Nicholas2021年11月

For your first days (or weeks – or months!) in Mauritius, you MUST stay at one of the Babooa family’s properties! (You will then appreciate how much cleaner, friendlier, and more attentive the family is compared to anywhere else you will stay on the island.) And if you are a beach person, no worries as they are close to a variety of them, and understand that Mauritius’ best beaches -- like Benares -- are the small, secluded coves where there are no AirBnBs or other rentals near anyway.) I stayed at their Octagon apartment (on the second floor – aka for non-Americans that's the story above the ground floor – of their home, and it has a separate entrance and direct access to the roof – plus a second entry directly into the garden too). It is a GREAT location, very practical, and they are the most helpful people on the island (with the best Internet you can hope for here too -- it helps one of their sons is a programmer too -- especially when combined with a cheap local SIM card for when you are out and about). You are a few minutes by bicycle to Mahebourg or several minutes to Blue Bay – and just a few minutes walk to either of the towns’ best grocery stores/malls, the-ok-London Way and the modern-King Savers). Parking is safe and secure (this is rarer than you would expect to find on the island), and you are in a nice, new residential area surrounded by local professionals and a scattering of non-retarded long-term expats. Even if you plan on spending 3-times as much for one of the beachfront AirBnBs on the island, start with their (non-beachfront) Octagon apartment as it is in the best local area (as the southeast – Mahebourg/Beau Vallon/Blue Bay – is the best corner of the island) and then upon arriving do your due diligence on the beach front properties you see advertised everywhere to avoid disappointments and all the scams that abound (especially all the poor quality, high-priced options on the north/Grand Baie tourist-hell part of the island). Of the apartment’s four balconies/patios, the roof top with octagon-shaped gazebo is a great place to have your lunch with a view of the mountains and sea. Also, if you or your kids want to play with their uber-friendly dogs in their enclosed garden (which is fabulous) that’s a plus too – and if you aren’t a dog person, no problem as your entrance area is separated by gates from the dog area. Other thoughts: The morning the new shower sprung a leak, Dev had it fixed before lunch … a/c works better than good, but a fan was sufficient for me (might be different in the high summer) … they even provided a salad spinner when I asked (and had other random kitchen items whenever I needed one) … Dev’s a retired cop so you can be sure this is the safest spot in the neighborhood … Dev and Nell are always having friends/family visit the island so they know a lot of the tourist tips and tricks to save you a few bucks and a ton of time … I think I would not have enjoyed Mauritius if not for the Babooa family.