Bwino

Hello Fodorites, I am an Australian currently living in Mauritius, need any advice I will try to help. Mauritius is Delicious.

judochop

Hi Judy, what are you and David doing in Mauritius now, still enjoying it??

Jo (stayed with you at Puku Ridge)

matnikstym

...and do you still hear from Diamon?

Paulchili

Hi Bwino,
Can you recommend some restaurants in Port Louis?
Also, what would be the closest good beach to Port Louis?
Thanks,
Paul

Davidjhonda

Hi,
Sounds like you might be able to give us some great advice, Bwino!

We were thinking about visiting Mauritius next month. Everything we've read says that the north and east coasts are the best during the winter down there. Do you agree with this? Then, I've heard that the best beaches and hotels are on the west coast. This is a little confusing...any thoughts?

Also, we're somewhat overwhelmed by the number of very nice hotels. Do any stand out as being the nicest of the 5 star hotels?

Thanks for your help,
David

Paulchili

Bwino,
Where are you - are you still in Mauritius? Are you perhaps on vacation?
Anxious to hear what suggestions you have for us.
Paulchili

matnikstym

Last I heard Bwino lost her internet connection. Hopefully she'll be back soon!

Bwino

Soooooo Sorry for the delay, matnikstym is correct - I had no internet for practically a month from a day or two after I posted this - lots of catching up to do.

Hi Jo - David is doing his own business as an Internet consultant and I am doing some HR contracting work in Kenya. Hope to have some work in other parts of Africa later in the year. What are you up to??

Hey Dennis - yes we spoke to Diamon about 3 months ago - he is still doing well. We will probably be in Zambia in late July for our long awaited court case with SOA and plan to catch up with the guys in Mfuwe.

Paulchili - let me come back to you in the next day or two on restaurants in Port Louis - we do not eat there often and I just can't think of the name of a couple that were good. The beaches are quite a way from Port Louis - you need to either go north to Mont Choisy or Trou aux Biches (about 30 min drive) or to Flic en Flac south of Port Louis - about the same distance. Also depends what you mean by a 'good' beach. The ones I mentioned have no waves, just flat - good for swimming. What will you be doing in Port Louis?

Hi David, the north is best for lack of wind. The east and west can get very windy but depends on exact location. There are wonderful hotels all over the island. the temp here is still warm at the moment - I am in shorts and singlet at 5:3opm - the nights are getting a little cool - long sleeve t-shirt. Where are you coming from - the weather and the wind really depend on what you are used to. Do you have a budget for your hotel?

Sorry this is a quick reply I have to go out for a while - will check back.

Haven't proof read this in a hurry.

Happy to answer more questions soon.
Everyone - for a quick reply - email me at [email protected]

Paulchili

Hi Judy,
Thanks for the post - the internet problem explains your "absence".
I will send you an e mail.
Paul

Bwino

Hello Paul, thanks for your email, I have replied and will post here as well for others to see.

Wow! what an exciting adventure you have coming up.

The Labourdonnais Waterfront hotel is in a great location and has two very nice restaurants. There is also an good Indian Restaurant at the waterfront complex near the hotel, I cannot recall the name just now, but it is located above some shops and is the only one there. We do not generally eat out
anywhere else in Port Louis unless it is something very casual. We tend to dine out in the are we live - the north of the island.

There are also lots of nice shops around the waterfront but they tend to be quite expensive. The waterfront tends to be very quite in the evening with all the shops closed and only the restaurants open.

The Blue Penny Musuem at the waterfront is worth a visit.

Exploring the city of Port Louis can be a lot of fun. I tend to really like cities and always explore when I can. Like most cities world wide I would not recommend wandering around the city at night but it is fine during the day as long as you take normal precautions. The vegetable market is a must see and if you have the stomach for it you must also have a look and take some photos at the meat market. The tourist market tends to be over the top with hassle and the prices are high. Wandering the streets is fascinating.

As far as must sees I would hire a taxi and spend the morning at Aventure de Sucre (Mauritius Sugar Museum) (It opens at 9am) you can easily spend 2 or 3 hours or more exploring the museum - it gives the entire history of Mauritius (not just the sugar industry) and is really quite fascinating. No
other museum in Mauritius gives such a comprehensive history of this small island. There is quite a nice restaurant at the museum which will serve Mauritian cuisine for lunch.

After lunch I would suggest the nearby Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens. As well as magnificent plant life you will also see giant tortoises here. It is a really lovely garden to wander around.

You could then ask your driver to drive you back to Port Louis via the
coast. I would recommend stopping at Mont Choisy beach for the sunset.

This would be a full day but I think a very good one.

Feel free to ask more questions and I will help if I can.

Have a wonderful trip and I hope you enjoy your short stop in Mauritius.

Regards

Judy

Bwino

Davidjhonda - some hotel suggestions for you - I have not stayed at them but have been to them:

Oberoi - known for peaceful seclusion - located in the north east.

Le Saint Geran - known for extraordinary service - West Coast

Le Touessrok - contemporary hotel on the West coast.

Royal Palm - Old world charm and class - located at Grand Baie in the North

Prince Maurice - very romantic - West coast

The Residence - Colonial Style - West Coast

Le Telfair - elegant - South East Coast.

The west coast is definetly the windiest but it is not necessarily an issue.

I would choose the Royal Palm if you want to get out and about - it is close to Grand Baie for shopping and eating out.

The Oberoi would be my second choice.

Most of the hotels on the west coast, whilst magnificent are quite isolated so you may find you just stay at the hotel - which is fine if that is what you want.

Soooo very many choices.

gaynor

Hello Bwino,
We will be visiting Mauritius for the first time in August this year and have booked Le Sakoa in Trou Aux Biches. We are keen snorkellers and chose this area for that reason - I hope that we have chosen well ! Can you recommend any restaurants in this area and also any 'must do' things whilst we are there? We will have a rental car throughout our 6 night stay.

Thanks,

Gaynor

Bwino

Hi Gaynor, I looked up La Sakoa on the internet because I did not reconginse it. Looks nice I just cannot believe I have never seen it - I lived at Trou aux Biches for just over a year and walked the beach almost every day and don't recall this hotel at all.

As far as snorkeling goes Trou aux Biches has nice calm clear water most of the time so is good for it. You can also go out on the dive boats for a snorkel. Unfortunately a lot of the reefs are quite damaged - but still nice to see.

As I come from Australia and grew up around the Great Barrier Reef I am a bit spoiled when it comes to snorkeling.

Restaurants - there are plenty of small local eateries that serve very inexpensive local cuisine - nothing fancy but good local ambiance and the Boat House on the main road near Chez Popo's (everyone knows where Popo's the local supermarket is) sometimes has local musicians playing.

You will see the Trou aux Biches police station opposite the Trou aux Biches public beach - if you walk up that road towards Triolet there are lots of small places and one that serves pretty good pizza.

For a special night out I would recommend La Cravache d'Or, here is an excerpt from a New York Times review:

<i>The coast's best off-resort restaurant is La Cravache d'Or in Trou aux Biches. Its ceiling fans and whitewashed d&eacute;cor scream colonial Jamaica, but the cooking puts Paris on the plate.

The dining room opens straight onto a swatch of sea lighted at night so you can watch gently bobbing boats while deconstructing the shrimp tagine or fresh dorado accented with Creole touches and island fruits. Dinner for two with wine, dessert and appetizer was comfortably under $100.</i>

I would say you could spend more than a $100 but it is really very nice for either lunch or dinner and comparatively speaking is not expensive.

I would highly recommend the trip to the Aventure de Sucre and the Pamplemousses garden that I have mentioned in a post above. Mauritius has a fascinating history and all is explained at Aventure de Sucre.

Also if you like exploring cities do go to Port Louis. Or to get a feel of how local's live get a taxi or catch a bus to Triolet - it is about 5 minutes from Trou aux Biches - you can wander the shops and the back streets to get a good feel for life outside the hotels and some good bargains on fabrics can be had.

Also a Triolet is a magnificent Hindu temple which you can visit any day of the week.

Taxi drivers will all want to take you to 'factory' clothing shops - by all means go along and buy if you see something you like but do haggle at these shops. They are not true factory outlets but you can buy some very nice things. The Taxi driver will very likely be receiving a commission on what you buy so if you want to go to other shops insist the driver take you there even if he tells you it is no good or too expensive - translate no commission for him.

Grand Baie has some very nice shopping.

Trou aux Biches is a lovely area and I hope you have a great holiday.

Hope this helps.

Bwino

Just a follow up - Davidjhonda - did you decide on a Mauritius hotel?

gaynor

Thanks for your advice Bwino. I have made a note of the restaurants that you suggest and will definitely visit the botanical gardens. As to the snorkelling, we have also snorkelled in some pretty special places (Maldives, Cooks, Red Sea and GBR) but never tire of the underwater world. I guess that the snorkelling will not be the best we have experienced from what you say, but that's ok with us. What will the water temperature be like in August though ? We are from UK so used to cold and wet weather!

Thaks for your help.

Gaynor

Bwino

Hi Gaynor, you are right, the underwater world is always great, and Mauritius can be lovely for snorkeling. The water will be a little cool but I swim all year round. You know how it is, once you get in it is fine.

On the subject of restaurants do try the one I mentioned that serves pizza but go for the fish - ask if they have it fresh, we were there a couple of days ago and it was excellent. Quality and presentation was as good as a 5 star restaurant. Service is excellent, decor is plain but clean. I cannot think of the name of it but it is downstairs in a two story building behind a gift shop. It is about the third or fourth restaurant on the left when walking up the road from the police station.

Have fun.

gaynor

Thanks, Bwino. Will definitely try the pizza restaurant, but will ask for the fish !

Gaynor

Bwino

Hi Gaynor

Went to Trou aux Biches tonight - the name of the restaurant is &quot;La Caprese&quot;