Inland Mauritius . . The reputation of Mauritius for its beaches and sea is now
established and Mauritius remains first of all a "sea sun & sand" destination. Since
several years, there is a will to promote the country as a whole for its nation
and fauna as well as for its inland regions. Many are those who are astonished by
their discovery of the island's inner regions wondering why they had not been briefed
about this aspect of Mauritius. . . Since the beginning of this century the inner
regions are more easily accessible as: . - There are some magnificent private properties
that are now being commercialised and accessible to visitors through guided hikes,
mountain biking or Quad rides. . . - It is now possible to find excellent accommodation
in lodges and guesthouses inland Climate . . The climate in the centre of the island
is totally different to the coastal regions as the centre part is higher in altitude.
It is therefore generally cooler, especially after sunset and simply cold in winter
in the highest parts (around Curepipe). Temperature may vary between 12-degree Celsius
and 22-degree Celsius in winter or between 18-degree Celsius and 30-degree Celsius
in summer but this is just a numerical indication as due to the high humidity (up
to 90%) the extremes in temperature are amplified. . . Topography . . It is difficult
to describe the topography of the centre as it covers a large part of the island.
However, all the sub regions of the centre may have one thing in common; it is always
sloping up or down and in altitude. The vegetation is much richer than the coasts
and often free of sugar canes. The different lakes and reservoirs give a more continental
atmosphere. . and villages . . The most important residential towns of Mauritius
are found on the high lands. Although they are not very pleasant to the eyesight,
visiting them allows the discovery of the day-to-day life of Mauritius, although
it could be seen as a visit to "the dark side of the moon.". . Curepipe . Curepipe
is almost in the middle of Mauritius where the climate is rather cool, very humid
and rainy almost all year round. The sky is grey and the buildings are all dark
grey from mildew. This colour seems to have bled into its inhabitants' minds, as
they do not seem very cheerful. The region of Curepipe is worth for only one thing;
the buying of duty-free fine jewellery made in Mauritius and the visit of the diamond
cutting factories.. . Beau Bassin / Rose Hill . If you have some extra time, the
town of Beau-Bassin / Rose-Hill are a better detour. Rose-Hill came to life at the
end of the 18th century when the malaria disease was spreading in Port-Louis. .
. People moved their residences to the higher plains where the cooler climate was
keeping most mosquitoes away. Rose-Hill and Beau Bassin were then the new places
to be and until the mid 1900's Rose Hill and especially Beau-Bassin had plenty of
wonderful colonial houses. . . . . Owing to the quality of the earth and the humidity
the huge gardens around these well-kept houses were simply magnificent.. . Today,
Beau-Bassin / Rose-Hill is just another busy town of Mauritius with very few of
these luxuriant properties. However, it takes its charm from being by far the largest
residential town of Mauritius inhabited by all ethnics, which we can qualify as
the true Mauritians. . . Rose-Hill is full of funny shops, visited by all, especially
the young ones. We suggest to park in the centre and have a stroll in "Arabtown"
and around the fair. . . Quatre-Bornes . This town is adjacent to Beau-Bassin /
Rose-Hill and is slightly more organised and "modern." Its main attraction is its
fair, which by the way occurs namely on Sundays, the ideal day as the beaches are
crowded. A guided excursion of ½ a day in minibus is proposed every Sunday. . .
Although the above does not make these towns very attractive, we recommend allowing
them a few hours especially due to the fact that they are close to the Plaine Champagne
to Chamarel road, which is highly recommended. . . . Our favourite village: Chamarel
. Chamarel is unique as it is the only typical remote mountain village of Mauritius.
Quiet, pretty and tidy, Chamarel successfully merges with its surrounding vegetation.
. . Populated by the Creole community of Mauritius, Chamarel is the nursery of this
culture and is the place from which most of the Sega songs were written, sung and
danced. Traditional but not conservative, the people of Chamarel successfully separated
the wheat from the chaff of evolution. . . Warm, friendly with a deep sense of hospitality,
the people of Chamarel have welcomed visitors and tourists since decades but contrarily
to inhabitants of other regions, they managed to remain authentic. . . The yearly
Fancy Fair of Chamarel remains the most important event of the region and an occasion
for its people to proudly share with others, the specialities of the village, namely
the Curry No. 1 (monkey curry). Otherwise, it is the Sunday mass that makes the
event. . . View location on Google Earth. . . . . . To See and Do . . Chamarel Road
. There are three ways to access Chamarel, but for the view, we recommend to start
form the heights (Plaine Champagne road) and drive towards the coast. . . The rich
and wild vegetation along the road changes every kilometre as you drive. It is often
cold and rainy uphill to become sunny and warm after just ten kilometres. There
are several places along the road where you can stop for a snapshot, a walk in the
woods or to waterfalls, for a visit to the village or for lunch at one of the "table
d'hotes" along the street. . . This drive is a must and is the most convenient way
to take you from the centre of the island to the south or west coasts. . . . Grand
Bassin . . Grand Bassin is part of the itinerary of the excursions proposed along
the high plateau. The call is interesting for its legend; the water inside the crater
is said to be in direct contact with the waters of the holly Ganges of India. .
. The Hindus of Mauritius have thus declared Grand Bassin as the holiest and sacred
place of Mauritius. A Pilgrimage occurring every year on the Occasion of the "Maha
Shivaratree" festival leads tens of thousands of people to Grand Bassin, contributing
to this mystical atmosphere. A huge statue of Shiva has been erected on the spot.
. The best way to go round the high grounds routes is to rent a car or hire a taxi
for the day but there are also excursions in minibuses or in a chauffeur-driven
car. . . View location on Google Earth. . . . Le Pouce . For those who wish to hike
in open nature independently from guides and tours, the "Le Pouce" mountain is the
right thing to do. It is relatively easy to climb except for the last 50 metres,
and the view from the top is of course fantastic as almost the whole island can
be seen from there. The easiest way to start off is to park at its foot in the area
of Moka. (Follow the signs to Eureka House, then the ones to Le Pouce). It is recommended
not to leave any valuables in the car and the ascent is probably not adequate to
children below 10 years.. . View location on Google Earth. . . . Restaurants . .
Along the road from Plaine Champagne to Chamarel there are enough possibilities
to have very nice lunches. . . One of the most outstanding restaurants of Mauritius
"Varangue Sur Morne," is in the region of Chamarel (it is well indicated). Superb
in simplicity, its all wooden veranda fits well into the setting and derives the
atmosphere of the continental high mountains with the open air and the magnificent
view on the South as bonus. The cuisine is rather gastronomic and its panned "foie
gras" (not always on the menu) is a treat. Think about taking with you a pretty
filled wallet. . . The village of Chamarel counts several "table d'hotes"; we would
mention 2 of them: Chez Pierre Paul and Le Coin Tropical. Chez Pierre Paul has a
more authentic Creole cuisine and often has game meat on the menu while Le Coin
Tropical is slightly more oriental and is sea-food orientated. . . These restaurants
open only for lunch (or for dinner but under reservation only). . . . . . . Accommodation
. . The best quality accommodations in the central regions of Mauritius are in the
form of lodges and Guesthouses, entirely adapted to their environment. . . Updated:
June 2006 . . Hotel Mauritius 5 * | Hotel Mauritius 4 * | Hotel Mauritius 3 * |
Hotel Mauritius 2* | Hotel Mauritius 1* | Lodges / Chalets | Bungalows 110 - 150
Euro | Villas (180 - 360 Euro) | Villas Euro 400 + | Guesthouses | Apartments &
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| Places of Interest | Shops | Vehicle Rental | Mauritius Centre Photo Gallery |
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