The first strike
Mauritius is a great place to play golf. It has eight 18-hole golf courses and five nine-hole golf courses, most of which are built around exotic palm trees, bougainvilleas and lakes. From Le Tousseok to the sprawling grounds of the Beachcombers Le Paradis Hotel and Golf Club in the shadow of the looming Morne Mountains, there are plenty of options. Since Mauritius is a tropical island, the rain tends to last an hour or so and then stops, so you can still play golf on virtually any day. In the center of the island, there is the Gymkhana club with an 18-hole golf course, it is the oldest in the southern hemisphere.
Get a bird’s eye view of the island
Fort Adelaide or La Citadelle, in the capital of Port Louis, was built by the British and stands on top of a hill overlooking the harbor. To counter a likely invasion by the French and to control local settlers who opposed the abolition of slavery, the British built this sturdy structure of black basalt. Today, it is a great place to enjoy panoramic views of the capital, the Moka mountain range, the historic Champs de Mar racecourse and the port. The old barracks are now elegant boutiques where you can spend an afternoon shopping.
Enjoy gastronomic delights
The cultural diversity of Mauritius is reflected in its food. Sample typical street food dholl puri, a bean and chili filled chapatti, as well as drinks like alouda, made with milk and jelly. Chinese dim sum and fried noodles, as well as the local version of spring rolls called hakien, are also staples along with Creole specialties like cari, rougaille, eggplant fritters, and a chili paste called mazavaroo. For dessert, try some coconut cakes or sweet potato fritters.
Visit a miniature shipbuilding factory
Building intricate ship models based on real blueprints with attention to the smallest details is an island tradition brought back by sailors who visited the islands. Visit Le Port Ship Factory in Zone Industrielle to see scale reproductions of historic ships made from actual blueprints, which are made from teak wood using the traditional board-on-frame method. Craftsmen meticulously forge small accessories out of metal and wood, and the cotton fabric is tea-dyed to make authentic sailcloth. In the final stages it is painted and polished. You can also see models of local fishing boats called pirogues, as well as the classic bottled boat. Models of large historic ships such as the Astrolabe and Cutty Sark also come with a printed story.
Tour a Creole house
Maison Eureka in the southwest of the island is a restored Creole mansion dating from 1860 with 109 doors, turrets and a wraparound balcony. The family has restored it and turned it into a museum with each room following a theme, furnished with exquisite carved furniture shipped from around the world by the East India Company. Take a look at the rooms with blue ceramic dishes, an antique shower, tan wood cabinets, and Limoges porcelain. Walk through the extensive gardens with their mangoes and palm trees. The kitchen still has a functional wood stove and the house serves delicious Creole food.