Mauritius holds a special place in my heart for me for many reasons. One: it was my 90th country visited! Flying in from the Seychelles felt as exciting as ever. Two: I survived my first seriously gnarly parasite abroad while there. Yeah, nothing says “I’ve been to 90 countries” like having a worm inside of you while desolated on an African island alone.
Parasite aside, I managed to pick myself up by the bootstraps on day three or so of being in Mauritius (much against my doctor’s advice) to get out and explore parts of the island. With less than 24 hours left there, I simply couldn’t rot in bed anymore, no pun intended, and did as much as I possibly could in what little time I had left. Luckily, since I was on the south side of the island staying at Anantara Iko Mauritius Resort & Villas, I was in prime area to do some proper exploring on a hunch. With that in mind, Mauritius is much larger than you’d imagine, and you really need at least one full day dedicated to each corners of the island (north, west, south, east).
So, should you find yourself on the south side of the island with a day to kill, let little ol’ parasitic me be your guide.
Visit the Seven Colored Earth
By far, the coolest thing I did in Mauritius was visit the seven-colored earth. Officially called the Chamarel Seven Colored Earth Geopark, the entry cost is 600 Mauritian rupee, or approximately $13. The actual area of the seven colored earth is comprised of sand and a natural geological structure made up of seven colors. The area is small and entirely fenced in, meaning you cannot walk onto the sand itself. Just outside of the park is the island’s largest waterfall, Chamarel Falls.
If you’re here for the ultimate photoshoot, it can be tough to really capture the seven colored earth’s essence, but if you go first thing in the morning like I did (I went the second they opened), you’ll at the very least beat the crowds. The colors aren’t crazy vibrant, but when the sun hits just right, it’s a pretty cool sight to see.
Visit Ganga Talao, the largest Hindu Temple on the island
Mauritius is incredibly diverse, and though the island’s beaches are not to be missed, what really makes Mauritius a standout is its blend of cultures. Right after the Seven Colored Earth, my favorite stop on the island was Ganga Talao. Commonly referred to as Grand Bassin, this place is massive, which makes sense, considering it’s Mauritius’ largest Hindu temple. There’s a giant statue of Lord Shiva, which stands tall at 108 feet. The lake the temple sits on is considered sacred, so though there is no entry fee, donations are always welcome.
Head to a local market and try Dhal Puri
Just as much as I wanted to frolick through the vibrant blue waters of Mauritius, I wanted to try some local street food even more. I met a woman on my road trip in Madagascar who was from Mauritius and she got me really hyped up for dhal puri. Doctor’s orders.
I headed to Dr. James Burty David Market Fair, and paid just 25 Mauritian rupee (about 50 cents). Dhal puri is simply dahl (thick pancake-like bread), stuffed with curried potatoes. It is a flavor bomb, and I can confirm that even if you’re recovering from a parasite, this dhal puri from a local market is a must.
Try Mauritius’ stinkiest fruit, noni
While we’re on the topic of local delicacies, if you ever were curious about durian, you’ll be pleased to know Mauritius has an equally stinky fruit: noni. The taste almost instantly reminded me of bleu cheese, so, take with that information what you will. I tried noni that was grown right on property at Anantara Iko Mauritius, and the staff told me it is so rich in antioxidants that a lot of locals rely on noni when they’re not feeling well. It’s apparently especially good for those with diabetes! I always joke that I’ll try anything seven times, but I think when it comes to noni, one time was plenty.
Attend a wine tasting with wine made with lychee
As if trying noni and dhal puri wasn’t enough, Takamaka Vineyards is the country’s dedicated winemaker. Yes, that’s right, Mauritius makes its own wine, but it’s not quite what you’d expect. I attended a wine tasting at Anantara Iko Mauritius and was surprised to learn that the wine here is made with lychee instead of grapes. It makes perfect sense when considering the climate, and it’s one of the most unique wines I’ve ever tasted. Honestly, if they never told me, I probably wouldn’t have known that it wasn’t made with grapes. It has strong tropical fruit notes without being sweet, and seems like the perfect crisp beverage for one of those hot Mauritius days in the sun.
Get out on the water for a boat tour
I might be crazy, but on day three of having my parasite in Mauritius, knowing it was my last FULL day there, I simply could not lay in bed anymore and decided to go on a boat tour. It’s a gamble, to say the least, to commit to an eight hour boat ride (with no toilet) when you quite literally have a worm inside of you, but hey, what’s life without a little (lotta) risk?
In this case, it proved to be worth it. I signed up for a five-island boat tour, where I got to see flat white sand against Mauritius’ crystal clear water, I snorkeled with fish who started eating the dead skin off of my feet (thanks for the free pedi, guys), and visited some of Mauritius’ dark past where, during the slave trade, slaves’ names were carved on the side of some buildings, which are still there today. At the end of my tour, we even saw a giant tortoise just chilling on land, and a halal lunch was included.
I’d highly recommend signing up for the same Five Island tour I did, but some other options that are well worth it (that I would’ve signed up for had I not been sick) are:
- Snorkeling with dolphins
- Seven colored earth combined with hiking trip (9 hours)
- La Morne Brabant hike (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Catamaran to Northern Isles tour
See the world’s only “underwater waterfall”
My one missed mark, aside from the whole parasite thing, was not signing up for an underwater waterfall tour of Mauritius prior to arriving. While Victoria Falls gets all the clout when it comes to African waterfalls, Mauritius is home to the world’s only “underwater waterfall,” off of the Le Morne Peninsula. The only way to see it is by taking either a helicopter or lagoon flight, and it sells out fast, so you MUST signup ahead of time. It is costly, but if you’re all the way in Mauritius, it seems worth it to me to experience it.
- You can sign up on GetYourGuide for a 45-minute helicopter flight.
- The official site is here and you can adjust your time to reserve as low as a 15-minute slot.
Where you stay matters
(here’s me with a parasite, pretending to pour bubbly, because right after this was taken I went back to bed)
Most importantly, where you stay on the island will greatly affect your visit. While you can rent a car in Mauritius to see more of it, know that the roads are slightly chaotic in some parts of the country, so depending on a driver if you’re not confident behind the wheel is probably worth the extra cash. Despite being a fairly small country, Mauritius has a lot to offer and you shouldn’t plan to pack it all in a few days. Instead, I’d recommend focusing on the part of the island you choose, like I did by staying in the south.
I stayed at Anantara Iko Mauritius Resort & Villas and it was an ideal jumping ground for everything listed in this blog, however, I did find it difficult to find a boat tour to pick me up without adding some type of extra fee because of its location. What was especially great about Anantara Iko Mauritius was the beach. During my time in Mauritius, the beach onsite was my favorite one that I personally say. Not to mention, they took great care of me when I was sick by delivering fresh mint and ginger tea to my room, and there were so many activities onsite, like trying noni from the garden, attending a class to make my own Thai papaya salad (the chef is from Thailand!), and of course, the lychee wine tasting.
DISCLAIMER: I might make a small commission from some of the links throughout this article, but the price is the same for you. This helps keep my business running so I can continue to provide free travel tips!
DISCLAIMER II: Anantara Iko Mauritius hosted my stay.