Gastronomy

So many different landscapes to enjoy

The island seduces by its beauty but also by its diversity! Almost entirely surrounded by a splendid barrier of coral,
it also includes a vast central plateau and impressive reliefs. This plateau, which rises to almost 600 meters above sea level, is punctuated by enchanting rivers and waterfalls. On the edge, three mountain ranges stand out, testifying to the volcanic origin of the island, and three peaks: the Piton de la Rivière Noire (828 m), the Pieter Both (823 m) and Le Pouce (812 m). Nature lovers will prefer the heart of the island, with its lush forests, where wild ferns and orchids abound, and where many species of rare birds live. On the vegetation side, the island is full of vacoas, casuarinas, giant banians, flamboyants and very decorative anthurium! To the south, hikers will recognize the tambalacoque, with its characteristic silver trunk. Here, the days stretch lasciviously under a radiant sun from 5h30 to 19h, to be able to enjoy nature and sea of course!

Stunning sites

In addition to the Morne Brabant classified World Heritage of Unesco, the island has exceptional sites both by their magnificence as their history. They are unavoidable and will participate in the magic of a successful stay. For starters, the Pamplemousses Garden is a great botanical experience, the most famous of which is the giant water lilies. At the foot of Ory Mountain, the Eureka House is a former colonial building set in beautiful gardens, where you can enjoy specialties at lunchtime. The lands of Chamarel are a real curiosity of the south-west of the island, sculpted by erosion, and offering thanks to the presence of minerals in the ground, colors blue, green, red and yellow, flaming in the sun! The Ile au Phare, located in the Bay of Mahébourg, is also called the Fouquet Island. The old lighthouse that sits at its center dates back several centuries. It separates on one side the peaceful waters of the lagoon and on the other the tumultuous waves of the Indian Ocean. A striking sight!

Outdoor recreations

Due to this idyllic setting, Mauritius is a fantastic playground for sports activities and leisure, such as abseiling, cycling, hiking or horseback riding, climbing, quad, golf, photo safaris, canyoning or the wild bivouac. Beautiful walks are offered to contemplatives ... The Black River Park, to the southwest, has in fact marked trails that descend from the plateau of Plaine Champagne to the deep Gorges of the Black River or the native forests of Macchabee and Bel Ombre. The summits of the island, including the Piton de la Rivière Noire, are accessible from the park. A little further north, the Tamarin Falls make it possible to combine walking and swimming at the foot of one of the seven waterfalls of the island. Near Port-Louis, the ascent of Le Pouce is ideal for beginners. To the east, wonderful areas also offer a cultural and didactic approach to this unique Mauritian environment!

Paradise beaches

With 330 km of coastline, the Mauritian coastline offers a fantastic setting! It is home to some 600 species of multicolored fish. Swimming with dolphins in Tamarin Bay or Morne Brabant is so cool! The lagoon is a paradise for water sports. Kayak, windsurfing, kite surfing, diving, deep-sea fishing, sailing, underwater excursions make everyone happy! As for the idleness, it is practiced on the beaches of white sand, in confidential bays and on the islands. Because Mauritius also has many small islands that can be discovered for a day by catamaran, sailing boat or traditional dugout: The Coin de Mire, Flat Island, Islet Gabriel, the Ile Bernache, Amber Island, Île aux Bénitiers, Ile aux Cerfs and Ile de l'Est.

A tasty mixed cuisine

The Mauritian cuisine is a mix of Indian, Creole and Chinese cuisine. The first offers curry saffron yellow sauce, samosas with meat or vegetables, dholl puri, chili cakes vindaye fish or ourites. The second, "rougaille" of meat or fish and salad of fresh palm kernel. The third, fried "mine", shrimp fritters and chop suey. All of them of course cook fishes. Smoked marlin, lobster, crab and giant crayfish are very popular in Mauritius! In the plate are also invited vegetables and fruits unknown in other latitudes, such as the "chouchou" or cristophine, the lalo in the form of pepper, the longans very similar to the lychee and the soursops.

Mauritius and its history

Located in the district of Port Louis, Aapravasi Ghat is a 1640 m2 museum about the diaspora of the so-called "engaged" workers. In 1834, the British government chose Mauritius to use free workers rather than slaves. Between 1834 and 1920, almost 1.5 million of these contract workers arrived from India, at Aapravasi Ghat, to work on the sugar plantations of the island or to transit to join Australia, Southern and Eastern Africa and the Caribbean. The buildings of Aapravasi Ghat attest to what would become a global economic system and one of the largest migratory waves in history.

MyMauritius app

MyMauritius is a mobile application which references the essential services and products around a common digital platform. Very intuitive, it offers informations about the destination with headings such as: "First visit to Mauritius", "Our culture and heritage", "Activities", "Accommodations", "What to see and do", and even an interactive map. The application were designed and developed by the Tourist Office of Mauritius, in collaboration with Hospitality Plus Ltd is available for free on Google Play (http://bit.ly/2cdx31z) and Apple Store (http: // apple .co / 2cAQrYt). It is compatible with all smartphones and tablets.