Mauritius is majorly known for being a premier honeymoon destination, however, with its vast shorelines, abundant beaches, beautiful islands and forested areas, it would be a delight for anyone to visit.
Interesting Facts:
1. Arab sailors discovered this country back in 975 when it was called Dina Arobi. In 1598 the Dutch named it in honour of their stadholder, Prince Maurice Van Nassau.
2. Underwater volcanoes spewed out lava resulting in Mauritius as it is known today. Even in the present day the country is surrounded by streams, rivers and dormant volcanoes.
3. It has the highest ranking in Africa as per the UNDP’s Human Development Index (HDI). This is indicated in the 90% literacy rate and life expectancy of 75 years. Yay, Mauritius!
4. Indians are found in this country in huge numbers and no it isn’t simply because of migration in recent years. During the rule of the East India Company, sugarcane production prospered for which slaves were used. However, slavery was abolished in 1835, following which the Britishers brought hundreds of Indian workers to Mauritius whose descendants can be traced in the country presently.
5. It is the only African nation with Hinduism as the major religion.
6. Coming back to the slaves as they have to be credited for Sega – a major music and dance form practiced in the country involving drums and dancers in floral attires, is traced back to the years of the slaves who would indulge in this. Incidentally, today the Indian population’s influence is to the point that not only are Indian languages such as Bhojpuri widely spoken but even their music is popular here. A major band goes by the name of The Bhojpuri Boys!
7. A number of these slaves would actually escape and take refuge in a place that is today the icon for Mauritius tourism, Le Morne Brabant. The 18th and 19th centuries saw slaves taking refuge in this absolute stunning gem. Unfortunately, when soldiers reached here to actually inform the slaves about their liberation, a number of them jumped into these very waters to face death instead of returning to a life of slavery.
8. Today an award-winning island destination, do you wonder how it even came to gain such popularity? Mauritius was ruled by the Dutch, the British and the French. And it was a French novel by the name of “Paul Et Virginie” authored by Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre and published in 1788 which gained this name’s attention to the world community. The novel narrated the story of two childhood friends who fell in love under the French ruled Mauritius. I wonder if the author knew that he would be opening the gates to make so many more fall in love with this country?
9. The father of the nation for Mauritius is Seewoosagur Ramgoolam who holds status and respect akin to Mahatma Gandhi in India. He was instrumental to Mauritius’ freedom struggle.
10. The dodos were a species of bird widespread in this island country alone. But with the coming of human beings and the primates they brought along, the birds were extinct within a century unfortunately. Today, the Mauritius football team is named after the bird called the Dodos!
11. The pink pigeon is an endangered bird species that nearly faced extinction in the 1970s but today remains endemic to Mauritius and is rarely spotted.
12. Seven Sands Mauritius is a popular tourist destination which..well has sand shaded in seven different colours as the name states! When the basaltic lava is converted to clay minerals the sand takes the tinge of these 7 colours, red, blue, violet, purple, brown, green and yellow.
Author’s Recommendations:
Renowned writer Mark Twain said, “Mauritius was made first and then heaven, and heaven was copied after Mauritius.” Well, if that isn’t reason enough to go to this country!
1. Wildlife lovers have a chance of spotting the “world’s most extensive collection” of captive bred aldabra tortoises, as they say, in the La Vanille Nature Park. Meanwhile, if varieties of plant species also interest you then the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical garden has a wide range waiting to be seen by you.
2. And if leopards, tigers, zebras, elephants, etc. you wish to see, might I recommend the Cascavelle wildlife safaris. Get that open top jeep safari experience.
3. Drive at Baie Du Cap. Regarded as one of the best driving destinations in the world, the hairpin bend makes for quite the drive. Play some of your favourite music, prop up your feet, let the wind in your hair because this is the drive you definitely want to take!
4. We earlier mentioned UNESCO World Heritage Site Mont Le Morne Brabant. It is a breath-taking site to say the least. While excursions and tours may take you nearby a trek to the viewpoint will offer you incomparable views. You don’t want to skip this one!
5. Dear adventurous amigos, for your thrill of water sports and more the beach of La Cambuse beckons you for a fun filled day.
6. When in Mauritius you surely cannot get enough of the beach so visit the beaches of Flic En Flac, Trou Aux Biches and Riviere Des Galets.
7. For our history lovers to learn about the beautiful country that they are visiting the Blue Penny Museum has some artefacts and information to share. You could also head to the Balaclava ruins and Dutch ruins for a taste for that era experienced by this nation.
8. And of course, for those looking to do some snorkelling scuba diving, the crystal-clear waters and vibrant coral reefs and marine life of Blue Bay Marine Park await!
How to Reach:
Your journey to Mauritius will involve one or more layovers in Dubai, France or Seychelles.
For Visa:
For visa kindly refer to the following page on our website:
