The sun rises from the depths of the Indian Ocean. It’s light illuminates jagged mountains enveloped in lush green foliage. Sun rays cascade down to wide sandy beaches and dapple across pristine calm blue waters. This exotic emerald island is know today as Mauritius. Geographically, it is included in the continent of Africa. Isolated by the Indian Ocean, the isle has truly unique scenery, beaches, flora, and fauna. The people of Mauritius are welcoming to young children and families. This island is an ideal location for a family vacation destination!
We selected Flic En Flac as our base. In Flic En Flac, we stayed at Anaya Residence. Where we rented a private, three story, three bedroom, four bathroom Villa. This huge space with a baby and a toddler made the most sense for us. The staff at Anaya were excellent. Our private villa at Anaya with it’s own pool was much less expensive than a Mauritian resort. We prefer to explore via self drive rather than staying in one location.
The Beaches are as magnificent as they are unique from one another. In Flic En Flac, the Beaches are narrow and deep blue with gentle waves. Great for swimming. There are fantastic accessible diving spots in the area. I went diving with Ticabo Diving Center.  The dive site was a five minute speed boat ride from the shore.
Farther north, the beaches are wider and completely calm. My three and a half year old and nine month old baby could safely sit and paddle in the water beside me. Along the southern end of the island, the rugged overviews are of less tame but still vividly blue waters. This southern region is ideal for surfers.
In several areas of the island are major wild life parks. We went to LaVanille Nature Park. The animals are adorable. Tame Deer frolic within the park. My three year old even rode a tortoise!
The scenic drive through the mountainous region of south-western Mauritius offers beautiful overviews. In this region is the Charmarel plain of the Riviere Norie District. Located here are magnificent waterfalls and the area known as the Seven Colored Earths. The Seven Colored Earths is a geological formation in a glorious array of colors. Large tortoises are kept at the end of the walking path in large corrals. The scenery along the drive up alone makes it worth the trip.
Surrounding the island of Mauritius are beautiful islands. Accessible by charming public ferries. These ferries are very similar to small fishing boats. One such Island is Ile aux Cerfs. Ile aux Cerfs is a striking island of sparkling white sand. It is surrounded by shallow crystal aquamarine blue waters. There are many water activities and hiking options available here. The resort restaurants on the beach were fantastic for our kids. They ate their lunches under the tropical palm branch umbrellas as they played in the sand by our feet. Our little ones loved swimming and wading in the shallow calm waters around the island. The boat ride back to Mauritius was enjoyable, despite the fact that we went on a day with rougher waters. The island of Ile aux Cerfs is beautifully sheltered from the elements.
Mauritian culture has strong influences from France and Southeast Asia. Some elements from England and Africa are evident as well. The main languages are French and English. Hand-in-hand with this lovely and intriguing culture is incredible food. The fresh seafood and Mauritian curries are a must. There are famous Hindu Temples and Christian Churches, which are well known for their architectural detail. The charming fishing villages also compliment the beauty of this tranquil island.
The sheer beauty of the sunsets in Mauritius is breathtaking. The sun setting in the Indian Ocean with the backdrop of Mauritius is one of the great wonders of this planet. We loved capturing these precious moments as a family. Sunset swims in the warm gentle waters and playing on the beach at dusk… are some of my favorite memories in Mauritius.
The Travelling Fit Mommy 
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