Charles Darwin and Mark Twain both referred to Mauritius upon reaching its shores. The island was visited by both Mark Twain and Charles Darwin in 19th-century. However, they are still quoted over 100 years later by the tourist industry. There is no paradise on the earth. Setting such high expectations will only make things worse. You can’t satisfy your fundamental whims if your destination doesn’t answer them. But you must accept the inevitable imperfections.
The things that I need to make a country a home are a nice climate, good infrastructure and easy access to a residence permit. Although Mauritius passed all of my criteria, the Internet information that I had gathered painted an unflattering picture about my new home. It’s possible that I am the only one to break the rules!
To put it in context, Mauritius (an independent African democracy nation located in the Indian Ocean) is composed of the main Mauritius island, several small uninhabited islands, and Rodrigues. It is 350 miles (560km) east. Madagascar is 500 km (805 km) away from the main island. To the south lies La Réunion, a French island territory. Europeans are attracted to Mauritius by the many flights that depart from Paris and London. The country is not well-known elsewhere in the world so your travel route will likely be longer. Most often, you’ll connect via a major European airport, such as Johannesburg, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, or Dubai. The country is quite crowded, about 1.3million inhabitants, and almost all of them are confined to the one island. Port Louis, which is also the capital, is the largest city. There are many old and crumbling structures that meet with modern bank towers. Mauritius is an off-shore banking haven. The capital’s western coast is home to the most beautiful beaches. There is an island that blends plains with mountains. It also has a plateau centrally. Most people live on this plateau where it is cooler and wetter than the rest. This is the location of a number of towns that run along the highway from Port Louis to Port Louis, the only airstrip on the eastern side.
The Board of Investment (BOI), which grants 3 year residency permits to investors, professionals and self-employed people allowed me to come to Mauritius. You will need to complete a lot of paperwork. Also, you must undergo a medical exam and put up a guarantee of 50,000 rupees (one US Dollar is about $33.8) at your local bank. This includes 10,000 for each dependent. Although the application costs 10,000 rupees, it is not refundable. However, if you adhere to all of the instructions, you should be able to get your resident status fast. They value your income while living in Mauritius more than any prior records. The minimum investment or income requirement for the class you are applying for will have to be met within the first year, otherwise your residency status could be terminated. They don’t set lofty goals, but they are achievable.
Mauritius’ history is rather tragic. The colony was abandoned until 17th-century Dutch settlers arrived. In 1710 they abandoned the colony, but not without exterminating poor dodos. These flightless birds are effigy throughout present-day Mauritius. Five years later, the French reclaimed the territory. They brought with them many African slaves who were to be used in sugarcane cultivation. Mauritius became a major pirate colony that was used to harass British ships in India Ocean. By invading Mauritius, 1810 the English ended French rule and put an end corsairs. The English brought large numbers of Indian colonial indentured workers to Mauritius. Their descendants are the majority of Mauritians and control local politics. English and French are the official languages, while Creole is the language spoken by everyone. Indo-Mauritians often speak Bhojpuri (a language from their homeland). Mauritius is home to a lot of Indian culture, such as the Mauritian foods, numerous Hindu temples, and the women’s saris. Afro-Mauritians make up about 35% of the population. They are concentrated on Rodrigues’ southern side and the predominant race there. Many cultural iconories of African descent include the Creole language and cuisine, as well as Sega music, and its iconic dance. But, the wealth of Mauritius, Africa’s richest country, is not shared equally by blacks. Although Mauritius remains a poor nation, extreme poverty is not as severe as in any other African country.
To be near the most beautiful beaches I wanted to rent a furnished apartment in Mon Choisy in the Pamplemousses area. It is located in the northeast corner of the island, at Trou aux biches. These beaches are mostly white sand, and the filao trees provide shade. You can see the barrier reef which breaks up large ocean swells and surrounds much of the island. The coral reefs are almost completely bleached. This creates a stark underwater scene that gives the sea the turquoise hue that many tourists love. There is still plenty of marine life, both in small coral patches and the seagrasses. Nearly every day, I snorkeled on Trou aux Biches’ quieter beach. There were many sea creatures there including a turtle and an octopus. A few times I had to meet commercial water ski and hang-gliding boats, which speed very close to the shore, completely unaware of all the tourists floating in the water. It won’t help you to complain about the Mauritian coast guard, because they don’t believe there’s a problem.
Mon Choisy may look idyllic due to its large number of brightly painted, new buildings but it quickly becomes a darkened cemetery after dark, when there is almost no street lighting. Also, the peak season, which corresponds with Europe’s winter, means that virtually all people are absent. My wife and I were soon greeted by the pirates of Mauritius. Thieves broke into our home through the window after we retired to our bedrooms at night. When I heard a crash, I ran half the way down the steps. Then I was awakened and fled to the second level. It was enough for the thieves to be scared. They fled the second floor with my wife’s laptop computer, which she left on her dining room table. In the following days, I found out that almost all foreigners living in this area were having their homes broken into by thieves, sometimes four to five times per day, even though they had used flood lights, guard dogs and alarm systems. My neighbor was Mauritian and I soon joined a neighborhood watch. Sometimes we patrolled the streets in total darkness, other times at three or four in the AM. However, it wasn’t paranoia. One night, someone jumped on our balcony and fled when my wife called. “Stealing is also a job”Subash, who is a Mauritian owner of a Mauritian coffee shop in the area, commented that it makes crime seem like an institution.
The island still relies on sugar cane for its economy and also pyromania. You can see huge columns of smoke coming from the flash-burned fields of sugarcane. Our home was constantly surrounded by smoke from the flash burning of cane fields. I will never forget that day Grand Baie was totally obscured in dense smoke. Mauritians do not just burn sugarcane. They also fire up to remove trees and other debris from their land. Garbage, like in other poor countries, is also an issue. Every Sunday ordinary Mauritians arrive in large numbers from Port Louis and the plateau cities to camp on beaches like Mon Choisy. Unfortunately, the beaches and ocean are contaminated by a lot of garbage every Monday. The polluters are not just ordinary citizens. Many construction firms, many of which have European partners, also cause ecological harm to this lovely island. One such group was building luxury condos along the Mon Choisy waterfront. I waged some war against them. Many times per day, trucks would haul tons of rubbish from the site to a huge empty lot, which was surrounded with expensive apartments and homes. It was just around our corner. Soon, it became a chain of mountains full of trash. Their foreman casually replied that the owner of the land had given permission for them to keep it there. I made several calls to get in touch with the environment police. They promised to help. Soon, they came to my rescue and instructed the trash-collectors to clean up. But they were unable to keep their promise and just dumped it along the road fronting the building.
There are many good things about Mauritius, though. The sea and five-star hotels are the main attractions of Mauritius. But, there are some things that you won’t find anywhere else. The island is home to a large area of forest that’s non-native and includes monkeys. It’s also interspersed by water sources which provide relief for the island’s thirst. You must include the Black River Gorge (which appears to too vast for a single island), the Alexandra River falls, and Chamarel waterfall. This cascade drops into an impressive crater. What most impressed me, however, was the Lac Sacré (Sacred Lake) which local Hindus believe contains water from the Ganges. You will find swarms upon worshippers and colorful temples surrounding the lake. A towering, golden Shiva statue is located just over the hill. Visual aesthetics are important to Hinduism, so there are many temples scattered across the island. Each one is worth visiting to appreciate the rich detail and vibrant colors found in the reliefs. Tourists are welcome to take pictures and enter Hindu temples. However, it is best to be discreet when visiting Muslim worship sites, such as the Jummah Mosque, which is located in Port Louis. There are a number of attractions at the southern tip of the island. One is the stunning view you have as you drive along the coast road to Le Gris gris. This cliff offers a breathtaking view of 40-foot waves crashing against rocks. The beach at Le Morne Brabant is another interesting spot. It’s a dark rocky mount that sits in the middle a point on the land. This looks like the head of a hammerhead shark. To escape their captors, fugitive slaves used to hide on top of the rock.
Port Louis is filthy, but there are still some worthy sights. The French citadel, which still stands over the city, is one of these attractions. The Caudan is another waterfront revitalization project, which includes a shopping mall, casino and luxury hotel. The Place d’Armes is just across the street from the Caudan. Its rows of tall palm trees and monuments end at Queen Victoria’s statue and an old civic building. There’s also the Jummah Mosque, as well as a number of Hindu temples. Pay attention to pickpockets when you go to the busy market near the Caudan. Be aware that there are two motorcycle-riding men on the island. The one at the back could grab your bag and pull it away as they go. Subash said that larceny can be a way to make a living.
Mauritius taxis are expensive so expatriates and travelers often opt to take the cheap, dirty buses which run through the island. The wise advice is to wait for the bus to stop completely before moving. Mauritian transit drivers are known to be very aggressive and can send you staggering! Many tour operators offer mini-van tours that last for days, and many leave from Grand Baie. While the prices seem low, operators get paid to be able to attract customers. We visited a dozen shops on the plateau before reaching Casela just in time for closing. This is the main attraction, the zoo. It was an interesting tour that included a highly-priced jewelry shop. “precious gem museum”. However, the visit to Floreal’s miniature boat factory was quite interesting. Although Mauritius offers many spectacular sights, the tourist industry only promotes the most popular attractions. Trou aux Cerfs, the tiny volcano crater in Curepipe is a must-see. However, it looks very different from a volcanic crater due to its heavy vegetation. A second stop is The Colored Earths. This half-foot square mound of volcanic rock in different colors of red and violet, and surrounded with a wooden walkway, measures approximately a quarter of an acre. There’s also the highly-acclaimed Ile aux Cerfs. This small island offers several water sports and a mini tourist market. While it is nice, you will find the hotels and other activities far more enjoyable and often cheaper. A Sega performance and lunch on a remote beach can be a highlight of an Ile aux Cerfs Tour. Although it was fun, guests were expected to wash their hands in the wild mangroves behind the restaurant. It’s not exactly ecological nor sanitary! Rodrigues is the best place to find deserted beaches. It has managed to escape the effects of mass tourism, which took its toll in Mauritian islands.
The all-inclusive 5-star hotels are the most popular. Some of these, like La Plantation in France, have become world-famous. If you’re looking for affordable accommodation, it is difficult to find one, especially if it’s in hostels and hovels. Villa Jorico is a beautiful, spacious bed and breakfast located in Pointe Aux Sables just south of Port Louis. It offers a large, private room with a bath, for as low as 45 US Dollars per night. Pointe Aux Sables is not a tourist destination and there are no beaches. This location might be best suited for those who have work to do in Port Louis. The inn is right on the coast road, where buses can be seen. It’s possible to feel as though you are in paradise, if your stay is just at a hotel. But the true Mauritius is not a resort with pristine beaches.
Our Mauritius residency was not destroyed by the feeling of insecurity after our home had been invaded. The water. Or rather, the insufficient supply. It was stupid to forget that every private home had huge water tanks and bars at all windows. I was also told by the South African real estate agent that I paid over 700 USD commissions. They didn’t mention that water is a scarce commodity. It only flows for one hour per day in dry seasons to supply the many hotels. We suspected that the young, reckless pair of Australian doctors living in our townhouse were draining the well. After the well became completely dry over two weeks, I began to use filthy water to flush the toilets. We were also using damp towels to wash ourselves. This was when we realized this experiment couldn’t continue. Because I was already investing a lot of money in this exotic lifestyle, I wasn’t sure that it would be a good investment. The agency agreed that this was an extraordinary situation and kept their fees. We then sold what little we owned, returned our keys, and packed up to leave paradise.
Depending on where you are located in Mauritius, Mauritius could be paradise!