Mauritius is an undiscovered paradise.
Many regional tourists usually focus on going to Seychelles, Zanzibar and South Africa for their holidays. But there is a beautiful destination that usually is not on the radar, Mauritius. It has pristine beaches, beautiful landscapes, crystal-blue lagoons and a rich cultural heritage. This is an ideal destination for weddings or honeymoons.
It is a very good destination for families as there are lots of activities for children. There are many family friendly hotels which cater for children, having kids clubs to keep children entertained. Four seasons Mauritius has a Hobbit village where kids can play, dance, bake, fish, cook and make kites.
The capital of Mauritius is the Por Loowee. Some of the cultural attractions include the Natural History Museum, the Blue Penny Museum, and the Signal Mountain where you can see the city at sunset.
Here are some of the activities you can do in Mauritius.
Mauritius Leisure Village Water Park
There is only one water park in Mauritius and is a great place to take out the family. Some of the attractions include the big wave pool, water cannons, inner tube rides, waterfalls, lily pads, and shallow splash areas. The park also has a food court where you can get some great food.
Water sports.
There is something for everybody. There is windsurfing, kite surfing, kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling and sailing. Check out Water sports in Mauritius to see the fun things you can do.
Enjoy nature
Mauritius is home to two UNESCO heritage sites. One of them Le Morne Brabant is a mountain. If you are a nature lover you can visit the Pamplemousses which is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world. It boasts some amazing tropical fauna and a pond of giant Amazon lilies. You can also visit the La Vallee des Couleurs Reserve which has some mountains, valleys, craters, plateaus, and crater-lakes. One of the highlights is the 23 Coloured Earth.
Adventure activities (also good for Families)
Families can enjoy zip lining (with older children), mountain biking, horseback riding, buggy rides. For those who love quad biking then they can also have some fun doing this.
Mauritius shopping (great for shopping holidays)
The island has been a duty-free shopping haven since 2010 so there are many great shopping options. You can go on a shopping holiday at The Caudan Waterfront (comes highly recommended), Malls in Port Louis, Central Market in Port Louis, Rose Hill, Vacoas, Quartre Bornes Market for textiles and clothing and Flacq.
You can get some great Cashmere garments at very good prices and the linen is of superior quality.
Golf
Mauritius has one of the best golf courses in the world. The four seasons golf course is a 18 hole golf course and covers 64 acres of land. It has a scenic view of the ocean, and winds along lagoons and sugarcane fields. So if you love to golf then you must experience this golf club. You can also take a golfing holiday there.
Food sampling
Mauritius is a blend of cultures so you can get a variety of cuisines from different countries and regions. There is Indian, Asian, Creole and African cuisine which are often blended to create some great dishes. The seafood is great so you have something to look forward to.
Vallée des Couleurs Cascades (Waterfalls)
There are four wonderful waterfalls that one should visit. The park offers a great panoramic view of the south coast. This is a great place to experience nature as there is a deer park, greenhouses, trees, ponds, and the 23 colour earth.
Visit the Mauritius Aquarium
Grand Baie is the main tourist destination on the island. There is the Aquarium where one can feed fish and look at sharks. The aquarium is home to over 200 species of fish, live coral and sponges, and invertebrates. The newly designed architecture of the aquarium shows off what the aquarium has to offer to a better degree. There is a touch pool where children can have direct contact with some of the fish in the aquarium. There are very many beaches around to enjoy. This is also a great place to shop and enjoy some entertainment.
L’Aventure du Sucre
There is an interactive museum which does rum tasting and also has a great restaurant.
Domaine de L’Étoile
This is an eco-playground where you can quad biking, horse riding and mountain biking. You can also get guided treks. There is a children’s village where they can go karting and zip lining.
The Curious Corner of Chamarel
Curious Corner is a house of optical illusions, which are fun to experience, there is a mirror maze, an Ames room, an upside down room, and a laser music room.
Eureka
Check out the French colonial mansion once owned by the island’s biggest sugar baron. It has 109 doors and a complete wrap around balcony. It also has a beautiful garden and a swimming hole beneath a waterfall.
Casela Nature & Leisure Park
This park has rare birds, walking with lions in the wild, and you will be able to see zebra and ostriches. They have also transplanted elephants, hippopotamus and giraffes which you will be able to see on mini safari bus. You can also zip line on the longest zip line in the Indian Ocean, go quad biking, look at deer or go segwaying.
Les Vanille Reserve des Mascareignes
Check out the animal breeding park which is a great place to take children. There is also an insectarium and fossil museum. The children also have a jungle playground to play on and the Hungry Crocodile restaurant.
Black River Gorges National Park
Check out the Frederica Nature Reserve which is an eco-adventure park. You can take a hike to the waterfall or go quad biking.
Speaking of beautiful places, Beautiful Seychelles – Why you should visit!
