Scuba diving in Mauritius

Category: Mauritius
Date published: July 2nd, 2009

Mauritius which is also known as the “star of the Indian ocean” is the most sought tourist destination. It is an island of in comparable beauty. The island is known for the safe beaches with mild tropical climate.

Mauritius Island is the home to coral reefs and a variety of marine life. The underwater world of Mauritius is teemed with plenty of colorful fishes. Mauritius is a natural wonder on earth. To watch the underwater world tourists should take up the scuba diving. It is indeed an enjoyable experience. Scuba diving has always been a favorite past time for the Mauritian tourists. Admiring the beauty of the vibrant coral reefs and swimming along with lovely fishes is a great experience.

Mauritius Island has attracted many scuba divers because it is quite safe with perfect climatic conditions. Divers from all over the world gather here because of the charming coral reefs and the warm and crystal clear water. It is place of elegance to the divers. There are sites meant for diving and they are very secure and have warm weather. Even the new divers are fascinated and excited to dive into the blue water of the island. diving in mauritius

Although Mauritius is the ever loving, all time favourite spot for scuba divers, months of summer are considered to be the apt time for this thrilling water sport. This is because the warm water in summer attracts several fishes and the divers can have a wonderful sight of them. The tourists can make their own choice of the dive site. Beginners can choose shallow water whereas the experienced can head into the deep waters for adventurous dives that include pinnacles, cliffs and reefs.

The most popular scuba diving site in Mauritius is the cathedral and it is on the western coast of Mauritius. All hotels and resorts provides with the facility of scuba diving. Even if the tourists do not know to dive, there are professional divers to instruct and guide them. Most of the tourists enjoy scuba diving in Mauritius owing to the colorful reefs and sea life. The aquatic life under the turquoise water of the Indian Ocean is a feast to the divers. The divers are enthralled with fun and amusement. The coral reef that surrounds the island invites the scuba divers to grapple with the sharks, turtles and eagle rays.

There are many diving spots along the north coast, south east coast and the east coast. Scuba diving is an interesting and cheerful way to explore the mysteries of the underwater world of Mauritius.


Shopping for clothing in Curepipe

Category: Mauritius, Shopping in Mauritius
Date published: April 9th, 2009

One of the “attraction” the Paradise island of Mauritius has to offer its visitors is shopping for clothes.
In the early 80s, in order to boost the local industries, the government offered many benefits and tax cuts to the textile industries, which with the years have become one of the pillars of the local economy.
As such, most of the local production is exported, but there are various factory shops and designer ones spread around the island, offering the latest designs in excellent quality as well as outlets of many world renowned brands.

Most of the shops concentrate around the city of Curepipe, in the center of the island.
Once there be sure to visit the Floreal Knitwear museum. While at the museum you can check out the neighboring stores where you might even find great bargains which you’d usually pay for several $$, for less then 10$.
In order to get Floreal you should take the bus from Vacoas or Curepipe central bus stations (not recommended for families or those afraid of getting a bit dirty – price = around 10 Rupees) or get a taxi which shouldn’t take you more then 5-8 minutes from any of those cities (the price for such a ride should be around 50 to 100 Rupees).

While in Curepipe, be sure to visit the Garden Village, which is a very nice and cozy commercial center with various tourist shops (souvenirs, clothing, ship models, café…).
If you prefer searching for bargains, we would suggest you get inside the city center and those local shopping centers where the price difference might be very significant. In Curepipe one should visit the Arcades Currimjee, Arcades Sallafa as well as the city’s main street ; the Royal Road.


Tamarin – Surfing in Mauritius

Category: Mauritius Beach, Mauritius Holiday
Date published: January 27th, 2009

Being a small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, often hit by cyclones, Mauritius is known by many as a surfer’s paradise island.

Tamarin, a small village just south of Flic en Flac, on the west coast, is one of the

only beaches in Mauritius where

the coral reefs don’t

protect the beach. Together with the close by river mouth, the entire bay of Tamarin becomes a perfect spot!

The availability and abundance of beach rentals close by have contributed to the village’s tourism success.

Walking around Tamarin’s main street and surrounding, will make you feel like you were an actor in a movie scene with surfers from all ages and horizons kicking back after a couple of waves and beers, next to the local surf shop or checking out the local tour operators for their next stop in these beach holidays.


Tips on choosing the right bungalow

Category: Bungalows in Mauritius, Mauritius, Mauritius Holiday
Date published: January 24th, 2009

How to choose the right Bungalow

So you’re planning on visiting the paradise island of Mauritius, but you don’t want to spend thousands of Dollars/Euros on accommodation. Here a few tips and ideas you should use in order to find the right bungalow among the thousands available around the island.

Location

Most of the bungalows available for rent around the island are situated within a 5 minutes’ walk from the beach. The ones located on the beach itself are generally rented on long term basis and are quite pricy.

Some bungalows are also available for rent a bit further away, but these would generally offer an extra service or larger accommodation…. To compensate for the distance.

Geographical location

One can find such accommodation possibilities all around the island with certain villages and regions offering a wider choice.

Traditionally, the favorite regions are the north (Grand Baie, Bain boeuf, Mon Choisy, Calodyne…) and the South West region also known as Black River district (Albion, Flic en Flac. Tamarin, Le Morne…). The northern part of the island has been the heart of the Mauritian tourism industry for the past 25 years. Grand Baie is the center of the northern tourism industry with several gourmet restaurants, Deluxe hotels, fashion boutiques, stunning bungalows and apartments for rent. The region is also one of the most interesting places as far as night life is concerned with several night clubs, pubs and bars.

The South Western part of the island has started seeing the tourism industry growing in the last couple of years. More and more luxury hotels have opened their doors and top level holiday apartment complexes are always being built while they avoid disturbing the local fauna and flora.

Smaller such vacation villages and complexes exist around the island but attract fewer crowds as they are considered to be “outside”.

Furniture and appliances

When checking your future bungalow or apartment, be sure to verify whether it contains basic holiday furniture (in Mauritius this basic furniture usually consist of a couple of beds, chairs and table, which are not ideal if you plan to stay with your family for more than a couple of days) or more comfortable furniture and household appliances (gas stove, refrigerator, tv, internet….). Be sure to ask for what would seem like obvious (blankets, pillows…).

Water

Coastal areas in Mauritius tend to have problems with water supply. It might be off for several hours every day. Be sure to check with the owner has a water tank installed with preferably a water pump to increase the pressure.

Where to find bungalows

Most large complexes operate their own websites and you can see their ads on different websites, where you can find their rates and availabilities. Another way of finding bungalows available for rent is searching Mauritian web portals and checking the classified ads. You might also want to check such website on the directory of Mauritian websites.


Visit the paradise island of Mauritius.

Category: Bungalows in Mauritius, Mauritius, Mauritius Beach, Mauritius Holiday
Date published: January 6th, 2009

island-of-mauritiusSometimes the process of choosing the ideal holiday destination could be almost as much a part of the vacation experience as the actual holiday. There are so many options around the world that it is really understandable. The anticipation and excitement created by the research and investigations of the tropical paradises on earth, only adds to the already existing exhilaration.
If dreaming of visiting a place that is rather unspoilt by the touristic madness, but still exposed to the rigors of tourists, then you should definitely consider visiting Mauritius, the paradise island of the Indian Ocean. As all nation islands of the east African coast, Mauritius is a small but idyllic hub of lush greenery, sandy beaches, coral reefs and lagoons, mountains and valleys. It is actually pretty impressive how such a small place can consist of such diverse scenery. It is said that if the ideal tropical island was to be built by men, Mauritius should be the template.
Mauritius Island is a patchwork of cultures and ethnicities; its population consists of Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Europeans and Creoles, although the vast proportion of Mauritians come from Indian origins.

This multi cultural background is something that is reflected both in the architecture but also in the local cuisine. Most hotels and bungalow complexes offer state of art services, while their decoration and interior design is a mixture of Western and exotic elements. Same with foods and flavours. Mouth watering tastes full of aromatic herbs will spice up your days and nights.

Mauritius is renowned for its white sandy beaches and the endless arrays of palm trees. It is said that every single beach has its own unique style but all of them are specifically ally carved to connect to the blue lagoons.

A trip to Mauritius will undoubtedly leave some sweet memories in your mind once you visit it.


Spending your holidays at the infamous Mauritius beaches.

Category: Bungalows in Mauritius, Mauritius, Mauritius Beach, Mauritius Holiday
Date published: December 30th, 2008

mauritius-beache-holidayJust by hearing the word Mauritius your mind immediately creates a charming picture of warm blue waters, endless sandy beaches amidst exotic scenery. Mauritius is indeed considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the world to visit, if you cherish paradise islands and beaches .It lays north of Tropic of Capricorn, off the east coast of Africa and boasts some of the most beautiful and lovely beaches. It’s actually a complex of islands consisting of a main island and three smaller ones, as well as 22 uninhabited islands. If looking for the most known and charming beaches of the islands, here are some good recommendations for you:

Flic en Flac Beach: It’s one of the longest beaches at the west coast. Its most distinctive characteristic is the Blue Lagoon, which makes this beach really impressive; thus, Flic en Flac Beach attracts numerous visitors and tourists daily and is considered the commercial and entertainment hub of the west side of the island.
Belle Mare Beach: The sea sports hot spot of the island: Hobie cat sailing, surfing, water skiing and an endless array of exciting water sports take place here. The deep lagoon adds to the beauty of the Belle Mare Beach and makes it extremely popular.
Le Morne Beach is mostly known for the coral reefs and forests, while the Baie du Tamarin is the beach stricken by High waves all year long. No wonder it is preferred by surfers and those who adore the more dramatic sceneries.
Mark Twain said, back in1896, referring to this island, that God first made Mauritius and then took some of the pieces to build heaven. What we can say is that he really didn’t exaggerate.


Renting a Bungalow in Mauritius

Category: Bungalows in Mauritius, Mauritius Beach, Mauritius Holiday
Date published: December 18th, 2008

bungalow-in-mauritiusMauritius is considered to be one of the most beautiful tropical islands of the Indian Ocean, just a little off Madagascar and thus, is one of the top travel destinations in the world, especially for Western travelers who wish to unwind by the lovely sea and gorgeous beaches. When talking about Mauritius then you actually refer to the endless golden sand beaches and the heavenly Mauritius bungalows that lay by the turquoise waters. This is why Mauritius is a top destination for honeymooners and many packages are created based on the needs and requirements of the newlyweds, or of all the couples that want to rediscover love on this island.

There are several privately owned bungalows and bungalow-complexes around the island, with the vast majority of them situated by the beautiful beaches. Some of the most well appointed bungalows are found at the most famous beaches and resort spots of the island:

Blue-Bay:
Pingouin Villas and Bungalows offer air-conditioned apartments which are located at a just 5 minutes walk from the Blue-Bay beach.

Flic-en-Flac:

Villa Le Gerbera features some really comfortable fully furnished bungalows at rather affordable prices in close proximity to the Flic en Flac’s sandy white beach.

Les Sables Roses bungalows complex.
This is a residential and commercial complex which is situated exactly opposite from the Flic-en-Flac beach. Nenuphars & Le Tamier boasts some of the most well appointed bungalows just 6 minutes leisurely walk from the beach.

Grand Gaube:

Brasse Residence is a new addition to the bungalow complexes of the island and consists of superposed bungalows amidst lush gardens and a sea water swimming pool. They are considered to be truly fabulous, blending harmoniously the western architecture with the exotic ambience.


Mauritius… a beach paradise!

Category: Mauritius, Mauritius Beach
Date published: November 12th, 2008

mauritius-beach1One of the most exotic beach destinations is Mauritius. Perhaps what makes these beaches so attractive is that they are so difficult to get to. Like gold, once you find it, you will have an experience not many people have gone through.

Mauritius is located north of the Tropic of Capricorn in the Indian Ocean. A few islands; a main island and three other islands, and about 22 largely uninhabited islands makes up this tropical paradise
Once a volcano and already extinct for some 100,000 years, you have peaks and rock strutting right down into the sea in Mauritius. And, as if icing on the wondrous landscape, a coral reef environs the islands.

Clear warm ocean water and endless white sea beaches, Mauritius fulfills a tropical dream. Its magnanimous lagoons stretched with fine white sand are the quintessence of paradise to those who want to enjoy the sea or just a enjoy in the sun. All around the paradise, large strips of open public beaches offer insurmountable relaxing moments during the week and great opportunities to mingle with the locals at weekends.
The North is famous for its water sports such as water skiing, windsurfing , sailing , deep sea fishing, and para sailing. In the evenings, with a view on the sunset, the trendy bars, restaurants and clubs buzz with life.
The East is wilder and less developed, offering a spectacle of nature. The white beaches of Palmar and Belle Mare stretch endlessly along the coast, fringed on one side by the shady green casuarinas trees and edged by the lagoon on the other.
The South East is known for its high cliffs which provide for a picturesque sight as you go round the southern tip of the island. Here the breaks in the reef allow the open sea to come right up to the land, crushing against the rocks creating a craggy and dramatic coastline.
Enjoy magnificent sunsets and deep sea fishing along the West coast. Surfers should head for Tamarind, which is the surf centre of Mauritius There, beginners can come to grip with the basics of surfing at the surf school.