Mauritius - Much more than a tropical paradise

I am not one for lying on beaches and doing nothing.  In fact I have been known to drive people mad, with my continuing demands to do something as soon as we have arrived anywhere, something I am sure many of my travelling companions of the past will hastily agree with.  But I had been lucky enough to win this trip to Mauritius, yep really, and I was determined to relax and make the most of it.  Particularly as the prize included a stay in the luxury of the 5* Heritage hotel.

Infinity pools at the Heritage

If I hadn't been drawn by my inability to go anywhere without seeing the local area, it would have been easy to spend all the time relaxing in the hotel.  The infinity pools with their clear blue water reflecting the light and heat of the sun were an easy draw.  That and the fine white sand that made up the beaches of this part of the island.  It was that perfect kind of sand, that you can bury your feet in and watch it escape through the gaps in your toes.  Not that it wasn't ridiculously hot!  The sea in this part of the island is also clear, a good thing for someone who prefers their seaweed on their plate rather than containing who knows what monsters of the deep!  Swimming was like taking a bath, it really wasn't a problem falling off a wakeboard when this is what took the impact.

Perfect beaches

The food in the resort was also pretty spectacular.  I am always wary of inclusive food options, but this one was a real treat.  With several restaurants to choose from, including one right on the beach and one with a claim to a Michelin starred chef in the kitchen.  We ate pretty well, my favourite being the most delicious fresh fish 'Cap salad'.

We did however venture out to take in some sites of the rest of this island paradise.  We drove inland, the roads taking us through the green mountainous areas of this volcanic island and expanses of sugarcane plantations.  It is estimated that 85% of Mauritius's arable land is made up of these plantations, and as we drove past many we could well believe it.  Who knew Mauritius was ranked second in the world for air quality, it certainly felt fresh up here!

Our destination for the day was the capital city of Port Louis, but we arrived there following a detour to the botanical gardens of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam.  Found in the equally amazing named Pamplemousses.  The name itself made the trip, but the gardens were beautiful.  An arboretum for palms and other tropical trees, it's a great place to wander and take in some of Mauritius many indigenous species.  The centre piece is a large pond filled with vast water lilies.

 

From here we continued our drive to Port Louis a city in motion.  The home to a melting pot of nationalities all of whom seemed to have made their mark on this bustling city. 

Waterfront Port Louis

We spend time wandering around the busy streets, checking out the markets, and taking a trip to the water front where signs of new wealth were beginning to spring in the form of offices and financial buildings.  Making our way back to our resort the views were stunning, glimpses of the sea behind lush landscapes and finally a beautiful sunset.  We had discovered this island was much more than its association with the infamous Dodo.

 

Of course then was the time for more relaxing, spa treatments and tasty dinners, after all it would have been rude not to.