There is no doubt regarding the popularity of Mauritius as a favoured honeymoon destination for couples not only from India but also from across the globe. However, what many of you may not know is that Mauritius is much more than a mere paradise for honeymooners. It is a haven for adventure lovers, a perfect cocoon for families to spend some quality time together and serene enough for the middle-aged or the elderly to reminisce fondly on the years spent together. Read on to know more about the destination.
Priyanka Saxena Ray
Few destinations offer the natural abundance of Mauritius, and although its most famous species is known because it is extinct, there is still plenty to see on family holidays in Mauritius. It’s hard to argue with a destination that has repeatedly won travel award titles ranging from ‘best beach’ and ‘best island’ right up to the impressive accolade of ‘best in world’, and family holidays to Mauritius let you and your children judge the quality of the destination and the excellent value for money that it represents. Put that ‘best beach’ title to the test by heading down to the sand for a day of sunbathing, sandcastle building and swimming – or paddling, if you prefer – for all the fun of a relaxing beach holiday.
Mauritius has long been known to the Indian market as a luxury honeymoon destination, however, what most of us miss reading between the lines is that the island has so much more to offer. Apart from the beautiful beaches and world-class hotels, the destination is home to mesmerising sceneries, numerous adventure-related activities, professional and international level golf courses, water sports, ideal kite surf spots and cultural tourism. The Indian travellers, once in Mauritius, can enjoy a plethora of activities all year round.
Mauritius is a complete destination. Activities exist for all ages and categories, be it for honeymooners, families, adventure seekers, nature lovers, senior citizens, young generation, golfers and water sport lovers. For the businessmen, the island is the ideal place to combine work with leisure. Mauritians have a great fondness for children and are always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that younger visitors are just as well catered for as grownups. Mauritius family holidays are perfect for active visitors who are keen to explore one of the world’s most spectacular natural environments, packed with rare wildlife. This, plus an abundance of stunning, sandy beaches and Mauritians’ chilled-out, friendly approach, means worn-out families can rapidly unwind and make the most of everything this magical destination has to offer.
The island has the perfect recipe to cater for leisure and family time. Ranging from sandy beaches, catamaran trips, adventure related activities to nature parks; the island offers great environment, blue sky and fresh air for families to enjoy quality time together. For those looking for luxury and leisure time, our up-class hotels have just the right ambience to pamper its guests with magnificent sunsets, amazing golf courses and heavenly spas. Mauritius is a melting pot of cultures and this is unique to the island. Various religions cohabiting in peace and the blend of cultures are a major attraction to tourists who come specially to witness this harmony during different festivals celebrated like Diwali, Maha Shivaratri, the Chinese Spring festival and many more.
The island has been blessed with a multi-cultural society, which results in a blend of different cuisines re-invented the Mauritian way. Tourists from different parts of the world will find a dish connecting to their own cuisine. All the major cuisines of the world namely, Indian, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Arabic etc are available in Mauritius.
The island proudly boasts of 30 per cent repeat visitors, which is among the highest in the world. It gives you an indication of the quality of services offered by the destination. Here let’s take a detailed look at some of the must-do activities in Mauritius –
Water Activities
Mauritius is a one-stop shop for outdoors-loving families. Your local aquarium may seem a tad dull after you’ve brought your kids here, where they will watch tropical fish lapping their toes when they paddle in the sea and work out ways of enticing crabs out of their beachside holes at sunset. Many hotels offer daily glass-bottomed boat rides as part of their inclusive packages, which enable guests to go a bit further out to spot clownfish, parrotfish, lionfish and sea sponges amongst the coral reefs that ring the island. Some of the local boat operators will even allow very young children to don life jackets and have a go at snorkelling amongst the fish, with parental supervision.
If this is a success, go one step further and take them swimming and snorkelling with dolphins out in the open sea. Spinner and bottlenose dolphins swim in packs around the island, and early morning is the best time to spot them playing. JPH Charters offer daily dolphin swimming excursions year round, as well as fishing trips and day or overnight catamaran cruises to the outlying islands.
Most of the hotels on the island offer a host of water sports activities included in their packages. Waterskiing, wind-surfing, kite-surfing, pedals, catamarans, sailing, kayaking, stand-up paddle and snorkelling are likely amongst the activities on offer. Scuba diving lessons are also often available too, but are more likely to entail an extra cost.
Inland Activities
Whilst the views from the island onto the almost-white sandy beaches and the turquoise waters beyond are soothingly beautiful, take some time to look behind you. Mauritius’s stunning natural inland landscapes include vast plains of sugarcanes, mountains, spectacular waterfalls and forests.
The Mauritians have worked out ways to get children’s jaws to drop at all this too. Kids of high school age will relish exploring the literal highs and lows of the picturesque Frédérica Nature Reserve in the south by quad bike, whilst younger ones will enjoy bumbling around in the back of a guide-driven 4×4. Teens will also thrill at taking one of the longest zip-lines in the Indian Ocean through the Casela Nature and Leisure Park, which you can also explore by Segway and quad.
There are loads of activities to do in Mauritius for families. The little kids and the ‘bigger kids’ will have tons of fun playing around the Mauritius attractions, while you’ll have a blast exploring the best places to visit on the island. But don’t forget to get in touch with the locals. One of the best things to do in Mauritius with kids is to discover is the culture of the Mauritian people; many cultures living together peacefully embracing their differences and rejoicing their similarities. One thing that all Mauritians have in common, although some of them might have very different lifestyles, is the sense of family. Mauritians are big on family values; this is their most precious price. They take care of each other and if you’re welcome in a family they will take care of you as their own flesh and blood. So one of the best things to do in Mauritius for families is to head out and experience the local culture. You will have to experience the laid-back island vibe on share this with your kids.
When you come to Mauritius with your family not only will you be able to live through exciting experiences such as hikes to exotic places, swim in a clear turquoise lagoon, underwater safari, interact and walk with lions and tigers and load of other animals but you’ll also be able to experience the core of family values. Visiting and staying at gorgeous locations is awesome but living through experiences that run deep in each member of your family is transcendent. Sitting down for a meal with a Mauritian family is amazing, your family will be able to taste succulent homemade recipes undoubtedly past on through generations and will be able to experience firsthand the customs and discover little secrets such as untouched locations in the area not well known by tourists or where to find the best bargains for your souvenirs although the malls in Mauritius offers great recreational activities for kids while adults can enjoy shopping.
