Mauritius Conscious blog is your ultimate resource to how to live, enjoy and experience Mauritius in a conscious and sustainable way. We offer travel packages to discover Mauritius Island in an authentic & eco-friendly way.
As of March 2019, 15 tourism companies have been awarded a Conscious Travel Seal in Mauritius, positioning themselves as below.
Be part of the movement that is transforming Mauritius tourism industry into a more responsible, fair and ethical one. If you have questions or need more information our eco-label, feel free to contact us on the + 230 5981 8746 or at hello@mauritiusconscious.com.
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Climate change represents a vital threat to human societies; even more so, to Small Island Developing States (SIDS), like our home island in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius. With coral-reef degradation, rise in sea-levels and the threat of more often and more intense natural disasters, islanders like us, and our future generations, will find it extremely difficult to adapt to the loss of ecosystems that our livelihoods depend upon. CO2 neutral alternatives, choices and lifestyles are more than ever necessary to aim at offsetting the environmental damage done to our planet.
Despite tourism’s great contribution to the development of island nations like Mauritius, we can’t neglect its negative impact on the environment and to the own country’s unsustainable development. Tourism alone is accountable for up to 80% of CO2 emissions in SIDS, as per a study conducted by the UNWTO.
Scientific studies reveal that the Tourism Sector contributes in almost one tenth to Global Warming, responsible for 8% of all Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions emitted. From this number, an alarming 75% is produced by transportation services, mainly long-haul flights required to access remote destinations. But it is in remote islands like Mauritius or Maldives, where economies are dependent on tourists’ arrivals and, moving away from air travel represents a real challenge.
Limiting the negative aspects of tourism is no longer enough. Today, tourism needs to embrace restorative actions to benefit the places we visit. That’s exactly the mission behind Mauritius Conscious and its latest CO2 offsetting initiative: Go CO2 neutral!
In collaboration with Aera, the first carbon finance company in Africa, we use carbon credits to support and accelerate low-carbon technologies in Mauritius. To do so, all of Conscious Travel’s bespoke trips now include their CO2 footprint compensation, considering round-trip flights from the travelers’ departure points to cover-up for the whole carbon emissions of their trip.
Since the Kyoto Protocol (2008), an international treaty where 192 parties committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the avoidance of CO2 production in developing countries can be rewarded with carbon credits. These certificates can be monetized and traded to generate additional revenues for CO2 mitigation projects on ground (Aera, 2015).
Depending on the amount of CO2 produced per trip, Mauritius Conscious adds the costs to offset it to the final quote of travelers (an average of €20 for a 15 days-trip from Europe).
On the excursions side of things, all of Mauritius Conscious’ curated Partners offer CO2 free alternatives to commercial boat trips, helicopter rides and day-tours in vans. Through their multi-day trips, travelers get involved in hands-on activities around the reforestation of endemic forests, permaculture, organic agriculture and litter clean-ups in natural areas.
The monetized credits collected by Mauritius Conscious are destined, through AERA, to the first solar photovoltaic project in Mauritius, locally known as La Ferme Bambous. If you have plans to hike the Corps de Garde mountain during your discovery of the Island, you will be able to spot the 15 MW solar farm from the heights.
Electricity in Mauritius is mainly generated from coal and heavy fuel oil; by supporting a renewable energy project we help avoid producing 22,000 tons of CO2 from fossil fuels every year. La Ferme Bambous has a direct, positive impact on 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG)*, and is already accountable for 2% of the 16% renewable energy generated in Mauritius.
contact our Travel Consultants to plan your next CO2 neutral trip to the Indian Ocean!
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Mauritius Island is full of secret gem’s when it come to its history, culture and nature. For good and for bad, it is not always easy to discover them and to stumble upon someone who knows well the subject. Through this article, Mauritius Conscious’ team and friends will take you down the unspoiled south coast of the island, where we were treated for a full-day of discoveries riding our electric bikes.
Our journey started at La Place du Moulin in Bel Ombre. After understanding better how the electric-assistance bikes work and, following a thorough briefing on safety, we stepped into our adventure. First stop was the Chateau de Bel Ombre, a splendid colonial house that the very Charles Telfair used to call home sweet home, surrounded by beautiful flower gardens and a golf course nowadays. Botanist, Doctor and Personal Secretary of Mauritius Governor, Telfair was crucial to the introduction of botanical gardens in Mauritius, like the Pamplemousses Garden, and to the discovery of endemic species, like the Telfairs skink from Round Island. My favorite take-away, however, was to learn that in his public figure role, Telfair fought to improve the living conditions of slaves, like their education and housing opportunities.
We took our bikes and safely rode in single line between sugarcane fields and the turquoise-blue ocean. Second stop was at the Baie du Jacotet, a beautiful, sandy beach marked by history rather than hotel and villa developments. Turns out that this overlooked spot in the South coast witnessed a determining battle between the French and the English during the French mandate in Mauritius; a battle that injured both captains and sent them to heal next to the other at the same hospital. The drastic loss of British soldiers in this battle and the apparent weakness of the French made the Royal Navy come to a final, master decision: they should invest all their remaining resources in a surprise, land attack from the North of Mauritius – the same that won them power over the island in 1810.
The sun was bright above us and a generous breeze refreshed our way to the incredibly beautiful beach of St. Felix. The group of local riders who accompanied us couldn’t help but notice how reduced the stretch of sand was compared to their childhood memories. “Sand erosion is mostly due to two factors: the degradation of the coral reef and that of the coastal forests that used to surround the coast” said Romina, specialist in sustainable tourism. “The buildings and roads built so close to the shore have replaced the flora and the dunes that represented physical barriers for sand not to drift away. Added to that, the diminished coral barrier isn’t capable any longer to prevent the currents and waves from coming in and pulling the fragile sand deposits back with them. I felt relieved to be wearing my eco-compatible sunscreen, at least, but seeing the degradation of the beach certainly helped me understand how important it is to support less destructive kinds of developments in-land, rather than yet more Resorts on the scarce coast.
We continued our way through Riambel beach and La Roche qui Pleure, until we arrived to the lively village of Souillac to discover its old port. It’s preserved architecture from the times of French colonization made it easy to imagine how it looked in its times of splendour (late 1700’s, most of 1800’s) when it used to be one of the most important ports of Mauritius.
As my energy levels and those of my electric bike started to run low, we arrived at Madame Mala’s home, my favorite stop of the day. Mala hosted us warmly at her place and welcomed the group of bikers with the most delicious vegetarian curries I have ever had: cari gros pois, giromoun, brèdes and rougaille soya. We gladly helped her to spread the batter of the traditional flat and round rotis – only ours were squares.
After the tasteful break it was time for us to get back onto the saddle. The electric motor and support of our bikes was very appreciated at this point. We took the same road back to Bel Ombre but this time it seemed like a totally new one, thanks to the different perception of landscapes and the new stops of our guides along the road.
If you, like me, are eager to discover and learn more about Mauritius, our Conscious Partners can organize this and other biking tours around the island just as good! Give a go to the Chamarel, Le Morne, Grand Old Port and Pamplemousses discoveries in an eco-conscious and culturally-rich way.
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Globe trotters, innovators and Mauritius Conscious’ first guests traveling to Reunion Island. Min and Alam reminded us the value of staying at real people’s homes; sharing, learning and connecting deeply with local people is what makes every trip unique on its own. Reunion Island pops into our minds with breathtaking landscapes and outdoor sports but – have you thought of the guys preparing a cozy bed and a heart-warming meal after your adventures? Read on to find more about Min and Alam’s trip highlights and their trips for future travelers in La Reunion.
Since we live in Mauritius, we usually stay in resorts for a weekend. When we travel abroad, we conduct extensive research online and enjoy planning our own trips; Min used to couch-surf before Airbnb, and enjoy meeting locals on our travels.
What attracted you to travel to Reunion Island?
The fact that it’s 45 minutes from Mauritius makes for a great and quick getaway destination. Having a good friend from Reunion was a big draw as well; hearing about the amazing hikes and nature and, of course, the active volcano!
Why did you choose to organize your adventure holiday with Mauritius Conscious?
We were tired of resort experiences and were intrigued about traveling while participating in the local culture and helping to protect the environment. It was also difficult to plan a trip to Reunion as we could not estimate distances, and we were so caught up with work. We also love supporting conscious businesses, so Mauritius Conscious was the perfect go-to to plan this trip.
Tell us what your time in Reunion Island was about. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The hike to Mafate in the dark! We ended up arriving at our trailhead so late that we did half the hike down to Mafate in the dark. It was a little scary hiking with our iPhones, and when Alam shone on a pair of eyes (!). Today this story makes for one of our funniest memories though.
Hanging out with Marie, our Mauritius Conscious’ hostess, who is as fast as a helicopter. We can’t believe she ran down the hiking trail in one third the time we took, to join us for breakfast the next day. We learnt a lot about Reunion culture, economy, politics, and how there’s a growing startup scene of very exciting biotech companies as part of FrenchTech.
Having dinner prepared by our host Christopher, who turned out to be a professional French chef and great dinner party host. Watching him cook in the open kitchen was really inspiring. He also has personal relationships with deep sea fishermen. We had some of the best food in Reunion here!
Definitely yes. Bernard impressed us with his motto of consuming only what was necessary. We felt that same attitude all throughout our trip. His guest house counts with an organic farm and about a hundred hens, that provided fresh eggs for breakfast daily! His home-made wind turbine and solar panels generate one third of the energy consumed.
We felt great joy sitting at communal tables with local people, and sharing in their stories. This was a change from the lonely resort experience. We dined with a newspaper delivery man, a nurse, holiday makers, and other locals from Reunion.
Learn a little French before your trip. It will go a long way!
First stop at Decathlon to get hiking and outdoors gear – there is so much choice!
You will need to cover large distances, as Reunion is mountainous; be prepared to drive.
A tip for those flying from MU: Get seats on the right of the plane when flying to Reunion, and left when flying back to Mauritius (we landed in St. Pierre’s airport).
Finally, what is one thing you would add to your trip to make it more interesting / pleasant / easy to navigate / unforgettable?
We are extremely satisfied. Probably stay more than one night at La Plaine des Cafres as we didn’t have time to check out the forests nearby.
In search of your own, authentic adventure? Let’s tailor-make it to your dreams and needs!
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Mauritius Conscious organizes trips in Reunion Island for an even more exciting discovery of the Indian Ocean. Get in touch with us to plan your next trans-island adventure :).
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In search of your own, offbeat honeymoon? Let’s tailor-make it to your dreams and needs!
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Wanna give it a go? We hook you up with the right guides.
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The day belongs to those who wake up early; however, when you set your alarm at 5 am on a Saturday morning, you better make sure that’s gonna be worthy. We drove all the way from the northwest of Mauritius to the southeast for our rendez-vous with Gaël and Mathilde. We arrived to La Cambuse public beach at 7:40 am, the perfect time to stretch on a deserted beach while the sunlight gently takes over the sky.
Gael is Mauritian, garden artist and entrepreneur. Ten years ago, he started a food forest in a beautiful piece of land overlooking the sea. Aligned t principles of permaculture (“permanent agriculture”), his project aims to create an autonomous and self-sufficient garden, where every plant, tree and bush adapts and makes the most of the natural elements of its specific place, such as the sun, the shade, the composted leaves or the animals that visit. His French girlfriend, Mathilde, is a self-proclaimed farmer who lives and loves Mauritius, and who supports Gael in his excursions and in the garden as often as her full-time job allows. After a warm introduction, we started our botanical trek from La Cambuse, following a coastal path heading west.
On our left-hand side, we admired a succession of unspoiled beaches characterized by the wild and pristine sea of Mauritius southmost coast. Gael and Mathilde, who are also sea life and seafood aficionados, pointed to us a few spots for surreal snorkeling. I could picture Gael swimming with a knife between his teeth and a pair of rubber boots at his feet – not that he actually did it but, it’s easy to imagine him that way – while he shared with us stories of his great catches and rare finds under the sea.
At the edge of the beach, we bumped into one of the few remaining endemic species of coastal trees in Mauritius, the Heliotropium foertherianum, better known as Veloutier Blanc. Gael shared with us interesting details on the medical use of this and other creeper plants in the area.
On our right-hand side, a completely different scenario was presented: a lush and tropical forest, extending towards the inland. We could distinguish clearly the repeated patterns of earth dunes alongside the coast. Gael explained to us their huge relevance to the coastal ecosystem: it is thanks to them, and the flora they nurture, that sand from the beach is prevented from eroding into the sea. When hotels and other concrete constructions take over a wild coast like this, the first thing they do is flatten the dunes to be able to access and build on the acquired land. By doing so, they condemn themselves and the rest of Mauritian inhabitants (fauna, residents, travelers) to lose the beautiful, sandy beaches that represents Mauritius. Wonder why the sand is eroding in Flic en Flac, La Preneuse, Bain Boeuf, Pointe d’Esny beaches…? Take a look at the “development” built around.
The dunes and the dense biodiversity that comes with them, are just one of the many reasons for this area to be declared South Coast Heritage Zone. Sadly, and against several citizen organized movements, the government of Mauritius is starting to give away part of this land to South African investors, namely, the Pelangi Resorts (in partnership with Marriot International). A heartbreaking situation for Mauritians who have seen most of their littoral been privatized by international Hotel chains, despite the average occupation rate of 70% in Mauritius Hotels (2015).
To learn more about this story and support Mauritian citizens, visit Aret Kokin Nu Laplaz (stop stealing our beaches).
After one and a half hours of learning about Mauritius natural and social environment, we reached our goal: the beautiful fishermen village of Le Bouchon. On low-tide days, Gael likes to invite his guests for a water trek across the bay, to refresh. The tide was not in our favor that day, so we headed back to La Cambuse to enjoy the refreshing end swaying in its waves.
Gaël and Mathilde welcomed us at their home in Deux Bras, cautiously guarded by their 4 adopted dogs: Poulf, Cali, Noreille and Maroon. Together, we prepared fresh drinks straight from their permaculture garden: coconut water, citronella juice, lemonade and, for the more classic ones, a cold Phoenix beer on the shade. His garden is a mother lode, bursting with fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers of all kinds. Each of us got hands-on the ripe produce to elaborate a healthy menu, consisting of a salad of green papaya with pesto dressing, purée de manioc with garlic and pepper (cut by me, after a little lesson on how to use a machete) and the catch of the day grilled over a wood fire. I hadn’t eaten so well in a long while. It was tasty, healthy and made with love. The garden-sourced lunch marked the end of an excellent morning re-discovering Mauritius and the start of a lovely afternoon sharing and laughing with our new friends.
on beaches? We hook you up with the right people.
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As you may know by now, the Tamarin Falls, also known as 7 Cascades, are one of our unbeatable must-dos while in Mauritius; simply because of the deep immersion into the island’s wild and lush nature that people seldom evokes when they think of “Mauritius”.
The possibilities to discover the set of (more than) 7 Waterfalls are vast, ranging from medium level hikes to high intensity, full-day ones. Depending on your thirst for adventure you could either hike up the so called “Death Walls” or abseil down to its plunge pools. Right, abseiling Mauritius waterfalls of up to 55 meters high. We get a lot of questions regarding safety and intensity level so, we thought of writing this detailed article on the whole experience for you.
We were scheduled to meet our conscious partner in Henrietta at 8:30 am, just on time to start before the other operators arrive. We were a small group of 6 participants accompanied by 3 instructors; a reassuring start. Albane and Athanaz, our experienced guides, started to hand over swimsuits, harnesses, snap hooks, life jackets, helmets and floating bags. After a 15 minutes down-hill hike dressed for war, we reached the top of the first and tallest waterfall we would abseil that day.
We were heading fast but safely into action. Athanaz and his two team members took us through a precise and crystal clear briefing, where we got to practice the moves, equipment and security measures until there was no room for doubt. I was relieved to learn that, even if the first and the second security measures failed, there would be a third (person) controlling the ropes and making sure we wouldn’t end up like fried eggs on the rocks.
A few guinea pigs went down before me and, my turn came to get ready. I was excited and shaking, looking 45 meters down and hoping to reach the floor as smooth as it was possible. It was the first time I did abseiling and, frankly, I almost couldn’t believe that I was to do most of the job by myself. I shook away the anxiety by focusing on the moves of my hands on the ropes. During the first section my feet were touching the wall of the waterfall and, out of a sudden, the rocks were too far for my reach, into the cave that forms behind the waterfall. With no support to ground me, I started to spin slowly around myself. I was suspended in the air, speechless, facing the open, majestic canyon – and already half way down. Between the adrenaline rush and a dizzy spell, stopping for a second to admire the view brought me back to myself. A feeling of sheer happiness flooded my body.
When my feet touched the ground, my abdominals were hurting and I was breathless but, above everything, I felt ready for the next abseil. We rewarded ourselves with a fresh shower under the waterfall and swam in the plunge pool to reach the next waterfall. For the second abseil, a 10 meters one, we were all at ease, laughing and enjoying the full experience.
A final challenge was waiting for us: a 6 meters jump off the top of the third waterfall (which definitely sounds easier than it feels when you are up there). Don’t listen too much to us but, the secret is to do it without thinking. Of course, you gotta be accompanied by professional guides who know how and where to do it before attempting a reckless jump. This last experience was the cherry on top of our adrenaline-full day; however, if heights are not your thing, you can always opt for a safe hike down the banks of the river.
If you opt for the full-day canyoning experience, the next step would be to abseil the highest waterfall, that one of 55 meters. For us, it was the end of our half-day canyoning initiation. We finished our adventure with a 20 minutes steep hike back to the top, through a dense forest of Goyavier de Chine.
Adventure yourself into 7 Cascades!
We hook you up with local guides for your multi-level hikes or canyoning adventures.
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