Mauritius is a quintessential destination that offers year-round balmy weather and the golden trifecta of sun, sea and sandy beaches at a plethora of resorts on its subtropical coastline.
But for travellers who prefer a slow amble through small towns, trying traditional dishes and seeing a world different to theirs, cocooning in a holiday resort without once setting foot outside might not be appealing.
A firm believer that the soul of a place needs to be uncovered, I relish the idea of a half-board package which includes breakfast and dinner, leaving you with the option to lounge at a resort on lazy days and venture out to explore on others.
COASTAL TOWNS AND COCKTAILS IN THE NORTH
Setting out towards the north, our exploration started with a morning of kayaking before lunch at La Table du Château, a contemporary fine-dining restaurant on the historical Domaine de Labourdonnais estate, with its manicured lawns and colonial-style chateau. Here, chef Fabio de Poli serves up elegant, seasonal plates that show off ingredients like smoked marlin, palm hearts and delicious homemade sorbet.
The afternoon took us to the pretty fishing village of Cap Malheureux. The name, which translates as “unlucky Cape”, commemorates the 1810 invasion of the village by the British.
Today, the only invasion happening here is that of eager Instagrammers looking to shoot a picture in front of the red-roofed church with turquoise waters lapping in the background.
It’s a small, slow village without much to do apart from enjoying the beach, but it offers a respite from the more vibrant Grand Baie when the crowds overwhelm.
In the latter, the streets are lined with bars and restaurants and shops and stalls. You’ll even find Durban bunny chow. Stepping out after dinner on a quiet Monday, we were lucky to find the Banana Club open. Laid-back and inviting, the intimate acoustic music from a small ensemble shifted between lilting Creole classics and English singalong hits, best enjoyed with a local beer (at a far more affordable price than at the resort).
And when we were ready for the slow luxuries of resort life at Trou aux Biches Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa, we were welcomed with breakfast overlooking the ocean, spa treatments, ambient dinners with views of the Indonesian-inspired architecture and tranquil waterways, and cocktails with mixologist Benito Rioux.
At a poolside tasting, he poured pineapple-infused rum and rum with notes of caramel, oak-aged and Bourbon barrel rum and exquisite eight-year-old bottles of amber-coloured rum into various cocktails and tinctures. He also showed off his party trick of setting the oil from an orange peel on fire and dripping it onto the ice in a glass to create a smoky taste. He claims he’s made a woman cry over a mojito and, while I cannot verify this, I can say he served up the best I ever had.
HISTORY AT ITS HEART
In the markets of Port Louis, the capital, touristy souvenirs are peddled with great gusto. But the city has more to offer. To learn about the country's history, we visited Apravasi Ghat, one of two Unesco World Heritage sites on the island.
Translating as “immigrant interface”, this was the depot built in 1849 where people from countries such as India, China, Comoros, Madagascar, Mozambique and Yemen arrived to participate in the British Empire’s “great experiment” of using indentured labour to replace slavery.
Between 1834 and 1920 nearly half a million indentured labourers settled in Mauritius. Today they represent the ancestors of nearly 70% of the population, and many of the customs and traditions they brought are a vital part of Mauritian culture. Their food, too, greatly influenced what would become a delicious melting pot of cuisines.
A great place to taste the cuisine is Escale Creole in Moka, a 15-minute drive from Port Louis. Marie Christine Forget started the restaurant in her parents’ backyard 26 years ago when, after returning from culinary studies in France, she realised there were no traditional Creole restaurants in Mauritius.
The family-run restaurant is set among lush plant life and pops with bright tablecloths covering wooden tables and quirky signs. It's something of an institution in Mauritius and more than 60% of its bookings are from locals. The rest of the tables are taken up by a menagerie of people who create an “ambience” — Forget tries to steer clear of big, loud groups.
“It’s the way to see what Mauritian food is about in one go,” she says. “You can be in one of the most beautiful hotels in this country, but come and have a look at what the real, typical food is.”
You’ll be in for a treat if you do. More than a dozen small bowls were placed on the table before us — mouth-watering dishes like fish vindaye (served with a clear warning of “chilli, chilli, chilli”), octopus curry with green papaya, aubergine with salted sounouk (snoek) and the signature dish of sausages in Creole sauce. The best way to get through the meal is to eat a bit of everything, to not fill up on the rice and to leave a bit of room for the heavenly tarts served for dessert and a sip of Forget’s fruit-infused rum, homemade pineapple juice and deliciously strong coffee.
RUM AND CAT CRUISING IN THE WEST
The island's other world heritage site is Le Morne Brabant, a mountain in the south west that stands as a symbol of resistance to slavery, with a tragic history revealed on a visit to the Slave Route Monument at the base of the mountain.
Runaway slaves sheltered in the caves of the mountain during the 18th and 19th centuries. When slavery was abolished in 1835 a party was sent to deliver the news. But mistaking these people for slave masters coming to fetch them back, many flung themselves over the edge.
Le Morne still commands a strong presence on this part of the island, where it pokes out into the Indian Ocean and looms over the lagoon with the same name at its base.
To explore more of the natural beauty, we hopped aboard a full-day catamaran cruise with Croisieres Australes, which offered a beautiful view of the mountain from the waters.
Our first stop was in Tamarin Bay, which is popular — and busy — for its dolphin-watching opportunities. From there, we sailed along the Black River coast and snorkelled in the crystal waters between iridescent fish.
We hopped off for a visit to Ile aux Benitiers, a coral sand island only accessible by boat, which makes for a bustling day trip with families splashing about, tourists buying trinkets from the market and cat cruisers like us buying big, round coconuts to sip from as we strolled along the shore.
With lunch prepared on board, it’s an idyllic way to spend the day, with enough time to frolic in the water, lap up the sun and relish the beauty of the landscape.
But for sunset, we beelined back to Sugar Beach, our second home on the island, where the sun properly shows off when dipping below the horizon. With 1.5km of the Flic en Flac beachfront running past Sugar Beach and La Pirogue, its sister resort next door, you won’t run out of vantage points from which to enjoy the spectacle every evening.
The resort was renovated during Covid-19 and offers the most sublime combination of romance, elegance and location to make for a sleek, inviting island escape built around a stately manor house overlooking green lawns.
It’s also home to the country’s only Buddha Bar, an international brand that originated in Paris in 1996 with the idea of connecting Eastern and Western civilisations. This one opened in 2019 with an emphasis on dazzling entertainment, a light, fish-forward menu to be shared and creative cocktails that tell a story — such as the Make a Wish Mauritius. It arrives with a biodegradable balloon attached to a tiki jar and the idea is to write down your wish on a piece of paper and release the balloon over the ocean. It’s all theatrical and whimsical, and the cocktails are delicious.
Our next visit took us to Rhumerie de Chamarel. Opened in 2008, the distillery is a popular attraction where traditionally non-rum drinkers come to be converted.
A distillery tour and tasting of more than 10 of the classic, spiced and aged rums and liqueurs produced on-site is recommended as a prequel to lunch at the L’Alchimiste restaurant. It’s a far cry from the stuff pirates are fabled to drink and if you want a bottle or two of the top-shelf, extra-aged rums, you may want to consider finding a treasure chest to loot.
From here, there’s much more to explore. The Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth Geopark is not far from the distillery, but travel, as in life, is all about balance, and mine was waiting on the shores of Flic en Flac, where downtime awaited in the lap of resort luxury and a sushi dinner at Buddha Bar. Peppered with a bit of resort bliss, I’d discovered the perfect combination of flittering about the island and soaking it all up. In that simple act, I’d struck my island gold.
• Oberholzer was a guest of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, Trou au Biches Beachcomber and Sugar Beach. See mauritiusnow.com or ratherbeinmauritius.co.za.
GETAWAY AT A GLANCE:
GETTING THERE: Air Mauritius operates daily flights between Johannesburg and Mauritius, with a flight time of under four hours and priced from R5,780.54 one way. See airmauritius.com.
GETTING AROUND: Uber or similar e-hailing services don’t operate in Mauritius, but taxis can be easily flagged down outside the airport or hotel, or through your accommodation's concierge. If you prefer to explore the island in your own time, consider renting a car. For more information or advice on transfers and activities on the island, contact the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority.
ACCOMMODATION:
Trou aux Biches Beachcomber
Where it is: Towards the northwestern tip of the island, 7.5km from Grand Baie and 63km from the airport.
Activities: Kids' and teen club, fitness centre and classes, spa, golf, tennis, table tennis, beach volleyball, bocce ball, mountain biking, snorkelling, glass-bottom boat excursions, sailing, water skiing, windsurfing, pedal boating, kayaking, stand-up paddling, aquagym, wakeboarding, scuba diving and deep-sea fishing.
Dine: Six restaurants serving buffet, à la carte and fine-dining fare inspired by local, Italian, Asian and Indian flavours ensure a different experience every night, while the two bars keep the cocktails coming.
Rates: From R30,750 per person sharing for five nights for travel until June 13 2024 (depending on exchange rates). This includes return flights from Johannesburg, return private car transfers, breakfast and dinner daily, and a variety of free land and sea activities.
Contact: See the website.
Sugar Beach
Where it is: On the western shore, 17km from the village of Tamarin and 50km from the airport.
Activities: Kids' club, fitness centre and classes, spa, tennis, paddle tennis, golf, snorkelling, windsurfing, stand-up paddling, scuba diving, water skiing, pedal boating, kayaking, big-game fishing, catamaran cruises and excursions on a glass-bottom boat. Signature experiences as part of the resort’s Come Alive Collection include beauty treatments with ocean views in the beauty bubble, perfume making at the L’Atelier des Sens, tea tastings in the tea room, croquet in front of the manor house, ballroom dance classes and a Putting on the Ritz dress-hire and makeover service.
Dine: Three restaurants and four bars, including the Buddha Bar. With the option to hop across to sister resort La Pirogue to try the variety of restaurants and bars free, your taste buds won’t get bored.
Rates: R48,3000 per person sharing for seven nights for travel until December 8 2023 (depending on exchange rates). This includes return flights from Johannesburg, return private car transfers, breakfast and dinner daily, and a variety of free land and sea activities.
Contact: See the website.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.