GREEN MAURITIUS
GREEN AT HEART T
With a growing worldwide focus on responsible tourism and eco-tourism one of the fastest-growing sectors, the last 10 years or so has seen the greening of Mauritius
he ‘Green Island’ label on Mauritius rum refl ects its natural attractions: velvety
volcanic peaks, rolling fi elds of sun- warmed sugar cane, near native forest, crater lakes and pristine offshore islands sheltering rare wildlife. Although celebrated for its beaches, having developed as an isolated, uninhabited volcanic island, it’s one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. Mauritius’ icon, the dodo, may have been extinct by the 17th century but the Mauritian Wildlife
“Mauritius is our top wedding and honeymoon destination. Weddings with a difference have become popular, especially
second time around, such as a traditional wedding at St Louis Cathedral, an African or Asian style cultural wedding or at a colonial house.” SHAFIQUE COCKAR, HEAD OF PRODUCT & MARKETING, ENCHANTING HOLIDAYS
Foundation (MWF) is ensuring that the remaining indigenous plants, birds and animals, don’t go the same way. On the tiny wildlife sanctuary Ile aux
Aigrettes in the southeast, you can see the rare Pink Pigeon and Giant Aldabra Tortoise roam free among coastal ebony forest. The endangered Echo Parakeet can be glimpsed among ebony and other rare native trees, on hiking trails in the 6,500-hectare Black River Gorges
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National Park which covers 3.5% of the country. A favourite is the two-hour walk to Black River Peak (828m), the island’s highest point. Many sugar estates or ‘domaines’
that cover half of the island, have now become eco-playgrounds offering activities such as trekking, quad or mountain biking, horse-riding and archery in landscapes sporting wildlife such as java deer, wild boar and macaque monkeys. Domaine des 7 Vallees, in the island’s centre, was the fi rst. A favourite is the 14,800-hectare Domaine de L’Etoile on the east coast which offers spectacular panoramic views from its Bambou Mountains. The rare Mauritius Kestrel is guaranteed on walks through Kestrel Valley, perched on a hillside on the southeast coast, with an Ylang Ylang oil distillery at its entrance. A 4x4 sunset safari gives a stunning view over the most recent to open, the Frederica Nature Reserve at Domaine de Bel Ombre Reserve with its own spectacular waterfall. Eco-thrill seekers can head to Chazal (previously Cerfs Les Volants) in the west, the only zip-line adventure park in the Indian Ocean.
Hotels such as Shanti Maurice sources
crafts, foods, beer and rum locally and has launched Discover Mauritius’ packages in the south. Trou aux Biches, redesigned ‘with a green heart’, has everything from solar-powered hot water, a salt-water desalinisation plant to high-tech swimming pools.
THE GREEN LIST
• Mauritius Wildlife Foundation
www.mauritian-wildlife.org • Ile aux Aigrettes
www.ile-aux-aigrettes.com
• Black River Gorges National Park
www.mauritius-guide.net/ nature-parks
• Pamplemousses Botanical Gdn
www.tourism-mauritius.mu
• Domaine des 7 Vallees
www.domainedes7vallees.com • Kestrel Valley
www.kestrelvalley.com
• Domaine L’Etoile
www.cieletnature.com
• La Vanille Reserve Des Mascareignes
www.lavanille-reserve.com
STARWOOD
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