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 African Continent |
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Mauritius:
Sugar and Spice on the Indian Ocean by Mary Ashcraft |
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 Mauritius or Ile Maurice, as it is known to the locals, sits like a tiny green gem in the middle of the vast Indian Ocean. It bubbled up from the ocean floor thirteen million years ago through volcanic activity, creating an interesting landmass of jagged mountain peaks, lagoons, waterfalls, a great plateau in the center of the island, and a coastline almost completely surrounded by coral reefs.     On the map it is only a dot that might easily be overlooked for its smallness. Though the island is relatively unknown to Americans, European vacationers have been reveling in this exotic, tropical Eden for years. Today, some of the most luxurious hotels and resorts in the world line the white sand beaches where bathing waters are kept calm and safe for swimming by the encircling coral reefs. Europeans enjoy its cosmopolitan sophistication in a laid-back environment. Asian, African and European influences are readily apparent with women dressed in silk Indian Saris, Ornate Tamil temples, Muslim Mosques, the Chinese Spring festival, the music and dance of the Sega from Madagascar and mainland Africa plus excellent French cuisine. And everyone speaks English!  Pirates on the high seas knew the island and used it as a stopover for food and water and as a rest stop from all their plundering. Though these brigands never lived on the island for long they made haste in depleting its source of ebony, ambergris and the legendary Dodo bird. The Dutch loved the taste of Dodo bird and hunted it to extinction. However, some of the adventurers stayed long enough to plant sugar cane (now a major source of income,) tobacco and to raise cattle Eventually, the Dutch formed a colony and named the island after Prince Maurice of Nassau and the Netherlands. Next, under the French flag, Governor Labourdonnais gave his new French colony the stability and direction it needed, and, finally, it was the English who took the island, governed the longest and made English the official language. Mauritians are taught English in school, but French and the Creole patois are widely used in everyday discourse.  The first tourist visit in 1952 was purely accidental. A plane full of Australians on its way to India was forced to land on Ile Maurice. The Australians had a chance to look around, liked what they saw and began to leak the news of a pristine and diverse tropical island whose people were welcoming and friendly. It is a rare combination that exists today despite the rapid increase in tourism. Though it is a relatively small island, there are so many things to see and do that the visitor would be hard pressed to be bored. To begin with, there is the bustling deep harbor capitol city Port Louis.  The central part of the city is marked by a wide boulevard dotted with Royal palm trees that begins at the harbor and stretches all the way up to Old Government House, with an impressive statue of Queen Victoria keeping a watchful eye on the entrance. Even though there is a concentration of modern government buildings and offices, there is still a lot of old world charm. Many of the streets have the original cobblestones, and there are flower-filled balconies overhanging narrow alleyways where pedestrians can stroll away from the bustle and congestion of car filled streets. In stark contrast to modernization is the old outdoor Central Market resembling a busy bazaar, with venders hawking from wooden stalls their freshly caught squid, sea shell jewelry, fruit from Africa, brightly printed beach wear, your winning lottery ticket and the ever present Tee shirt. All the while, one is caught in the heady aromas of exotic island spices. The market is open every day including Sunday morning. In sharp contrast to the Central Market is the newly constructed Cauden Waterfront Complex along the harbor. This trendy fresh air mall is a shoppers Mecca, with its clothing boutiques, first class restaurants, simple snack bars, hotel, casino and live street entertainment, reminding one of the energetic atmosphere of the South Street Seaport in New York City. It's a good place to sit over a cool drink and plan your trip to see all there is to see around the island.  Ile Maurice is not just for sun and sand worshipers, but for nature lovers as well. Set in the Southern Bamboo Mountains on 2,350 hectares of privately owned land is the environmentally protected Domain du Chasseur gamepark and reserve. Its owner, Alain O’Reilly, has created a safe haven for Javanese Deer, wild boar, the rare Kestrel, monkeys and all the creatures that live on his land. There are marked hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty and length with breathtaking views of the mountainous countryside and ocean. One trail leads to a waterfall where one can swim in pristine water with the last freshwater prawn in the world. In this idyllic setting, Mr. O'Reilly has built, high on one of his mountains, an open air, rustic, informal bar and restaurant. The feeling is casual and comfortable, and his preparation of wild boar, venison, and hare has brought presidents and kings to his table. One may get permission to hunt wild boar and stag in their natural habitat and then stay overnight in one of the rustic chalets to enjoy the stillness of the mountains.  When it comes to experiencing nature, Ile Maurice has something for everyone. Designed in the 18th century, Pamplemousse Botanical Garden is popular with Sunday picnickers and walkers and is home to the unusual Talipot Palm. It doesn't bloom until it is between 40 and 60 years old. Suddenly, in one glorious burst, the tree is showered with millions of tiny blooms and then, seemingly exhausted, it dies. Bird watchers are able to spot the Mauritius Pink Pigeon, Mauritius Fody, Mascarene Paradise Fly Catcher, and White-tailed Tick Bird flying about the garden, to name only a few. Fishermen have miles of sea coast with a good reputation for deep sea fishing. The most frequent catches are Wahoo, Yellow Fin Tuna and Marlin weighing up to several hundred pounds. Golfers may choose from several of nine- and eighteen-hole courses around the island. The first international eighteen-hole golf course in the Indian Ocean opened in 1994 at the Belle Mare Plage Golf Hotel and Resort. The hotel asks men and women to wear collared shirts, tailored trousers or shorts for men and skirts below the knee for women. A small green fee is charged to non hotel guests.    On the east coast of the island, sheltered in luxuriant tropical vegetation, is the Aman Resort’s five-star, flagship Prince Maurice Hotel. The hotel is spread out along a coral sand beach and private lagoon. One enters the lobby over bridges spanning plant-studded, moving pools and water displays. The swimming pool seems to become one with the lagoon and with the natural and man-made pools of water. The hotel itself feels like a serene island. Unashamedly luxurious, but not in the old fashioned sense of lavish decorations, gold paint or velvets, this hotel is one of natural elegance born of simplicity and beauty, using natural marble, wood and stone in the architecture, to harmonize with the landscape. Every suite has a tranquil water view. With thatched roofs, extensive use of bamboo and rare woods, and décor utilizing the spice colors of cinnamon, curry, saffron and mace, the guest is easily caught up in the romance of the Spice Islands. The atmosphere emanates a Zen quality. Patrick Finet, general manager of Prince Maurice, remarks, "Only here in Asia can the guest receive the special kind of care and attention my hotel offers."  At one time Ile Maurice was an island of plantations, and one of these graceful old mansions remains. It is the largest house on the island and has one hundred windows to catch the cooling summer breezes. Large as it is, the second floor, where the family's seventeen children slept, must have been crowded. The plantation house is carefully maintained in its original style and is still in the family of the original owners. Now it is a small museum with a shop full of unique quality crafts mostly reflecting island themes or the Eureka plantation. Making it easy to travel the island, Mauritours/Mauritours Cruises is there to be your guide. The company offers a complete selection of tours around the island as well as on the ocean and are willing to plan individualized tours to suit your needs. Email: mauritours@mauritours.intnet.mu Getting there from Europe or South Africa is easy on Air Mauritius. The airline offers two flights weekly from London’s Heathrow Airport with brand new, state-of-the-art Airbus A340-300 aircraft. Expect excellent French/Island food. Service is non-stop to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport on the island of Mauritius. Non-stop service also is available from most other major European capitals. To contact the airline toll-free: 800-537-1182 Here is a list of quality hotels to chose from if you are planning a trip to Ile Maurice: Le Prince Maurice: leprince@intnet.mu Belle Mare Plage: resachsl@intnet.mu  Le Touessrok: http://www.suncro@sunresort.com ; Toll-free phone, 800-223-6800 Paradis: parahot@intnet.mu  Berjaya: Fax, 603-244-2527; Toll-free phone, 800-528-1234  La Croix Du Sud: Fax, 230-631-9603 PHOTO CREDITS: Mary Ashcraft, Le Prince Maurice, Le Touessrok, Paradis, Berjaya, La Croix Du Sud. |
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© 2000 ROMAR TRAVEL GUIDES
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