A bit north from the tropic of Capricorn lies the island of Mauritius like a rich green emerald in the turquoise velvet of the Indian Ocean. Mauritius’s greatest assets as a holiday destination are its beautiful, white sandy beaches, naturally protected by a coral reef which almost encircles the entire island. The clear calm waters off the cost make conditions ideal for all kinds of water sports which include scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing and deep sea fishing.
A bit north from the tropic of Capricorn lies the island of Mauritius like a rich green emerald in the turquoise velvet of the Indian Ocean. Mauritius’s greatest assets as a holiday destination are its beautiful, white sandy beaches, naturally protected by a coral reef which almost encircles the entire island. The clear calm waters off the cost make conditions ideal for all kinds of water sports which include scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing and deep sea fishing.
Mauritius covers an area of approximately 2000 km2. You will discover coastal scenery that changes around each bend of the road. The mountain ranges give birth to streams and rivers some being part of nature reserve with ancient forests inhabited by deer, monkeys, and wild boar – not to mention several rare bird species such as the Mauritian Kestrel.
It is an all-year-round tropical island resort with a mild climate and pleasant temperatures. In the summer months, from November to April, the temperature varies from 20oC to 28oC on the central plateau and from 25oC to 33oC on the coast. From May to October, the average temperature is 19oC in the centre of the island, rarely falling under 13oC at night. On the coast, all temperatures are about 5oC higher.
Mauritius is more than nature – it holds a long history bringing cultures together with numerals places of interest. The Pamplemousses Garden, famous for its giant water lilies and its countless varieties of palm trees. Port Louis; the Capital City mixing the new with old times – stop by the old oriental market or at one of the jewellery shop at the new waterfront. Place like Eureka House, The Martello Towers, Grand Bassin, Souillac and Chamarel are just a couple of places one should visit while vacationing Mauritius.
Mauritius is an independent island republic with a democratic government. It lies in the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar and forms part of the Indian Ocean Islands group associated with Africa. After Port Loui the other major town is Curepipe. The official languages are English and French but the lingua franca is Mauritian Creole; Hindi is also spoken by 22% of the people. Dwarfed by other countries in terms of total area, mineral deposits and oil reserves, Mauritius is a giant in terms of economic growth and political stability.
The island offers hospitality and a smiling population, luxury hotels with a service that most likely cannot be found better around the world. This together with the warm climate makes Mauritius a tropical paradise for all, who dreams about white sand beaches, palm breeze, beautiful and lush nature with mountain, rivers that provide a playing ground for adventures people.
Mauritius is surrounded by precious filigree of coral, created over thousands of years, home for marine life such as small cleaner shrimp, distinctive orange scorpion fish and a variety of small and middle size tropical fishes. The reefs have created and protect the lagoons making it safe for swimming and snorkeling – not forgetting a perfect place to encounter Dolphins.
Lying in the Indian Ocean and the south Equatorial current passing by, bigger fish also occur in the surrounding seas ranging from shark, blue marlin, sailfish, tuna, and even whale shark can be encountered there.
Enchantment touches everyone who ventures offshore and into the reef’s iridescent lagoons!
Activities:
• Snorkeling
• Scuba diving
• Deep sea fishing
• Saltwater fly fishing
• Bird watching
• Sailing
• Hiking
• Spa treatments
• Relaxing on the beach
Honeymoon & Weddings
Why not have your wedding or honeymoon in Mauritius? It is the ideal destination for an exclusive, unique beach wedding and a romantic honeymoon or anniversary…
Honeymoon
If you are looking for a very special place to spend your honeymoon, Mauritius is definitely the place for you. Every hotel on the island offers extensive wedding and honeymoon packages. They can also help you in organizing every single detail of the ceremony.
Everything is possible. You can choose to have an intimate, private occasion or a more adventurous way of exchanging vows.
On a sunny beachside, under the sea or in the sky, Mauritius will transform your wedding or your honeymoon into an unforgettable moment.
Getting Married in Mauritius
> The «Marital Status Act» specifies that non-residents can get married the day following the posting of the marriage banns.
> However, the couple must obtain a certificate that the Prime Minister’s Office issues to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages stating that they are not
Mauritian citizens or Mauritian residents.
This certificate can be obtained beforehand by sending a request to the
Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, 7th Floor, Emmanuel Anquetil Building, Port-Louis. Tel: (230) 201 1727, Fax: (230) 211 2420. The document must be accompanied by 2 birth certificate copies of both spouses and of their passports (first three pages), as well as any other document relating to cases of divorce or widowhood.
> A request for a non-resident certificate must reach the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages at least 10 days before the date set for the marriage. A Marriage can take place in the presence of a Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages or at the hotel.
> Catholics wishing to get married in Mauritius are requested to contact the Port-Louis Diocese to obtain the necessary information. Tel: (230) 208 3068
Fax: (230) 208 6607
Golf
What could be more pleasant than being on holiday on a dream island whilst having the opportunity to improve your golfing skills.
Several of our hotels have excellent golf courses. Three 18 holes : Le Paradis at Le Morne Belle Mare Plage hotel, and One&Only Le Touessrok Golf Course. Five 9 holes: at Trou aux-Biches, Shandrani (Blue Bay), St Geran (Poste de Flacq), Maritim (Balaclava) and the Sofitel Imperial (Wolmar). Belle Mare Plage has two championship golf courses : Legends and Links. Most of these hotels have a club house with a locker room for customers’ equipment and a shop.
There are instructors to attend to customers’ needs including private tuition. Golf balls, clubs and caddies can be hired. An 18-hole golf course also exists at the Gymkhana private club in Vacoas. Visitors have to pay an entrance fee to be able to play.
The most spectacular golf course of Mauritius is probably the “One&Only Le Touessrok Golf Course”. One&Only Le Touessrok Golf Course is on its very own tropical island, fringed by white sands with a backdrop of green mountains – truly one of the world’s great golf settings. All 18 holes have views of the ocean. There are nine lakes in all, with a number of holes requiring tee shots across sea inlets to the fairways. Bernard Langer has designed the course to challenge advanced players, while remaining exciting and playable for recreational golfers.
Deep Sea Fishing
Mauritius is a paradise for deep sea fishing. Species include the blue or black marlin, all types of sharks, yellow tuna, the Bonitos, the ‘emperor’, the ‘pelerin’, the ‘becune’ or the barracuda.
Huge fishes like the Blue Marlin roam our seas and hunt around the island from November to April, and very often until May. The ocean is 70 metres deep one kilometre away from the coast. Mauritius holds several world fishing records (IGFA), including that of the makro shark of 1115 pounds, the blue shark of 400 pounds, a bonito of 41.5 pounds, a white tuna of 224 pounds and a ‘becune’ of 125 pounds. African records (GFUA) mention a yellow tuna of 212 pounds and a white tuna of 224 pounds. Other specimens recently caught include blue marlins of 1430 and 1355 pounds. Fishing boats can be hired from almost all hotels. The most prestigious deep sea fishing competition is the Marlin World Cup which is hosted in December by La Pirogue Hotel.