Mauritius and Reunion 26th March - 10th April 2025

 

Tuesday 25th March

Overnight at The North Terminal Premier Inn at Gatwick. Julie down from Wellingborough and Ron flying in from Cyprus.

Wednesday 26th March

Left hotel about midday then to the airport for our overnignt Mauritius Airlines flight direct to Mauritius, which was delayed by 4 hours to 20.00.

Thursday 27th March

Arrived about midday and found (eventually) our transfer to the hotel. A pleasant drive taking about an hour to the Tamassa Hotel, Bel Ombre. After settling in we took a recce out and found we could just get beach towels,  sunbeds just off the beach and, even better, a beer from the bar at the back of the watersports centre. Not a bad start. Back to the room for a rum and coke or two as it was our 21st wedding anniversary. Later, having not bothered with dinner, the staff turned up with a cake for our anniversary.

The Tamassa Hotel entrance	Magnificent old tree at the entrance
View from our sunbeds of the beach and lagoon	Enjoying a beer
Our Wedding anniversary cake...	...with flare

Friday 28th March

After a lovely buffet breakfast at the Show restaurant, we had a quiet day, sunbathing, swimming, Julie snorkeling etc. Not feeling too hungry in the evening we had a 'snack' at the pool bar of crispy chicken and chips - turned out quite a feast.

Lovely beach scenery	Ron relaxing
View from our room balcony...	...and our room (with the towels)

Saturday 29th March

After an early breakfast we were picked up by our driver for a tour of 'South Mauritius'. We started off at Chamarel waterfall. A short walk around with lovely tropical scenery.

The waterfall	Julie and the waterfall

Followed by the Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth Geopark. A nice stroll around looking at the different coloured rocks and then to a small enclosure housing the Aldabra Giant Tortoises, not indigenous to Mauritius but introduced from nearby islands. Also a short stop at an overlook.

Fruit Bat	Aldabra Tortoise
Enjoying breakfast	Close-up
The seven coloured rocks	Different angle
Tropical view of the mountains	Red Fody
Viewpoint overlooking Bel Ombre	Lovely scenery

Next we visited the Chamarel Rum Distillery. 11 different mainly flavoured rums to taste after a little tour around the distillery.

The entrance	11 rums to taste

Afterwards, a stop-off at Black River Gorge. Again, nice scenery and a short walk around with some Long-tailed Macaques.

More views with waterfall	The gorge
Long-Tailed Macaque	Another
Posing	Spice Finch nesting by our balcony

On to a place called Ganga Talao (Lake of Ganga), where there were two enormous Hindu statues, the first of Lord Shiva standing 33m tall. A bit further on to the sacred lake with more statues. During the festivals there would be 600,000 people visiting!

The largest statue	Next large statue
Statue	Statue
Statue	Statue
Terrapins	Spotted Dove

Dinner again at the Snack Bar, Ron crispy chicken and Julie calamari.

Sunday 30th March

A bit of rain in the morning. Quiet day on the beach and swimming/snorkeling and a dip in the swimming pool in the afternoon. Dinner at La Plage restaurant. Julie had tuna three ways as a starter, red snapper for main and creme brulee for dessert. Ron had lamb shank and ice cream. Nice bottle of red wine as well.

View of the swimming pool and snack bar	Garden scenery
Walkway to reception	The Garden of Wishes

Monday 31st March

Early breakfast then pick-up for transfer back to the airport. Flight to Reunion in small prop plane which took about 50 minutes. Picked up hire car then drove to Saint-Gilles. Slight problem with navigation as GPS a bit on and off. Finally found the right road only to find massive queue due to an accident. Back to find another route and eventually arrived at the Lux Hotel. We were met by Juliette on reception, and Julie, customer relations. The latter turned out to be lovely (French, with boyfriend from Manchester!) and gave us good and friendly advice throughout our stay. We also found that various birds would come onto our balcony looking for food (after Ron fed a sparrow a peanut!). So we brought some cake and bread back from breakfast to feed them every day.

The hotel entrance...	...and logo
Our room (upper middle) from the front...	...and back
Hotel pool...	...and beach
Breakfast room	Barred Ground Dove

Dinner in the hotel at La Plage restaurant, Julie canard and Ron crispy pork. Had fun with the staff when Ron refused water, saying that there was water in beer. The waiter then brought two glasses of  'water'!

Ron at the La Plage restaurant	Red-whiskered Bulbul

Tuesday 1st April

Ventured into St. Gilles but found it very busy. Eventually found a parking space and went to find a book shop but unfortuantely did not find a bird id book. Shopped at Carrefour for some provisions on the way back. Wandered down the beach and found 'La Varangue du Lagon' restaurant where we had dinner. Julie had kangaroo and Ron a burger.

Beach views	The lagoon
Sunset	The restaurant
White-tailed tropicbird	Common Myna

Wednesday 2nd April

Day out to the town of Cilaos. Interesting drive in that the guide book boasts there are 400 bends on the road up to the town. And it turned out they were mainly hairpin ones! Had a nice walk around and stopped for a drink. We then drove up to a natural area called 'The foret de la roche Merveilleuse' and again strolled around. Nice views and interesting plants and trees. Dinner at La Plage, Julie had seafood linguine and Ron chicken.

Spectacular scenery	Narrow road tunnel
The church from the main road	Julie admiring the plants
Overlooking Cilaos	Natural area
Interesting flower	Reunion Stonechat

Thursday 3rd April

Garden of Eden and rum workshop. Deciding not to do much we drove to the gardens, only a couple of km away. Lots of different flowers, plants and trees (and mosquitos). In the afternoon we went to La Plage restaurant to learm how to make a rum cocktail. We were given lots of ingredients to cut up and put in our bottle, then some sugar syrup and 'agricole' rum. This was then wrapped up for it to fester and take home. Dinner again at the Varangue Restaurant, Julie had Maigret de Canard and Ron a burger.

Loads of different palms..	...and flowers
Unusual flower	Water Lily
Our 'workstation'	The participants with host

Friday 4th April

Day out to 'Piton de la Fournaise' volcano. Again intersting drive through Alpine-like landscape until we reached the volcano where it was more scrub-like and then sandy desert. We stopped off at various viewpoints and wandered around the area at the end of the road.

Alpine scenery	Lovely views
Plaine des Sables (sand)	Desert-like scenery
Formica Leo...	...with people
The main volcano	Signboard

For dinner we ventured out to find the 'Vert tu Oses' restaurant, about a 10 minute walk away. Lovely garden like surroundings but lots of mosquitos but fortunately the waiter gave us some bug spray. Julie had scallops and prawns with rice and Ron fillet de boeff with foie gras sauce.

The 'Vert tu Oses' restaurant	Julie with Blue Marlin beer glass

Saturday 5th April

Quiet day on the beach, sunbathing and swimming/snorkeling. Julie walked down to the Varangue resataurant to book a table for the evening, and before she could say anything the barmaid said: Ron table 5, I presume! Already well known. Both had Maigret de Canard for dinner.

Lady fishing on the reef	Another colourful lizard (Agama)

Sunday 6th April

At breakfast, Julie says I would love to get a good photo of the Vert Gecko. Ron said: 'what, like that one!'

Vert (Green) gecko...	...posing

A short drive to Trois Bassins where we had a nice walk and then a beer at the 'Camion des Trois Bassins'. We noticed some graffiti on a nearby rock, quite uncanny as it would have been Alex's birthday!

Down on the beach	River outlet
Rocky seashore...	...with large waves
One of the motorway bridges over the ravine	Cheers to Alex

Dinner at La Plage restaurant in the hotel. Julie had Poke Bowl (salad with fish) and Ron chicken.

Sunset from the hotel...	...and a bit later

Monday 7th April

Trip out to Langevin Waterfalls. Nice drive up the Langevin valley to Cascade de Grand Galet.

Grand Galet waterfalls	Lovely surroundings
Julie taking photos	Orb spider

Afterwards we drove along the 'wild' south coast to Cap Mechant. The weather looked pretty stormy further on so we headed back to Manapany which was recommended by Julie from the hotel. Julie had a swim in the Bassin de Manapany, a sheltered (from sharks) little lagoon.

Cap Mechant looking west...	...and east
Admiring the views	Swimming in the Bassin

A beer on the way back at The truck at Trois Bassins.

The nests of...	...Red-billed Quelea (weaver)

Local beers...	...and complimentary rum
Enjoyimg dinner...	...with proper chips

Dinner at Varangue Restaurant. Julie had Legine (Toothfish) and Ron a burger.

Tuesday 8th April

Mascarin Botanical Gardens and Kelonia Marine Observatory and Turtle Rescue Centre.

Usual windy road up to the gardens. Lots of varieties of plants and trees and flowers.

Mascarin House	Gardens
Greenhouse plants	Colourful flowers
Carnivorous plant...	...and another
Extraordinary flower	Bamboo grove

Managed to find a parking spot eventually at Kelonia as it was quite busy. Nice view of green and loggerhead turtles, the latter being enormous.

Green turtle	Star tortoise
Sunset from our room	One of our beers of choice

Dinner at Vert to Oses. Julie had duck casoullet and Ron had lamb-en-croute.

Wednesday 9th April

Day on beach.

Final drinks on our balcony	Grey (Spectacled) White-eye

Dinner at the Varangue. Julie had Legine (Toothfish) and Ron a burger.

Thursday 10th April

Checked out and drove back to the airport. Flight to Mauritius then overnight flight to London Gatwick.

Friday 11th April

Overnight at the south Premier Inn then back to Cyprus on the Saturday.