Not the way of the dodo

Photos: Jeff Corydon] The minimountains outside the capital city of Port Louis look like a stock market chart.

By JEFF CORYDON

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 1, 2000

Its trademark bird may be extinct, but Mauritius is anything but. Sugar, knitwear and especially tourism industries are helping the island to thrive.

In a neatly landscaped clearing bordered by royal palms, eucalyptus and wild red pepper plants, one of Mauritius' venerable sugar estates harbors a curious historic landmark. Near the international airport, the site commemorates the long-extinct dodo, Mauritius' emblematic bird and most popular souvenir.

Flightless, ostrich-like raphus cucullatus has been immortalized thanks to a pile of bones found at this site and to a heap of legend. The bird is said to have lived on this isle, and only here, until 1681, when it was finally eaten into extinction. Its sole surviving vestige is a skeleton in the capital city's Natural History Museum.

While working in Mauritius as American consul two decades ago, I grew to see the dodo as a metaphor for the struggling ministate. Then newly independent from British rule, it had political, economic and social problems that balked its every effort to take off:

A skeleton of Mauritius’ emblematic dodo is displayed at Port Louis’ Natural History Museum.

Three centuries of Dutch, French and British colonial manipulation had stifled creative zeal and stirred conflicting visions in rival ethnic groups.

The island seemed to me then, and may always seem to outsiders, a sort of dream world spawned by the forces of nature to exemplify the good life. A make-believe place where dwelt the strange bird that could not fly. Yet the island was also the place about which Mark Twain wrote that God created Mauritius first, then modeled Heaven after it.

When I visited the island again this summer, I found Mauritian mystique intact, but much else dramatically changed. After a generation of flapping, the dodo had soared into flight.

The sugar economy around which all colonial life revolved, now largely mechanized, produces 600,000 tons of sugar a year. But government and people have launched other projects to make Mauritius a tiny tiger of prosperous enterprise.

An efficient freeport, export processing zone and offshore banking facilities supply billions of dollars' worth of upmarket clothing to the U.S. and Europe. Competing with giants like India and China, it ranks among the world's top knitwear manufacturers.

Mauritius is also poised to garner a proper share of the booming leisure-tourism market. About one-third of the island's 200 miles of bay-studded, reef-sheltered shoreline is tailored for tourists, a percentage that grows as new hotels and resorts come on line.

This summer, the Ministry of Tourism announced plans for adding 5,000 mostly upscale hotel rooms over five years; that plan would increase the present total by more than 50 percent.

There were about 600,000 tourists in 1999, more than half of them French. Only 3,345 U.S. tourists visited Mauritius last year.

During my visit, Minister of Tourism Jacques Chasteau de Balyon confided that Mauritius has been stepping up efforts to attract Americans. "We are playing a very high-class tourism," he said. "We don't want mass tourism."

Mauritians rightly worry that huge numbers of tourists might debase their tiny island's pristine beauty. The predominance of luxury hotels being launched lately may reflect this concern. Posh Radisson Plaza and Hilton resorts have opened in the past year.

In all, about 50 first-class hotels are located on the seaside, with room counts from 80 to 300. Chains include Sofitel, Oberoi and Meridien.

Mauritius' small size makes for keen awareness of environmental nuances, as well as risks. Over a locally brewed Phoenix beer, Franco-Mauritian architect Edouard Koenig reeled off differences that could affect tourist preference.

According to him, it all depends on what you are after.

"The island's north and west offer spectacular views of the setting sun," he ventured, "molten skies blending into the sea at the horizon. But the greater concentration of people in the north makes for a livelier ambience than on the rest of the coast."

Koenig said the east coast, besides being more tranquil, has the finest white sand beaches. As corollary, though, you see more rain in the rainy season and fewer glorious sunsets.

"For me the choice location is the southwest," he went on. "It's where our central plateau's highest peaks set the biggest river flowing to the ocean through the Black River Gorges, creating lush landscapes. The extreme southwest, where Le Morne mountain broods over some excellent resorts, may be the island's most enchanting place."

When I reminded him of the south coast, he said it can't be beat for wild solitude. Small villages and private villas are the rule, as the main highway veers inland from the ocean for quite a stretch. There are almost no swimming beaches or tourist havens.

The model distillery at Domaine Les Pailles turns out designer rums tinged with ginger, lime and other flavors.

Not far up the sloping motorway from Port Louis toward the central plateau is Domaine Les Pailles, on 4,000 acres of rolling savannah and tropical forest surrounded by sugar estates. Visitors are met at the gate by an 18th-century, horse-drawn Deauville caleche. And, if smiling Cyril Nicolas holds the reins of its purebred black Frisian draft horse, he might assure you that his horse "Be-ne likes Americans."

Guided nature hikes and excursions by Land Rover or horseback are conducted into the mountains on its eastern fringe. A 50-horse stable affords a wide choice of mounts.

There is also a full-scale model of the first sugar mill, built at Mahe de Labourdonnais' orders in about 1740 when the French were in their second century on the island. An enormous white ox tethered to a primitive sugarcane press plods patient circles, showing how the sweetness was extracted then. During Mauritius' sugar harvest from July to December, cane grown on the domain is pressed. A refining process ultimately produces rum.

I sampled herbs and spices grown on site that make masala, a curry that fires up local Indian and Creole dishes.

This was a perfect prelude to lunch at one of the domain's five restaurants, each offering Mauritian versions of cuisine ranging from Chinese to Creole.

Fifteenth- and 16th-century mariners who first visited Mauritius sailed into the large eastern bay at Vieux Grand Port. It's where the Dutch based their settlement and founded a nearby fishing village, now the city of Mahebourg. This bay remains today a center for deep-sea fishing.

If you would rather hunt deer than toss a line, try Le Domaine du Chasseur on the slopes of Lion Mountain above Vieux Grand Port.

Besides hunting, the domain offers guided nature walks and motor safaris that let visitors whisk around the picturesque terrain on 4X4's or ATV quad-bikes. There are mountainside cabins for rent.

Snorkeling, scuba-diving, fishing and other ocean sports flourish off the coast around the mouth of the Black River. Surfing is so terrific that the area hosts many international competitions. Deep water beyond the reef teems with marlin, dorado, sailfish and barracuda and has yielded world-record shark and bonito catches.

Le Touessrok’s offshore Ile aux Cerfs is one of Mauritius’ most beautiful beach retreats.

Mauritius has a rich history going back 500 years. A majority of its population are Hindu, Tamil and Muslim descendants of indentured laborers from the Indian subcontinent, imported in colonial days to work sugar fields. But influential communities of Africans, Chinese, Europeans and Creoles enrich the ethnic texture.

A majority of Mauritians are descended from sugarcane workers brought in during the colonial era; sugar production is still a major industry.

Travelers must savor the sega, the traditional island dance rooted in primitive rhythms of 18th-century African sugar field workers. Its beat is thumped on goat-skin tambourines called ravannes, accompanied by ringing triangles and rattling shakers of grain. Modern instruments may play along, and Creole lyrics add a sexy zest. Dancers tease one another by coming as close as they can without touching.

The sega belongs to Mauritians of all ethnic strains. Anil Sujeewan, my Indian driver for an outing the eve before I left, insisted it's his heritage as much as any Creole's. "When someone hears sega music," he said, "you can't just sit in your chair. You begin toe-tapping and got to raise up and start dancing too. It may go non-stop for an hour, more and more intense, but you got to keep dancing until the music stops."

Colorfully costumed dancers perform the sega at many resorts and hotels, and visitors can often join the shuffling and swaying. Or you may have a chance, as I did, to dance barefoot on a powdery sand beach, buoyed by moonglow and the throbbing surf. Don't try to resist.

- Jeff Corydon lives in Lutz.

IF YOU GO

GETTING THERE: Mauritius is 12,000 air miles from Tampa via Europe, nine hours later on the clock, so stay a week or two to make the trip worthwhile. Air France and British Airways fly direct to Mauritius from Paris and London. A good Tampa-Paris route is via Atlanta on Delta, Air France's Sky Team partner, as their frequent flier plans are linked.

Mauritius is more than 20 hours from Tampa by any route, so I spent a night at the Sheraton inside Charles de Gaulle Airport's Terminal 2. Air France's flights to Mauritius depart there.

If you fly Air France economy, consider upgrading to Alize status ($200 each way). You'll get express check-in, 20 pounds more baggage allowance, roomier seating, better meals and service and extra frequent flier points.

GETTING AROUND: A $250 refundable cash or credit card deposit gets wheels at the airport from Budget Rent a Car (one to two weeks at $50 a day). Book ahead at http://www.mauritius.net/budget or E-mail budget@mauritours.intnet.mu. A chauffeur costs $20 more per 8-hour day.

Traffic drives left, British style, and good road signs and maps are scarce. Unless you plan to roam a lot, you might better rent taxis by the hour or day.

Or consider one of many guided tours, such as MauriTours: call 011-230-465-7454; fax 011-230-454-1682; e-mail to mauritours@mauritours.intnet.mu; the Web site is http://www.mauritours.net. Along with group tours, the firm also offers private drivers and guides.

MTTB Travel Services, 011-230-208-2041, represents American Express in Mauritius. Its E-mail is mttbho@intnet.mu.

STAYING THERE: The larger hotels vary from medium to luxury in price and amenities. All give easy access to beaches and recreations. Most hotel rates include breakfast and dinner, but drinks and lunch are extra. Some worthy hotels:

Prince Maurice: Probably the most luxurious hotel on Mauritius, with 91 suites and villas. The atmosphere is quiet and elegant. The Web site is http://www.princemaurice.com.

Le Touessrok: The resort, owned by South Africa's Sun International, was called the best hotel in the Indian Ocean by British Conde Nast. It recently hosted Camilla Parker Bowles. Web site is http://www.touessrok.com.

Berjaya le Morne: The Singapore-owned hotel and casino has a secluded location at the southwest tip of the island; http://www.berjayaresorts.com.my.

Raddison: A new hotel that caters to business guests and tourists. Near the capital city of Port Louis; http://www.raddison.com.

Reserving via a travel agent can get packages or much better rates. You might find the best deals while transiting Paris. Many small hotels or beach bungalows with modest rates can be booked ahead by Internet or a travel agent.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: The most helpful book on the region is Lonely Planet's Mauritius, Reunion & Seychelles ($17.95). A new edition is due next year. Also impressive is the new Neos guide, Reunion Mauritius Seychelles (Michelin Travel Publications, $23.95). Spectrum Guide to Mauritius (Interlink Books, $23.95) offers a detailed overview of the island.

Also, contact the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority in Mauritius, 011-230-208-6397; http://www.mauritius.net.

My Electronic Dodo provides tourist information at http://www.myeldo.com/index2b.htm (click "Information Services", then "Guide Pratique").

The Mauritian Embassy is at 4301 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.; call (202) 244-1491

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