Dreaming of living in Mauritius, the safest country in Africa

Mythic Suites and Villas

Hello, back to continue my story about Mauritius. We continued the second part of the trip from the south to the north of the island, from April 8 to 11, 2022.

We leave the Hotel Shanti Mauritius to travel to the Grand Gaube region. The journey lasted about an hour and a half from Saint Felix. We arrived at the Mythic Suites and Villas in the Riviere Du Rempart area. We didn't have a sea view, but we had a very large pool with very hot water, just the way we like it. We would be there for 4 days, which we combine with walks in that part of the island.

Our Villa

In Shopping as Local at the Bo'Valon Mall and other stores

Shopping time

My husband and I have taken it into our heads to live in Mauritius when he retires. To get to know the Island better, we decided to spend half of this trip in this villa and have the opportunity to live the experience of being a local up close.

Well, now it was time to visit the local shops.

For this reason, our first visit to the north of the island was the Bo'Valon Mall.

We loved this shopping center because it is outdoors. The shops are on the first floor and in the surroundings we can find beautiful places to rest and contemplate their gardens. We were hungry so we decided to have pizza at Panarottis, a restaurant originating from South Africa.

Regarding the stores, I can tell you that they are the same as in South Africa and France. The prices are a little higher, contemplating the great effort of bringing the products from Europe and the neighboring country.

Super U

After visiting this mall, we went to the Super U store in Grand Brie to buy groceries.

There we found everything we needed for our vacation days. From shampoo to ham. We liked it and we realized that you can live very well on this island, although the prices are relatively high, as I mentioned.

We used the second day to visit the La Crosiette Shopping Center, also in Grand Baie. There we could find the most famous commercial chains in France and the rest of Europe, as well as the best-known restaurants in South Africa.

My husband had a client meeting at this location, so our daughters and I had a great time at this location.

To eat, we took a break in the Mall at Vida e Caffe, also of South African origin.

After shopping we drive back to Grand Gaube, to the Mythic Villas. That night we had a delicious dinner al fresco, in front of the pool.

d the option to eat in the Mythic restaurant. But we decided to cook. And for that we went to visit the nearest supermarket located in

Grand Baie.

Returning to the Pamplemousses Garden and the most seductive beaches

Beautiful garden

On our first trip to Mauritius, this famous botanical garden, whose official name is Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, in honor of the country's prime minister. That's why we came back, to show them to our daughters. In addition, it was not very far from our villa and we had the facility to go with the car that we had rented.

Just for us!!!!

The place was very empty. It was Covid times. Mauritian residents did wear face masks when outdoors. We do not. But what we did love was that we had the park to ourselves and a few tourists.

There we enjoyed an hour and a half of tranquility under the midday sun.

The tourist in this garden can appreciate the famous giant waterlilies, known in all postcards and in any publication on the island. The grapefruit trees have also given the name to this garden. The Dutch introduced them from the island of Java.

Cape Malhereoux

After the garden, it was time to visit Cape Malheroux again, a very famous beach on the island for its exceptional views of the sea and for its Notre Dame Auxiliatrice church.

It was Sunday and people were in church. We parked to contemplate the sea and a saleswoman approached us to invite us to see her stand. I was selling jewelry. Our eldest daughter bought a jade necklace and I bought a very special bracelet made with volcanic stone found on the seashore.

Notre Dame Auxiliatrice

Sunday to rest and the locals were enjoying the day at picnics or simply chatting in front of the sea.

La Pizzeria Margarita

For lunch we decided to visit La Pizzeria Margarita, in Calodyne, very close to Grand Baie. The owner is a true Italian and the pizzas were delicious.

And well, then Villa Mythic was waiting for us with our pool. Thus ended the third day north of the island.

Eating like a local at Chez Tino

Flacq

We started our fourth day by having breakfast in front of the pool. The day's program consisted of continuing touring the island. Our next stop would be the Flacq beach to admire its turquoise Mauritius waters.

We put on our summer clothes and went exploring.

The Sagar Shiv Mandir

But before going to the beach, we made a detour to visit a Hindu temple, the Sagar Shiv Mandir, in Flacq.

The change in climate on the island is truly incredible. We left Grand Baie in dazzling sunshine and when we arrived at Flacq we were surprised by the rain. The temple is surrounded by water, it is built on a river. To get to it, you have to cross a cement path almost covered by water.

Too much rain!

I think I've seen too many horror movies and just imagining that the water would reach us made me very nervous. So I asked my husband to leave the place. But at least we saw it from the outside.

Flaq

We left the temple fleeing from the rain and when we arrived at Flacq, surprise, the sun was shining. The beach was deserted, which we enjoyed the most.

At Chez Tino

View from Chez Tino

The tour ended with a meal at Chez Tino, an authentic Mauritius restaurant.

It was full, but nobody was sitting on the terrace, because we knew the reason immediately, the rain. Of course, the place was made up of two rooms, one for locals and the other for tourists. In this second we were, a Swiss-Mexican family, with other French families and a table of local ladies. And well, I can tell you that the food was delicious.

Our Villa

And time in Mauritius was running out for us. The fifth day would be the next day. Time to fly back to Cape Town.

From this trip we had the experience of having spent one of the last vacations together with our daughters. They will soon take flight alone in their academic and social destinations. We also loved the experience of getting to know the island a little more thoroughly, since we had the experience of living outside of an all-inclusive hotel.

Adiós Maurice!

And the best of all was returning to a tourist destination from our first years of marriage and of course, having realized the dream of traveling to this island, which was interrupted by the Corona Virus!

Thanks for reading and in the next entry, I will bring you our adventure through the Kruger Park, in South Africa.