Another Mauritius... Memories of a tropical holiday

After reading many of your stories, here I am writing of my trip to Mauritius, hoping that it would be useful!

Me and Walter (my husband) we started from Malpensa May 6, 2007 with a British Airways flight. We decided not to purchase a package ready, trying to save something, and so choosing the hotel in the area of the island that inspired us most (ie the less rainy, given the proximity of the 'winter' Mauritius) but unfortunately, Having booked it all with little advance, direct charter flights were costing us more than that of line (€ 619 per person) which, however, made a stopover in London both on the back. And so, after about 19 hours of travel (including waiting between flights in London), here we are on the island of the dodo!

The impact is staggering: having read several forums on the island, the plane did not expect to see all that green!
The airport is located south-east, and then in the area "wet" because the track looks wet and the sky was dotted with scattered clouds (in essence, had just rained!). We negotiate for a taxi to take us to our hotel, north-west, and we get a price of 1,200 Mauritian rupees (about 28 euro) against the originally requested from 1500. After an hour of travel and a bit of trouble finding the address of the hotel, we arrive at Trou aux Biches, at the Hotel Villa Kissen. Another trick: the location of the hotel we had chosen looking at satellite maps of Google Earth on which Trou aux Biches and Pereybère seemed to have the white beaches of the north-west!

The Hotel Villa Kissen (chosen by visiting the website provided by Lonely Planet, which, as usual, proved to be useful) is a pleasant surprise: new, rebuilt to 150 mt. from the sea (and sea!) just a couple of years ago (initially, in fact, is 300 mt. from the sea around), clean, very nice and helpful managers. We, in fact, we had booked a "studio", not a double standard, so our mini-apartments comprise, in addition to the bedroom, the bathroom and the balcony, a small kitchen (again, everything was brand new: were microwave, toaster, kettle and, if I remember correctly, even the axis mixer board!). All this for the beauty of just 27 euros per night per apartment (yes, you read right!), Compared with 23 euros the room (excluding breakfast). We, in fact, we had breakfast at the hotel until the first day and having available only coffee, tea, bread, butter and jam, plus a couple of fruit juices, we preferred to breakfast in a kind of pastry shop / cafe at 500 mt. hotel which was a cappuccino and croissants from the standard very high to be abroad!

As mentioned, the beach of Trou aux Biches is very beautiful, fine white sand, surrounded by palm trees. In May, the water temperature began to fall, but outside there were 30 ° constant (tempered by a pleasant breeze that felt just under the palm trees and allows you to make certain you sleeping ...) and then the bath was not absolutely sacrifice, indeed!

We made excursions (feud, of course!) On alternate days, using mostly public buses and, rarely, taxis (which for us are still very cheap). We were at the beach Pereybère (a little 'petite compared to Trou aux Biches but beautiful, too), Pamplemousse Botanical Garden (entrance free, are certainly worth a visit), the church of Notre Dame in Cap Malheureux Auxiliaire (the with the red roof, so to speak), the lively Grand Baie (renting a scooter) and the gettonatissima and Paradise Island of the Deer. With regard to the latter right, we have opted for a trip organized by a travel agency in Trou aux Biches we had assured that in case of bad weather, the trip was postponed until the next day. Well, it was not the right word ... In fact, unfortunately, Deer Island is located on the east coast of Mauritius and it is not rare in Trou aux Biches / Grand Baie there is the sun and that there, however, rain or almost , as in our case. In fact, once you reach the island we got to admire the color of the water reflected the blue of the sky (but, I guess you could even with the clouds or in those brief moments when a bit out 'of sun, with clear skies should be a panorama that took your breath ...) because the day was almost always cloudy and we managed to take a few drops of water. So I give you a hint: if you want to Deer Isle in the season "winter" (from May to September approximately), wake in the morning, look towards the interior of the island (ie the mountains) and see if it is overcast or less. Then decide whether to take a taxi and pay you the crossing by motorboat to the island (the ticket for the latter, in fact, one can easily buy at Trou d'Eau Douce, the departure point of the motorboats that isolates of deer, which is very expensive) or whether to defer the next day. In my opinion, in so doing, you will be sure to see the sun and perhaps even save a little money (even better if you travel by 4 and divide the cost of the taxi). And, mind you, if you go to Deer Isle, opened his eyes, because in some parts of the island (that happened to me right on the beach where we waited for the boat to turn back) you will see many small holes in the sand and you'll wonder what they are : Well, if you do not make too many movements, or rather, if you absolutely still, you get out of those holes from its beautiful blue crabs! One of the many surprises that Mauritius can reserve ...

In Mauritius, we absolutely must say that looks like a paradise not only because of the beaches, but also because people who live there are always smiling and friendly and, above all, because it is one of the few places in the world where they can live together without problems religions: Hindus, Muslims and Catholics live peacefully, respecting the traditions and thinking of those who have a faith other than their own. And so we find ourselves faced with unexpected contrasts: a Hindu temple in front of a mosque, people bathe in costume a few yards from others that they do it fully clothed, and everything in absolute tranquility.

 

Unfortunately, the return trip (always with British Airways) did not go well, because the departure was scheduled at 9.10 am and we started almost two hours late (with the near certainty of losing the connection in London), the which has added another hour because of an unexpected stopover in Cairo (a passenger had "done wrong" with a pouch that had fallen on his head, and so we had to make an emergency landing so they could accompany him to the hospital) . Because of this fact, we arrived in London at around 22 (instead of at 18.20) and at that time there were no more flights to Malpensa. Therefore, the airline has arranged for our accommodation in a hotel near the airport and the reservation on the first flight in the morning with destination Malpensa. So, on balance, we arrived at their destination nearly 24 hours after departure!

To summarize: if you go between May and September, definitely choose the northwestern coast, so you can enjoy the sunny days (we did not have even a rainy day in Trou aux Biches ...) and, if possible, book well in advance a charter flight that usually does not scale (and so there'll have to address travel 24 hours!) do not go there with organized tours, because with DIY trip to Mauritius will save you a lot and hotel accommodations (including those at a good price) are quite good (of course, you will have the full megavillaggio of Italians where you force-fed like pigs, but surely you will see and experience the "real" Mauritius), Mauritian cuisine is fantastic if you like spicy food, trying a mix of Indian cuisine and African, and costs very little! (we ate lunch with 3-4 Euros and we ate fish with 7-8 euros each), bring a bag or a small empty suitcase, because whatever it costs almost Mauritius 1 / 5 of what it costs here by us and As regards, however, the much vaunted cashmere sweaters / cotton signed, well, we will never know the case the original Goods (I am more for no ...) but I can assure you that the quality of fabrics is very good and can do some good business.

Also, I want to point out that at night, in Trou aux Biches (but I think a bit 'all over the island, with the exception of Grand Baie), off the tourist villages there is nothing and the roads are also poorly lit ( should you wish to walk two steps, then you will know what to go meet him!) but the rate of delinquency is very low, so, however, does not run particularly hazardous. However, with nothing around after 21, you are sure to be riposatissimi and perky in the morning after! A gem: I think one of the first evenings in the restaurant where we were having dinner, I dared ask for a salad at 21.30 and I heard that they were closing!

Oh, one last advice, if you want to see the island in a somewhat 'more complete (we basically have only visited the north), stop for two weeks, because one is too little.

Goodbye Ile Maurice!