East Coast
Lashed by trade winds, the island’s eastern coast was, in the past, the scene of naval battles costing the lives of many men. Mahébourg is an essential stop during your luxury charter cruise. This small colonial town nestled in the bay of Grand Port was named after Mahé de Bourdonnais. The history of the place is unbelievably rich with echoes of Napoleonic cannonades still heard today. The Battle of Grand Port was the only French victory against the British and is depicted on the pediment of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Your next visit should be Vieux Grand Port with the ancient Dutch lookout tower and a commemorating monument of the Dutch who reached the island for the first time in 1598 and settled 40 years later. It is also the place of the first French settlement. Let this place be the backdrop for your blissful luxury charter vacation aboard one of SYC’s luxury charter mega yachts or luxury charter catamarans.
Mahébourg
This small charming colonial town nestled in the Grand Port Bay owes its name to Mahé de la Bourdonnais. This unbelievable site is molded with history and until this day echoes Napoleonic battles. An immense harbor spans the river of La Chaux splitting the town into two. The town was once named “black town” as it was an extremely popular witches’ hideout. Luxury resorts stretch over la pointe d’Esny and Blue Bay, the island’s two most spectacular beaches. Simply amazing, water can be any hue from turquoise to navy blue and the ocean floor in this part of the island is one of Mauritius’ most preserved. Climb the cathedral’s crenellate tower and admire the surrounding panorama including incomparable quaint waterfront fishing huts. The panorama is just as glorious when you admire it from the flybridge of your luxury charter catamaran.
Museums
If you are a museum enthusiast you must not miss the National History Museum in Mahébourg! Open from 9am until 4pm five days a week, apart from Tuesdays and Fridays, the museum is quaintly situated in an ancient colonial estate and tells the stories of naval battles between the French and the British more than two centuries ago. Artifacts including bells of sunken ships recall such vessels as Saint-Géran commissioned by the French Company of the Indies. The museum also echoes the history of the island, once subject to slavery and the Dutch occupation. Documents are presented in three languages, Creole, French and English as well as Braille. Enjoy terrestrial wonders during your luxury charter vacation with Sunreef Yachts Charter.
Vieux Grand Port and Domaine de L’Ylang Ylang
Vieux Grand Port is situated about 7 kilometers north of Mahébourg. Overlooking the site is an ancient Dutch lookout tower and a commemorative column recalling the arrival of the Dutch in 1598. The colonizers disembarked here for the first time and returned after 40 years to settle the island. First French colonizers also chose this site in 1722 to establish their colony.
You will also have the chance to hop off your luxury charter yacht to discover the wonders of this part of the island.
Domaine de L’Ylang Ylang
These ylang ylang fields, located between Anse Jonchée and Providence, are about 10 kilometers north of Mahébourg. Not only does it open up to spectacular views of Grand Port but also guides through plantations of plush ylang ylang flowers. Visit the adjacent distillery where flowers are transformed into fragrant essential oils.
Tea Museum in Bois Chéri, Domaine du Chasseur and Trou-d’Eau-Douce
The tea factory in Bois Chéri is for all those who love sampling premium tea. A guided tour will reveal secrets of processing of tea leaves. Another tempting site is the Domaine du Chasseur, bordered with two sugarcane walls, nestled in a forgotten valley in the midst of a dense tropical forest.
Trou-d’Eau-Douce is a quaint fishing village and a departure point for excursions to the island of Ile aux Cerfs. Although this small paradise does not know, it is unfortunately very popular with tourists. Nonetheless magnificent beaches lure your ultimate luxury charter yacht.