Mauritius: Surfing Paradise

Mauritius is an island off the eastern part of Madagascar that offers some of the best surfing in that region. Discovered by Arab sailors around 1,000 A.D., it was later colonized by the Dutch. The impact of the Dutch was severe, resulting in the extinction of the dodo bird. They also introduced sugar cane and brought over slaves to harvest it from nearby Madagascar, from whom many of the local people are descendants. The French later took possession of the island and engaged in piracy on ships that used the shipping lanes around South Africa, but their piracy affected the British, who promptly took possession of the island and renamed it Mauritius. Mauritians did not achieve self-rule until the later part of the last century, and today it has become a beautiful luxury tourist destination. The surfing in particular is revered by locals and travelers alike.

For the most part, surfing on Mauritius is concentrated on the south and west sides of the island. The island of Mauritius is small and completely surrounded by coral reefs. On the south and west sides of the island the reefs are less steep in their drop-offs, and thus offer better surfing. April through September offer the best times for surfing on the island. The winter months on Mauritius run from May to November and are very hot and dry, while the summer months, which run from November to May, are typically wet and also hot. Cyclones are prone to move through the region during the summer months, and the traveler trying to visit the island to surf during the winter months should come prepared. Water temperature is in the 80′s year round, but surfers are advised to wear wetsuits and booties because of the shallow reefs that are all around the island.

Wave sizes tend to be a little smaller than those found on the nearby island of Reunion, but not considerably. Mauritius also has very little danger from sharks. The real danger that a surfer faces, which is not really a danger at all but more of an inconvenience, are the crowds. Mauritius was once an unknown surfing destination, but in the last few years it has become very crowded. The surfing is popular with both locals and travelers, but because of the small size of the island, it can be hard on some days to find relatively open surfing spots. This is not the case for the entire island, but crowds affect some of the surf spots. Another concern for the traveler is local “white shorts” who try to enforce a local’s only policy at some of the best spots. The best surf spot on the island is Tamarin Bay, which became famous because of Australian surfers who came to surf the island in the 1960′s. The Black River flows out of the bay and into the Indian Ocean, and this creates some great surfing conditions for beginners and experts alike. The bay is large, and the surfer has a fantastic view of the island riding the waves in Tamarin Bay. There are roughly 16 great surfing spots on the island that offer world-class surfing for surfers of all levels.

The traveler should not let the crowds deter them. Mauritius offers some of the best surfing in the Indian Ocean. The island is rich with history and the waters are incredibly beautiful.

Mildred Robertson writes articles for travel sites and suggests going to www.mauritiusholidays.com for great vacation ideas.

Mauritius: Surfing Paradise is a post from: Aviation news – Planegrazy

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