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| Mauritius
Information: General
| North | East
| West | Center
| Capital |
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Mauritius
South
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The
South of Mauritius, is where the island's history started.
The "Vieux Grand Port" bay being the first port of Mauritius,
the region received the first Dutch explorers" camps
in 1638. When in 1735, the well-known French Governor
Francois Mahé de Labourdonnais decided to develop
the actual port (Port-Louis)
right on the opposite side of the island, as main harbour
and administration centre, the South / Southeast did
not lose any of its importance. The village of Mahebourg
nearby, named after him is a great landmark of this
part of the history of Mauritius. It was much later,
under the British Empire that this region was gradually
left behind. As at today, the South is the least developed
and most authentic region of Mauritius with very few
hotel resorts although the region of Bel Ombre recently
saw the settling of 3 hotel resorts. |
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Climate |
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The South
and Southeast coasts face the Southeast trade winds,
which prevails almost all year round. The region often
gets too windy especially in winter where high-pressure
cells pass by. On the other hand, this part of the island
remains relatively fresh in summer. The beach of Pointe
d'Esny is said to be the best spot for lazy summer
days. Beware of sunburns as the fresh breeze may lead
you to think that you are not getting burnt until it's
too late. A T-Shirt or bathing suits is all you need
in |
| summer (November
to March.) A sweatshirt is welcome in the evenings during
the months of September, October, April and May. During
winter, (June to August) it can get cool as early as
5 p.m. and warm clothes are necessary after sunset. |
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| Topography |
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The South
coast is not typical to the postcard illustrations of
Mauritius. It has very few beaches and resorts.
Driving along the South coast offers the possibility
to alternate between sea and hill views; between sun
bathing and trekking. The vegetation in the South /
Southeast is the richest due to the high humidity prevailing
all year round, and contains many indigenous trees and
plants. |
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Along the South coast, there are few shallow lagoons
with crystal clear water but the South is one of the
few places of Mauritius where the open sea comes
straight to the rocky cliffs of the island. In most
places, bathing is considered as hazardous due to the
strong sea currents and waves breaking on the shore. |
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| Souillac |
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Souillac
is one of the most important villages of the south spread
into scattered settlements along the coastal road. Named
after French Governor François de Souillac,
this village played a crucial role in the development
of the south of Mauritius as it used to be the place
where the sugar from the mills of the South was embarked
on coaster sailing boats to reach Port Louis. This activity
stopped only in the early 1900"s when the railway network
was stretched to Souillac. Today Souillac offers to
the visitors of the 21st century several historical
remains such as the "Batelage quay" the ancient railway
station, the courthouse, the police station, the basaltic
church and the coral-built "La Nef"; house of famous
Mauritian poet Robert Edward Hart. |
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La
Nef has two sets of history. The version as described
in the page dedicated to it, is all true but somehow
incomplete. This version does not mention that It was
destroyed in 2001 without warning by some over-zealous
government officer who obviously did not attend his
history classes at school. This house entirely built
of coral stones (including the roof,) had this impalpable
atmosphere of the past times, |
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main source of inspiration for this author. Thanks to
strong reactions from historians and members of the
public, the house has been rebuilt with some respect
to its history as the concrete walls have been covered
with the corals that used to make its walls. It is now
a museum dedicated to the poet and has been inaugurated
in august 2003. |
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| Our
favourite village/Town: Mahebourg |
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Atmosphere
The atmosphere of Mahebourg is lively, cheerful
and friendly. It is one of the few places where, whether
you are a tourist from Germany, France, or simply from
another region of the island, it makes no difference
to the people.
The majority of its inhabitants being fishermen or field
workers, the animation in Mahebourg start at
daybreak to slowly fade out at dusk. Preserved from
an excessive development, smiles are still free of charge.
The People
Like for most important villages of Mauritius, the population
of Mahebourg consists of all the ethnics and religions
present in Mauritius. This is not obvious to
passers-by, as the ethno-cultural specificities have
faded with time to leave room for the Mahebourg identity.
Relaxed, respectful, open-minded, quiet and fascinating,
the people of Mahebourg and its surroundings are what
we can call true Mauritians. |
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The Bazaar, open Monday to Saturday is far more
authentic than the one of Port Louis; and less of a
hassle to reach too. It is an excellent occasion to
experience our description above. It is better to visit
it on Mondays, when the Mahebourg fair is on.
The atmosphere is indescribable; even pictures cannot
tell these hundreds of funny things that happen every
second that only an alert eye can catch. It is also
a good place to buy some clothing and all sorts of kitsch
objects. They are generally useless, therefore absolutely
necessary. Bargaining is part of the game. |
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Mahebourg
and its surroundings
To visit
Mahebourg hosts the Naval museum of Mauritius.
Its interest rests not only in its collection of exhibits,
but also in the history of its building. Erected in
the 1760's, the building hosting the museum was built
by Mr. Jean De Robillard in architecture typical of
those times. The place was permanently adapted to the
necessities of each period. It is in one of its rooms
that rival commanders from the French army and the Royal
Navy received first aid, side by side, during the famous
"Vieux Grand Port" battle in 1810.
The H. Rault biscuit factory; one of the oldest
factories of Mauritius still in operation in its original
state. It can be described as a "live museum". |
| Ile Aux Aigrettes
is the only accessible islet of Mauritius where the
vegetation is 100 % Endemic. Managed by the Mauritian
Wildlife Foundation, Ile aux Aigrettes is a genuine
eco-tourism trip. |
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| Other
Places of Interest in the South |
Visiting
the South is a must for its scenery and for discovering
the feeling of the colonial history of Mauritius.
To our opinion, the south is by far the region that
contains the most interesting places for amateurs of
the French colonial history. From the "official" lists
of places of interest, we would recommend, for the sake
of brevity: The Rochester Falls and Le Souffleur.
The Rochester falls
is one of the few waterfalls accessible to all.
Not to be compared to the Victoria Falls of Zimbabwe,
it creates nonetheless the opportunity to change from
the seaside and take a walk in the wild nature.
Le Souffleur (The
geyser). This fascinating natural activity caused by
the engulfing of waves in rocky caves, was for a long
time, offering a fascinating show but |
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unfortunately,
due to the erosion of the rocks it does not occur anymore.
Whether "in activity" or not, the scenery around "Le
Souffleur' is worth a stop and a walk.
"La Vanille Reserve des
Mascareignes" is a park for strolls through luxuriant
Greenery where a variety of other species can be watched
in total safety. Crocodiles are bred there and are part
of the attraction.The rest of the park is really
orientated around ecological matters and contributes
in the preservation and restoration of the endemic flora. |
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Activities |
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Kite
and Wind Surfing of course...
Snorkel or scuba dive the numerous diving sites of the
East, namely the Blue Bay marine park.
Catamaran
trip to Ile aux Cerfs and the "Grande Riviere Sud-Est".
Hiking,
mountain-biking or quad biking. Another Eco-tourism
destination. Or trek up Lion Mountain. |
The
Golf course
at the Shandrani Hotel is accessible
against a green fee. |
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| Restaurants
around Mahebourg |
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There
are several restaurants in the region but the
most professional one is by far the Jardin de Beau Vallon;
an excellent address (near the Airport.) Nice colonial
house, garden with swimming pool, good food, fair price.
In the South, you can enjoy crocodile meat and other
specialties at the "Crocodile Affamé" situated inside
the "La Vanille reserve des Mascareignes." |
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| Accommodation |
There are several interesting
accommodation solutions in the Mahebourg / Pointe
d'Esny region. The most economical of all are of course
the apartments and guesthouses on the seaside. Another
interesting option outside beach resorts is Lodges
situated within private domains. |
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| Updated:
June 2006 |
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| Accommodation:
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| Lodges
& Guesthouses,
Bungalows
110-150 Euro, Villas
180-360 Euro, Luxury
Villas |
| Hotel
Promotions, Golf
Hotels Mauritius, Honeymoon
Packages, Early Booking Offers, Spa
Hotels |
| 2
& 3 star Mauritius Hotels, 4
Star Hotel Mauritius, 5
Star Mauritius Hotels |
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Mauritius
for Two:
Culture
/ Sightseeing,
Holidays
in Spas, Honeymoon
in Mauritius, Weddings |
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Active
Holidays:
Golf Holidays,
Hiking
Holidays, Horse
Riding Holidays, Kite
Surfing Holidays, Mountain
Biking Holidays, Nautical
Holidays |
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Vehicles:
Car
Rentals, Vehicle
hire services, Airport
Transfers |
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