Tuesday 9th August 2016.
Mid-morning, James and I shopped in Grand Baie with Mum and Patrick for souvenirs, I found this a great time to shop as there were not too many people out and about yet.We stopped by the little souvenir shop down from the Thomas Cook Bureau de Change which is also located near a bank with an Automated Teller Machine, it had lots of basic souvenirs and hats.
Another souvenir store I recommend is the Sea Horse Shop, this store is huge and has every kind of souvenir you can think of from sarongs, t-shirts, ashtrays, shot glasses, wooden chimes, coasters and more.
Sea Horse Shop’s address is Rte Royale, Grand Baie
Other shopping suggestions in Grand Baie –
Grand Baie La Croisette – A big shopping centre with all your necessities from ATM’s, grocery stores, food court, restaurants, medical, Emtel telecommunication store, clothing, a cinema and there is secure parking.
Sunset Boulevard – A mixture of high priced and tourist shops, mostly small independent shops, on both sides of the main road in Grand Baie.
White Mischief Boutique – a fabulous store with unique items for women however it can be on the pricey side.
In front of Grand Baie beach, you will find several Mauritian street food stalls with the best Mauritian finger food.
The street food options are boulette, dhall puri, dholl puri, gateau piment, curry potato samosa and more. I recommend gateau piment and curry potato samosa. James loved it and could not get enough hehe.
After a couple of hours in Grand Baie, my family drove along the coast from Pereybere to Shangri-La Le Touessrok Resort & Spa about an 1 hour and 7 minutes to where James and I were staying for a few days. Driving inland is only 4 minutes quicker, the drive along the coast is always more pleasant.
Upon arrival at Shangri-La Le Touessrok Resort & Spa, James and I were greeted at the front of the Shangri-La and escorted to a lounge area for a welcome cocktail and check in. It was a nice way to check into the resort rather than the usual long queue at reception.
Our ocean front room was located at the last block along the beach right next door to a private villa.
The Shangri-La Le Touessrok Resort & Spa is a hotel I wanted to stay at since I was 10 years old when I visited the resort with my family.
Before my family left the resort, we enjoyed music and drinks at the Sega bar.
The restaurants at the resort are very expensive and there are no alternatives close by unless you have a car, therefore, be prepared to spend a lot of money.
Dinner recommendation – Le Bazar, a marketplace where you could eat as much as you like. Le Bazar is similar to the QT hotels in Queensland, Australia. Le Bazar is not your typical buffet style dinner, to me, it is more sophisticated in how it is presented and tastes. The desserts are to die for and do not forget to have a pasta, steak or fish freshly cooked right in front of you.
http://www.shangri-la.com/mauritius/shangrila/
Wednesday 10th August 2016.
We woke early and enjoyed a session at the resort’s gym than breakfast at Le Bazar. Wow, again the best food at Le Bazar. Breakfast ranged from dumplings, noodles, delicious bread, cold platters and your usual bacon, eggs or omelette and more.
http://www.shangri-la.com/mauritius/shangrila/dining/restaurants/le-bazar/
After an amazing breakfast, we explored the resort before catching a taxi to the Flaq markets.
The Flaq market is definitely worth visiting, it is so colorful and busy. The markets sell pretty much everything from nuts, fruits, vegetables, tea and coffee, curry powders and spices, clothes, material, jewelry, woven baskets to any household product.
After a colorful afternoon, we enjoyed an evening swim at the resort’s infinity pool before dinner.
Dinner recommendation – Kushi restaurant at the resort is Japanese and you have hot plates where you are able to cook your own meats to your liking. We met the chef who cooked a few of my meats and vegetables and chatted to us. The service and food were great however expect to pay a lot for the set menu. I think it is worth treating yourself to Kushi at least once.
http://www.shangri-la.com/mauritius/shangrila/dining/restaurants/kushi/
Thursday 11th August 2016.
James and I caught the complimentary Shangri-La Le Touessrok motor boat from the resort’s wharf to Ile Aux Cerfs, James learned to windsurf and did really well for a beginner. The water sports activities are complimentary to guests at the Shangri-La.
Ile aux Cerfs is famous for its sandy beaches and beautiful lagoon. The popular island is a 15 minute boat ride from the Shangri-La, it also has an 18-hole championship golf course that was designed by the famous pro-golfer Bernhard Langer. Ile aux Cerfs also offers Shangri-La guests a range of complimentary water sports, including kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding (at Hibiscus Beach), wake boarding, sailing, snorkeling, windsurfing, water skiing, pedal boating and Hobie cat sailing. Additional activities offered for a fee are kite surfing, parasailing, big game fishing and scuba diving.
Facilities on the island –
- Sands Grill beach restaurant
- Sands Bar – Beverages including cocktails
- Small arts and craft stalls
- WCs are limited
- Water sports activities available for non Shangri-La guests too
- Pirate cruises depart from Trou D’Eau Douce to Ile aux Cerfs.
https://mauritiusattractions.com/pirate-boat-cruise-cerfs-p-171.html
We enjoyed cocktails and 2 local rums then swam in the gorgeous water surrounding the famous Ile aux Cerfs. Ile Aux Cerfs was always a favourite part of Mauritius for me. The water looks amazing and the island remote although always full of tourists.
https://mauritiusattractions.com/ile-aux-cerfs-tours-i-36.html
Dinner recommendation – Republik Beach Club and Grill where James could not resist feeding a couple of cute kittens. Republik food is international cuisine and somewhere you will find a simple steak.
http://www.shangri-la.com/mauritius/shangrila/dining/restaurants/republik-beach-club-and-grill/
Friday 12th August 2016.
We started the day early morning for a spectacular full day on our own private catamaran. The catamaran with 3 crew picked us up at the resort’s wharf and we sailed along the Indian Ocean past Ile Aux Cerfs down to River Noire.
Once aboard, the morning started with a brief about the catamaran then a few glasses of wine and nibbles. The ocean was a gorgeous blue and the view of the East coast of Mauritius was stunning. I was so grateful to have had the opportunity to enjoy this experience with James.
One of the crew made us his specialty cocktail “Jamaican Rum”. The most interesting cocktail I have had with several different layers of beverages that do not dilute and sit on one another. James and I were definitely tipsy by this point and we could not resist Jamaican Rums for the rest of the day.
Our first stop, the crew sailed to the Grand River South East where we caught a motor boat to the impressive Grand River South East waterfall and saw some friendly monkeys in trees.
http://www.mauritius-tourist-guide.mu/listings/tourist-attractions/grse-waterfalls/
We sailed back out to sea and anchored at Diamant Reef for snorkeling while the crew started preparing lunch.
The snorkeling was fun, we saw plenty of fish, and I briefly held a starfish and a purple urchin.
Lunch provided was impeccable, like our previous boat trip on the North Coast. The crew served Lobster with a delicious sauce, bbq meats, pasta salad, salads and pineapple for dessert. I could eat like that every day.
Before sailing slowly back to the Shangri-La, we had another dip in the ocean. What an amazing 6 hours on a private cataraman, an experience I will never forget.
Dinner recommendation – Book a window table at Safran restaurant in the resort when the Mauritian Sega dancing show starts at 7 pm. The Sega show was great and the dinner was delicious however very expensive.
If you visit Mauritius, ensure you see a traditional Sega dancing performance it is unique and sexy. It is amazing how these Mauritian ladies are able to move their hips so vigorously.
Recommendation – La Mauricia hotel in Grand Baie have good Sega dancing performances.
http://www.shangri-la.com/mauritius/shangrila/dining/restaurants/safran/
Sat 13th August 2016.
Our day started with a walk around the resort’s premises including Turtle Cove where 3 large tortoises were housed at the resort.
Mid afternoon, we caught the complimentary boat to Ile Aux Cerfs and strolled along the beach before our complimentary kayak tour. The kayak tour was good, the guide took us through the Mangroves between Ile Aux Cerfs and the mainland. We saw the fisherman’s area, a fish flapping around in the mud who needed saving and an area they call the church with a large statue of Mary on a rock.
After the kayak tour, we swam at my favourite spot on the island, the lagoon that separates Ile aux Cerfs and Ilot Mangenie.
http://www.shangri-la.com/mauritius/shangrila/sports-recreation/
Dinner recommendation – Book a private dinner on the Shangri-La Beach as soon as you arrive or earlier.
Our private beach dinner reservation was at 5.30pm to enjoy the 6 pm sunset. The table set up was gorgeous and the staff made it look even more special than the settings we had seen throughout the week. The setup and location were perfect and our meal delicious. The only problem we experienced on the beach was the weather that evening, it was extremely windy, however, we still enjoyed our romantic evening.
Sunday 14th August 2016.
Mid-morning, we did a complimentary 1 hour snorkeling tour from Ile Aux Cerfs out in the Indian Ocean with a sea doo water device. A sea doo is an underwater propeller device that propels you in the water however it is not as good as the Seabobs in Fitzroy island, Queensland Australia. If you have not experienced a Seabob, you’ll enjoy the sea doo.
The snorkeling tour was a tad underwhelming as the weather was quite windy and the current was strong but I still enjoyed being out in the Indian Ocean.
After the snorkeling tour, James and I walked to Ilot Mangenie from Ile aux Cerfs via the lagoon between the islands. The walk was nice and not too long and not many tourists around either. James and I relaxed on beach lounges with umbrellas and enjoyed the best pizzas and cocktails.
Ilot Mangénie, is open exclusively to Shangri-La’s guests and features a beach club and island butlers.
After a fun day out on the islands, we spent our last evening on the East Coast enjoying room service in our amazing room.
The resort is impeccable and staff friendly, however, this location can be windy throughout July and August. Overall, we had a fabulous time at this resort and have memories that will be remembered forever.
Next blog will be Delicious Mauritius Part 3 – East to West Coast.
christinetravels 
makes me really want to go see it all too especially if I can go with you two…
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Hope to return one day. Going to aoply for a Mauritian passport soon 😊
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