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Mauritius Photo: Myroslava Bozhko/Shutterstock.Com the Island of Mauritius Lies About 2,000 Kilometres Off the Southeast Coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean

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Mauritius Photo: Myroslava Bozhko/Shutterstock.Com the Island of Mauritius Lies About 2,000 Kilometres Off the Southeast Coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean Mauritius Photo: Myroslava Bozhko/Shutterstock.com The island of Mauritius lies about 2,000 kilometres off the southeast coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. As part of the Republic of Mauritius, which also includes the nearby island of Rodrigues as well as the outer islands Agaléga and St. Brandon, Mauritius has a long history of colonial conquests, disputed by the Netherlands, France and Great Britain. Having gained independence in 1968, the Republic of Mauritius retains its colourful diversity to-date, remaining multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multicultural and multilingual, giving shape to a very own, unique environment. Myroslava Bozhko/Shutterstock.com Top 5 Grand Bay The area around Grand Bay (=Grand Baie) was the first one to develop mass to... Pereybère Only a few kilometres away from Grand Bay, Pereybère attracts with its manif... Grand Bassin leoks/Shutterstock.com The Grand Bassin, Ganga Talao, is a crater lake in a secluded mountain area ... Île aux Cerfs This small and privately owned island in the east of Mauritius is a little s... Flic en Flac Located along Flic en Flac to the south of Port Louis, this beach stretches ... Phuong D. Nguyen Updated 28 March 2019 Destination: Mauritius Publishing date: 2019-03-28 THE ISLAND island. DO & SEE Myroslava Bozhko/Shutterstock.com The island of Mauritius is the main island of the ohrim/Shutterstock.com nation of Mauritius, located in the southwest of the Indian Ocean, and right between Rodrigues Sights and adventures of Mauritius are as to the east and the French island of Réunion to numerous and diverse as its natural treasures, the west. While the islands are divided into nine and they are all spread around the whole island, dierent districts, the capital Port Louis – a from the very North with its beautiful beaches to district in itself – is both the main industrial hub the very South, known for terric landscapes as well as a touristic hot spot. with clis and mountains – and while the East is adorned with emerald-coloured lagoons and Since gaining independence, Mauritius' politics authentic villages, the West undoubtedly have been inuenced greatly by those of the captivates with its stunning nature parks and its Westminster parliament of Great Britain as the great winds for water sport of all kinds. nation's last colonial master, and thus ranks Grand Bay highly for democracy, economic and political freedoms compared to many other African The area around Grand countries. While the island retained two Bay (=Grand Baie) was languages forged during colonisation, French the rst one to develop and English, an indigenous Mauritian Creole mass tourism, and up to emerged as a blend of the colonial languages, as this very day, it still well as African and South Asian languages remains the centre of brought to and spoken on the island. tourist attraction. The small town in the North is bustling with locals and tourists alike, as it Much like its population and culture, the island's boasts many leisure activities and charming endemic ora and fauna, which is best known for boutiques, as well as a vibrant nightlife and – of the ightless bird breed called dodo, is course – the famous beach La Cuvette. beautifully diverse and colourful. However, being Photo: Quality Master/Shutterstock.com in acute danger of extinction, many of the Address: Grand Baie, Mauritius landscapes were turned into national parks subject to strict rules of nature protection, in order to maintain the beauty of this unique Destination: Mauritius Publishing date: 2019-03-28 Pereybère incredible beaches, restaurants, a plethora of Only a few kilometres leisure activities and also a world-famous golf away from Grand Bay, course. Pereybère attracts with its manifold culture and Photo: Quality Master/Shutterstock.com its lively bar and Address: Île aux Cerfs, Mauritius Internet: www.ileauxcerfsleisureisland.com restaurant scene, and it is also considered by many to have the island's best Flic en Flac beach. The area is well equipped to Located along Flic en accommodate a host of tourists, as a long list of Flac to the south of Port hotels and resorts as well as countless sports and Louis, this beach leisure activities are to be enjoyed at this stretches for almost 8 paradisaical, palm-fringed seaside. kilometres, and boasts a coral reef that forms a Photo: Quality Master/Shutterstock.com Address: Pereybère, Mauritius beautiful lagoon with crystalline water. The whole village is quite developed, with 5-star Grand Bassin hotels, restaurants and all the facilities and The Grand Bassin, Ganga services you can expect from a major tourist Talao, is a crater lake in a destination. secluded mountain area in the heart of Mauritius. Photo: wsf-s/Shutterstock.com Address: Flic en Flac, Mauritius Visited by many pilgrims during the festival Maha Sugar Museum Shivaratri, it is of religious importance for the Housed inside an old Hindu faith in God Shiva, and since 2007, Shiva sugar factory, this small itself towers over the impressive lake, pictured museum oers a glimpse as a giant statue as another goddess, Durga, of the island's history, does since 2017. and its sugar cultivation in particular. While Photo: NadyaEugene/Shutterstock.com Address: Grand Bassin, Mauritius learning more about how plantations shaped Mauritian industry and society in the colonial Île aux Cerfs era, you will also discover how people lived and This small and privately worked back in the day. owned island in the east of Mauritius is a little Photo: Pack-Shot/Shutterstock.com Address: Beau Plan, Pamplemousses, Mauritius slice of heaven, and it is Opening hours: Daily 9am-5pm easily accessible by boat. Phone: +230 243 790 0 Even though its name Internet: www.aventuredusucre.com/en translates as "deer island", it is no longer Email: [email protected] More Info: Guided tours free of charge are scheduled inhabited by the animals, but rather contains Mon-Thu at 10:30am an 2:30pm and Fri at 2:30pm. Destination: Mauritius Publishing date: 2019-03-28 Île aux Aigrettes Le Morne Brabant Île aux Aigrettes is an The basaltic mountain at island in the Southeast of the peninsula Le Morne Mauritius, and although it Brabant in the southwest is quite small, it is home of Mauritius is a UNESCO to a multitude of rare and World Heritage Site, and diverse plants and animal it is not only of great species. Being a nature reserve since 1965, this importance as for its natural attractions but also islet attracts tourists and locals alike, both of due to its cultural legacy. This site is associated whom come to see the famous pink pigeons, with the struggle against slavery and oppression, giant tortoises and the last surviving piece of and is an emblem of the struggle. Mauritian dry coastal forest. Photo: Quality Master/Shutterstock.com Address: Le Morne Brabant, Mauritius Photo: Benny Marty/Shutterstock.com Address: Île aux Aigrettes, Mauritius Black River Gorges National Park Balaclava ruins In the Southwest of Inside the Maritim Resort Mauritius lies the island's & Spa Hotel, you will nd biggest natural reserves, fascinating ruins that, the Black River Gorges back in the early 18th National Park. Covering century, were built as a an area of 6,754 hectares, fortress by the rst it dates back to 1994, when it was established to French governor of Mauritius, Mahe de safeguard what remained of the native Mauritian Labourdonnais, in order to protect the island forests, and to protect the island's endangered from possible incursions. The fortress, which species, like the Mauritian ying fox and the also housed an arsenal, exploded in 1774 and Mauritian parakeet. since then remains as a remnant of Mauritian Photo: Kletr/Shutterstock.com history. Visitors are advised to contact the Address: B103 - Plaine Champagne Road, Mauritius Maritim Resort & Spa before visiting in order to Phone: +230 203 190 0 check availability. Photo: PattayaPhotography/Shutterstock.com Address: Turtle Bay, Balaclava, Mauritius Phone: +230 204 100 0 Email: [email protected] Destination: Mauritius Publishing date: 2019-03-28 DINING Le Fangourin In the garden of Beau Plan and at the heart of L'Aventure de Sucre, the sugar museum of Mauritius, you will nd your very own treat, both savoury and sweet. With its festive and rened cuisine, The Fagourin is inspired by the manifold Studio Peace/Shutterstock.om avours of the unique Mauritian kitchen; they are willing to preserve local tradition as well as The Mauritian cuisine is a blended one, and sustain their beautiful surroundings: a includes Creole, French, Chinese and Indian picturesque pond, century-old vegetation and a dishes that often are unique to the island itself: charming veranda overlooking the central dhal puri (atbread lled with bean curry), the plateau's mountains. millionaire's salad (palm hearts salad with seafood) and gateau piment (=chilli cake). As Photo: vsl/Shutterstock.com Address: L’Aventure du Sucre, Pamplemousses, Mauritius these inuences already reveal, herbs and spices Opening hours: Daily 9am-5pm are widely used, but you will certainly nd Phone: +230 243 790 0 restaurants that lean towards more international Internet: www.le-fangourin.restaurant.mu (and less spicy) avours. Le Café des Arts Eureka Le Café des Arts aspires This Maison Créole to combine art and serves avours typical of gastronomy in the same the island's blended way the dierent cultures kitchen, and its menu is of Mauritius grew as diverse as the culture together back in the day. of Mauritius itself. While While infusing their menu with cultural and the broad selection of traditional dishes (and artistic value, they also include classic European especially curries) invites you to deeply immerse dishes into their interpretation of traditional yourself into the local cuisine, the beautiful and Mauritian cuisine.
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