Mauritius, an international destination famous for its beautiful white sandy beaches, turquoise sea and tropical nature, certainly lives up to expectations, a true island paradise, nestled in the waters of the Indian Ocean, in which to immerse oneself in total relaxation and gentle relaxation, alternating with boat excursions, in search of whales and dolphins, or snorkelling activities, to discover the colourful underwater world.
With its year-round tropical climate, the special feature of the island, which covers an area of about 2000 square kilometres, is the variety of its coastline, a precious setting for a true marine and naturalistic jewel.
While the north and west coasts of the island are the busiest, it is true that it is here that most of the bathing activities are concentrated, such as excursions among the uninhabited islets in front of the bustling Grand Baie and Cap Malheureux, or diving and snorkelling off Tamarin and Flic en Flac, the west coast frequented by tourists, but also by whales and dolphins.
However, for those in search of still wild and little-visited corners, it is in the south and east of the island that you will find them, among the stretches of white sand, hemmed in by tropical vegetation that engulfs the quiet resorts and most exclusive hotels in Mauritius, alternating with sleepy traditional fishing villages, far from the nightlife of Flic en Flac or Grand Baie.
Between the Blu Bay Marine Park and Point d’Esny overlooking the beautiful Ile aux Aigrettes, stretches one of the most unspoilt stretches of coastline on the island, otherwise exploited for the construction of accommodation facilities or the cultivation of tea and sugar cane. Lush nature, amidst paradisiacal bays and inlets of turquoise water, is home to the latest species of endemic flora and fauna, such as wild orchids, the pink pigeon, fody and Mauritius kestrel, flying foxes and the beautiful Aldabra giant tortoises.
If you travel along the east coast, you will encounter immense stretches of fine, white sand, some of the most beautiful in Mauritius. From Belle Mare, with its 10 km of beach, to the spectacular blue colour of the water near Trou d’Eau Douce, to Ile aux Cerfs, a postcard-perfect tropical island, much frequented for its renowned beauty, but where it is still possible to find your own totally deserted corner, among its 4 km of paradisiacal beaches.
And if you want to admire the splendid seascapes from a privileged vantage point, don’t worry, hiking will take you to the most enchanting vantage points in Mauritius, overlooking the Le Marne peninsula to the south-west (Le Morne Brabante, 556 m, UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the Grand Port bay (Lion Mountain, 480 m) to the south-east. With a little effort of a few hours, it is from these heights that one can best enjoy the enchanting scenery of the sapphire-coloured sea, the crescent-shaped white beaches and the creeks that penetrate between basalt rocks and emerald green vegetation.
It is before all this that one will understand why Marc Twain wrote that ‘First Mauritius was created, and then Paradise, inspired by the island’.
Not to be forgotten is the quiet Rodrigues, a rocky island lost in the East, part of the Mauritius administration. An ideal destination for those in search of relaxed rhythms, unspoilt nature and deserted beaches, it will not disappoint with its small bird sanctuary Ile aux Cocos and the paradisiacal stretches of golden sand bathed by crystal-clear water between the resorts of Graviers and St. François.
