Thinking about a perfect holiday destination? Looking out for a serene, romantic and calm place to spend your vacation? Or are you interested in a energy filled, high activity destination? For every requirement, Mauritius is the answer!
Mauritius welcomes the young and the old, the lousy and the energetic, the cool and the hot, the fancy and the classy- all varieties of people with its plethora of options that cater to the needs of all.
A mesmerizing land that welcomes you with a long drive along the roads that bisect the sugarcane fields during your journey from the airport to your resort. Your eyes can see sugarcane fields everywhere. And as you drive along those calm country roads, the sound of the leaves rattling and the cool breeze soothe you after a 6 hour journey by flight.
We had Maldives and Mauritius as our option but chose Mauritius over Maldives since we saw more activity in the package offered to us by makemytrip.com. It was a 6 night- 7day package: a wholesome one!
We chose Movenpick resorts to stay since the landscaping of the resort looked nothing but fabulous to us in the pictures on their official website. We were more than happy about our decision after experiencing the warm hospitality and luxurious comforts offered to us.
A warm smile, humble manager, welcoming receptionist, a glass of sparkling drink, a comfortable couch at the lobby- all of these gave us a ecstatic welcome. We were floored! Then came our tour planner who discussed with us the itinerary for the following days and gave us a hand out which described the tour options with the price list along with it.
The package had guided tours for us on 3 days and 3 other days were paid tours. The package was a value for money since it covered accommodation, 5 star breakfast + dinner on all days and 3 day tours.
My suggestion of "Must see-Must do" activities in Mauritius:
Must do activities:
-Snorkelling (available in the resort)
-Kayaking (available in the resort)
-Canoeing(available in the resort)
-Undersea walk (paid activity)
-BlueSafari Submarine (paid activity)
-Parasailing (paid activity)
-Banana boat ride (paid activity)
-A sensuous massage at the spa (a complimentary one. You also have others which are offered at a fair price)
-Sega dance : Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays , the resort gets people who perform this dance during dinner time. It is a lovely experience since those folks teach you some steps and involve you with them to dance. Let go of your inhibitions and just merry there!
Must see places in Mauritius:
- Ile Aux Cerfs, which is an emerald lagoon on the east coast: This is where we get to do all the water activities like speed boat ride, para sailing, banana boat ride, Undersea walk.
-North Island: on which you will visit the capital city - Port Louis, Place d' Arms with its French colonial buildings and the exotic Caudan Waterfront.
-South Island: on which you will visit the Trou aux Cerfs - the crater of an extinct volcano, Grand Bassin - a natural lake at the base of volcanic crater and a pilgrimage place for Hindus (a temple with Lord Shiva, Krishna, Mahaveer, Kali, Ganesha), and Chamarel (Coloured Earth) - with its vibrant hues and waterfalls.
-The ship modelling factory on the island which showcases step-by-step process of how a ship is made. You can buy some of the spectacular ship models here- for yourself or for your loved ones as souvenir.
-ADamas diamond gallery- Exhibits a variety of diamonds and has showcases that show the diamond processing steps. You can also buy diamond jewelery here- a trusted store.
Apart from all of these activities, a candle light dinner,a bottle of sparkling wine and a basket of fruits were offered to us as a complimentary gift.
What i cannot forget is the scintillating live music at the candle light dinner, the lonely walk along the beech, endless talk as we sat by the beech at late nights and the loads of shopping we did for our folks from there.
Overall, Mauritius was like a paradise with its attractive activities , impeccable nature, and wonderful people.
Quick tips:
Languages spoken: Gujrati, Hindi, Tamil, Creole, Chinese, French
Currency: Rupee (1.5 INR = 1 Mauritian Rupee)
Religion: Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhism
Capital:Port Louis
National Bird: Dodo (an extinct bird) - a must souvenir. available in variety of materials like sand stone, metal, wood.
