauritius
When staying in an all-inclusive resort, it is very easy to lounge all day. However on this trip, I was determined to see Mauritius and I did. Since I was pregnant, we opted to get a driver who acted as a guide to take us around. Our guide driver, Sandirn was from Summer Times, a local company in Quatre Bonnes. We hired him for 2 days – 1 day to the south and the next to the north. This was the best decision we made and we were able to explore so much. Our experience was tailored to suit our requirements and with a knowledgeable guide, we had the best time.
It just made it easier to get around and see everything we wished to see. Something worth mentioning is to wait until you are in Mauritius to book any sort of experience. There are so many things to see, places to go and activities to do. A local guide is helpful in navigating your itinerary.
We used the resort’s taxi service a few times as well for a routine hospital visit and a trip to the fruits market.
Mauritius Travel Guide - What to do in Mauritius
North of Mauritius
We started our tour de Mauritius exploring the North. Our hotel was located in the east, coastal area. Therefore, Sandirn advised it would be lovely to start from there and work our way south in the next few days.
Here are the places we visited in the North of Mauritius.
1. A sugarcane plantation
Sugarcane was introduced by the Dutch in 1639 and used to be the main export from Mauritius. However, sugar is no longer as popular an export as it used to be. Thankfully, rum, which is a by-product of sugarcane, has remained popular. As you drive through Mauritius, you’ll see acres and acres of plantations. If interested, there are a lot of guided tours.
2. Marie, reine de la paix
The Catholic girl in me did a little dance. I was excited to visit this garden dedicated to Mary, which overlooks the city. We had such a peaceful moment here and took some photos. It was the first place we visited and the perfect start to our trip.
3. Pamplemousses Botanical Garden
The botanical garden is also known as Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden and is one of the most popular attractions in Mauritius. It is home to the most incredible variety of tropical plants. The most special thing is that most of these plants are indigenous. There is a gorgeous lily pond and a good number of palm trees dotted around the garden. Possibly one of the most romantic botanical gardens we have visited. It was both serene and scenic; we spent over an hour just walking and taking it all in.
4. Champ de Mars
We found out that the 2nd biggest horse racing track in the world is in Mauritius. It is only 2nd to the UK’s Ascot and located in Port Louis. This is one fact I did not know until our guide told us. For someone who absolutely loves going to Ascot every summer, I thought it was quite special to see the racecourse that comes in 2nd place.
5. Mauritius’ Financial District
This is where ALL the banks and “important” financial buildings are located. From the Treasury house to the Prime Minister’s office and well-manicured gardens, this side of town is quite stunning.
6. Hindu Temple – Madurai Mariamman Temple Society
This was the most beautiful temple we saw in Mauritius. It was not a part of our itinerary but we saw it as we drove past and just had to stop. The statues were super glorious and the colours were glistening against the blue skies. It would have been lovely to go in but it was closed for the day. We just stood outside the gates and got as much of a glimpse as was possible.
7. Cap Malheaureux
This is a very important part of the country. Aside from the fact that a beautiful catholic church sits just on its beach, it was where the British docked in 1810 to take over Mauritius. Today, it is a pretty, little fishing village with locals chilling around. I was excited to dip my feet in the water to cool off and watch the tiny fishes swim.
8. The Port Louis seafront
Le Caudan waterfront is the prettiest street in Mauritius. We got there quite late in the afternoon. However it was a public holiday so I guess that’s why it was empty. Usually it is an outdoor market space filled with shoppers and people going about their day.
On the waterfront, there is a cute promenade for walks. We walked and people watched – lovers giggling, friends chattering and kids running around. It is a really cute area.
South of Mauritius
After we had a feel of the North, we decided to head south next. The plan was to compare both sides at the end of our trip.
Here are the places we visited in the South of Mauritius.
1. Trou aux Cerfs
This spectacular site is the volcano that built Mauritius about 10 million years ago. It has been inactive for about 65,000 years but you can see it from a viewpoint in all its glory. I stood there imagining the force that would have made it blow out to create a full country. Nature is something else.
2. Chamarel Seven Colored Earth Geopark and Waterfall
This colourful wonder is simply mesmerising to see. The strip of earth has a rainbow coloured hue and what makes it special is that it is natural. It has not been painted by a sneaky person in the night but is a unique geological wonder. The geopark has been classed as one of nature’s most spectacular creations.
After viewing the geopark, we visited the tortoise park and saw a few of them basking in the sun. They really move so slowly and watching them does feel like watching paint dry LOL. Next stop was Chamarel Waterfall, which was not as impressive as usual. Our guide wished we could return the day after as he was sure that the rainfall would make the waterfall come more alive by the next day. That was something we learnt; the more rain, the better the waterfall!
3. Le Domaine des Aubineaux
One noticeable thing in Mauritius is the presence of colonial houses dotted all around the island. We were keen to visit one that still retained its looks and our guide took us south to Le Domain des Aubineaux in Curepipe. It was built in 1872 and has now been converted into a museum. After checking the house out, we strolled around its stunning gardens, Le Parc floral des Aubineaux. To end our visit, we stopped at its souvenir shop and picked up some Mauritian tea and rum.
4. Ganga Talao – Shiva Hindu Temple
Almost half the population of Mauritius is Hindu. We visited the sacred lake and witnessed a meditation ceremony, which was intimate and beautiful. It was our first time visiting a Hindu temple and the serenity in this side of the south is unmatched.
5. Black River Gorges National Park
This is the largest protected forest in Mauritius. It is very popular with hikes and has the most impressive viewpoints if hiking is not for you. Our guide excitedly told us that it is home to the rare pink pigeon, which was in danger of being extinct. He thinks there is a possibility of it making a comeback and the bird watchers had been studying its population.
Mauritius Travel Guide - Beach day at Ile Aux Cerfs, Mauritius
For one last pow wow, we went to ile aux cerfs for a beach day.
We already had a lovely sea front room, which led directly to the beach, but I wanted a more special date. You see, most beaches in Mauritius are public. Even if your hotel is fancy AF, there is a possibility that a good portion of its beach is public. I did find some that had completely private beaches but these were way out of our budget. Our hotel being on a public beach was not a big deal at all. I noticed that there was still a lot of privacy and security with our resort’s section of the beach.
Our concierge at Ambre Mauritius booked us a 15 minutes taxi to the dock. From there, we hopped on a 15 minutes boat ride and soon we docked on the most beautiful green space ever seen. A golf cart was waiting to take us to the beach and as we enjoyed the ride, we took in the spectacular views of this place.
The sun was shining, the beach was practically empty and it was just so peaceful. We spent most of the afternoon there. I read my book while Mr E caught up on his sports news. We had our chats, played in the water and made sandcastles. There is also a restaurant and bar on the beach; so you can spend the day there without worrying about food and drinks.
It was just another perfect day in the African sunshine.
Mauritius Travel Guide - Where to eat in Mauritius
Our stay in Mauritius was all-inclusive with the resort so we had most of our meals within. The main thing I had a lot was seafood. Being in Mauritius, where fishing villages were plentiful, I knew I was going to enjoy my fish and I did. Since we had 2 long days out of the hotel, we ended up eating lunch in the town and enjoyed both.
We told our driver we wanted to go to only local restaurants; and he delivered.
Restaurant Chez “N” Chamarel
We found this restaurant on our way out of Chamarel and loved it. As usual, we ordered a few different seafood dishes and had a chat with the owner who was really lovely.
Restaurant L’Océan
It is in Pamplemousses, just a few minutes drive from the botanical garden. It is local, family owned, super affordable, the seafood was fresh and tasty. The family who owned it is very kind. Mr E had some Phoenix beer as well, which is THE beer to drink if you are ever in Mauritius.
Mauritius Travel Guide – My Thoughts
Mauritius gave us everything we asked from it and left no crumbs. It will always be the trip I remember as the last one of us two before our baby joined us. Just as I always speak fondly of St Lucia as our honeymoon destination, Mauritius has now joined that hall of fame.
For more on Pregnancy Travel – Travelling While Pregnant
It can be tricky picking the perfect babymoon location and I was quite worried to travel far being pregnant. However, it worked out in the end and I am glad that part of Africa enchanted us and lured us all the way. Even though we stayed in an all-inclusive resort, we were out most days. I did not want to feel like I had missed any part of Mauritius. By day 7, I felt like we had seen a good amount of what the country had to offer.
Bisous, Bugo x
3 Comments
Zoe
Fabulous read!
I’m thinking of travelling with my little one. Are prices for things expensive while out there?
Are there Western options for food as she can be a little picky.
Thanks
Mary Watt
Super random but I came across your blog googling for babymoon tips! I am also heading to Mauritius for mine and I will be 26 weeks when I get there (and bang on 28 weeks when I leave to return to the U.K.). I am slightly worried about travelling so late, after hearing a recent horror story about one of my friends going into labour early whilst in Spain! I want to earmark some hospitals / clinics in case I need to be seen. Did you find any good ones?
Bugo
Hey Mary, congratulations! We were recommended Clinique Darné in Curepipe and really enjoyed the service there. I went on a random day just to check my baby’s heartbeat (no scare at all but thought to familiarise myself with the hospital) and it was a really lovely experience. 28 weeks is fine tbh, I was around 28 weeks when I left Mauritius too. Good luck with the remainder of your pregnancy 🙂 x
I have some travelling while pregnant tips if you fancy more info https://lifewithbugo.com/travelling-while-pregnant/