The Lemon Fool

We hope to go to Mauritius in September and have a short stay in Dubai on the way back.

Can anyone recommend some 'must see' things in Mauritius?

I'm happy to crash next to a swimming pool, but my wife has more energy and will want us to visit places.

Nature, history and culture. Not interested in casinos, shopping and nightlife, though my wife's 'shopping frenzy' will probably kick in at some stage.


Steve

stevensfo wrote:We hope to go to Mauritius in September and have a short stay in Dubai on the way back.

Can anyone recommend some 'must see' things in Mauritius?

I'm happy to crash next to a swimming pool, but my wife has more energy and will want us to visit places.

Nature, history and culture. Not interested in casinos, shopping and nightlife, though my wife's 'shopping frenzy' will probably kick in at some stage.


Steve

We went to Mauritius about 16 years ago and visited the botanical gardens. Definitely worth a visit if flora/fauna is your thing.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_ ... usses.html

The other memory for me was my first view of the stars of the Southern Hemisphere. If you've not seen them before then find a spot away from lights on a clear night to appreciate properly.

BoE

I've had 3 holidays in Mauritius, rather too many years ago and all with a view to switching off rather than sight seeing. Lovely place and we found the people nicer than in the Caribbean.

We went to Le Tousserok, the Sugar Beach and Le Paradis. The first of those has now gone even more up market with a butler for each room - a turnoff for me! Sugar Beach also lovely - some good snorkelling (my first time). Le Paradis had a very nice golf course. There was also one at Le Tousserok on an island.

I agree about visiting the Botanical Gardens.

I went to Mauritius about 15 years ago, stayed at Sugar Beach which was very pleasant.

Don't think that the island is a sightseeing sort of destination though.

Bubblesofearth wrote:

stevensfo wrote:We hope to go to Mauritius in September and have a short stay in Dubai on the way back.

Can anyone recommend some 'must see' things in Mauritius?

I'm happy to crash next to a swimming pool, but my wife has more energy and will want us to visit places.

Nature, history and culture. Not interested in casinos, shopping and nightlife, though my wife's 'shopping frenzy' will probably kick in at some stage.


Steve

We went to Mauritius about 16 years ago and visited the botanical gardens. Definitely worth a visit if flora/fauna is your thing.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_ ... usses.html

The other memory for me was my first view of the stars of the Southern Hemisphere. If you've not seen them before then find a spot away from lights on a clear night to appreciate properly.

BoE

Ah... the old facing in to the middle of the Milky Way gets them everytime!!

servodude wrote:

Bubblesofearth wrote:
We went to Mauritius about 16 years ago and visited the botanical gardens. Definitely worth a visit if flora/fauna is your thing.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_ ... usses.html

The other memory for me was my first view of the stars of the Southern Hemisphere. If you've not seen them before then find a spot away from lights on a clear night to appreciate properly.

BoE

Ah... the old facing in to the middle of the Milky Way gets them everytime!!

Yes, I've been reading about the planets being discovered around Alpha Centauri, one of a triple system of stars and the closest to earth, only 4.3 light years away and reachable via Ryanair in only a few hundred thousand years.

Apparently they can be seen but only from the southern hemisphere.

Steve

PS Since any intelligent aliens will receive all out TV and radio transmissions with only a 4.3 year delay, I'm pretty sure they'll have buggered off somewhere a lot further and safer!

Me and the missus were there 20 years ago, in February.

Beautiful island, beautiful people, big water lilies and lovely beaches.

I met dentists selling scarfs and hats, natives walking along the beach hawking anything they had. We also paid visits to relatives of folk who we knew from the Emirates. Overall I was astounded at how poor these people were. At that time time I thought a Marxist revolution was in order.

It struck me as despicable. A wall of money pouring in from the tourist industry, which I had imagined would have made everyone well off, but it seemed as if it was just as readily sucked out by mega corporations with no material benefit to the inhabitants.

Well that was my impression. Of course without the tourists they might have been really really poor. I just don't know.

It also puzzled me that there were vast swathes of sugar plantations.

I'd go again though. Paul

Paultry wrote:Me and the missus were there 20 years ago, in February.

Beautiful island, beautiful people, big water lilies and lovely beaches.

I met dentists selling scarfs and hats, natives walking along the beach hawking anything they had. We also paid visits to relatives of folk who we knew from the Emirates. Overall I was astounded at how poor these people were. At that time time I thought a Marxist revolution was in order.

It struck me as despicable. A wall of money pouring in from the tourist industry, which I had imagined would have made everyone well off, but it seemed as if it was just as readily sucked out by mega corporations with no material benefit to the inhabitants.

Well that was my impression. Of course without the tourists they might have been really really poor. I just don't know.

It also puzzled me that there were vast swathes of sugar plantations.

I'd go again though. Paul

I would absolutely concur with your observations.

stevensfo wrote:We hope to go to Mauritius in September and have a short stay in Dubai on the way back.

Can anyone recommend some 'must see' things in Mauritius?

I'm happy to crash next to a swimming pool, but my wife has more energy and will want us to visit places.

Nature, history and culture. Not interested in casinos, shopping and nightlife, though my wife's 'shopping frenzy' will probably kick in at some stage.


Steve

Having been to Mauritius and the Seychelles I would choose the latter for my next trip.

redsturgeon wrote:

stevensfo wrote:We hope to go to Mauritius in September and have a short stay in Dubai on the way back.

Can anyone recommend some 'must see' things in Mauritius?

I'm happy to crash next to a swimming pool, but my wife has more energy and will want us to visit places.

Nature, history and culture. Not interested in casinos, shopping and nightlife, though my wife's 'shopping frenzy' will probably kick in at some stage.


Steve

Having been to Mauritius and the Seychelles I would choose the latter for my next trip.

Funny you should say that. I would prefer the Seychelles, but my wife has a colleague working in Mauritius so we're going there first.

Hopefully travelling Emirates. I do so love those enormous 380s!

Steve

Paultry wrote:Me and the missus were there 20 years ago, in February.

Beautiful island, beautiful people, big water lilies and lovely beaches.

I met dentists selling scarfs and hats, natives walking along the beach hawking anything they had. We also paid visits to relatives of folk who we knew from the Emirates. Overall I was astounded at how poor these people were. At that time time I thought a Marxist revolution was in order.

It struck me as despicable. A wall of money pouring in from the tourist industry, which I had imagined would have made everyone well off, but it seemed as if it was just as readily sucked out by mega corporations with no material benefit to the inhabitants.

Well that was my impression. Of course without the tourists they might have been really really poor. I just don't know.

It also puzzled me that there were vast swathes of sugar plantations.

I'd go again though. Paul

So please, never visit Zanzibar!!

We stayed at an amazing hotel complex that was paradise. Probably the best hotel complex I have ever seen!

All hotels were along the beach. The water as warm as a bath!

At the edge of each hotel were security guards. The beach was public. Stay on the beach for more than 30 seconds and people would come and try to sell or advertise stuff. So it was a dash across the beach to the ocean, where they never came.

We had a nice time and befriended some very young boys that my wife felt sorry for so we were always bringing them stuff.

I wanted to visit the place where Freddie Mercury was born in Stone Town. Not worth it!

After a few guided trips to nearby villages, I realised that it was all a joke. No real indigenous businesses apart from tourism.

We support an orphanage and school in Tanzania, but I never want to go back to Zanzibar!

Steve

Paultry wrote:I met dentists selling scarfs and hats, natives walking along the beach hawking anything they had. We also paid visits to relatives of folk who we knew from the Emirates. Overall I was astounded at how poor these people were. At that time time I thought a Marxist revolution was in order.

No, it was just a Mauritius rumour