Mauritius Island of the Heart
Text: Judy Beyer. Photographs: Judy Beyer and Cindy Armstrong. Article from the June 2013 issue of Africa Geographic Magazine.
In February, Africa Geographic’s Judy Beyer and Cindy Armstrong spent four days in Mauritius, exploring what the island has to offer in the way of natural attractions and wildlife. They may not have spent hours lolling on beach loungers, but they certainly came home brimming with information about its natural history and burning with a desire to return.
It’s hot and humid in Mauritius in February. It’s also the rainy season and the time when cyclones may strike. Don’t give any of that a thought. The country is beautiful, its people are warm and friendly and there is little sign of intolerance towards one’s neighbour. The predominant religion is Hindu, although all faiths are happily tolerated; the predominant colours are blue and green; the predominant fragrance is of spices; and the predominant feature of the local people is their wide, white smiles.
The Indian Ocean
The attractions for most visitors to Mauritius are the sea, the tranquil lagoons and the long white beaches. The snorkelling is incredible, as are windsurfing, diving, fishing, sailing and paragliding. One of the island’s extraordinary offerings is a walk along the seabed.
A helmet with glass windows is popped over your head and air is pumped in through a complex system of compressors and hoses, and you are guided through the reef gardens, eyeball to eyeball with multicoloured fish and other underwater creatures. It’s quite safe, and you can even wear your specs.
Pamplemousses Gardens
Officially named the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens after the man who led Mauritius to independence, Pamplemousses (‘grapefruit’ in French, for the nearby village) Botanical Gardens are a lush sanctuary of skyscraper palms (one is warned not to stand beneath them during thunderstorms) and tropical species such as giant pepper trees, nutmeg, cinnamon, teak and the talipot, which flowers once after 60 years then dies. Waterlily pads like giant pizza pans cover a grass-rimmed pool. It’s said that the leaves will support the weight of a young child, but I wouldn’t recommend risking it. Along one avenue, the tall stems of hundreds of white-bloomed lotus flowers are reflected in a trembling pond. There’s a lot more in the 38-hectare garden – it’s like an extract from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Port Louis
We wound from Pamplemousses (actually, all the roads on the island are sinuous and interesting) into the vibrant capital of Port Louis (right), tucked between two mountains and spilling into the sea. Its harbour has been used since the early 17th century. The French took control in 1735 and remained until 1810 when, during the Napoleonic Wars, Britain became the island’s new ruler. Mauritius became a republic in 1992 but the French influence persists in the names of the towns and villages. Many of the islanders speak French too.
During the British occupation, a sombre-looking stone structure was built on Signal Hill overlooking the harbour. It’s named, rather sweetly, Fort Adelaide, after the wife of King William IV of England. Its other, sterner, name is The Citadel.
There’s no wildlife (the focus of our visit) to be seen in the capital, unless you count the ubiguitous dodos that peep from every T-shirt stall and souvenir shop doorway. But it’s a great place to shop. The multi-storey Central Market bulges with fruits, vegetables and spices and a range of those goodies that seem so essential when you are holidaying. We chose instead to visit the nearby Old Market, where we plunged into a labyrinth of stalls whose owners plugged their wares enthusiastically. It’s good fun if you can stand the babble; don’t forget to haggle and be aware of safety. We stopped at a stall for a drink and watched wide-eyed as the owner deftly swished the top off two fresh coconuts and presented them to us with straws.
Grand Bassin
The sacred lake at Grand Bassin lies in the crater of an extinct volcano and its waters are believed by the local Hindu population to have a direct link to the River Ganges. Each year, during the Shivarati festival, the faithful make a barefoot pilgrimage to the lake. Visitors arrive all year for sacred purposes, although the birds that swoop in and out of the temples presumably have more gastronomically sustaining thoughts in mind. On the day we visited, preparations were being made for Shivarati and the place was filled with incense, colour, food and the floral offerings of people going about their devotions. The lush vegetation surrounding the lake looks inviting, and it’s on our wish list to explore in the future.
Mauritian Wildlife Foundation
The Mauritian Wildlife Foundation is the only non-governmental organisation devoted exclusively to conservation in Mauritius, neighbouring Rodrigues and other offshore islets. Its projects – fauna recovery, habitat restoration, rare plant conservation and education – are funded by proceeds from guided tours and outside contributors. Find out how you can help at www.m3uriti3n-wildlife.org
Black River Gorges National Park
At almost 6 500 hectares and covering 3.5 per cent of Mauritius’s surface, the island’s only national park is a wild expanse of thick forest that shelters more than 300 species of flowering plants and nine species of endemic birds. If you’re not the hiking type, you can explore by bus or car (although many others will have had the same thought). However, the best way to see the park’s beauty is on foot, following the 50-kilometre network of hiking trails that meander through it – even a short walk will give you happy memories. Good maps are available. Take lots of water and wear stout shoes – the volcanic ground is hard and slippery underfoot. Look for the rare tambalacogue or dodo tree and the black ebony, which were first felled by settlers for building and later to make way for sugar-cane plantations. Birdwatchers should keep an eye out for the Mauritius kestrel, pink pigeon and Mauritius cuckoo-shrike, among other rarities.
Chamarel
Volcanoes, now extinct, have created Mauritius’s astonishing landscape, and the site at Chamarel (left) shows fascinating evidence of their activity over millions of years. Here, their deposits remain in layers of seven distinct colours – red, brown, violet, purple, green, blue and yellow. It’s thought that the shades are due to the metal oxide content of the sand, which also causes it to separate into layers, even when combined in a tube (these are sold at the entrance). The dunes are not affected by wind or rain, and can be seen at their best when the sun shines on them.
Surrounding them is a boardwalk, backed by grass, indigenous trees and a few solemn-looking Aldabra tortoises, moving clunkily in their pen, unaware of their endangered status.
île aux Aigrettes
Our last day started with a short boat ride across water so blue it was almost a cliche, to île aux Aigrettes. This coral island is home to the last remnants of the dry coastal forest that once covered most of Mauritius. Having been almost denuded of both natural vegetation and animal life by the introduction of alien plants, the 27-hectare island was declared a nature reserve in 1965. Now, thanks to the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF), the forest has been restored and the wildlife species have been reintroduced. We walked along trails for two hours, encountering giant Aldabra tortoises, which headed for us and nudged the guide for food. The banana skin I’d concealed in my backpack was consumed in a second. We were mesmerised by three of these mega-reptiles that ambled calmly past us, a pair even trying to mate, noisily.
Among the birds, Mauritius fody, Mauritius olive white-eye and pink pigeon, which were perilously close to extinction just a few years ago, all showed themselves. Seeing them, when we could so easily have been elsewhere as they faded away altogether, was guite emotional. Dodos once lived here too, as they did throughout Mauritius, but were killed off for food. A bronze model is all that is left to show the existence of the species. We left the island filled with admiration for the MWF and its team of conservationists who not only work hard to preserve the local flora and fauna, but also host research students from around the world.
Long Beach Resort
The Africa Geographic team were guests at Long Beach Hotel, which opened in 2011 and showcases the latest in green building technigues.
This lovely five-star resort really does practise responsible tourism hand-in-hand with excellent service and attention to guests’ comfort.
Travel arrangements were made by World Leisure Holidays (www.wlh.co.za), Air Mauritius (www. airmauritius.com) and SummerTimes tours (www.summer-times.com).
To book your dream visit to Mauritius, go to www.wih.co.za
Pink Pigeon
Once widely distributed across Mauritius, the pink pigeon Nesoenas mayeri had, by 1986, been reduced to just 12 recorded specimens. Its decline was due to destruction of the indigenous forest, hunting and the introduction of predators such as monkeys, rats and feral cats. Outside funding enabled the MWF to establish an intensive conservation programme that is proving successful, with five sub-populations existing in the Black River Gorges National Park and a sixth on île aux Aigrettes. Currently, more than 470 wild pink pigeons have been recorded in Mauritius.
Pack your Bags
According to Mark Twain, ‘Mauritius was made first, and then heaven; and heaven was copied after Mauritius’. It definitely is an out-of-this-world destination. However, Mauritius is a tropical island – it’s hot and humid, and visitors wanting to explore the natural wonders would do well to remember that the volcanic rock and coral are tough underfoot. The Africa Geographic team has a few tips to offer.
Exploring with ease
If you, like our team, are keen to plunge into exploring the wild outdoors, don’t forget:
- A lightweight backpack to keep your hands free.
- Stout, thick-soled shoes.
- Water, and lots of it. (Mauritius’s water is chemically treated and quite safe to drink, but bottled water is your best bet when hiking.)
- Snacks. Not all the natural sights have refreshment kiosks or tearooms.
- Mosquito repellant.
- High-SPF sunscreen.
- Broad-brimmed hat or peaked cap.
The right gear
Everything you need can be bought in Mauritius, but these basic items are vital.
- Lightweight cotton clothing.
- Sun hat and sunglasses.
- For women, pack a sarong to double up as a skirt or headscarf, if needed.
- Rain jacket.
- Rubber flip-flops for the beach.
Cultural know-how
Mauritians are tolerant of a wide range of beliefs and behaviour. However, the culture is conservative, so don’t travel with your top off or bare too much flesh when in public.This applies especially when visiting places of worship (although do remember to remove your shoes).
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