Mauritius : Traveler Tips For Low cost, Sustainable and Unique Experiences
I love “do it yourself” trips because they are a bit like pizza dough: you can shape them as you like and whatever the result, it will be unique and personal.
The “Mauritius DIY” formula was one of the most complicated and fun I have ever experienced, tha’s why here I’ve gathered some tips.
There are many experiences that I remember with joy and a pinch of hilarity. My first sparkling water coconut along the beach, taken from one of the many local food truck. I know, you too are thinking that it had probably gone bad, but I had never tasted such a mysterious and refreshing delight.
The huge crepuscular bats spotted one evening, at sunset, on our way back home.
The friendliness of the self-proclaimed “taxi drivers”, very expansive and present everywhere on the island, who offer a “self-managed” transport service.
Finally, the majesty full of colors of the ceremonies, which reflect the Indian style and fascinated me with the beauty of the traditional clothes and the elegance that each guest unconsciously carried on.
"diy" mauritius trip
where to stay
Home is a feeling rather than a physical place.
The island of Mauritius offers a wide variety of accommodations to choose from: the most famous are certainly the resorts on the coast, but there is no shortage of houses and apartments, which, in my opinion, have an excellent value for money and are extremely versatile, perfect for a “DIY” trip.
My journey lead me to Flic en Flac, a little town on the south west coast of Mauritius, renowned for its beautiful white heavenly beach.
The apartment I had chosen was located in a row of elegant but simple villas just one block away from the sea. Despite the very low price, the house was really nice and there was plenty of space.
My advice? Find a location that inspires you and rent a house. In this way you will have complete time management freedom and you can use the saved money for anything that makes you happy: activities, restaurants, souvenirs or whatever.
behind the scenes: private tours
I think the secret to collect memorable, ethical and low cost experiences is interact and talk with locals.
During the trip, we had the chance to speak with the owners of a local tour operator located in Flic en Flac, just in front of the beach.
In this way, we discovered some really suggestive hiking itineraries, and we also decided to book a tour of the eastern part of the island, the one we were completely missing.
If you want to find out more about the itineraries they recommended, take a look at this article.
By the term “private tour” the local agencies generally mean “hiring” a taxi driver who takes you to see the most famous stops on the island for half a day or a all day long. Having experienced both private tours and vehicle rent, I can say with certainty that renting a car is much cheaper, more authentic and much more adaptable to your needs.
You can also tailor the experience in a way that perfectly suits your times and interests, and thus it will be less standardized and more authentic.
moving around the island
One of the most fun and authentic experiences I recommend is using the local buses. Small, ramshackle, colorful, full of people and joy.
Quite punctual, the buses in Mauritius travel at great speed on roads and streets with doors and windows constantly open. Bumps, holes, dirt roads and rustic streets, it doesn’t matter.
On the other hand, taking the bus allows you to relax and see the reality of Mauritius in all its shades and beauty, with slowness and full presence. Since your attention will not be on the guide, you will be able to enjoy the surrounding landscape, without losing sight of the places you travel through, to know where to stop.
As mentioned a few lines above, for a few days we explored part of the hinterland of the island by renting a car. Smart deal, economical. Surely the most practical choice for balancing timing and freedom, despite the fact that driving is the opposite of Italy (they drive on the right side) and requires a certain amount of concentration.
Another option is the taxi. Classic and functional, they do not differ much from ours. Surely among the three transport choices, the taxi is the least economical one.
how to choose ethical ACTIVITIES when ANIMALS are involved
I believe that respect for life must be everyone’s value.
Around the island of Mauritius there are several islets, often uninhabited, lush, very beautiful even if a little crowded in high season. To get to these strips of land, you can generally take a “speed-boats“, which also allow the dolphins watching during the crossing. This activity is more than renowned all over the world, but it must be carried out with the right precautions to not become harmful to animals.
From this point of view, my experience turned out to be ethically tragic. There are two main reasons: the disturbance created by that type of boats, which are too noisy and fast, and the extreme crowding around dolphins. I talk more about this topic in an article I wrote for the association “Eticoscienza”.
A further “warning” that I would like to add concerns the bio-parks that allow you to interact with animals, or let visitors manage their behaviour with the animals. This type of activity goes against the love and animal welfare, without exception. This is why another experience that I do not recommend is the Vanille Nature Park. To be able to spot the same animals, you will just need to gather accurate information and look for those places where the disturbance caused by tourism is lower and the animals live in the wild, or look for associations that have an ethical point of view towards local fauna and flora.
In conclusion, visiting parks and habitats where the native species of the island live free is a beautiful activity, but keep in mind that it has to be carried out with respect and empathy. It is important to carefully evaluate the structures in front of you to understand if they have a purely economic interest or an environmental protection interest: for example in Europe a certification that shows commitment to conservation is EAZA.
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Writing is what connects me to people, love for nature is the filter with which I live and capture my experiences; I long for learning new things, observing and smiling to the world, sharing my experiences with those who have the same passions.
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