Cool
off in Mauritius
With
the mercury taking a winter dip in this southern hemisphere island, now’s the
best time to get your beach fix
With a coastline stretching to 330
km and over 160 beaches to its credit, there’s something for everyone here
It takes
nearly six hours and will cost you around Rs 50,000 on a return trip
(conditions apply). But, nestled in the Indian ocean, on the eastern coast of
Africa, the tropical paradise of Mauritius is a great destination to beat the
heat this summer — since it’s in the southern hemisphere, it is experiencing
winter right now with temperatures ranging between 18ºC and 24ºC. And, if
that’s not enough to convince you, here are four more reasons to explore this
much-lovedby-Bollywood destination.
THE SANDS
There’s no better way to battle Mumbai sultriness by jumping into the water and Mauritius, with its white sands and clean, aquamarine waters, offers the perfect escape plan. With a coastline stretching to 330 km and over 160 beaches to its credit, there’s something for everyone.
If you want to become one with the crowd, the beach to head to is La Cuvette located near the town of Grand Baie in the northwest part of Mauritius. A postcard beach, La Cuvette was until recently a quiet 80-m stretch known only to locals and a few guests of a nearby hotel. Since it’s clear of rocks and corals, it makes for a nice walk from the beach along the coast until you reach the centre of Grand Bay. You could plan a moonlit walk, if you are going (nudge-nudge) with your romantic other half.
Another beach to visit, if you want to indulge in some people watching, is the Grand Bay Public Beach. With fresh juice stands, fast food stalls and beach restaurants, you can spend ample time here watching boat traffic in the bay.
This sandy destination has recently been reunited with Bollywood with the tourism board offering producers here a 30 per cent refund on production expenditures incurred while filming there. Very recently, the Saif Ali Khan-starrer Humshakals was shot here. So, don’t be surprised if you spot some stars relaxing on the sands. And be nice: take an autograph, not pictures on the sly.
THE WATERS
If getting into the water is your plan, head to Belle Mare Plage on the east coast. The waters here are more calm and suitable for swimming.
Don’t fret if you don’t know how to swim or your kid wants to enter the water. Because the waters are so popular, there are several activities you can indulge in such as snorkelling which offers a closer view of the coral reef, just 100 meters from the shore. If you want to venture further away from the sands, try your hand at the undersea walk (which lasts an hour) or deep sea diving (which will take you the first half of the day and require pool training before you take the plunge). Several local operators offer these service and will help clarify any doubts you have on how safe this is.
Both snorkelling and diving don’t require you to know how to swim — so long as you are not afraid of water. Just let your instructor know and you will be provided with a life jacket.
It’s an experience worth getting into the water for. Much as the Indian Ocean looks beautiful on the Mauritian surface, the world below the sea level is even more breathtaking. Fish will swim past you and, if you get too close to their homes, you could get a cold stare.
7 COLOURS OF THE EARTH
If you are not a water-person, there’s still some reason to head to this African nation. The Coloured Earth of Chamarel has been one of Mauritius’ main attractions since the 1960s. It’s a two-hour drive from Port Louis. While the destination is important, the journey itself is scenic and allows you to see a lot more of the island — the villages, green stretches and mountains. Nearing Chamarel, the road starts to curve and becomes narrow, but the steep drops offer a breathtaking view. The small stretch of sand dunes reflect seven colours — red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple and yellow. The colours evolved through conversion of basaltic lava to clay minerals.
If you take a handful of each of the seven different colours of dirt and mix them together, they will eventually separate into a colourful spectrum, each dot of sand rejoining others of its colour.
Earlier, tourists would be allowed to walk on the sand dunes, but a fence on the site prevents you from doing that now. You need to however, pay up (a minimal fee) to simply enjoy the breathtaking beauty that the seven coloured earth is. The best time to visit is during sunrise when the colours are distinct.
DIG INTO STREET FOOD
The island, admittedly has a strong French influence, having been colonised by the European nation in the 1700s. This is reflected in its mainstream cuisine. However, if you are aching for some Indian food, just head to the streets. Because of its large Indian population (aren’t we everywhere?) there’s a lot of Indian street food to excite your taste buds. In the busy streets of Port Louis, you will spot mid-sized food trucks or small joints selling the famous Dhal Puri, often tagged at the nation’s official street food. This dish originates from Bihar, is cheap and offers instant gratification. It’s something like a pancake stuffed with dal, given a tadka of haldi and jeera and served with dahi or chutney.
THE SANDS
There’s no better way to battle Mumbai sultriness by jumping into the water and Mauritius, with its white sands and clean, aquamarine waters, offers the perfect escape plan. With a coastline stretching to 330 km and over 160 beaches to its credit, there’s something for everyone.
If you want to become one with the crowd, the beach to head to is La Cuvette located near the town of Grand Baie in the northwest part of Mauritius. A postcard beach, La Cuvette was until recently a quiet 80-m stretch known only to locals and a few guests of a nearby hotel. Since it’s clear of rocks and corals, it makes for a nice walk from the beach along the coast until you reach the centre of Grand Bay. You could plan a moonlit walk, if you are going (nudge-nudge) with your romantic other half.
Another beach to visit, if you want to indulge in some people watching, is the Grand Bay Public Beach. With fresh juice stands, fast food stalls and beach restaurants, you can spend ample time here watching boat traffic in the bay.
This sandy destination has recently been reunited with Bollywood with the tourism board offering producers here a 30 per cent refund on production expenditures incurred while filming there. Very recently, the Saif Ali Khan-starrer Humshakals was shot here. So, don’t be surprised if you spot some stars relaxing on the sands. And be nice: take an autograph, not pictures on the sly.
THE WATERS
If getting into the water is your plan, head to Belle Mare Plage on the east coast. The waters here are more calm and suitable for swimming.
Don’t fret if you don’t know how to swim or your kid wants to enter the water. Because the waters are so popular, there are several activities you can indulge in such as snorkelling which offers a closer view of the coral reef, just 100 meters from the shore. If you want to venture further away from the sands, try your hand at the undersea walk (which lasts an hour) or deep sea diving (which will take you the first half of the day and require pool training before you take the plunge). Several local operators offer these service and will help clarify any doubts you have on how safe this is.
Both snorkelling and diving don’t require you to know how to swim — so long as you are not afraid of water. Just let your instructor know and you will be provided with a life jacket.
It’s an experience worth getting into the water for. Much as the Indian Ocean looks beautiful on the Mauritian surface, the world below the sea level is even more breathtaking. Fish will swim past you and, if you get too close to their homes, you could get a cold stare.
7 COLOURS OF THE EARTH
If you are not a water-person, there’s still some reason to head to this African nation. The Coloured Earth of Chamarel has been one of Mauritius’ main attractions since the 1960s. It’s a two-hour drive from Port Louis. While the destination is important, the journey itself is scenic and allows you to see a lot more of the island — the villages, green stretches and mountains. Nearing Chamarel, the road starts to curve and becomes narrow, but the steep drops offer a breathtaking view. The small stretch of sand dunes reflect seven colours — red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple and yellow. The colours evolved through conversion of basaltic lava to clay minerals.
If you take a handful of each of the seven different colours of dirt and mix them together, they will eventually separate into a colourful spectrum, each dot of sand rejoining others of its colour.
Earlier, tourists would be allowed to walk on the sand dunes, but a fence on the site prevents you from doing that now. You need to however, pay up (a minimal fee) to simply enjoy the breathtaking beauty that the seven coloured earth is. The best time to visit is during sunrise when the colours are distinct.
DIG INTO STREET FOOD
The island, admittedly has a strong French influence, having been colonised by the European nation in the 1700s. This is reflected in its mainstream cuisine. However, if you are aching for some Indian food, just head to the streets. Because of its large Indian population (aren’t we everywhere?) there’s a lot of Indian street food to excite your taste buds. In the busy streets of Port Louis, you will spot mid-sized food trucks or small joints selling the famous Dhal Puri, often tagged at the nation’s official street food. This dish originates from Bihar, is cheap and offers instant gratification. It’s something like a pancake stuffed with dal, given a tadka of haldi and jeera and served with dahi or chutney.
Mehul
S Thakkar MM140505
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