Most hotels offer or can arrange excursions, activities and watersports, as do the numerous travel agents in Grand Baie. Cruises to the nearby islands and deep-sea fishing are particularly popular. For more information on the activities listed below, see Chapter 3, Activities, pages 85–96.
ISLANDS OF THE NORTH Excursions depart from many of the hotels in the north and from Grand Baie. They typically sail to two or more of the islands and include snorkelling and a picnic lunch. White Sand Tours (% 208 5424) offers a full-day catamaran cruise visiting Flat Island and Coin de Mire, with swimming, snorkelling and a barbecue lunch. Easy Days (% 252 4266; e info[at]ezzydays.com; ezzydays.com) operates trips to Flat Island, with a barbecue lunch and the option of guided walks to see the flora and fauna. For the more energetic, Yemaya Adventures (% 752 0046) offers half-day and full-day sea kayak excursions to Amber Island.
Scuba diving The reefs off the northern coast and the islands off Cap Malheureux offer some of the best diving in Mauritius. There are many scuba-diving operators in the north of the island catering for all levels and experience.
Snorkelling The best snorkelling in northern Mauritius is in the lagoons at Turtle Bay, Trou aux Biches, Pereybère, Grand Baie and around Flat and Gabriel islands. There are numerous half- and full-day cruises around the north and east that include snorkelling, such as the White Sand Tours full-day catamaran cruise (see above).
Other undersea experiences Those who don’t want to dive can experience underwater life on an undersea walk or in a submersible, such as the Blue Safari Submarine or a submersible scooter. The north is where these activities take place.
Deep-sea fishing Although the west coast is reputed to be the best for deep-sea fishing, several companies offer trips from the northern coast.
Watersports The north of the island, Grand Baie in particular, has the island’s greatest range of watersports. If your hotel does not have watersports facilities, there are operators in Grand Baie, such as Centre Sport Nautique (% 263 8017).
Golf There is a nine-hole course at Trou aux Biches Resort and Spa .
Horseriding Most hotels and tour operators can arrange horseriding. One of the island’s better riding stables is Horse Riding Delights at the Mont Choisy Sugar Estate (% 265 6159; horseidingdelights.com) near Grand Baie
Hiking and adventure sports
Yemaya Adventures Grand Gaube; % 752 0046. Based in Grand Gaube & offers hiking, mountain biking & sea kayaking (see also page 95).
SPA TREATMENTS
Grand Baie Gym & Hydrospa X Club Rd, Grand Baie; % 263 4891; f 263 9291; e info[at]grandbaiegym.com; grandbaiegym.com; ( 06.00–21.00 Mon–Fri, 07.30–19.30 Sat, 09.00–13.00 Sun & public holidays; spa closed Sun. Offers a gym, pool, spa, beauty treatments, weight-loss programmes, hairdresser & a range of group classes, such as martial arts, dance & aerobics. Decent café on site. Temporary membership of the gym is from Rs1,398 per week, Rs690 per day. Expect to pay around Rs1,900 for a 60-minute massage.
Surya Coastal Rd, Pereybère; %/f 263 1637; e info[at]spasurya.com; mauriweb.com/surya; ( 09.00–20.00 daily. This Ayurvedic spa between Grand Baie & Pereybère offers a range of relaxing massages & treatments. As well as one-off treatments, programmes lasting from 3 days to 3 weeks are available. Yoga classes are also available.
Trou aux Biches Beach Spa oastal Rd, Trou aux Biches; % 256 2012
CASINO There is a Ti Vegas casino at the Super U complex in Grand Baie (% 269 1448).
SHOPPING Grand Baie, and Sunset Boulevard in particular, is crammed with boutiques, reminiscent of any touristy beach resort. Some of the jewellery shops here are duty free.
At Historic Marine in Goodlands (% 283 9404; f 283 9204; e info[at]hismar.mu; historic-marine.com; ( 09.00–17.00 Mon–Fri, 09.00–12.00 Sat/Sun), visitors can tour the model-ship workshop and buy finished models in the shop. Prices range from €50 to €4,500.
The Saga World complex (( 09.00–18.00 Mon–Sat, 09.00–15.00 Sun) opposite the botanical gardens at Pamplemousses has a number of upmarket shops selling rugs, clothing and jewellery.
There are several commercial art galleries in the north, including Galerie du Moulin Cassé in Pereybère (% 727 0672; ( 10.00–18.00 Fri), in a converted 19th-century sugar mill. It has permanent exhibitions by Diane Henry, natural world photographer, and Malcolm de Chazal (1902–82), Mauritian artist. Seebaluck Art Gallery in Pointe aux Canonniers (% 263 6470; ( 09.30–19.00 Mon–Sat) has local and international art.
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