This is the exotic honeymoon that you’ve always dreamed of - visiting the pearls of the Indian Ocean is like vacationing on what could be the lost islands of Atlantis with pristine blue waters, exotic fruits, flora, fauna and underwater creatures off quiet beaches blanketed with white sand. If you’re looking for something exotic, far, far away from the day to day of home, visit the top two treasures of the western Indian Ocean, off the coasts of East Africa and Madagascar.
The Seychelles
UNESCO declared the forests of the Coco de Mer, an erotic looking fruit (indigenous to this group of islands alone) a heritage site. The matured fruit resembles the sensual and distinct shape of a woman’s buttocks. Romance seekers and honeymooners from around the world swear by the romantic effects of the Coco D’amour, the sweet liquor made of the coco milk and bottled in the shape of the indigenous fruit.
The Creole Republic of Seychelles, reportedly first inhabited by pirates, is a virtual Garden of Eden made up of 155 islands off the eastern shores of Africa. With its collection of granite and coral islands, romantic and relaxing beaches, and its tropical landscape, this island is an ideal honeymoon and holiday destination. Besides January and February, where the island experiences the rainy season, the nations of Seychelles is an ideal place to visit any time of the year with its temperate low of 24 degrees Celsius to a high of 32.
Made up of inner islands and outer islands, the inner islands house the many varieties of accommodations from self-catering bungalows and guesthouses to spa and luxury resorts. Still, with all the tourism and growing population, the island feels untouched by growing consumerism. From the capital city of Victoria, honeymooners can rent a car and drive along the pristine coasts of the inner islands or island hop using the well-established ferry system. Or, lovebirds might prefer to enjoy a day of sailing or snorkeling in the coral reefs, and gliding across talcum powder beaches in the evenings.
With African, Creole, European, and Asian origins, one can see their influences in the food, language, culture and architecture.
For more information visit: www.seychelles.travel
Mauritius
Travel just a few hours south by plane by Air Seychelles or Air Mauritius to another beautiful and vibrant island off the coast of Madagascar. Mauritius is an exotic island with miles and miles of white sandy beaches, surrounded by coral reefs and covered with impressive mountains. Slightly more budget-friendly than the islands of Seychelles, Mauritius is one main and large island with a few smaller landforms within its boundaries: Rodrigues, famous for its Festival Kreol (at end of October), Agalega Islands and Saint Brandon.
The island’s history is steeped in trade and plantation culture: the first peoples to arrive on the island were Arab merchants. Later, Dutch and French colonialism helped to shape the population with the introduction of sugar plantations and the import of labor workers form India, Africa, and China. Today, the vibrant architecture and the equally vibrant food is a reflection of these Hindu, Islamic, African and Asian influences. It is not uncommon to walk into a restaurant and hear four or more languages spoken by most people in the area or see foods ranging from Creole to Chinese tastes. In the evenings, honeymooners can enjoy these spicy foods listening the sounds of Sega music with drums, descended from African slaves.
Though the interesting architecture, food and culture might be good enough reasons to visit the island, the incredible landscape also begs to be noticed. The dramatic views of Mont la Montagne du Rempart, and its sister mountains, Mont les Trios Mammelles, the Tamarine Waterfalls with its freshwater pool below – are just a few of the incredible motivations to get some good honeymoon hiking in on the island.
For more information, visit: www.mauritius.com
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