Africa & Middle East > Mauritius > North Western Mauritius > Grand Baie > Articles > Mauritius: Island Colours

The ocean shimmers silver and gold as the first rays of the sun rise over the east coast. Flame trees and frangipani shed a little blossom in the breeze and a lonely fisherman heads down to the beach. Nothing disturbs the peace but the chatter of mynah birds and the distant tinkling of a temple bell.

Dreams come true in Mauritius. Imagine 90 miles of coastline sheltered by an almost continuous coral reef, white tingling sands, lagoons all shades of turquoise and blue, and you may well think you have landed in paradise. You can snorkel and swim, dive, doze under thatched parasols or work on your tan from morning to dusk, sail to nearby islands and even take a walk on the sea bed, equipped with breathing helmet and a guide who leads you every step of the way among shoals of tropical fish. You might spot a turtle or two or butterfly and angelfish as they swim among blue anemones swaying underwater like ballet dancers.

Barely 30 miles by 40, east of Madagascar, Mauritius is as diverse as its people. They came from Europe, Africa and India, mixing their rich cultures and shaping much of this once deserted island. Rolling fields of sugar cane cling to emerald slopes as far as you can see, villas with pretty verandahs and shutters nestle in the tea plantations and beyond the luxurious hotels haunted by royalty and stars, fishing villages come straight out of a bygone age, tiny clusters of roofs sprinkled among volcanic rocks. There are mountains and waterfalls, scenic forests and nature reserves fragrant with eucalyptus but most visitors come for the white powdery sands and the clear waters of the Indian Ocean.

To the north Grand Baie claims the liveliest spot on the coast, all pleasure boats and catamarans bobbing in a sweeping bay and a string of sandy coves lined with palms and casuarinas. Watersports, nightlife and secluded hotels give an illusion of French Riviera yet Grand Baie is only one step up from an overgrown village, with a low key buzz. Anglers still gather on the headland, women in vivid saris set up regal picnics in the shade while gaggles of children kick footballs and fly kites. The eerie peaks of Pieter Both and The Thumb rise on the horizon, framed by pink oleander and bougainvillea.

‘Lovers’ Wood’, ‘Beautiful Dreams’, ‘Chosen One’, the island is full of lovely names, oozing romance in every village and beauty spot. Add secret beaches, blue skies and virgin islets just offshore and it’s no wonder couples of all ages come here to fulfill their sweetest dreams. Whatever you look for, you will find. The east is wild, cooled by the ocean breeze, the west sheltered, the south barely touched by the tourist trade. Roadside stalls sell fresh pineapples and stuffed chapattis or you could enjoy a romantic dinner on the waterfront, feasting on smoked marlin or lobster, saffron rice and passion fruit, followed by vanilla tea or a tot of Green Island rum.

Night or day, life moves at a leisurely pace and there’s always time for a spot of shopping. Beach boys set out their wares under the trees, wrap-around pareos flapping in the breeze, all the colours of the rainbow, T-shirts, glinting necklaces, exotic shells, or head for Port-Louis the capital, a jumble of old and new squeezed between the mountains and the sea. You find duty-free shops selling jewellery and designer wear, craft centres where artists weave baskets or dancing dolls and a Grand Bazaar brimming with souvenirs and local produce. Hotels and outdoor cafes mingle their reflections in the harbour and sometimes you can see the fish jumping out of the water.

But Mauritius has more to offer than shopping and beach. Hire a bicycle, or perhaps a taxi for a day, and you will discover a lush hinterland which delights all your senses. Beyond the ‘Grand Bassin’ where Hindu pilgrims lay scented offerings at the shrines and fill bottles with holy water, you reach the high plateau of the National Park where the luxuriant Black River Gorge tumbles down all the way to the sea. There are pine and guava trees, monkeys and boars and white-tailed tropic birds flashing like silver in the dazzling light. Cool waterfalls plunge down hundreds of feet.

From there it’s only a short drive to the sugar estate of Chamarel and its famous mysterious ridges of multicoloured earth. Buy your sample in a bottle in the local shop but shake as you will, the colours will separate again within a day.

Or you could make your way to the cliffs of Le Morne and gaze in wonder at the vast panorama, explore the deep crater of Curepipe or linger in the villages where chickens peck in red dusty yards and matrons in voluminous skirts smile on the doorstep. Sometimes you stumble upon a temple, pink and cream like a fairy cake, ready for the next festival, or a wayside shrine garlanded with flowers.

Flowers are plentiful on the island, from hibiscus and glossy anthurium, the national emblem, to giant poinsettia and marigolds, and many more on show in the Pamplemousse Botanical Gardens. It’s a pleasant place to wander in the shade, looking out for the rare talipot palm which takes 40-60 years to bloom or the pond covered with huge Amazonian lilies. From cinnamon to ginger and cloves, the spice garden fills the air with myriad fragrance.

Another favourite for nature lovers is the Casela Bird Park, home to pink pigeons and scarlet macaws, lovebirds and flamingos. Giant Aldabra tortoises compete for attention and there are wonderful views over the west coast.

Here sunsets are pure magic, bathing sky and sea in pools of changing colours. Soon the anthurium turn a deeper shade of red as swaying cane and mountains melt into a star-studded night. Candles glow along the beach and on the island of sugar and spice, the sensuous beat of an African dance echoes in the balmy night.

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