Mauritius in a nutshell - Dream beach and mini hiking in the mountains

07.04.-08.04.

In every travel guide, every TV report, and on every website, Mauritius is described as a beach paradise where fine sand mixes with crystal clear water. So our first excursion takes us down the west coast to Flic en Flac, where we find an approximately 8-kilometer-long sandy beach lined with filao trees (similar to our larch trees).

Since we are quite late due to a 12-hour night, we are afraid of a crowded beach and not finding a parking space despite our small car. Both are far from true: there are plenty of parking options along the "promenade", which are also free. In our place, the parking spaces would have been chargeable long ago and would have a maximum parking duration of two hours at a minimum of 2.50€ per hour.

The beach is anything but crowded. Mostly locals scatter here at a great distance. We are confused and wonder where all the tourists have gone!

After the first observation of the beach and the waves, we suspect that they have rather stayed at the hotel pool. Because the sea appears somewhat "stormier" than it is normally here and relatively large algae are floating in the water!

That doesn't bother the three of us much. It seems to be due to the season that the sea is so restless, and also due to the heat, that so many algae form.

After an unsuccessful attempt at snorkeling (due to the rough sea), but lots of frisbee and wave fun, the stomach calls and wants to be filled.

A trademark of Mauritius and Flic en Flac in particular are the many tiny and completely inconspicuous snack stalls that offer all sorts of interesting and sometimes undefinable snacks for a small hunger. We decide to try the insider tip of a blogger, even though it requires a walk, but unfortunately, it closes at 3 p.m. What a disappointment.

So we go back and improvise. This is easier with a whole pineapple in the bag, which an extremely clean-looking coconut stand hands over to us for a measly 90 cents!

Hygiene doesn't seem to be a concern here, and we just have to hope that the peeling knife has received more water in the last seven days than the delicate saleswoman...

Doesn't matter! It tastes good, stays down, and is good for the soul!

Three stands further, we choose a meal rather panicky than convinced, because more and more stands are closing in front of our eyes and only open again in the evening or even the next day!

So, for the equivalent of €1.40, we get a large plate of rice with frozen vegetables and (let's call it) chicken! Tastes like grandma under the arm, but hunger drives it down!

Tired and somewhat satisfied, we head home, but on the way, we stock up on plenty of Yum Yum soups of all flavors! However, it remains a mystery why the company "Kellogs" sells Yum Yum's here. In Frankfurt, they cost €4 in an African kiosk, here we get them for 8 rupees (about 16 cents). The prices here are generally incomprehensible to us: goat yogurt for €6, KitKat like ours for about 75 cents. Only the wealthy islanders can afford wine (about €13 per bottle of white wine), while dried sausage only costs €2.50. Toast bread for 56 cents, dried fruit for €4.

The next morning, our plan actually includes getting up early, having a quick breakfast, and setting off quickly for the first hike of our vacation!

We're going up to Le Pouce, a relatively small mountain (812 m) with a summit resembling a thumb!

What we notice again and again during our research, which makes finding suitable routes difficult, are the weather conditions! Almost every route warns of extremely slippery and steep terrain, for which alpine experience is required! Added to this are difficult visibility conditions and the fact that it is sometimes completely overgrown.

Hmmm... what to do then?!

First of all, we oversleep, take longer to eat, and only start driving to the starting point of the hike around 10:30 a.m. After comparing hikes for ages last night, we decided to just try Le Pouce. We can still turn back if it gets too critical!

So instead of starting early in the morning before the intense sun, we begin at the foot of the mountain at around quarter past 11... great!

First, we walk along a slightly wider path through sugarcane fields up the mountain, which resembles a stream bed, so that shoes and feet are soaked after about five minutes. We think it can't be helped. It's actually quite nice so far! At a roundabout-like shelter, things get a bit more athletic, because we turn into the mountain and now fight our way through the stream bed to the top. Slippery is an accurate description!

Despite the humid heat and the surprisingly thin air, we enjoy the uphill path more and more, as both the terrain changes from rocky to muddy and back, and the vegetation changes constantly! Sometimes we scramble through dense forest that folds like a tunnel over us, sometimes we walk on red soil and through waist-high bushes where the path can hardly be guessed!

We are impressed.

Also by Ida, who starts whining in between but pulls herself together and pushes through to the plateau in front of the summit!

Up to here, it is exhausting but actually doable. Along the way, a hiker coming in the opposite direction warns us that our plan won't work with Ida. It's too muddy and steep!

Did he write the Komoot report?!

From the plateau, there is still about one kilometer (really!!!!) steeply uphill to the summit for an even better view. And unexpectedly, Ida is excited about the last endeavor, so after a short break, we also tackle the last section to the thumb.

With some scrambling, we struggle up the steep slope and are rewarded with a wonderful panoramic view to the islands in the north.

After a quick but no less strenuous descent, we still go to the nearby Minissy waterfall, in whose lake you can swim according to research!

This is a great opportunity as we are sweaty and stinky from hiking, and look like we participated in a Tough Mudder run, thanks to red mud!

To reach this goal, we rely on our feet once again, which leads to plenty of groaning and expressions of pain from the smallest family member.

However, the destination more than makes up for the suffering and whimpering (walking in swim shoes is really not easy), because what we see leaves us speechless. In front of us, a river about 10 meters wide falls about the same depth into a lake inviting us to swim!

Everything around is incredibly green, and resourceful hikers have even built a small swing over the water!

We don't hesitate long and cautiously make our way into the refreshing water over the sometimes very slippery rocks.

The current makes swimming strenuous, so after a short but more than satisfying pleasure, we start the way back.

To end the day, we sit on the beach at home with a Yum Yum soup and a beer for us and a soft drink for Ida and enjoy the unfortunately rain-covered sunset in the presence of several stray dogs!

During these two days, and especially today, Mauritius has completely convinced us, and we are blessed to have the opportunity to get to know this piece of earth!

By the way, we naturally don't want to forget to wish all readers of our vacation stories a nice and relaxing Easter holiday!

Feel hugged, everyone!