Mauritius woos tourists from Asia with magical experiences

The island nation has realised that it needs to change its Eurocentric focus to keep tourism afloat

Before the pandemic, Mauritius welcomed 1.4 million tourists annually, most of them from Europe. However, post-pandemic, the island nation has been forced to look closer home to keep its tourism industry floating. "Pre-pandemic tourism in Mauritius was very Eurocentric as the accessibility to Europe was relatively high," said Arvind Bundhun, the director of Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority to DH. "But what Covid taught us was that we have to be resilient and that we need to diversify. That is why Asia, the Middle East and regional tourism have taken priority post-pandemic. Air Mauritius is also increasing flights to these regions to improve connectivity."

These overtures have not gone unnoticed. From film stars to entrepreneurs to honeymooners and influencers, people from all over Asia have been flocking to the island destination and filling Instagram with white sand and blue ocean photographs.

There is something for everyone on this volcanic island in the Indian Ocean, whether you want to feed the world's tallest animal, gaze at the endangered African mammals, or watch the native marine species.

You may interact with endangered big cats at Casela Nature Park or marvel over the 100 different species of birds here. The Mauritius kestrel, Madagascar fody, red-whiskered bulbul, Mauritius parakeet, pink pigeon and zebra dove are among the exotic birds on the islands. Keep an eye out for Mauritius and Rodrigues flying foxes and Tenrecs, rusa deer, mongoose, and crab-eating macaques, among the native animals.

It's not just the fauna in Mauritius that's wild, but even the land has its fantastic hues. The 18th-century Chamarel Geopark in southwest Mauritius is fascinating with its seven-coloured Earth tones. You can't help but be awed by the rainbow-coloured dunes collected in different strata. Chamarel's colourful Earth is a testimony to geological events like continental motions and collisions, volcanic eruptions, and formations. The most plausible explanation for this extraordinary phenomenon is the gradual degradation of volcanic lava or basalt into clay particles over 600 million years.

Tourists can now experience the region's unique colourful dunes from several vantage points thanks to the installation of wooden barricades. On the grounds, a gorgeous curio shop hawks small vials and bottles of the Seven Coloured Earth sand as a souvenir; strictly forbidden to collect from the actual site.

As far as food is concerned, Mauritius does not have a distinct Mauritian cuisine because the island was uninhabited until the arrival of the Portuguese. Over time, their cuisine became Creole. Mauritian foods include curries, Farata, coconut cakes, mine frites, and palm heart salad. Street food, however, is the preferred dining option on the island. When here, enjoy the tamarind-marmalade-coated pineapple, mango, guava and jambolana slices. Or the fresh-squeezed sugarcane juice with buttery bread. Towards the Northern coast, I also sampled the island's most popular snack: dholl puri.

With the Maconde's heights, surrounded by stunning landscapes, or the various rum samplings that follow you throughout the island; getting high is never a problem. The coffee and coconut liqueur at the Chamarel Rhumerie is strongly recommended.

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