{"id":3627,"date":"2020-01-17T19:20:10","date_gmt":"2020-01-18T00:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exploringed.com\/?p=3627"},"modified":"2022-12-29T08:59:37","modified_gmt":"2022-12-29T13:59:37","slug":"republic-of-mauritius","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exploringed.com\/republic-of-mauritius\/","title":{"rendered":"Mauritius \u2013 Water Sports, Mountains and Blend of Cultures"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
We were looking forward to going to Mauritius to explore and relax after weeks of exhausting travel in Madagascar. After all, it is famous for its watersports…<\/p>
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eye-catching mountains…<\/p>
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and colonial architecture.<\/p>
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We knew it was culturally diverse, but it really hit us on our first day when we were lost in a forested area, driving by gigantic Hindu statues.<\/p>
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We saw an event hall which was having a celebration. We drove in and saw two men outside and asked for directions in English, the language of the government. They were answering us, but we could not understand them. At first, we thought they were drunk and slurring their words, which was true. However, we eventually realized they did not speak English, but maybe French. Later we found out it was a French patois. This country is a mishmash of cultural influences!<\/strong><\/p> Because Mauritius is far from everywhere (almost 5,000 km \/ 3000 miles to Dubai and even further to Singapore), most visitors spend a week to justify the travel time.<\/strong> Each day you can do something different from water sports and hiking opportunities to visiting markets and historical sites. You can stay in comfortable hotels, drive on paved roads and eat in nice restaurants. You don\u2019t have to worry about your safety. What is not to like?<\/p> My wife Khadija, friend Gaynor and I visited there in late July for a week, after nearly three weeks of strenuous travel in Madagascar (about 1,000 km \/ 600 miles west). Because Mauritius is a small island, comparable to Rhode Island or Luxembourg, we decide to stay in one place, the area of Flic en Flac, and travel to different parts of the island each day. This turned out to be a sound strategy.<\/p> <\/p> We could\u2019ve stayed in any place on the island, but the west side has the best beaches, most accommodations and easiest access to main sites on the island<\/strong>. A typical itinerary could be:<\/p> One possibility is spending a day or two in Rodrigues Island for its natural beauty, giant tortoises and laid-back lifestyle.<\/p> We used Brandt\u2019s Mauritius \u2013 Rodrigues \u2013 R\u00e9union Travel Guide which provided accurate and detailed information.<\/p> Mauritius is generally a very safe place to travel. However, there is sporadic petty crime, so you should not leave valuables unattended or walk alone in deserted areas late at night. In some places, there are packs of roving dogs that should be avoided.<\/p> The added benefit of visiting Mauritius, as opposed to another mountainous island with beaches, is the culture is a unique blend of Indian, African, European and other influences.<\/strong><\/p> In Mauritius, English is the language of the government and many businesses<\/strong>. French is the main language in newspapers and radio<\/strong>. School is taught in English and French. By far the most commonly spoken language is French Creole (pidgin). Also spoken are ethnic languages like Hindi, Tamil, and Mandarin. To understand how this came about, you must know some of Mauritius\u2019 history.<\/p> The island was uninhabited until the 10th century when Arab traders landed there. In the 16th century, the Portuguese made it a port of call but did not live there. In the 17th century, the Dutch settled on the east coast and named it after Prince Mauritius. France was the main occupier in the 18th century where they established slavery and grew sugarcane and other crops. Of note, sugarcane accounts for almost all of Mauritius\u2019 agricultural exports and covers almost all arable land, as with the fields by Le Pouce Mountain (third highest in the country).<\/p> <\/p> In the early 19th century, the British took control of the island during the Napoleonic Wars, but the French landowners and workers remained, communicating French or a pidgin French. The British abolished slavery but brought indentured servants from India to work in the Mauritian sugarcane fields. The mostly Hindu and Moslem descendants are now about 2\/3 of the population, which is the reason for many Hindu temples, such as Kannanur Temple in Port Louis…<\/p> <\/p> and Islamic mosques, such Jummah Mosque also in Port Louis.<\/p> <\/p> From the 1830s to the 1910s, the British and other European countries brought almost two million servants from India. They were working on sugarcane fields and tea plantations (e.g. Sri Lanka), as well as building railroads (e.g. Kenya). Indians also migrated to British colonies as soldiers, civil servants, merchants, and traders. As a result, there are large populations of people of Indian origins also in South Africa, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Reunion Island, Fiji, Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. Mauritius is different in that it is the only country where they are a majority.<\/p> In 1968 Mauritius became independent but with a British Governor-General. It became a Republic in 1992 with an elected Prime Minister leading the country.<\/p> The second-largest ethnic group is the descendants of slaves (some of them mixed-race) who are about 25% of the population. The rest are mostly Chinese and European origins. The ethnic mix of the country is evident everywhere as in the markets of Port Louis.<\/p> <\/p> The population is around 1.3 million. It is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, but it did not feel crowded to me.<\/p> The main island is volcanic with many surrounding, tiny islands. Mauritius has many scattered mountains, though no peak exceeds 900 m (3,000 ft).<\/p> These mountains are in the southeast.<\/p> <\/p> There is a ring of coral reefs around the island and many beaches, large and small.<\/p> This is a beach on Cape Malheureux.<\/p> <\/p> The Mascarene Islands consist of Mauritius, Rodrigues (part of the country of Mauritius) and R\u00e9union (a French Department). They were named after the Portuguese navigator Pedro Mascarenhas who visited there in the early 16th century.<\/p> The country is considered part of Africa even though it is over 2,000 km (1200 mi) from the mainland.<\/strong><\/p> Most people use hotel vans, taxis and buses to travel the island. Some, like us, use a rental car which costs about $300 a week from Europcar, not including gas. The roads are in extremely good shape, better than most U.S. cities. However, while doable, driving is challenging due to confusing roundabouts, few street signs, hardly any street lighting, left-sided driving, and aggressive drivers. If you rent a car, be sure you have insurance because accidents are common.<\/p>Why Travel to Mauritius?<\/h2>
Travel Itinerary for Mauritius<\/h2>
Is Mauritius Safe?<\/h2>
Culture and a Brief History of Mauritius<\/h2>
Geography of Mauritius<\/h2>
Transportation in Mauritius<\/h2>
Lodging in Mauritius<\/h2>