Bel Ombre, Mauritius
During my week-long visit to Mauritius at the dynamic content extravaganza organised by Africa’s leading satellite television provider, MultiChoice Africa, I had the chance to sightsee and visit some of the islands remarkable tourist attractions, taste delicious lip-smacking dishes and interesting cocktails. I must admit I had the time of my life and I would do it again anytime.
I stayed at the South side of Mauritius at the five-star Outrigger Beach Resort and my stay was made so comfortable I did not want to come back. But none-the-less for some of you who have never been to the island, or dream of going there, here is what you can expect when you do happen to visit the tiny island.
Its a remarkable green Island
For a tiny island of only a million people, Mauritius is an interesting, world-in-one-island, simply a piece of paradise with a breath-taking nature. Mauritius is an island located in the Indian Ocean near Reunion and Rodrigues islands. Clear warm coloured blue turquoise water, and endless white beaches with coconut trees make Mauritius an ideal tropical dream beach holiday destination. The island has very multi-coloured vegetation, and not to mention, the weather is very pleasing and if you are lucky enough, you get to experience two seasons, winter and summer in one day. Mauritius is said to be the paradise of the Indian Ocean, and that is so true. The beautiful white sandy beaches and blue lagoons are so inviting to those who want to enjoy sea and sun, and the clarity of the water is superb.
Even though I did not get enough time to experience the country’s culture, I got to see the beauty on the South side of the country bursting with buildings left unfinished, bright storefronts with paint peeling. However, this Island is a passionately recommend green flora if you are looking for a relaxed, laid back quality break. The location is beautiful, lush green country with beautiful views, not to mention the personal hospitality of people (staff) who make it a very special place.
The finest Mauritian Rum
The party haven’t started yet until you taste the locally produced rum. The rum is extremely smooth and has a lot of complexity on the nose and palate. My personal favourite was the classic white rum, which was mixed with fresh orange juice. The chamarel classic white rum at 42% abv made from Molasses and distilled in Column Stills is a different Aromas of Vanilla and sugar cane with basic herbaceous character and slight hints of toasted nuts. On the flavour side there is a natural sweetness of Sugar Cane and hints of aniseed (flowering plant) with a dry finish. If you happen to end up in the green Island make sure you bring back at least two bottles of this lovely stuff – one classic rum, spices or Vanilla rum.
The So Famous Creole Chicken Curry
Curry here curries everywhere. Mauritians love their curry; they serve it during breakfast, lunch and dinner. One thing about this curry is that it’s quite different from the rest I ever ate, not to spicy but still authentic and full of flavour. According to one of the Chef’s at the resort where I stayed, the traditional blend of home crushed spices is the secret behind the uniqueness of this dish which revives your taste buds with different savours and textures which might have been unknown to you until this very moment you tasted the dish. The unique Mauritian curry is traditionally served with rice, vegetable pickles (atchar or achard) or bread, simply perfect! It’s a popular Mauritian dish and one you should try. Not forgetting the rest of the food is fantastic and lavish, especially the tender beef is something to die for.
The holy and scenic Ganga Talao
I got the opportunity to whiz at the larger than life (108-foot-tall) main attraction statue of the Hindu God Mangal Mahadev standing with his trident at the entrance of Ganga Talao, a crater lake situated in the district of Savanne, in Mauritius; pay a spiritual visit to the Grand Bassin Crater Lake in Savanne where I also got to pose with statues of Saraswati (Goddess of Wisdom) and Lakshmi (Godess of Wealth). Ganga Talao is a holy and divine place where visitors go to meditate or simply for sightseeing. It has a lovely temple with different idols and stunning view. The place has become a tourist attraction. This place surely gives you the peace of mind and would recommend all visitors not to miss out this venue. When you do visit don’t forget to get your ‘blessings’ from either of the statues.
Something unique to discover
I’ve never seen something so unusual before like the seven different coloured earths. It’s amazing that for a country so small in size there are so many unique features one can visit
The area of a thousand colours is attractive and changes colour so many times depending on the side you stand on. The area is also home to giant tortoises that are impressive to see up close. When touring be careful not to anger the wild monkey’s coz they might just bite you.