Welcome to Paradise
The welcome sign that will greet you with these words upon arrival at the airport is not an understatement.
This piece of paradise nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean boasts a wonderful natural and cultural diversity. With its tropical and temperate climate all year round, its scenic relief, its lush fauna and flora, Mauritius is an Eden-scenting holiday.
The sky, the sun and the sea are of course the highlights, but inland, lush vegetation stand alongside towns and villages brimming with life where modernity mixes with rustic life sceneries and these contrasts also reflect the true treasure of the island: the Mauritian population.
You will discover a population derived from different waves of immigration and the intermingling of all these cultures and traditions contributed to the exceptionally rich Mauritian nation. As a result, Africa, Asia and Europe shine in Mauritian faces, languages, gastronomy, architecture…
Villas Caroline is the perfect starting point to explore this paradise island of 1865 km² land of volcanic origin and the legendary kindness of its inhabitants.
The ocean as playground
Mauritius is almost surrounded by a coral reef that encloses a lagoon protecting the island from swells. So, water sports are king. The Boat House of Villas Caroline offers numerous activities to enjoy from this idyllic playground for children and adults alike.
As for glide and wave lovers, only few minutes’ drive separates our hotel from surf, kitesurf and windsurf spots envied from around the world. Ocean lovers and diving enthusiasts can directly contact our diving centre to discover breath-taking scuba diving sites.
Want to measure yourself against the big fishes that inhabit the ocean? Mauritius holds several world fishing records, so feel free to rise up to this challenge during your stay. Experience intense moments while exploring the small islets that surround Mauritius on a catamaran or by speedboat. Do not hesitate to contact the hotel reception, we organise excursions with hand-picked attention.
And every night, a magical show unveils right in front of the hotel. A beautiful sun setting down in the sea casting a cosmic colour palette everywhere. Comfortably seated on a deckchair, enjoy this master painting where celestial and marine shades change at every dusk.
Go to the discovery of Quatre-Bornes and its famous town-fair every Thursdays and Sundays. Stroll the streets of Rose Hill and discover Curepipe and its numerous shops. As in all cities, street vendors, uniformed students, businessmen and hucksters cross paths on the sidewalks. Brand new buildings overlook enchanting townships, shops of all kinds or rainbow-coloured houses.
Churches, mosques and temples coexist peacefully, and it is not uncommon to see marches somewhat slowdown the traffic, especially in March during the Maha Shivaratree festival. From each corner of the island, you can marvel at the enthusiasm of Hindu pilgrims marching to the sacred lake of Grand Bassin, located more to the south of Curepipe.
To discover the metropolitan life of Mauritius, why not start with the capital Port-Louis? The sea might be nearby, but the city has nothing of a resort to it. From Le Caudan mall to China Town and up to the Central Market, an immersion in the busy streets of the capital will reveal an inexorable facet of the Mauritian daily life.
Feel free to savour the local bites like Dholl Puri, samosas or Mauritian fruit salad, but beware of the famous Gato-Piment, which can be quite spicy.
Places to discover are many, but here are some trip ideas for your holidays.
To the north of Port-Louis, L’Aventure du Sucre Museum will playfully make you discover history of Mauritius through the cultivation of sugar and a little further, the SSR Botanical Garden of Pamplemousses, a vestige of French colonial epoch reveals the natural wonders such as giant water lilies or Talipot palm trees that blossom only once every 50 to 70 years before dying.
Discover the country differently through La Route du Thé which offers a culinary and cultural journey during which the secrets of making tea will be revealed to you in the factory of Bois Cheri before enjoying a wonderful meal locally flavoured in the south of the island at St Aubin.
Not far from Villas Caroline, put on your trainers for a hike in the national park of the Black River Gorge, famous for its waterfalls, landscapes and its endemic flora and fauna. A few kilometres southwards, a small road snaking hillside delivers spectacular views and leads to Chamarel, a village full of typical restaurants, a distillery, waterfalls, and a coloured earth valley.
- Total area: 1865 km²
- Population: 1.3 million inhabitants
- Type of State: Parliamentary Democratic Republic
- Languages: English, French, Creole, Oriental languages
- Religion: Hinduism (48%), Catholicism (24%), Islam (17%)
- Electricity: 220 volts – outlets of Type C and G
- Time zone: GMT/UTC +4
- The Mauritian rupee (symbol: Rs) equals about 0,025 Euro and 1 Euro equals about 40 Mauritius Rupees
- Multiples in coins of 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents and 1, 5, 10 and 20 rupees. Notes: 25, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000 rupees.
- Currency exchange is available at counters of all banks
- Accepted credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Maestro.