رودريغيز: - الوجه الآخر لموريشيوس

يبدو أن الوقت يتوقف في رودريغز، حيث يجذب سحرها المتواضع وإيقاع حياتها الهادئ العديد من المشاهير مثل الأمير ويليام وأصدقائه الذين يقدرون هدوء الجزيرة وجمالها الطبيعي الغير ملموس.

تقع جزيرة رودريغز على بعد 560 كيلومتراً في شمال شرق موريشيوس، ويبلغ طولها 18.3 كيلومتراً فيما يبلغ عرضها 8 كيلومترات.

مثل كل من موريشيوس و وريونيون، لدى رودريغز أصول بركانية، حيث تكونت الجزيرة نتيجة تيار حمم بركانية منذ 1.3 إلي 1.5 مليون عام مضى. كما أن تضاريسها تطغى عليه الجبال المحاطة ببحيرات بحرية ضحلة تبلغ مساحتها ضعف مساحة الجزيرة. أعلى قمة في رودريغز هي مونت لمون ويبلغ إرتفاعها 393 متراً.

هناك العديد من الوديان العميقة حول سلسلة الجبال والتي تمتد من إلى الشرق إلى غرب الجزيرة. كما يمتد على الجزء الجنوب شرقي من الجزيرة حقل مرجاني تكون حين كان هذا الجزء مغموراً تحت الماء.

أما بقية الجزيرة فهي مكونة من البازلت ويحتوي الساحل الممتد إلى 80 كيلومتراً على العديد من الكهوف والخيران والهضبات المرتفعة التي تغطيها الطيور الإستوائية بيضاء الذيول.

يتنوع نطاق التضاريس على رودريغز من شواطئ لم تمسها يد أحد إلى المدرجات والحقول الثقافية إلى غابات إستوائية ما بعد الوديان والتي تعد موطن الوطواط الذهبي الوحيد من نوعه في العالم.

يبلغ التعداد السكاني للجزيرة 40,000 شخص، بنسبة نساء أعلى من الرجال. 98% منهم من الكريول المعروفين في موريشيوس بالسكان الرئيسيين. ويتبع 97.5& من سكان الجزيرة الديانة المسيحية الكاثوليكية، حيث وصل أول الكهنة في 1850 قبل زيارة البابا يوحنا بولس الثاني في 1989.

تقع الجزيرة في النصف الغرب من الكرة الأرضية لذا فهي تتمتع بمناخ صيفي طويل يمتد من نوفمر وحتى أبريل من كل عام في حين يمتد الشتاء من مايو لغاية أكتوبر. لذا فالجو العام أدفأ وأجف مما هو عليه في موريشيوس موريشيوس مع هبوب منتظم للرياح من الجنوب الشرقي، كما أنها عرضة للأعاصير. لا تهطل الكثير من الأمطار هناك، لذا قد تمر الجزيرة بفترات مطولة من الجفاف.

هناك العديد من خيارات الإقامة في رودريغز والتي تتضمن فنادقاً وشققاً مفروشة. كما يقع سر المطبغ الرودريغزي في المكونات الطازجة ومهارات الطبخ التي توارثتها أجيال عدة بالإضافة إلى النكهات والروائح المحلية لتقاليد الطهي المحفوظة. 

Pictures from Mauritius || صور من موريشيوس

Plan your trip to Mauritius - Part 2

An important question that most people ask us is whether none-beach/sea goers would enjoy going to Mauritius (understandable, we do have amazing beaches!). Mauritius has something to offer to every one - whether you like relaxing on the beach, fishing, sky diving, golfing, trekking, hiking, mountain climbing or event hunting - you'll find what you need in Maurutius.

In the last entry, we answered some frequently asked questions about Mauritius. Now, its time to tell you the various things you can do once you actually get there - here we will give an overview of some of the hot spots in Mauritius and what can be done there:

Port Louis

The Capital of Mauritius, was founded by the French Governor, Mahe de Labourdonnais in 1735. Situated on the west coast and protected by a curve of mountains Port Louis is the home to big businesses and financial institutions. It is also the centre for colourful markets, street hawkers, colonial buildings, shops, churches and mosques. The main cultural and historical sites of interest of Port Louis are Champ de Mars Place d’Armes, Theatre of Port-Louis, the Citadelle, the Aapravasi Ghat.
 The North

The North of Mauritius was one of the first areas of the island to welcome tourists

and still offers a great range of accommodation and restaurants, water sports facilities, great shopping opportunities and entertainment. The most renowned place is Grand Bay, the place where Mauritians head to for a night out. Accommodation ranges from luxury resorts to small holiday hotels and even guesthouses. Grand Bay is one of the best areas for sailing, windsurfing and water skiing. The bay is also one of the favourite anchoring places for sailboats and the meeting point for day excursions on the islets around the main land. Other places of interest are Trou aux Biches, Pereybere, Cap Malheureux, with its red roofed church or Balaclava and its luxury hotels. Inland is the botanical garden of Pamplemousses and its endemic species.

The East

Some of the best beaches of Mauritius are on the east coast, from Blue Bay and its marine reserve to the sandy beaches of Belle Mare and Trou d’Eau Douce the main jumping off point for the islet, Ile aux Cerfs is one of the most frequented islets of Mauritius. The village of Mahebourg is built on the bay of Grand Port, and named after the French Governor Mahé de Labourdonnais. The main sites are the National History Museum at Vieux Grand Port, the oldest settlements in Mauritius, where there are the ruins of the first Dutch fortifications.

The South and inland

This region reveals a different landscape from the rest of the island. Gris-Gris is one of the few places around the island, where the waves crash against the cliffs. Souillac and Riambel are authentic villages. The centre of the island is home to Trou aux CerfsThis an extinct volcano and Curepipe, one of the main commercial centres of the island with good shops and restaurants. This is also the site of Ganga TalaoVisit, a spectacular religious site where Hindus gather in February for the Maha Shivratree festival.

The West & South West

The west and south west is the land of adventure for nature and sport lovers. Flic en Flac has white beaches fringed with filaos or Casuarinas trees and is a popular place for weekend beach activities. Grande Rivière Noire and Tamarin were fishing villages that have been transformed with luxury villas. Le Morne, including its World Heritage Site, offers kilometres of beach for tanning and swimming, at the foot of a most stunning mountain backdrop. The Peninsula boasts some of the best surfing spots, attracting the most talented kite and body surfers from all over the island. The National Park of Black River is the biggest natural reserve on the island.

 So whether you want a great tan, or looking for exciting adventures - or simply here to shop, Mauritius has just the thing for you.

Plan your trip to Mauritius - Part 1



Maurice the Dodo

We were recently present at the Emirates Holidays Brochure launch in Dubai, where we met people and travel agents wanting to learn more about Mauritius (we even had Maurice the Dodo with us!).

So, here we will list some frequent questions we got asked during the 2-day event, and hopefully this will you give you a better idea about life and tourism in Mauritius:


- Where is Mauritius?
Mauritius is located off the east cost of Africa (east of Madagascar)

- How long does it take to get there?
Depends where you are travelling from. From the GCC, it takes between 5 - 9 hours depending where you're flying from.

- What's the capital of Mauritius?
Port Louis.

- How easy is it for Muslims to find Halal food in Mauritius?
Very easy. There is a large Muslim population in Mauritius so countless restaurants, shops and hotels offer Halal food.

- I'm travelling with my family, how safe is Mauritius?
Very safe. In addition to the regular police force, the tourism police are situated in many areas and attraction around Mauritius 24/7. Their job is to ensure the safety and well being of tourists and they speak multiple languages (French, Kreole, Englisg and sometimes even Arabic) - so if you're lost or need assistance, don't hesitate to ask them for help!

- Do I need a visa to enter Mauritius?
Many nationalities will get a Mauritius visa upon entry - otherwise you'll need to apply for a one. We recommend checking with your travel agent as they can advise on the best way to apply for one. You can also check this link for more information: http://www.maurinet.com/tourist_information/visa_requirements

- Now that I'm in Mauritius, what should I do?
That....will be in part 2 of this blog :).

Religious and National Festivals - Part 02

Ramadan:

Ramadan is perhaps the most celebrated Islamic festival throughout the whole year. The Holy Month brings with it a genuine spirit of togetherness in addition to clensing the bodies and souls of those who are fasting. In Mauritius, a mosaic of different races, cultures and religions celebrate this Holy Month.

It's not just the fasting, mosques and busy streets - the warm air, activities, dancing and general positivity in the air gives Ramadan in Mauritius a truly unique feeling.

Tourists can also enjoy the true spirit of Ramadan, with so many resorts celebrating from sunset to sunrise. They can join with the people in Mauritius in enjoying Iftar with friends and families, unwind and enjoy the tranquil and melodious sounds of the Oud, whilst savouring the exquisite Ramadan delicacies prepared by the islands many award winning chefs.




Eid Al Fitr:

After Ramadan, comes Eif al Fitr - where the streets fill with joyous people from all faiths and races to celebrate the end of the Holy Month. The atmosphere is warmer and more welcomeing than ever, and the festivities usually continue well into the night. "Eid Mubarak" is the traditional Eid greeting. Eid al Fitr lasts for 3 days, and the words "Eid" and "Fitr" literally translate to "festivity" and "original nature" respectively, indicating the restoration of  one's best human composition. Like Ramadan, the streets are filled with people from all faiths and races, celebrating in unity and exchanging greetings. A very colorful display of Mauritian harmony.

Religious and National Festivals - Part 01

Throughout its long history, Mauritius became a melting pot for numerous cultures, religions and ethnicities, which is still reflected till this day with the array of cultural and religious festivals that the Island celebrates all year round.

Maha Shivaratree:

A Hindu festival also known as the "Great Night of Shiva". This night is celebrated by a pilgrimage to Grand Bassin; a natural lake in the central Plateau of the Island. Generally held in February or March, the pilgrims dress in white and journey to the lake carrying bamboo contraptions on their backs, as a sign of sacrifice.

Cavadee:

A religious festival celebrated mostly by Indians of Tamil origin. Participants have their cheeks tongues and chests pierced after a period of fasting before going into temples carrying their offerings on their back. The rituals also include fire-walking ceremonies, performed by Indo-Mauritians of southern origin.

Father Laval Day:

September 9th marks the birthday of Blessed Father Jacques Désiré Laval (also known as "The Apostle of Mauritius).Every year, thousands of people from all communities walk to his shrine at Sainte Croix. He was a priest of French origin in the 18th century who became the protector of the slaves' community and has become the symbol of compassion and love.