Holidays in Mauritius
If you want to experience a holiday in Mauritius that will live up to your expectations, then here are some tips to bear in mind. Mauritius is an Indian Ocean archipelago, located between east and west Africa. The country is separated into two main parts: the south coastal area, which are modern day Mauritius, and the North western area, which are the historic heart of Mauritius. The country has beautiful beaches, beautiful lagoons, reefs and rainforests. The hilly interior features Black River Gorges National Park with astounding rainforests, lush waterfalls, national parks and other wildlife such as the flying fox.
There are two seasons in Mauritius and the best time to go there is from April to December each year. The summer season (from February to May) is the best time to explore the island. Here you can enjoy some Mauritius cultural events, golf, diving, fishing and biking holidays. During the winter there are many popular winter attractions such as skiing, snowboarding, heli-skiing and white water rafting. Public holidays in Mauritius are celebrated from mid-November to mid-March, which includes both government and private sector workers.
Cultural events are generally celebrated from mid-November to mid-March, inclusive of public holiday and annual festivals. The Mualem festival, which celebrates the goddess of wind, is celebrated with great pomp and show. It involves local and foreign dancers, musicians and singers as well as fireworks and other fireworks. There is also a lot of traditional food that can be sampled during this festival, including cuisines like Cappuccino, Marrakeshi, ZuZhu and many more. This festival also commemorates the conversion of Mauritius to Islam in the sixteenth century by Charles the Fat.
Another major cultural festival in Mauritius is the Spring Festival. This is celebrated in the month of February and it takes place every February. Unlike the Fatima festival, which mainly takes place in Mecca, the Spring Festival takes place at the end of Mauritius’ Muslim month of Ramadan. The main highlight of the spring festival is a grand feast, which is celebrated in the Grand Bassin el Grande mosque. A number of cultural performers come to the festival, and local and foreign dignitaries also attend.
A festival which is celebrated in Mauritius in June every year is the Doga Luau, which is dedicated to the God of Dogs. This grand public holiday is celebrated in honour of Mauritius’ most loyal and friendly dog, the Mauritian dog Pooh. On this day, the Dog owners of Mauritius take a break from their fasting and carnival traditions to have some fun around the hounds’ pen. There are various events, where the hounds of Mauritius’ lovers chase the dogs of the guests. It all ends with a feast, where the guests feed the dogs and give them toys and other treats.
A major religious festival in Mauritius is the Shri Mahalakshmi, which is celebrated with great pomp and pageantry. Also known as Trivandrum, it is the main public festival of Mauritius. During the festival, the King of Mauritius is seen bathing in a river called Baobab. The festival is celebrated after the Hindu week of Magh (January – February) and during the time of Durga Puja. It is a grand public festival, which is celebrated with great pomp and pageantry.