Visitors enjoying holidays to Mauritius will find it to be a more exotic and interesting alternative to the more traditional fun-and-sun destinations. Mauritius is an Indian Ocean junction that has seen its fair share of diverse cultural collisions that include Creole, Indian, British, French and Dutch. Today, these past influences now flavour the colourful mix of this island’s religious festivals and also the spicy cuisine.
Beautiful Mauritius Beach
Visitors on holidays to Mauritius will find a calendar of different festivals such as the Chinese New Year, Christmas, Maha Shivratee which is a Hindu festival and celebration that honours Shiva the god, as well as Cavadee. The exotic Cavadee Tamil festival showcases a procession of devotees who have silver needles pierced into their bodies, cheeks and tongues with skewers. They carry urns of milk atop a wooden frame full of flowers to their temples.
The dishes of Mauritius reflect a characteristic mixture of cuisines. Visitors on their holidays to Mauritius will find cultural influences such as Indian, Creole, Chinese and French in the different cuisines that are offered. Most of the dishes begin with seafood. Most of the Creole recipes will have tomatoes as the main ingredient, such as in rougaille which is a sauce made from tomatoes, garlic, ginger and onions. A main course could lean towards Chinese sweet and sour fish or an Indian curry, and the end of any meal will probably be topped off with gajak, a savoury cake that can be found at street stalls and also at the finest restaurants.
Port Louis is the capital of Mauritius where visitors on their holidays to Mauritius will find French-colonial buildings lining the streets. Some of the more well-known Creole houses include the Chateau de Labourdonnais, which is a colonial house that dates back to around 1850. The Chateau Bel Ombre dates back to 1776 and is found on the sugar estate of Bel Ombre. The Chateau de Mon Plaisir dates from 1735. The gardens of Pamplemousses were created around this chateau. The Chateau du Reduit dates back to 1778 and is the Mauritian President’s actual residence. The Eureka is a colonial house that was built back in 1830 and is presently a museum. The exhibits at the Natural History Museum showcase a model of the extinct dodo, and visitors who enjoy hiking can explore many trails especially at the National Park at Black River Gorge.
Black River Gorges National Park Mauritius
But, for those tourists making their long and exciting journey to this beautiful island for its sunny destinations, they will certainly find stunning beaches with white sand and a full array of activities associated with a holiday in the sun. These activities will include surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, diving, and deep sea fishing with an abundance of yellow-fin tuna and marlin. Visitors enjoying their holidays to Mauritius will surely love the name of the beach called Flic en Flac! For surfing lovers, Tamarin on the western coast is laid back and a favourite spot for travelling surfers. It features a big left break of 6 to 10 ft. Visitors can enjoy surfing here throughout the year but it is at its best from July through to August.