Written by: Fatima
Location:
Volcanic Island with stretches of palm fringed beaches. This beautiful holiday to Mauritius, was a much awaited extended family holiday of 6 adults and 3 kids and I was determined to see as much of it as I could!
Experience:
Although Mauritius is a sought after summer destination, we went in winter (July to be precise) and the weather was just amazing. (The prices too as compared to the summer season).
We booked 2 triple storey beachfront apartments via booking.com situated in a seaside town called Flic en Flac, which is on the balmy West Coast of the island. The apartments were huge, en suite and luxurious. We paid a fraction of the luxury resort prices and because we planned to tour as much of the island as we could, this was the perfect option for us. We hired a car to get around and were able to easily do whatever we wanted, with flexibility.
Driving in Mauritius requires an international driving license and is easily obtained by applying through the AA. We downloaded the maps prior and made use of it offline as we didn’t obtain Sim cards and just made use of the wifi at the accommodation.
1. Glass bottom boat….the kids absolutely loved this and were mesmerized at what they could see. We did this at the Blue Bay Marine Reserve. The best part being jumping into the water for some enchanting snorkelling.(South East of the Island)
2. Banana boats and couch boats for crazy rides in the ocean. Think I enjoyed it more than they did. Available at all the popular beaches.
3. Sailing via catamaran to the beautiful island of ile aux cerfs. It was our first experience on a catamaran and it was a mesmerizing experience cruising through the beautiful blues of the Indian ocean. While cruising we also did some para-sailing from the boat. Para-sailing is one of my most favourite things to do and flying above the blue waters was just captivating. ( From Trou d’eau Douce East of the island).
Ile aux cerfs is a picturesque island on the east coast of Mauritius and is worthwhile trip to make.
4. Sea karting to crystal rock – available at La Balise which is on the west of coast of the island. Great adrenaline rush and an exhilarating experience, kids over the age of 5 only are allowed to accompany you. It’s made to fit 3 people and thrilling ride you take yourself. The highlight of this was the spectacular views to Crystal Rock.
Crystal rock is a large natural wonder surrounded by a crystal lagoon.
5. Visit the 7 colour sands in Chamarel, the Chamarel waterfall and explore the curious museum there. Kids will also enjoy interacting with the giant tortoises there and being immersed in the galleries of illusion and mystery (South West of the Island).
6. Swim with the dolphins at Tamarin. Even though kids will not manage this they will scream with delight as they spot them from the boat. This was a bucket list experience that I’m so glad to have ticked off (West of the island)
7. Port Louis for some shopping, being careful not be ripped off at the tourist traps and a visit to the Le Cauden Waterfront. If you’re managed to get your tan on, take a break from the beaches and head here for some local market experiences.
8. Underwater scoobadoo. Under water jet ski type thing which was really fun and suitable for kids 10 years old and up or who comply with the height requirements. I really enjoyed having an array of fish come to eat from my hand. Available at Trouxau biches (North of the island)
List of Halaal Food Options
Because we stayed In a self catering apartment, with a fully equipped kitchen, we made use of the Spar near us for breakfast essentials.
The halaal places we tried were:
Flic en Flac
Zubs express for fusion food.
Monoprix in the Cascavelle shopping centre (I think it is called Winners now).
Debonairs, Steers, Fishaways in the Cascavelle shopping centre.
Grand baie
Saffron Grill
Port Louis
L’arabica Le Caudan Waterfront.
(These restaurants were certified halaal at the time – July 2017)
With lots of halaal food, kid friendly activities and a short plane ride from South Africa, Mauritius is an amazing family destination. I was satisfied at our action-packed trip as we got to see and experience much of what this small island has to offer including views of verdant tea and sugar plantations.
Where to shop:
I prefer to use my time and money while travelling, on experiences, rather than shopping. However, there are malls in many areas as well as markets. Just be careful not to be scammed at the markets and haggle.
If I would ever have to return one day inshaAllah, I, too would opt for a relaxed beach stay at a resort. I would also like to see the underwater waterfall via helicopter and attempt some hikes at Le Morne Brabant. While this post may not be ideal for honeymooners or travellers looking for a relaxed stay at a luxury resort, it may provide options for at least 1 or 2 activities that you may like to include in your stay.
Tips, tricks and recommendations for anyone wanting to visit Mauritius:
Book accommodation via booking.com or email your preferred resort directly. Plan your trip in advance to avoid wasting time deciding what to do. Find reasonable tour operators and have a look at their packages of tours that may interest you. We booked the scoobadoo directly with the company, while the catamaran and dolphin swimming tour was booked with Ebrahim tours. Because we had access to our hired cars, we did everthing else ourselves.
Our kids were 9, 6 and 3 at the time. We had begun travelling with them from as little as 5 months old and while we have experienced some challenges travelling with little kids, it’s definitely something that is easily done and travelling as a family has made for some magical memories.
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This article was written by:
Fatima, a mum of 3, based in Johannesburg (South Africa). She is an educator by profession and has a small gifting business as a side hustle. She loves documenting her travels on her Instagram page. She believes that books and travel are the only things you pay for that make you richer.
You can follow Fatima on Instagram to see more of her journey.
Instagram:@fats.v