Mauritius Travel Guide: Sugar Cane Fields, Rainbow Earth & Indian Ocean Bliss

# Mauritius Travel Guide: Sugar Cane, Rainbow Earth & Indian Ocean Bliss

Mauritius is the Indian Ocean's cultural melting pot — Hindu temples sit next to French colonial mansions, while Creole street food stalls share blocks with Chinese pagodas. It's ringed by one of the world's largest unbroken barrier reefs, creating lagoon-like swimming conditions on most beaches.

The Seven Coloured Earth is the island's strangest natural wonder — sand dunes in red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple, and yellow, formed by volcanic ash cooling at different temperatures. The adjacent Chamarel Waterfall plunges 100 meters into a jungle gorge. Go on a sunny day — the colours are most vivid after rain.

A small island off the east coast with the whitest sand in Mauritius. Accessible by speedboat from Trou d'Eau Douce (15 minutes). The island has a championship golf course, parasailing, and a lagoon perfect for floating. Gets busy by midday — arrive early.

The island's wild interior — hiking trails through primary rainforest, waterfalls, and viewing points over the gorges. Home to the endangered Mauritius kestrel and pink pigeon. The Macchabée Trail takes about 3 hours and offers the best views.

The island's main tourist hub in the north. Restaurants, shopping, nightlife, and boat trips to the northern islets (Gabriel Island, Flat Island). Good base for first-timers. The beach here is decent but not the island's best — head to nearby Pereybère or Mont Choisy for better sand.

Visit a Hindu temple (the colourful Maheswarnath in Triolet is the largest), then drive past French colonial plantation houses, stop for Chinese dumplings (boulettes) from a street vendor, and end the day with Creole rougaille (tomato-based stew) at a beachside restaurant. This is Mauritius.

- **One&Only Le Saint Géran** (east) — The island's most iconic luxury resort. On its own peninsula

- **LUX Belle Mare** (east) — Family-friendly luxury with the best pool on the island

- **Budget**: Guesthouses in Flic en Flac or Grand Baie — $40-70/night, minutes from the beach