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ABOUT MAURITIUS ISLAND
Geography
Mauritius is the crossroads of vital trade routes between Europe and Asia, Africa and Australia. It is strategically located in the Indian Ocean near South Eastern Africa, east of Madagascar 20º17S, 57º33E. The country covers an area of 1865 sq/km with 330 km of coastline and is 45 km in width and 65 km in length. The Capital city of the Island is Port Louis. Perhaps, it is the most beautiful island in the world and it is popular by the terms Mauritius Hotels
Mauritius is 4 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and 3 hours ahead of mid European time. Its climate is sub-tropical with temperature ranging from 22ºC to 27ºC. Summer lasts from October to May, and winter from June to September. Rainy months are between January and May but rainfall is usually higher in the centre of the island. Exotic and brilliantly colorful fruits and flowers thrive in its tropical climate.
Demography
Mauritius has a population of 1.2 million. The population density is 606 people per sp km land with a labor force of 532,000.
Ethnic groups
Indo Mauritian: 68%
Creole (African): 27%
Sino Mauritian: 3%
Franco Mauritian: 2%
Life expectancy for males is 68.6%, whereas for females it is 76.6%. The Literacy rate is 86% for 15 years and above. English is the official language but French and Creole are widely spoken;
Currency
The currency of Mauritius is Mauritian Rupee (MUR): 1 Rupee = 100 Cents.
Notes: 2000, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 25 Coins: 20, 10, 5, 1, 50 Cents, 20 Cents, 10 Cents, 5 Cents.
Political & Legal System
The 1968 constitution proclaims that Mauritius is a Democratic State and the constitution is the supreme law of the land. It guarantees the fundamental rights and freedom of the people, including the right to hold private property and to be free from racial and other discrimination. Mauritius is thus a presidential democracy modeled on the British parliamentary system which guarantees the separation of the legislative, executive and judicial powers. Democracy is well entrenched in Mauritius and all major political parties are represented in Parliament.
Parliament democracy is thus based on the Westminster model and elections are held by universal suffrage every 5 years. The last elections were held on 3rd July 2005 and the next is in the year 2010. The head of State is the President while the head of the Government is the Prime Minister; the legal system is a hybrid system drawing from French Napoleonic Code, English Law and the 1968 constitution. The last court of appeal is the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the UK. Mauritius has enjoyed an uninterrupted political stability since independence with smooth transfer of political power after general elections. Strong social contracts bind the government, the private sector and the civil society.
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Port Louis City the Capital
Port Louis is the main administrative area of the island and there are about 5 Mauritius Hotels
Only 20 minutes drive from Grand Bay, Port Louis the capital of Mauritius, is a city of contrasting scenes with its combination of modern buildings and old style Creole houses.
The surprising Central Market with a wide range of local products, souvenirs, art crafts and exotic spices, the new commercial centre Caudan Waterfront offering a breathtaking view of the harbor with its art and craft market.
The Champs de Mars is the second oldest race-course in the world after Hong Kong. The St James Anglican Cathedral is an amazing historic building. The China Town has shopping opportunities at bargain prices.
Just a few minutes from the city centre, stands a remarkable tourist attraction called the Domain Les Pailles. It is a 1500 acre park with the replica of an old 18th century mill, an aromatic oil distillery and a spice garden. It has five excellent restaurants and can be visited by horse carriage or a cute little train.
North of Mauritius
Most of the Mauritius Hotels are found within this area.
The main centre of tourist activities in Mauritius is in the North, particularly at Grand Bay. At a distance of 25 miles from Port Louis, this sheltered bay of enchanting waters is known as the Côte d'Azur of Mauritius. It is the staging point for a variety of water sports and excursions at sea including diving, pedal boats, canoes, water-skiing, parasailing, golfing, cruising around Mauritius, trips to Ile aux Cerfs, glass bottomed boats and undersea walks.
Grand Bay
Grand Bay provides a whole range of amenities to make life pleasant for visitors. Banking, postal and communication facilities are easily available. Cars, mopeds and bicycles are also available for hire.
Depending on his or her taste, the visitor has a choice of hotel accommodation and bungalows. In so far as food is concerned, the visitor has the widest choice imaginable: from Creole, European, Japanese, Indian, and Chinese to Seafood. No other place in Mauritius can offer such a variety. Night life is also hectic in the North. No less than 10 night clubs offer a variety of music and ambience.
To cater for these intense tourist activities, the neighboring coastal villages of Pointe Aux Piments, Trou aux Biches and Pte aux Cannonier have developed facilities, namely hotel accommodation. The majority of tourists coming to Mauritius seek accommodation in this region.
The inland central of the North is undoubtedly the SSR Botanical gardens with its basins and ponds, rich with Amazon and Indian water lilies and tropical trees like The Talipot which blooms only once before dying.
South of Mauritius
As for Mauritius Hotels, there are Shandrani, Blue Lagoon and Preskil.
The South highlights a different perspective of Mauritius with its wild vegetation and sparsely populated areas. Some of its exclusivity is the Robert Edward-Hart museum entirely made of coral, the Gris Gris and Roche Qui Pleure cliffs overlooking a rough sea with huge waves breaking against black volcanic rocks, Rochester Falls.
La Vanilla Crocodile Park with crocodiles in their breeding ponds, and a zoological garden featuring many of the animals and reptiles of The Macarena islands like river eels, wild boars, chameleons, mongooses, bats, etc.
Then, discover traditional Mauritius at St Aubin with its anthurium greenhouses, vanilla plantations and splendid colonial house where you can enjoy a typical Mauritian lunch or Eureka- ‘the 109 doors house’ aged more than one and a half century and sheltering antique furniture reminding us of colonial life.
Still in the Southern part of the island, Mahebourg in the vicinity of the airport has a rich historical past. Ancient capital harbor of Mauritius, it was the theatre of the famous Franco-British naval battle in which for the first and only time the Napoleonic fleet defeated the British.
The naval museum, a popular tourist attraction, contains pieces, documents and art crafts that best describe the colonial past of the region.
At Anse Jonsee in the South East, high in the hills lays The Domain du Chasseur, 3000 acres of tropical forests inhabited by hundreds of Javanese stags, wild boars, monkeys, and birds. An important site for hunters and nature lovers.
There is also The Domain de L’Ylang Ylang with its Ylang Ylang flowers, perfume distillery and shops with perfumed gifts and other accessories.
West of Mauritius
Here you will find the most famous Mauritius Hotels such as the International Hillton and the 5-star Sugar Beach.
The Western Region spanning from Flic en Flac to Le Morne is warm and dry and the vegetation is savannah-like. Visitors have the impression that they are in Africa. Flic en Flac comprises one of the longest strips of public beach on the island and one of the most important deer farms on the island.
Next, on the main road leading to Le Morne is the Casela bird park which houses more than 2500 birds of 180 different species stretching on 25 acres of beautiful tropical gardens with ponds, streams and cascades. The main attraction is the Mauritian pink pigeon, one of the rarest birds in the world, though there are also tigers, panthers, ostriches, wallabies, giant tortoises, monkeys and lemurs.
Then we have Tamarin beach, the paradise for surfers with its spectacular waves and Black River which is associated with big-game fishing (see Sports).The biggest marlins are caught in the area and international marlin fishing competitions are regularly held, attracting enthusiastic anglers from different parts of the world.
From the village of Black River, one reaches le Morne Brabant, a striking spot flanked by a mountain and spectacular beaches. The scenery is enhanced by the outlying Ile aux Bénitiers.
East Coast of Mauritius
Ile Aux Cerfs
For the lovers of Golf, there are luxurious Mauritius Hotels such as Belle Mare Plage, Coco Beach, Ambre Hotel.
In the East, you will find Grand River South East, the longest river of the island where boats rides upstream are organized. An absolute must is Ile aux Cerfs (see: Tours/Excursions), which is a short boat trip off the mainland. It has the finest white beaches imaginable.
A visit to Mauritius cannot be complete without spending a day on that island. There are two restaurants to indulge your taste for local cuisine.
Major attractions: Trou aux Cerfs
There are places to visit such as Crater in Curepipe, Grand Bassin Lake, the Black River Gorges, the National Park which is the home of many endangered species of plants and birds. Next, there are also The Mauritius Kestrel and the Pink Pigeon, and Chamarel the Land of Seven Colors. The view of the sea from the heights of Chamarel is most spectacular.
Right within the center of the island near the shopping Complex of Jumbo and Phoenix Hales, there is also the Mauritius Glass Gallery of Phoenix, with its attractive and fascinating range of recycled glass products. One can watch the glass blowers at work.
A word of advice in the end let not the small size of Mauritius deceive the visitor. The beauty of the island is fascinating beyond imagination. It has a lot to offer and it is said that the Mauritian awaits every tourist with a smile. So come! It is the ideal place for a holiday.
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Hotels Mauritius: The most beautiful and relaxing place in the Indian Ocean, the example of Dinarobin Hotel Golf Spa. Be close to nature while indulging yourself at the gorgeous Spa by Clarins or tasting one of the island’s finest cuisines. Enclosed in ravishing scenery, this stylish 5-star hotel, set at the foot of the majestic Le Morne mountain, exudes luxury and disseminates its unique Suite-units on a string of white pristine beach.
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