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This is Paradise…..Mauritius

by Emiel Van Den Boomen

Spending one week on the island of Mauritius has been an experience that I will never forget. Not only the stunning natural beauty of the island captured me. There is also the adventurous side of the island that I discovered together with a truly awesome group of friends. People ask me about the things to do in Mauritius. Well, here is my introduction to one week in Paradise: Mauritius!

Paradise Mauritius

Tell me about Mauritius!

When I told people back home I was about to visit a truly fascinating island called Mauritius they actually had to look it up in the atlas. Where to find Mauritius?

Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean, more than 2,000km from the East coast of Africa. The 70km long island lies in the middle of the ‘Deep Blue’, it’s really far away from everything! But that’s what makes this island so special from a flora, fauna and human perspective.

Mauritius videoBecause it’s such an isolated place you will find endemic species (flora and fauna) that you will not find anywhere else in the world. Many of these are threatened with extinction, but on Mauritius lots of initiatives have been taken to save these animals and plants. For the famous Dodo however it is too late…the bird disappeared in the 17th century. Surprisingly we did find one on a small coral island! But is it real??

DodoMauritius has stunning beaches but for people looking for more than beaches, the mountains in the middle of the island should definitely be explored. Some of the mountains have distinct features where locals call them Sleeping Woman, Sitting Gorilla or Thumbs Up. These mountains with their waterfalls, gorges and valleys offer the adventure seekers great opportunities: ziplining, mountain biking, canyoning, hiking, and more.

Ziplining MauritiusThe island has also become a true cultural melting pot of different religions living peacefully next to each other. You will find Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and even a bit of Buddhism. All living together without any problems. As my local driver during that week so happily explained: “We are here on the island only for love and peace.

Mauritius lifeIs Mauritius a destination for families? Absolutely! There is a big coral reef surrounding the island, breaking the waves coming in from the ocean. This means the water at the shore is calm and shallow (not to mention crystal clear!). You hardly need any travel vaccinations (there is no malaria on the island) and overall it is very safe on the island. Every resort has kids clubs or kids activities.

Paradise Mauritius

Sneak peek of a week in Paradise

In upcoming posts I will share how I experienced Mauritius. Below I will give you a sneak peek into what’s coming.
During the week my personal Solis driver Amesh drove me from one place to the other. He contributed greatly to my experience as he explained about the history of the island (and the influence of the early Dutch explorers back in 1598), local life, religions and so much more. I can already conclude that Mauritius left a deep impression. Cheers to one of the most amazing destinations!

Paradise Mauritius

Arriving in Mauritius

We flew with Air Mauritius direct from Paris CDG. Arriving at 6am we could watch the sunrise from the plane. The first rays of sunlight illuminated what soon would become our own little paradise: Mauritius. That was an exciting moment I can tell you!

Paradise MauritiusUpon arrival we discovered a brand new airport terminal. The terminal at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport was in operation for only one week…you could almost smell the new carpet.

Mauritius airport

Rum and giant tortoises: things to do in Mauritius

Only a couple of hours after our arrival Adeline and I were at the local rum factory….what a way to start our stay! „Rum is the best medicine to many diseases and discomforts…no let me rephrase that: Rum is the best medicine to ALL diseases and discomforts!” Our host smiled, proud of his local distillery.

Mauritius rum factoryTogether with Adeline we moved on to meet giant tortoises and crocodiles. The giant tortoises immediately captured our hearts; the older ones were at least 60 years old!

Paradise Mauritius

Crossing gorges

On the next day I went for a full day of zip lining in the mountains of Mauritius. Crossing deep gorges, swimming in canyons (the water was cold!!) and enjoying the overall view….what a day!

Ziplining Mauritius

With Jerry and Melvin I hopped on a mountain bike the next day. We passed through places that offered us stunning views that you don’t normally see when you travel the island. Rough sea coasts, sugar cane fields, farmers, waterfalls and small villages….that upcoming post will show you a different side of the island.

Mauritius mountain biking

Kayak and Catamaran

If that all was not enough Jerry, Meruschka and I went for sea kayaking in lagoons full of mangroves where we found us surrounded by only one colour: turquoise. The catamaran trip on our last day was an absolute highlight. Surrounded by all the members of our team we sailed to a small island called Île Plat (the flat island).

Paradise MauritiusCrystal clear waters, stunning white beaches, rum cocktails, company of dear friends and the wind breeze cooling down our smiling faces…. As Mark Twain wrote: “You gather the idea that Mauritius was made first and then heaven, and that heaven was copied after Mauritius“. We looked at each other and could only fully agree: this is Paradise.

MyMauritius

Le Saint Geran Mauritius hotel

Paradise Mauritius

Picture courtesy of Caspar Diederik / Storytravelers

READ NOW: Mauritius: of Rum, Vanille, Tortoises and Le Telfair resort (and an unusual fisherman).

ALSO READ: Ziplining and mountain biking in Mauritius.

Note: this post was brought to you as a result of the #MyMauritius blog trip, created and managed by iambassador and AHRIM in association with the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority and Air Mauritius. Act of Traveling maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site.

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27 comments

Yo Nature November 16, 2018 - 11:10

Looks like you had an amazing time in Mauritius, the pictures are beautiful. For your next visit, include the underwater waterfall? in the south of the island, it’s breath taking!
Cheers, Elna

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Tina roy January 14, 2017 - 23:15

Wow.Seriously after read this i really want to explore Mauritius.Your pics describe everything that how you enjoy the places.I loved writing.I am planning for a foreign trip with my friends.Now i will surely go to Mauritius.Thanks for writing this.

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Elodie May 19, 2018 - 14:27

Yeah surely, i live in Mauritius and am a travel agent. So, i can help with sightseeing tours and so forth.

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Top 50 Tropical Travel Destinations Worldwide & Their Bloggers - TourTheTropics.com December 22, 2015 - 10:15

[…] or simply relax on your tropical island paradise. Some travel bloggers who visited Mauritius are Emiel from Actoftraveling.com, Jen from Weblogtravel.com, and Christy and Scott from […]

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My Mauritius Travel Blogs Are Truly Inspiring - Ido Productions September 8, 2014 - 18:28

[…] Act of Traveling: This Is Paradise. Emiel Van Den Boomen, a Dutchman who has a vividly clear passion for travel, writes this lovely travel blog. His introduction to Mauritius reflects the first impact on arrival to the island and his impressions are complimentary. You can feel how impressed he is by the culture and the atmosphere of Mauritius. (Thanks, Emiel) […]

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“My Mauritius” Travel Blogs Are Truly Inspiring - Blog | Wedding Photographer and Videographer in Mauritius February 21, 2014 - 16:01

[…] Act of Traveling: This Is Paradise. Emiel Van Den Boomen, a Dutchman who has a vividly clear passion for travel, writes this lovely travel blog. His introduction to Mauritius reflects the first impact on arrival to the island and his impressions are complimentary. You can feel how impressed he is by the culture and the atmosphere of Mauritius. (Thanks, Emiel) […]

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Nienke Krook October 24, 2013 - 21:57

Echt te gek zeg, vooral de combi van rum en schildpadden natuurlijk, perfect! Lijkt me een geweldige plek om heen te gaan

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Emiel van den Boomen October 24, 2013 - 22:07

Het is echt een fantastische plek Nienke. Vooral als je de (prachtige) resorts verlaat en er gewoon op uit trekt. Ik mag echt van geluk spreken dat ik zoveel van het eiland heb mogen bewonderen…

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Emiel van den Boomen October 19, 2013 - 20:59

That is an awesome picture!!

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zeiyad October 19, 2013 - 21:54

Thx mate.. That was a few days after a cyclone came close to the island.. Loved the beautiful sea with its mixture of deep blue, turquoise and green shades

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Nash Fulena October 18, 2013 - 08:40

Thanks for sharing, as a native of the island, happy to hear you had a good time.

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Emiel van den Boomen October 18, 2013 - 08:42

thanks Nash! Honestly we hope to be back next year to explore even more of the island…

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Nash Fulena October 18, 2013 - 08:48

Awesome, definitely recommend to try out the diversity of dishes too and thanks for not staying in the resorts and venturing out. Cheers.

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Andrew Wyatt October 14, 2013 - 17:48

What a beautiful island, I’d love to visit one day! 🙂

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Heidi Wagoner October 13, 2013 - 11:01

Ah, I love it! We are here only for love and peace. 🙂 This looks perfect for our family. I can’t wait to read more. So glad you had a fabulous time in paradise.

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Emiel van den Boomen October 13, 2013 - 12:46

Thanks Heidi. My kids were very jealous when they saw all the pictures 🙂 I just published my second post!

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zeiyad October 12, 2013 - 11:08

Absolutely fantastic just can’t wait to be back there again next year. .. #MyMauritius

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Emiel van den Boomen October 12, 2013 - 12:20

You are so lucky to return again next year! 🙂

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Cam Wears October 11, 2013 - 18:46

Paradise indeed!

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cheap flights Trip October 9, 2013 - 09:12

Mauritius is very beautiful destination. I love Mauritius.

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Meruschka October 8, 2013 - 20:13

It certainly was paradise! It was a pleasure to travel with you. Here’s to a #MyMauritius reunion 🙂

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Emiel van den Boomen October 9, 2013 - 21:55

Thank you Meruschka, I am all in for a reunion!

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Nomad and Villager October 8, 2013 - 08:39

Sounds and shows incredible, what a beautiful island!

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Mytanfeet October 8, 2013 - 04:15

Holy cow that tortoise! Mauritius looks simply amazing, I hope to visit one day. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing

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Emiel van den Boomen October 9, 2013 - 21:53

Pleasure, hope you make it to the island one day!

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Jenna Francisco October 8, 2013 - 00:04

The giant tortoise is incredible! What a wonderful trip and experience you had.

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Emiel van den Boomen October 9, 2013 - 21:53

Don’t you just love these tortoises Jenna! They were big but extremely cute….more pictures in one of my upcoming posts.

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