How to enjoy a Mauritius Family Holiday Sightseeing: Some Useful Tips

A Mauritius holiday with the family is a wonderful experience. But this island with its diverse cultures and religions is so much more than long white beaches with turquoise blue water. It is wonderful to stay at a Mauritius resort and to relax on its beaches and do all sorts of water sports. But there are many other things to discover on the island. We decided to book a taxi to take us to interesting places in Mauritius and explored both the Northern and Western areas of this island. The taxi driver also entertained us with fascinating stories and gave us some insider information about life in Mauritius. Language was never a problem as the driver could speak English very well. Discovering Mauritius this way was much fun.

With more than 650 different plants, including the well-known Baobabs, the Giant Water Lilies were amazing and my personal highlight of this botanical garden not far from Port-Louis, the capital. The weather in Mauritius in December is quite unpredictable with the sun shining and the next moment rain pouring down. The botanical garden is very big and it will take any visitor a very long time to see everything it has to offer. Remember to take an umbrella or rain coat with.

Grand Baie and Troux aux Biches

The taxi drove us as far north as Grand Baie, which is the largest bay in Mauritius. Many tourists come here and the tourist boom was quite visible. Grand Baie offers much shopping and leisure with many snack stands along the beach promenade. It also offers night life namely restaurants, bars and discos to those who love this kind of entertainment.

The Troux aux Biches public beach is not far from the Troux aux Biches Hotel. It has a real long white sandy beach. The turquoise water and the village nearby make it a real special place to visit.

Trou aux Cerf volcano

The Trou aux cerf is an extinct volcano which is 350m wide and 80m deep. It is located on the innermost upland in Curepipe and offers a breathtaking view of the island.

Biggest Hindu temple

Maheswarnath in Triolet

We felt privileged to have visited the biggest Hindu temple, the Maheswarnath in Triolet. Many locals come here to pray and do not seem to mind the endless stream of tourists.

Black River Gorges National Park

We enjoyed magnificent views of landscapes in this national park of 6 574 hectares. Some of the world's rarest rain forests are found here.

Chamarel coloured earth

If you have the time you really need to visit the coloured earths of Chamarel. It is truly amazing to see the shades of blue, green, red and yellow, which apparently was the result of the wearing down of volcanic ash. The waterfall of Chamaral is within walking distance and also a beautiful site.

West Coast

We also explored beaches on the West Coast, including Tamarin. Many surfers around the world come to the bay of Tamarin. If you are patient, this is the place where you will spot a school of dolphins.

From our travels via taxi we became deeply aware of the different cultures and true beauty of this country. Next time we would like to explore the East Coast via taxi. You can negotiate your price and the taxi drivers enjoy playing tour leader. They can speak good English. Your time is also more flexible and you do not need to consider other tourists' time.

Although we saw the same things as other tourists, those vivid stories of life on the island added so much value to our visit.

1. The monetary unit is the Mauritian Rupee (Rs.). Avoid using dollars although many restaurants will accept dollars.
2. Taxis are more reliable than public buses.
3. Negotiate with the taxi drivers as they do not use taxi meters. Know exactly which excursions you would like to see but expect to see more.
4. Always take an umbrella or rain coat with. The weather is unpredictable, especially in December.
5. Surprisingly many beaches are too dirty for public swimming. Make sure the beaches you would like to visit are safe for swimming.
6. Be respectful of its diverse cultures. The population consists of Hindus, Creole, Chinese, Muslims and Europeans.
7. Be careful at the Caudan Waterfront in Port Louis. I was robbed of my wallet there when I did not pay attention.