Beyond the beach
Adventure, nature and a multicultural mix: Hannah Hopkins discovers why Mauritius is more than palm-fringed Indian Ocean beaches
Say Mauritius and you’re probably already imagining the idyllic palm-fringed beaches. But if you’ve written the island off as purely for honeymooners and sunseekers, this slice of the Indian Ocean holds plenty of surprises.
Far bigger than its island neighbours, this is one picture postcard destination which rewards even the smallest attempts at exploration, with an active side, wildlife galore and unusual multicultural history.
Or so I discovered barely an hour after I arrived to tropical sunshine following a 12-hour flight, as we headed straight to the Black River Gorges National Park. A vast expanse of rolling hills and thick forests covering roughly 2% of the island’s surface, Mauritius’ biggest and best national park is a magnet for wildlife, including many native species of birds like the flying fox, echo parakeet and the pink pigeon.
A short climb took me to the Alexandra Falls Viewpoint, where I could take in the full force of the falls cascading off the side of a cliff through the lush greenery, and admire the cloud forest of Mount Cocotte and the view down to the south coast.
It’s a dream location for hikers, although if you don’t have the time — or wish — to do a long walk, head to the Gorges viewpoint, for one of the best views on the island, a dramatic expanse of Mauritian jungle stretching down towards the west coast. It’s
as photogenic as views can get; just be wary of the cheeky long-tailed macaques that roam around when you get your camera out.
This spectacular corner of the island set the tone for the rest of the trip. From Black River we headed to nearby Chamarel, home to a geopark that draws in scores of visitors, where you can look at over 600 million years of history in one place in the form of the Seven Coloured Earths. As the dunes evolved from volcanic rock to clay minerals and sand, the different colours in this natural phenomenon have settled to create seven distinct layers.
It’s not the only eye-catching sight here. I ventured off in search of the geopark’s resident giant tortoises, then stocked up on Café de Chamarel — the locally grown and roasted coffee with its own distinctive taste from the surrounding volcanic soil.
After a day packed with experiences like this, I was ready to relax. I’d chosen to base myself in the south of the island, at the St. Regis Mauritius Resort which promised the perfect mix of luxury and tranquillity plus design and food rooted in the heritage of the island. Arriving to the sound of trickling fountains and waves crashing against the sandy beach was instant TLC for my mind, body and soul.
A relic of colonial days when Mauritius’ sugar industry thrived, the former plantation house has one of the most dramatic backdrops on the island; Le Morne mountain, a Unesco World Heritage site, rises behind it. Staying in an Oceanview Manor House Suite, my lav
ish series of rooms in the main building came with its own terrace balcony, walk-in dressing room, deep soaking bath tub and walk-in rain shower.
There’s the additional luxury of butler service too — they’ll pour your morning coffee, make your dinner reservations, and even unpack (and repack) your cases — plus you can now arrange massages from resident spa staff in your own suite.
I wasn’t short of activities here either. By day I explored the resort’s rambling grounds, took part in yoga and tai chi lessons on the beach and tried kite surfing on the turquoise lagoon, also home to the world-famous ‘One Eye’ surf spot — a legendary wave in front of the reef.
Younger guests will love scouring the grounds to find the Dodo signs scattered around and learn about the famously extinct flightless bird that was once endemic to the island. Early morning hikes to the top of Le Morne can be arranged too, but while there’s more than just the beach to discover in Mauritius, I didn’t want to miss out on sunbathing entirely; whether you need a cooling aloe vera juice or for your sunglasses to be cleaned, a quick press of the call button installed on your sun lounger equalled swift service too.
Despite these extravagantly pampering touches, the whole place felt incredibly homely — perfect for those who want to learn more about the island’s history as well as exploring. Mauritius saw 300 years of colonial rule by the Dutch, French and British before independence, and this still influences everything from the architecture to the food.
The island has its own Jewish community as well, with enough members to maintain a synagogue — the Amicale Maurice Israel Center in the city of Curepipe. Here they still honour and remember Jewish refugees sent to Mauritius in 1940.