Sweet As

Mauritius is a slow-paced Indian Ocean pearl with perfect beaches, loads of sunshine and a unique culture.  Liz Light stays in a small town and watches the world go by.
By Liz Light


Valley views, waterfalls, an historic British battle tower, a vintage salt-making system and tea processing; Sam drives our hire car from place to place and thing to thing. At the end of the day I feel crotchety and exhausted. Enough sightseeing! We decide to slow down, relinquish the car and stay put in Mahebourg for a few days.

Mahebourg is not Mauritius’ biggest town, nor is it on the sunny north coast where luxurious tourist resorts are strung along white coral beaches. But it’s big enough to be interesting (population 16,000) and small enough to be able to walk around; we soon love its easygoing lack of pretension.

It turns out that our stay here is also busy, but in a relaxed way. I learn to appreciate, if not like, the little dogs that live across the road from Coco Villa, which start yapping at 5.30 every morning. This is the time the sun rises and fishermen load their gear into their boats, pole out over the shallows and set sail for the gap in the reef that leads to the vast fish-filled Indian Ocean.

Coco Villa, on the waterfront, has kitsch décor (pink chiffon curtains tied bouffant style with glittering butterfly clips) and a water-torture drip in the toilet cistern that when finally full packs a hefty flush, but it’s not expensive and the family who own it are delightful. I love that our room’s balcony is perfectly positioned to view the next-door cove and the sea beyond and I get up with the dogs to observe morning activities.