This is Paradise…..Mauritius

Spending one week on the island of Mauritius has been an experience that I will never forget. Not only the stunning natural beauty of the island captured me. There is also the adventurous side of the island that I discovered together with a truly awesome group of friends. People ask me about the things to do in Mauritius. Well, here is my introduction to one week in Paradise: Mauritius!

Tell me about Mauritius!

When I told people back home I was about to visit a truly fascinating island called Mauritius they actually had to look it up in the atlas. Where to find Mauritius?

Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean, more than 2,000km from the East coast of Africa. The 70km long island lies in the middle of the ‘Deep Blue’, it’s really far away from everything! But that’s what makes this island so special from a flora, fauna and human perspective.

Because it’s such an isolated place you will find endemic species (flora and fauna) that you will not find anywhere else in the world. Many of these are threatened with extinction, but on Mauritius lots of initiatives have been taken to save these animals and plants. For the famous Dodo however it is too late…the bird disappeared in the 17th century. Surprisingly we did find one on a small coral island! But is it real??

Mauritius has stunning beaches but for people looking for more than beaches, the mountains in the middle of the island should definitely be explored. Some of the mountains have distinct features where locals call them Sleeping Woman, Sitting Gorilla or Thumbs Up. These mountains with their waterfalls, gorges and valleys offer the adventure seekers great opportunities: ziplining, mountain biking, canyoning, hiking, and more.

The island has also become a true cultural melting pot of different religions living peacefully next to each other. You will find Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and even a bit of Buddhism. All living together without any problems. As my local driver during that week so happily explained: “We are here on the island only for love and peace.”

Is Mauritius a destination for families? Absolutely! There is a big coral reef surrounding the island, breaking the waves coming in from the ocean. This means the water at the shore is calm and shallow (not to mention crystal clear!). You hardly need any travel vaccinations (there is no malaria on the island) and overall it is very safe on the island. Every resort has kids clubs or kids activities.

Sneak peek of a week in Paradise

In upcoming posts I will share how I experienced Mauritius. Below I will give you a sneak peek into what’s coming.
During the week my personal Solis driver Amesh drove me from one place to the other. He contributed greatly to my experience as he explained about the history of the island (and the influence of the early Dutch explorers back in 1598), local life, religions and so much more. I can already conclude that Mauritius left a deep impression. Cheers to one of the most amazing destinations!

Arriving in Mauritius

We flew with Air Mauritius direct from Paris CDG. Arriving at 6am we could watch the sunrise from the plane. The first rays of sunlight illuminated what soon would become our own little paradise: Mauritius. That was an exciting moment I can tell you!

Upon arrival we discovered a brand new airport terminal. The terminal at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport was in operation for only one week…you could almost smell the new carpet.

Rum and giant tortoises: things to do in Mauritius

Only a couple of hours after our arrival Adeline and I were at the local rum factory….what a way to start our stay! „Rum is the best medicine to many diseases and discomforts…no let me rephrase that: Rum is the best medicine to ALL diseases and discomforts!” Our host smiled, proud of his local distillery.

Together with Adeline we moved on to meet giant tortoises and crocodiles. The giant tortoises immediately captured our hearts; the older ones were at least 60 years old!

Crossing gorges

On the next day I went for a full day of zip lining in the mountains of Mauritius. Crossing deep gorges, swimming in canyons (the water was cold!!) and enjoying the overall view….what a day!

With Jerry and Melvin I hopped on a mountain bike the next day. We passed through places that offered us stunning views that you don’t normally see when you travel the island. Rough sea coasts, sugar cane fields, farmers, waterfalls and small villages….that upcoming post will show you a different side of the island.

Kayak and Catamaran

If that all was not enough Jerry, Meruschka and I went for sea kayaking in lagoons full of mangroves where we found us surrounded by only one colour: turquoise. The catamaran trip on our last day was an absolute highlight. Surrounded by all the members of our team we sailed to a small island called Île Plat (the flat island).

Crystal clear waters, stunning white beaches, rum cocktails, company of dear friends and the wind breeze cooling down our smiling faces…. As Mark Twain wrote: “You gather the idea that Mauritius was made first and then heaven, and that heaven was copied after Mauritius“. We looked at each other and could only fully agree: this is Paradise.

Picture courtesy of Caspar Diederik / Storytravelers

READ NOW: Mauritius: of Rum, Vanille, Tortoises and Le Telfair resort (and an unusual fisherman).

ALSO READ: Ziplining and mountain biking in Mauritius.

Note: this post was brought to you as a result of the #MyMauritius blog trip, created and managed by iambassador and AHRIM in association with the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority and Air Mauritius. Act of Traveling maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site.