Mauritius Holiday Experience

Mauritius is a multicultural mix of people, places and melodies. A prominent language is French, the cuisine can be Indian and Chinese, the massages are Swedish, and below the turquoise waters, can be something totally out of this world. There is something very special about island life. I find the atmosphere to be friendly and relaxed, and there is a sense that the surrounding waters protect one from the influences of the rest of the world.

A Brief History of Mauritius

Mauritius has an interesting and unique history. Originally discovered by the Portuguese and visited by the Dutch in the 16^th century, the island was eventually colonized by the French. They established Port Louis as an important rest-stop when travelling to the Indian spice lands. The British soon realised the usefulness of having a colony at Mauritius, and after a few naval battles with the French, soon took the island for themselves. Labour came in the form of Indian and Chinese immigrants, which had a major influence on Mauritian culture.

Languages of Mauritius

Mauritian school boys and girls are educated in both English and French. However, one can also happen across a few Italian and Hindi speakers. Being addressed in an accent that can only be described as a thick mixture of an Indian and French accent, can be difficult to understand, but (for me) is entirely enchanting when spoken by the female persuasion.

The Le Palmiste Resort & Spa

The beaches of Mauritius are adorned with hotels and resorts with new construction underway 24/7 – even on Sundays. I was surprised to find the holiday destination largely under-developed. However, the locals appeared to feel apprehensive towards their natural beauty becoming more of a tourist island. According to a local taxi driver, tourism is booming, with three planes arriving from South Africa alone per day.

The Le Palmiste Resort & Spa is a three star hotel that can be found on the north-western part of Mauritius. Having not experienced much hotel-life, I found the service, amenities and food to be far better than expected. The hotel had three swimming pools, lounge chairs aplenty, table tennis, a volley ball area, and hosted a bingo night and an evening of traditional song and dance known as Sega. The average age at the Le Palmiste was about 60, but you can spot the love-birds, looking like an overly-dressed penguin at a pigeon party.

I lazed in the biggest bed I had ever slept in at the time, in an air-conditioned room with a balcony and a view. After being too fearful to touch the minibar on the first night, I was delighted to discover that everything in it was complimentary, and replenished every day! The room and en-suite bathroom were thoroughly cleaned once a day and there was a huge TV across from the bed if one wished to watch some French television. It was great accommodation for a budget-friendly Mauritius holiday experience.

Mauritian Food & Drink

I wouldn’t say that Mauritius has any traditional cuisine. Their food is a mix of Indian and Chinese and seafood; so lots of spices, fried rice and noodles and seafood of every variety. They also like their chilies! Food at the Le Palmiste was buffet style, so all-you-can-eat at every meal. Breakfast was a real treat and came in the form of pancakes with chocolate sauce, croissants, hams, cheeses, fruit and filter coffee.

Mauritius has just about as much sugarcane as Zululand, so the obvious bi-product is Mauritian “rhum”. There is vanilla rhum, coffee rhum, caramel rhum, orange or pineapple rhum, and then of course the specialty – St Aubin Mauritian rhum. Every guest is offered a bottle upon arrival. One glass resulted in a hangover…

Mauritius Ocean Life

If you are a diver, snorkeler, or just interested in marine life, you will be spoilt for choice in the waters of Mauritius. The ocean is wave-less due to a seemingly never-ending coral reef, and the water is crystal clear. Diving options are just about anywhere and will see you immediately immersed in a colourful underwater universe simply teaming with life!

There are options to go six feet under in a submarine, enjoy a glass-bottomed boat ride, be pulled behind a boat on tubes, parasail, windsurf, ski, just about anything a beach-lover could wish for. A great experience is to take a catamaran trip to the smaller, northern islands for a full day. Food is served, the snorkeling is fantastic and the complimentary cocktails go down really well.

One does need to be careful not to be taken for a financial ride however. I soon learnt to haggle prices down 50% or find another local who offered the same services for a better price. Everything for a tourist is negotiable.

The Solo Mauritius Holiday Experience

Mauritius was my first time ever traveling overseas, and I chose to go at it alone. There are pros and cons to the solo traveling experience, but I couldn’t have enjoyed my own company more. Being able to escape from your more real existence and do as you please, when you please, is just blissful. I never felt alone during my experience in Mauritius.

I did, however, meet an Afrikaans mother and daughter from Pretoria, who had taken the same holiday package deal as I. They were more than welcoming and really made my whole Mauritius holiday experience that much more enjoyable. It is also quite difficult to take photos that include yourself or keep an eye on your stuff when you’re on your own. More importantly, it is really great to share these sorts of experiences with someone, and I am forever grateful for having met such accommodating travelers during my trip.