Black River Gorges National Park is a national park in the hilly south-western part of Mauritius. In 1994 under section 11 of the Wildlife and in 1994 under section 11 of the Wildlife and National Parks Act of 1993 it was declared to be a National Park. The park is not only a bastion of biodiversity and other natural values, it is also a natural reservoir of the nation’s freshwater. It covers an area of 67.54 km²(roughly 6,700 hectares).
There are two information centres, picnic areas and 60 kilometres of trails for the visitors and four field stations for research and conservation projects.
The expansive thick forest within the park is home to over 300 species of flowering plants and 9 species of birds unique to Mauritius, including the famous pink pigeon, which is staging a very gradual comeback from the brink of extinction. It is also home to many species of wild animals and birds. Some other endangered bird species include the Mauritius kestrel, the echo parakeet, Mauritian flying fox, Mauritius bulbul, and Mauritius olive white-eye.
Alexandra Falls
You will also come across spellbinding waterfalls (Alexandra Falls in particular), pristine rivers, picnic areas, wide canyons and dramatic mountain ranges. One can walk along the greenery and reach the highest point of the island, which is the Black River Peak.
On the edge of the park near Chamarel is the 83m high Chamarel waterfall, and the Seven Coloured Earth geological formation that is composed of seven different types of clay, all varying in colour. There is also the Grand Basin Lake, which is a sacred site for the local Hindu community of Mauritius, and in March and April you can also seek a guide to help you pick your own guavas to feast on.
The Poste Lafayette beach is located on the southeast coast of Mauritius. The beach is surrounded by volcanic rocks, mangroves, coral reefs, rich marine life and rustic landscape.
The big waves in the surrounding sea make Poste Lafayette beach a place not suitable for children and inexperienced swimmers.
Big waves at Poste Lafayette beach
The best time to visit the beach is early in the morning from 8:00 to 11:00 or in the afternoon from 13:00 to 16:00 in April to September.
Activities available at the beach are pedalo, windsurfing, kitesurfing and kayaking. Although the beach lacks public l amenities of restaurants and shopping malls, there is a public toilet and there are many snack vendors selling local burgers.
Hotels near the beach are Radisson Blu Azuri Resort & Spa, Constance Prince Maurice, Jalsa Beach Hotel & Spa, Villa Fayette Sur Mer, Sankhara Beachfront Villas, Chateau de Feuilles, Koki Bonheur, Beach and Pool Poste Lafayette and more.
Mont Choisy, located near the villages Trou aux Biches and Pereybere in the district of Pamplemousses, in the shape of an arc, is the longest beach in north Mauritius. It is approximately half an hour from the island’s bustling capital city, Port Louis.
White sandy beaches lined with large casuarina trees and turquoise water are a draw to the visitors to the island.
At the entrance of the beach there is a monument, commemorating the first flight between Mauritius and Reunion. You will also find nearby restaurants serving tasty international and local dishes. Some of these restaurants there are: Le Off, Pomodoro Restaurant, Esprit Libre, Le Bask, Kiosque Magique, Le Pestacore, Blue Lagoon Cafe, Le Poivrier, Jardin des saveurs, Gourmet Grill, Cabanne des Fruits de mer, La Rougaille Creole and French Guinguette.
The beach is crowded during the weekends and holidays and is very popular among locals. Tour operators present along the coast offer all kinds of activities. The activities include pedalo, windsurfing, catamaran cruise, parasailing, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, speed boat trip and kayaking.
Excellent boutique hotels, self-catering villas, holiday rentals and two to five-star hotels to suit every type of traveler are found in Mont Choisy. The main hotels in Mont Choisy are Tarisa Resort and Spa, Mystik Life Style, Mon Choisy Beach R, Flowers of Paradise, Mont Choisy Beach Villas, Choisy les Bains, Coral Azur Beach Resort, Le Cardinal Exclusive Resort and Casuarina Resort & Spa.
Mont Choisy Beach
Nearby attractions that you can visit from here are:
Mauritius Aquarium: You will see marine life that includes sharks, butterfly fish and sea turtles. The aquarium is 10mins drive from Mont Choisy.
Maheswarnath Temple: One of the oldest Hndu temples in Mauritius is located a short drive of 5 mins from Mont Choisy.
L’Aventure du Sucre: This is a former sugar factory which now houses one of the best museums in Mauritius. It not only tells the story of sugar in great detail but also covers the history of Mauritius, slavery, the rum trade and much more.
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden: located in the proximity of Port-Louis, displays giant water lilies with leaves that span two meters across and also features native spices, ebony trees, sugar cane and around one hundred species of palms.
Mont Choisy mall is one-stop convenience shopping destination in the North of Mauritius, offering smaller, boutique-size retail stores that allow consumers to personalize their shopping experience while discovering the island’s finest local products.
La Croisette – Located in Grand Bay and is the biggest shopping mall in the North of Mauritius.
La Cuvette Beach is not as well known as hundreds of other beaches in Mauritius. It is located in the residential area of Grand Bay, (or Grand Baie) village in the district of Rivière du Rempart at the north of Mauritius. Grand Bay is a very popular holiday destination in Mauritius.
La Cuvette Beach has a simple charm without any extravagant maze-cut hedges or sculptures by the best of craftsmen. The visitors will have to find beauty in nature without any extravagance.
La Cuvette Beach
Until recently the beach was mostly known only to the local residents and a few tourists in the immediate neighbourhood, mainly from the Royal Palm Hotel next door. Recently a sign post was erected on the main road showing its location. After the erection of the sign post the beach is experiencing more visitors.
From April up to June La Cuvette enjoys sunny weather. From July up to October often there are severe thunderstorms, along with torrential rain that quite often floods the roads. During these times, visiting the beach is not recommended. The Mauritian Government warns visitors to the beach to be careful during the months of July to October.
There are many excellent hotels in the vicinity of the beach, such as Veranda Grand Baie Hotel and Spa and Mauricia Beachcomber Resort and Spa. Besides there are several local stalls that offer the best of local Mauritian Cuisine.
Trou Aux Biches is a small town with a public beach on the northern coast of Mauritius in the district of Pamplemousses. Its beach is one of the most beautiful on the island. World Travel group awarded it the World’s Leading Beach Destination at the World Travel Award for 2011. The two kilometre long white sand beach which is shaded by casuarina trees, has snorkelling reefs, boutique shops, a supermarket and other facilities.
The first major hotel was built in this town in 1971. The airport and the town are connected by a public bus. In the 19th century, it was a small fishing village. The town still retains its village style and is less commercialized than other nearby towns.
Trou Aux Biches Golf Resort & Spa
Accommodation and Facilities
The Trou Aux Biches Golf Resort & Spa is a resort hotel in the town. It enjoys a prime position on the west coast near to lively Grand Baie and Port Louis. It has 306 suits, 27 villas and seven restaurants. The hotel provides resident band or show every night. It also provides Complimentary Kids Club & Teenagers Club as well as many complimentary land & water sports and reduced green fees at Mont Choisy Le Golf. The fitness centre has all facilities for fitness, bodybuilding and cardio.
Mauritius has an enviable climate – temperatures rarely dip below 16c (and that’s in the heart of it’s winter). In contrast, at the heights of summer, the temperature can climb to the mid thirties. There can also be a significant difference in temperature based on where on the island you find yourself – Mauritius has a varied landscape with a mix of mountains and wetlands, all of which see different temperatures and rainfall.
In the past Mauritius has been hit by cyclones – while this is rare, the cyclone season tends to be between December and March. During this time, Mauritius can face quite a few rain showers. Mauritius also has what’s known as a micro climate – this means that there could be severe rain at one point, and absolute sunshine just a km or so away.
Despite the above, generally Mauritius enjoys a fairly constant climate which means that it’s a holiday destination which is good any time of the year.
Mauritius Average Temperatures (maximum and minimum):
Jan — 31 (max) 22 (min)
Feb — 30 (max) 22(min)
Mar — 31 (max) 21 (min)
Apr — 30 (max) 21 (min)
May — 28 (max) 19 (min)
Jun — 27 (max) 16 (min)
Jul — 25 (max) 16 (min)
Aug — 26 (max) 16 (min)
Sep — 27 (max) 17(min)
Oct — 29 (max) 18 (min)
Nov — 30 (max) 19 (min)
Dec — 31 (max) 21 (min)
Of course, these are average temperatures – there tend to be differences based on your location within Mauritius. For example, North tends to enjoy slightly higher temperatures than the East and South and the lowest average temperatures are within the centre of the island.
Rainfall In Mauritius
When rain falls in Mauritius it tends to be for brief periods. The rainy season (Dec to Mar) tends to have the most rainfall. The wettest months going on averages are January to March where you can expect between seven to nine rainy days (where rainfall is over 5mm). August to November tend to have the lowest rainfall with as little as two rainy days of 5mm+ rainfall.
Featured Image : By S Molteno – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25935306
Curepipe
Curepipe is by far one of the most densely populated areas within Central Mauritius, and in fact the country as a whole. It has an excellent selection of shops, restaurants and amenities, so it’s no wonder that many holiday makers to Central Mauritius choose this location to stay.
Because of it’s relatively high altitude, Curepipe often experiences more rain and cooler temperatures than many other places within Mauritius.
Despite being a relatively large town, there aren’t exactly an abundance of hotels and resorts to stay at within Curepipe. Accommodation within this central Mauritius location is limited to a couple of uninspiring guest houses and hotels such as Auberge de la Madelon and the Shanghai.
As a result, Curepipe tends to be a more popular base for back packers and budget travellers looking to tour Mauritius on the cheap.
Places To Eat In Curepipe
There are certainly many better eating options than sleeping ones in Curepipe.
For a place that serves up sizzling meat dishes and succulent burgers of different varieties try Manhattan. If you’re looking for a more upmarket experience, La Potiniere offers classy French food which may be a strain on the credit card – not one for the budget conscious though.
Things To See & Do In Curepipe
Curepipe makes a nice town to explore – there are also some nice shopping regions within the area, some of which have a very western feel. The pick of these are the Sunsheel Centre and Curimjee Centre. There are also some pleasant bookshops and banks available if you need to exchange some cash.
There’s plenty more sights too – Botanical Gardens for example is a pleasant place to have a stroll and is a keen picnic spot for the locals. Trou Aux Cerfs is another point of interest – a volcanic crater that’s very popular with holiday makers to the central area of Mauritius.
There are also some notable places to visit in and around Curepipe – the obvious place to visit is Black Gorges National Park – use it as a base to explore the National Park.
Other places nearby that are make for excursions for Mauritius tourists include Rose Hill, Moka and Quatre Bornes. Between them they have a decent mix of restaurants and places of interest. For example the Creole Buildings on Rose Hill are worth a visit, and Floreal has the textiles museum.
