Detour #197: Paradise found on a road trip round Mauritius

It might be BETTER-known for diving, but the tropical island of Mauritius has plenty to offer drivers as well.

Surrounded by the Indian Ocean is the volcanic island of Mauritius. It’s sublimely fringed by a 205-mile coastline, with a wild interior featuring gorges, waterfalls, and mountains, some of which reach over 2,600ft in height.

While I wait to collect the rental car from the fishing village of Flic-en-Flac, my excitement to explore this landscape builds as I reflect that that Mark Twain said Mauritius “was made first and then heaven; and heaven was copied after Mauritius.”

But as soon I begin to drive the Coastal Road, passing the village’s 4.9-mile beach before joining the A3 highway, a torrential rainstorm commences, thunder-clapping against the car’s bonnet and turning the tarmac into an unwanted swimming pool. Branches have fallen onto the dangerously narrow and winding roads, and behind me are overly confident locals, beeping persistently in the hope that I’ll increase my driving speed.

In this state of panic, I’m glad Mauritians drive on the same side of the road as we Brits, and that this section of the A3 isn’t all that interesting. Soon, I reach the B9, to which the Indian Ocean runs parallel and Le Morne Brabant mountain acts as a guide towards Mauritius’ south-westerly tip.

A quick detour to this UNESCO World Heritage Site presents a story of undeniable courage and resilience. In the 18th and 19th Centuries, slaves came here to escape their masters; and since then, Le Morne Brabant has become a symbol of freedom. Perhaps, after all, the uncompromising weather is the perfect introduction to the island’s darkest chapter.

From Le Morne, I continue on the B9, passing several enticing detours, such as the Baie Du Cap Maconde Viewpoint, known for its natural beauty and for being another spot where slaves sought refuge.

Given I’m on a hunt for the paradise Mark Twain promised, I venture inland along the B104 to the Black River Gorges National Park. If I thought the roads earlier were hazardous, they’re nothing compared to the steep, jungle-intense, blind-bend roads I’m attempting here. Thankfully, the blue sky has made an appearance, and I can finally see out of the windscreen.

My first stop in the National Park is the Chamarel Waterfall. With a 100-metre drop, it’s the highest waterfall on the island and boasts over ten million years of history. The verdant rainforest surrounding this deafening fall looks as if it should be the backdrop to the next Tarzan movie – and only three minutes away, is the Seven Coloured Earths. This is a 7,500-metres-squared area of sand with seven distinctive colours. If this isn’t proof of paradise, then I don’t know what is!

Mauritius is a religiously diverse island, and more twisting roads lead to Ganga Talao, its most sacred Hindu site. Its crater lake is often used for private prayers, and there are several cheeky monkeys here seeking bananas.

Mauritius’s other claim to fame is the dodo. While this flightless bird has long been extinct, I venture from Ganga Talao in search of the island’s most majestic creatures. Along the way, I see tea plantations; Mauritius’s pyramids; and a dormant volcano, Trou aux Cerfs, before eventually arriving at Casela Nature Park, an animal sanctuary spanning 350 hectares. Cuddling the baby goats here is a hedonistic pleasure, but nothing compared to running away from eager ostriches or watching a mighty lion feed.

After I drop the car back in Flic-en-Flac, I’m still unsure whether Mauritius was created before heaven. But one thing is certain: this staggeringly beautiful island is definitely paradise, or at the very least, a rare and magical landscape.

Words & Photography Jade Braham Twitter | Instagram

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ROADBOOK

CLASS:island paradise

NAME: motoring in mauritius

ROUTE: flic en flac to flic en flac

COUNTRY: mauritius

Distance: 73 Miles

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