South Mauritius
The south of Mauritius, is referred to as the “wild south.” It offers a stark contrast to the more developed northern and western regions of the island. Known for its rugged coastline and unspoiled natural beauty, the south provides a more serene and authentic experience for travellers. The southern coastline of Mauritius is famous for its dramatic landscapes, where lush green hills meet the deep blue Indian Ocean. Unlike the calmer, lagoon-protected beaches of the north and west, the southern coast has windswept beauty and has powerful waves crashing against rocky cliffs. The whole experience is very exhilarating.
Below are some of the prominent places one can visit in the South of Mauritius:
Rochester falls
The Rochester falls was very close to where we stayed. The path to the falls is a narrow road which is mostly empty. Up to some distance the road is well maintained but, post that it gets bumpy, muddy and somewhat terrifying. There are sugarcane fields on both sides along the entire length of the road. At first we had thought of walking up to the waterfall on our own but, our care taker lady suggested to avoid it. Also, the area being quite deserted does not feel very safe for venturing alone. The place is quite near to Gris Gris beach also and there is a road just as you arrive at the main road from the beach that leads to this waterfall.
The waterfall is surreal like a picture out of our imagination. A few stony steps lead down to the waterfall. These steps may get very slippery on rainy days, so you must be careful. The waterfall is not very high but the cascades it forms while coming down is mesmerizing. It is quite wide and forms a pool at its base which is perfect for taking a plunge as the water does not come down with huge force. You need to cross a small stream to get to the pool. The rocks surrounding the waterfall are vertically cuboidal in shape of different elevation, thus causing the waterfall to fall in cascades. Their strange shape adds to the beauty of the waterfall.
The waterfall hidden from direct view from the road. The small openings amidst the trees allow the sunlight to peep through making the entire set up more magical. Surprisingly, we visited the place by about 10:00 AM and there was no one but us. Since, the place was empty, we took plenty of pictures and videos here with no obstruction whatsoever. It is not a very remarkable waterfall but the best waterfall we saw in Mauritius. Do not skip it.
Gris Gris Beach
Our trip started with a banger. It was perfect sunny day. Gris Gris beach was about half an hour ride from our stay. The moment we entered the area, the beautiful landscape of the beach stunned us. It is a cliff beach. There is a small open field area with one shaded picnic spot and seating as you approach. The sides are steep and the sudden drop is rocky. The volcanic rocky cliffs with waves crashing against them creating water blows paint a captivating picture. The blue water of Indian Ocean stretches as far as your eyes can see from the cliff. It was stunning and scary all at once. We could have stayed there watching the waves, forever. We suppose this feeling crosses through every visitor’s heart while here.
On the left side of the cliff there are a few steps leading down to the beach. You can take a walk and explore the rock cut shores formed as a result of erosion by the waves. You can also see various cliffs jutting out into the ocean in succession. These rocks make for a very beautiful surrounding. It would take about an hour or two to just admire the place in its entirety.
La Roche Qui Pleure (The crying rock)
A short ride of approximately 5 minutes from the Gris Gris beach is La Roche Qui Pleure or the crying rock. This is a natural phenomenon. When the waves crash on to the cliff rocks, water gushes inside the small pockets of holes made in the rocks and slowly drip out back into the ocean giving it an appearance that the rock is crying. Hence, the nomenclature. You need to wait for quite some time to see the effect take place.
The entrance to the cliff is a small park like area with huge trees. You can take a walk around and go exploring many such caves and cliffs spread in this area. The entire coastline is rocky, continuous and appears similar to each other.
La Vanille Crocodile and Nature Park
La Vanille Crocodile and Nature Park is a tropical wildlife park in the Riviere des Anguilles, popular for the Nile crocodiles and Aldabra Tortoises. Apart from these there are many other reptiles and animals on display in enclosures assigned to them. You can find monkeys, deer, boars, wallabies, and giant fruit bats. The cost of the ticket is 975 MUR for foreigners. You can book the tickets online also. The timings are 9AM to 5 PM everyday.
The park focuses on educating the visitors about the behaviour, habitat and breeding lifecycle of the crocodiles. There are other reptiles like the Iguana and lizards in their natural environment. The main attraction of this place is Big Daddy, the oldest and largest tortoise of the park. The Aldabra tortoises are one of the largest tortoise species in the world. In the special area dedicated to the tortoises, they roam around freely and visitors may interact with them. There are about 1000 tortoises in the park.
Apart from the animals, there is an insectarium, a fossil museum, a farm where you can interact with farm animals like pig, goat, rabbit etc. There is also an in house restaurant and souvenir shop. There is a playground for children also. Other than watching the animals, if you want to meet with them or feed them, there are special experiences for purchase at a small extra cost. As for the crocodiles, you will get to see the caretakers feeding them and you can interact with the baby crocodiles. There is a facility for pony rides as well. All in all this place takes 2-3 hours to cover everything.
Alexandra Falls
Alexandra Falls are located in the Black River Gorges National Park. There is viewpoint of the falls on way to Grand Bassin from where you can enjoy the waterfall in its full glory. It is an easy 5 minute walk to the viewpoint from the parking area. From there you take a narrow route crossing ebony tree plantation and some picnic tables. Then you cross a river using a beautiful wooden bridge, climb a few steps and go through some shrubs to finally reach the viewpoint. The setting is very peaceful and quiet.
The water falls from a height of about 700m down into a deep gorge. The viewpoint also offers a panoramic view of the south coast of the island. There is another waterfall visible in the distance called Cascade 500 Pieds. Well, to speak the truth, we really could not make out which was which (there was no pointing arrow) but guessing that the viewpoint was for Alexandra falls, the distant one was 500 pieds and left one was Alexandra falls. There was not much water in either of the falls when we visited, making the experience a little non-exciting. But the setting and the view of the coastline were worth it.
If you are one of the trekking enthusiasts, you may trek 1 km to see the cascade 500 pieds more closely. You can also trek all the way up to the Alexandra falls from the Black River Gorges National Park.
Black River Gorges Viewpoint
Black River Gorges National Park is one of the National Parks in Mauritius. It covers around 2% of the entire island. The park is located on the South west of the island and is accessible from the south and west. The Black River gorges viewpoint is the highest point in Mauritius and offers views of the surrounding ravines, dense forests and peaks. You are required to do a moderate hike to this viewpoint in order to enjoy the views. If you are up for it, then this is a must visit place. There are many other hikes in the Black River Gorges National Park. You may contact a tour operator if you wish to go on any.
Grand Bassein (Ganga Talao)
Grand Bassin or the Ganga Talao is a sacred lake. It is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage outside India. There are many temples and statues built on lake shore dedicated to various Hindu deities. The main temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Legend goes that a priest from Bihar had a dream of a holy lake that connects to the Ganges river of India. He found the Grand Bassin in this pursuit. Thus, this place became a holy pilgrimage. In 1972, water from the Ganga river was brought to the lake symbolically connecting it to the sacred river.
There is a Vishwanath temple as you approach the lake. Every year on Maha Shivratri there is a grand festival organized here and people from all parts of Mauritius visit this pilgrimage site. Devotees walk barefoot carrying kanwars (decorated handle bars with jars of water from river Ganga) on their shoulders to offer water to lord Shiva. Even special buses are operated by the government during that time. Other times, there is no bus that connects this place to other parts of the island.
There are many other temples in the area specially one with 108 shiv lings. However, the main attraction of the place are two huge statues of Lord Shiva (108 feet) and Goddess Durga which is visible from afar as you approach the Grand Bassein area. This place is a symbol of the cultural unity and the significance of the Indians that make up the majority population of Mauritius.
The Tea Route
Further east to the Grand Bassin, the route popularly called the Tea Route because of the famous Bois Cheri tea factory located here. Bois Cheri is a popular tea factory cum estate in Mauritius and is a famous tourist spot. This route also has the Domaine des Aubineaux which is now an essential oil factory and Domaine St. Aubin which is a rhumerie (where rum is made). At Maison de la Vanille there is an orchard that grows and processes vanilla. Unfortunately you cannot take a tour of the vanilla factory but the guide explains to you in detail the process and various stages of extracting vanilla essence starting from vanilla planting. Together these three buildings mark the colonial history of Mauritius and form the tea route.
You may go tea tasting in Bois Cheri and rum tasting at St. Aubin. Both the colonial buildings have popular restaurants in the original setting with colonial furniture and chandeliers. You may book a day trip with lunch in any one of these places included in the itinerary. It is a unique cultural and historical experience. But, if you are not very much into the heritage and outrageously priced food menu, you may well skip it.
St. Felix Beach
St. Felix Beach is a public beach in the south just along the main motor road. Being a public beach it is accessible to all without any fees. The beach has a vast coastline with white sand and bluish green water. It is a perfect place to relax after the long day trip as there is plenty of tree shade stretching all along the beach. Amenities like shower, washrooms, and picnic benches are also available. The beach is quite scenic and suitable for idling for the rest of the day.
Riambel Beach
Riambel beach was quite close to where we were staying. It was a 10-15 minutes’ walk only. This is a simple beach by the main motor road. Like with all other beaches of Mauritius, this beach also had benches to sit, relax and enjoy. Some people were already having their time with barbeques ready and grooving to the loud music. A thought crossed while looking into the horizon that where we were standing was perhaps the last inhabited land. After that, if you kept sailing southwards, there is only a vast stretch of ocean until you see Antarctica. Lost in our individual thoughts we watched the beautiful sunset here and ended our satisfying day.
