Shrines & Wellness Escape to Mauritius

Highlights & Route

Some holidays are for seeing everything; this one is for coming home rested. It pairs the Hindu shrines of Mauritius with the slow pleasures of a good beach resort: a morning at a temple, an afternoon by the lagoon, an Ayurvedic massage before dinner. Mauritius lends itself to this. The island is small, the lagoons are calm inside the reef, most resorts have spas rooted in the island’s Indian heritage, and the food will feel familiar to every member of the family.

The sacred places are the same ones Mauritian Hindus hold dearest. Ganga Talao, the crater lake at about 550 m that is honoured as the Ganga, with its lakeside temples and the 33 m Mangal Mahadev at the gate; the Maheswarnath Mandir at Triolet, built in 1888 and the largest temple on the island; the Tamil and Durga shrines of the north; and the Sagar Shiv Mandir, a white Shiva temple on a tiny islet off the east coast at Goyave de Chine, reached by a causeway and set against the sea. Each is visited in the cool of the morning with time to sit, not just to see.

The rest of the week is about wellness in the broad sense: a day on Ile aux Cerfs, where the sandbanks are shallow enough for grandparents and toddlers alike, a sunset yoga session on the beach, the option of an Ayurvedic or spa treatment at the resort, and quiet dinners. Breakfast and dinner are included at the resort every day, and the final evening is a farewell dinner. Nothing is compulsory; if you would rather spend a day entirely at the pool, the driver simply has a day off.

Route

SSR International Airport → beach resort (5 nights) → Ganga Talao, Trou aux Cerfs and Chamarel → Triolet temples and the north → Ile aux Cerfs island day with sunset yoga → Port Louis, Caudan waterfront and Sagar Shiv Mandir → SSR International Airport

Good to know before you book

Indian passport holders do not need a visa for tourist visits to Mauritius (stays of up to 90 days are allowed on arrival). Immigration asks for a return ticket, hotel confirmation and proof of funds, so keep our booking voucher handy. All arriving passengers must complete the free Mauritius All-in-One Travel Digital Form at safemauritius.govmu.org before boarding.
Yoga sessions and spa treatments are arranged at the resort; one sunset yoga session is part of the programme, and spa therapies are optional at the resort’s rates unless we quote them into your package.
Ile aux Cerfs is reached by a short speedboat or shared boat from Trou d’Eau Douce; the boat is included, water sports on the island are not. The crossing can be rough on windy winter days on the east coast.
Ganga Talao and the Triolet temples are active places of worship: remove shoes, dress modestly, and expect local worshippers rather than a tourist atmosphere. Maha Shivaratri (February or March) is magnificent but the roads around the lake close to vehicles.
The pleasant dry months are May to November (18 to 25 degrees); December to April is hot and humid, with cyclone risk mainly from January to March. International flights are not included.

Yatra Highlights

Darshan at Ganga Talao with the Mangal Mahadev and the lakeside temples
Ile aux Cerfs island day with a sunset yoga session on the beach
Sagar Shiv Mandir on its islet off the east coast and the Maheswarnath Mandir at Triolet

Day 1 :

Arrival and an evening at the resort

Our representative meets you at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport at your arrival point (airport, railway station or hotel) at the agreed time and drives you to the resort, 45 minutes to an hour and a half depending on the coast. Check in, settle, and let the rest of the day go: a walk along the beach, a swim in the lagoon or a nap. The spa can be visited this evening to book the treatments you want during the week. Dinner at the resort.

Overnight: beach resort

Day 2 :

Ganga Talao, Trou aux Cerfs and Chamarel

Leave after breakfast for the southern hills. Ganga Talao, the Grand Bassin, is a crater lake at about 550 m into which Ganga water was poured in 1972; it has been the island's chief pilgrimage place ever since, drawing several hundred thousand walkers each Maha Shivaratri. Take darshan at the Shiva temple on the shore and the Hanuman, Ganesha and Durga shrines around the lake, and see the 33 m Mangal Mahadev and Durga statues at the entrance. Sit by the water for a while; it is an unhurried place on an ordinary morning.

Continue via Curepipe to Trou aux Cerfs, a dormant crater with a rim walk and island-wide views, and then to Chamarel for the Seven Coloured Earth, dunes of volcanic sand in bands of colour, and the Chamarel waterfall viewpoint (tickets included). Return to the resort by late afternoon for a swim and dinner.

Overnight: beach resort

Day 3 :

Triolet and the temples of the north

A temple morning. Drive to Triolet, the long village at the heart of the Hindu north, and the Maheswarnath Mandir, founded in 1888 and the largest temple in Mauritius, with shrines to Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, Brahma, Ganesha and Hanuman in a walled compound. Nearby the Surya Oudaya Sangam, a Tamil temple with a painted gopuram and shrines to Murugan and Mariamman, and a Durga mandir in the village show how the different Indian communities kept their own traditions.

Return to the resort for lunch (own arrangement) and a free afternoon: the beach, the pool or a spa treatment. Those who prefer can stop at Grand Baie on the way back for the bazaar and the waterfront. Dinner at the resort.

Overnight: beach resort

Day 4 :

Ile aux Cerfs island day and sunset yoga

After breakfast drive to Trou d'Eau Douce on the east coast and take the boat across to Ile aux Cerfs, about 15 minutes. The island is ringed by shallow sandbanks and beaches with warm, waist-deep water, so it suits all ages. Swim, walk, or try the optional water sports (parasailing, glass-bottom boat, undersea walk, at your cost). Lunch is available at the island restaurants or as a picnic. A detour by boat to the Grand River South East waterfall is often offered.

Return to the mainland by mid-afternoon and rest. Before dusk, a guided yoga session on the beach at or near the resort, about an hour of gentle stretching and breathing as the sun goes down. Dinner at the resort.

Overnight: beach resort

Day 5 :

Port Louis, Caudan waterfront and the Sagar Shiv Mandir

Drive to Port Louis after breakfast. Walk through the Central Market for spices, vanilla and the island's Indian street snacks, see the Caudan waterfront and the old colonial buildings along the Place d'Armes, and, if you wish, the Aapravasi Ghat, the immigration depot where indentured labourers from India landed from 1834 (World Heritage Site; small ticket, optional).

In the afternoon drive across to the east coast at Poste de Flacq for the Sagar Shiv Mandir, a white Shiva temple on the islet of Goyave de Chine joined to the shore by a short causeway, with a tall Shiva statue facing the lagoon; it is at its most beautiful towards evening. Return to the resort for a farewell dinner.

Overnight: beach resort

Day 6 :

Departure

Breakfast and check-out. A last swim if your flight allows, or a late check-out requested from the resort at its charge. Transfer to SSR International Airport at your departure point (airport, railway station or hotel), allowing an hour to an hour and a half of driving, three hours before departure.

Overnight: not included (departure)

Night	Place	Hotel (or similar)	Room type
1	Beach resort	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
2	Beach resort	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
3	Beach resort	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
4	Beach resort	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
5	Beach resort	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

Do Indian passport holders need a visa?

No. Indians receive entry on arrival for tourist stays of up to 90 days. Carry a passport valid for the stay, a return ticket, our hotel voucher and proof of funds. Before travel, complete the free Mauritius All-in-One Travel Digital Form at safemauritius.govmu.org and keep the QR code for the airline and immigration. We send a checklist with the link after booking.

Which spa treatments are available and are they included?

Most Mauritian resorts offer Ayurvedic massages such as abhyanga and shirodhara, Swedish and hot-stone massages, and facials, usually with therapists trained in Kerala or on the island. They are optional and charged by the resort, but if you tell us what you want we can quote a bundle of two or three treatments into the package price so nothing is paid on the spot.

Is the yoga session suitable for elderly parents?

Yes. It is a gentle hour of stretching and breathing on the sand or a lawn, led by a qualified instructor, and can be done sitting on a chair if needed. Nobody is pushed into postures. Extra morning sessions can be arranged at the resort for a small charge.

Will the food suit a vegetarian family?

Completely. Mauritian daily food is largely Indian in origin: dholl puri, rotis, dal, vegetable curries, chutneys and briani are everywhere, and resort buffets include an Indian section. We confirm vegetarian and Jain requirements with the chef before you arrive. Lunches are open; the driver knows pure-vegetarian places in every town.

What is the Sagar Shiv Mandir?

A white Shiva temple on the small islet of Goyave de Chine off the east coast near Poste de Flacq, joined to the mainland by a causeway and completed in 2007. A tall bronze-coloured Shiva stands beside it facing the lagoon, and the setting against the sea is unlike any temple in India. It is a quiet, local place, best visited in the late afternoon light.

When should we travel?

May to November is cooler and dry and ideal for the temple days; the east coast can be windy in July and August, which affects the Ile aux Cerfs crossing, so we may schedule it for the calmest forecast day. December to April is warm and humid, with cyclone risk mainly from January to March. Maha Shivaratri in February or March is spectacular at Ganga Talao if you want to plan around it.

When do we visit Ganga Talao on this Mauritius package?

Ganga Talao, the crater lake also called Grand Bassin, is on Day 2. We leave after breakfast for the southern hills, take darshan at the Shiva temple on the shore and the Hanuman, Ganesha and Durga shrines around the lake, and see the 33 m Mangal Mahadev at the entrance. The same day continues to Trou aux Cerfs and Chamarel. Shoes come off and modest dress is expected.

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Shrines & Wellness Escape to Mauritius (this page)	6 days / 5 nights	Mauritius (SSR International Airport)	On request
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Bali Spiritual & Temple Retreat	6 days / 5 nights	Denpasar (Bali)	On request
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Divine Sri Lanka: Ramayana Circuit with Leisure	8 days / 7 nights	Colombo	From ₹60,000

Shrines & Wellness Escape to Mauritius

Highlights & Route

Route

Good to know before you book

Yatra Highlights

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Inclusions & Exclusions

Included

Not included

Hotels

Documents & Fitness

Documents to carry

Fitness and health

Cancellation Policy

Frequently Asked Questions

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