As travel enthusiasts begin to make the switch to greener, more sustainable travel, lodges all over the world are keeping up in innovative structure and design and a host of exciting things to do. Mauritius has not been left behind. Members of our Nomad community, Linda Jonsson and Riccardo Zennarro piece together a brilliant guide to your next Mauritian holiday (the sustainable way).
The island of Mauritius is about 2,400km off the coast of East Africa and is well known for its breathtaking landscapes, grassland plateaus, peaky mountains and crystal-clear turquoise lagoons. It also boasts stunning biodiversity and a unique mix of cultures, languages and delicious cuisine.
The 65 km long and 45 km wide island takes pride in the many eco-friendly initiatives spearheaded by the hospitality industry, as well as local entrepreneurs. If Mauritius is on your wishlist, here’s everything you need to know for your next exciting ‘eco-holiday’
Stay at an eco-friendly hotel
Hotels in Mauritius are increasingly conscious about sustainability and one example is Lagoon Attitude, located in the North-Eastern part of the island. The hotel has embraced sustainability in its core vision and mission and provides a range of services to ensure a stay with lower environmental impact. For instance, they have banned single-use plastics, installed solar panels, a water recycling system and even provided eco-friendly sunscreen for all their guests.
Upon arrival, you’ll notice the attention to detail as even the smallest aspects like the room key cards, are made from wood instead of plastic. In addition, they also have a marine discovery centre where guests and external visitors can learn more about the ocean and how to protect it.
Things to Do
Mauritius is a paradise for nature lovers, particularly if you want to keep your environmental footprint low. Lokal Adventure, which is a local travel agency, curates some of the best experiences and embraces sustainability in its daily operations.
Among the vast array of things to do, you can hike the Tamarind Falls, a breathtaking series of waterfalls enshrined in lush, tropical vegetation. If you’d prefer something more relaxed, you can also get on a traditional sailing boat and glide through the crystal-clear waters in Blue Bay as a guide takes you to three historical islands. As an added perk to these activities, you get to enjoy authentic Mauritian food that is locally sourced and freshly prepared by the captain of the boat and hiking guide.
Finally, you can enjoy an afternoon visit to Château de Labourdonnais distillery where you can discover what was once the elegant residence of an old Mauritian family. Finish off your visit with a rum and jelly tasting with options locally produced in Mauritius.
Food & Drink
We did mention delicious food, so If you’re looking for a restaurant that integrates fantastic cuisine, relaxing ambience and a more sustainable approach, then 20 Degrees Sud in Grand Bay is worth a visit. The restaurant boasts a sustainable kitchen that integrates conservation and cuisine.
They have cultivated their own vegetable garden and choose to focus on natural and
local products for a wholesome ‘farm to fork’ experience. In addition, plastic straws are not offered and they are committed to making a shift in the industry by learning more about food and sustainability to raise awareness in the kitchen.
On the menu, you’ll find a variety of dishes, from a fresh tuna carpaccio to a deliciously creamy seafood risotto with an orange zest. The quality of the ingredients and skill that goes into putting them together is evident from the first bite. With live music and excellent service as well, you can’t help but want to visit again!
Offsetting your travel
Travelling from Kenya to Mauritius takes about 4 hours on a direct flight and covers 3000 kilometres. The emissions for two people, round trip in economy class are around 2.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ).
The initiative myclimate.org offers voluntary CO 2 compensation measures where you can calculate the carbon footprint for your flight and other transportation and then invest in international sustainability projects.
By doing this, emissions are reduced by channelling the investment into for instance replacing fossil energy resources with renewable energies or even implementing local afforestation measures. For this trip, you get alternatives ranging from $58-191 for your flights.
On the road, the emissions for a rented compact car amount to 0.139 tonnes of CO 2 for 500 kilometres with offset alternatives ranging from $4-12. Ultimately, you can offset your trip from around $31-100/person.
Ultimately, Mauritius is a beautiful destination where the hospitality industry is truly walking the talk about sustainability. As we collectively become more conscious, more travellers are seeking environmentally friendly holidays and choosing more sustainable options for hotels, food and activities has an incredibly positive impact on the protection of the island and the people that call it home.
