Cozy, small and paradisiac – these three words best describe the new Adults Only Boutique Hotel SALT of Palmar. In this post you find my hotel review of the SALT of Palmar in Mauritius with all the details of our stay. Scroll down to find out if the hotel is the right choice for you!

My Hotel Review of the SALT of Palmar, Mauritius

Location & Arrival

The SALT is located in Palmar, at the Belle Mare beach. Here you can enjoy a fine sandy beach, snorkeling opportunities and a gorgeous view of the sunrise.

Located on the northern east coast, about 48 km from the airport, the drive to the hotel took us roughly an hour after picking up our rental car. Another option is to take a driver. However, having your own car in Mauritius is very worthwhile as the island is very large and there is plenty to explore!

→ Here you can find my post with the best things to do & see in Mauritius!

After arriving at the hotel, we were not only welcomed with a welcome drink, but also with a short and relaxing meditation with the feet in the sand, which I found very soothing after the long flight.

The Rooms at the SALT of Palmar

With only 59 rooms, the SALT is a small and cozy boutique hotel. From the inside, the rooms look almost all the same – there are no suites. They are each designed for two people, with a double bed, large closet, open bathroom with separate toilet, and a balcony. There are also great details like tea, coffee, snacks and hot chocolate, a beach bag awaits you in the room, a yoga mat and a welcome card. The only difference between the room categories is the location as well as the view:

The hotel’s design is reminiscent of a Moroccan riad with a pool in the courtyard. As a result, the room either have Pool View (with the sea directly behind), Beach View, or Garden View. Without question, the Beach View offers the best view and the most privacy. Especially on the first floor, you feel particularly close to the ocean. The Pool View also has its charms, but I would make sure not to stay on the ground floor, because further up you can also see the sea and not directly look at the pool deck chairs. The Garden View refers to the rooms at the back of the building, which is why they are also very quiet, but sometimes look out onto the parking lot.

Overall, the rooms are not ultra luxurious, but top modern, cozy and with “beach house feeling”. On a very positive note, the water in the room is offered in recycled glass bottles. Both sparkling and still water. Amenities such as shower gel, shampoo and conditioner are also offered in refillable containers, which saves a lot of plastic waste.

→ Book your room at the SALT of Palmar here!

The concept of the SALT of Palmar

SALT is a new brand of LUX* Collective, of which SALT of Palmar is the first and so far the only hotel worldwide. The concept of SALT are boutique hotels for adults, which offer the ideal starting point to explore the respective destination and at the same time a relaxed and quiet retreat. Furthermore, the focus is on sustainability as well as supporting the local community.

In fact, I felt and enjoyed this vibe immediately upon our arrival. The hotel exudes a certain lightness. Be it the Moroccan-inspired design, the friendly staff or the palm trees blowing in the wind and the blue sea – the feel-good factor at SALT is remarkable!

Pool & Beach

In the courtyard of the complex is the heart of the hotel: the pool, bar and restaurant. The courtyard is U-shaped, with one side open to the sea and the pool facing the beach. There are a few sun loungers and beds by the pool and many more on the beach. Unfortunately, it was the case here – as in almost all beach hotels worldwide – that most guests spread their belongings out on the pool loungers early in the morning, reserving them for the entire day. But on the beach you could still find a quiet place even in the afternoon.

The sandy beach is very fine and flows into a shallow lagoon, which is suitable for snorkeling, as well as kayaking and stand up paddle. The equipment can be used free of charge.
There is no need to be afraid of strong currents on this side of the island, as the swell is very calm. In the early morning, the hotel beach is the best place on the entire island to admire the sunrise while dreaming in a hammock.

I liked the drinking water station, where you can get still and sparkling water day and night. I find this very important! In other hotels there is often only one bottle of water available per day, which is much too little in sunny weather. In the SALT, however, you stay well hydrated throughout the day.

SALT Equilibrium Spa

The spa area SALT Equilibrium of the boutique hotel is very small and clearly arranged, but definitely worth a visit. In accordance with the name, salt is the focus of the treatments and care products here. For example, you can choose from umpteen different types of salt for a scrub. There’s also a salt room, which is supposed to be health-giving for the respiratory tract and in which it’s so relaxing that I fell right asleep.

There is no gym, but there is a fitness trainer on site who offers outdoor sessions. For example, yoga or kickboxing on the beach or a round of beach volleyball in the afternoon. Thanks to the yoga mats in the room, you can also work out or meditate at any time.

Breakfast & Restaurant

The Good Kitchen

Due to the compact size of the hotel and the small number of guests, there is only one restaurant at SALT, which offers an à la carte menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Good Kitchen is internationally inspired, but with a focus on local ingredients, and there’s a good selection of vegan dishes. For breakfast, a small buffet is added to the menu, which includes pastries from the in-house bakery SALT Bakery.

I absolutely loved the breakfast as it was better than any buffet in other hotels. There are numerous dishes on the menu from Açai Bowl to classic Eggs Benedict. A booking rate including breakfast is therefore highly recommended. The lunch menu was also top. Only for dinner we ordered pizza and pasta on the first day, which were solid in taste, but did not “knock our socks off”.

For our second evening, the SALT organized a private dinner for us on the beach, which was beautiful: under a gazebo in the sand, with the gentle waves right in front of us. The highlight of the meal was the homemade chocolate cake with liquid heart! By far the best lava cake we have ever eaten.

Bars

The main bar is located by the pool and offers a great selection of drinks. We were even invited to participate in a cocktail class, during which we created our own drink. Especially before dinner, we found it nice to enjoy a cocktail at the beach. Although you don’t look directly at the sunset on the east side of the island, the sky is still colored in orange and pink tones.

Additionally, there is a rooftop bar on top of the building that offers a great view. This was accessible during our two-day stay, but the bar was not open on either evening. Therefore, we took drinks from the pool bar upstairs to enjoy the view anyway. Normally, the bar should be open from late afternoon – otherwise the hotel misses a great opportunity for a sundowner cocktail for guests.

My Review of our stay at the SALT of Palmar in Mauritius

Pure relaxation and letting your soul dangle. Whether you want to relax all day in the sun or use the SALT as a starting point for exploration – I can highly recommend the hotel. The price-performance ratio here is more than just very good! The SALT is very affordable compared to other hotels in Mauritius and at the same time offers a great 5-star experience!

Both the design, the location, the breakfast, and the service delighted us!

The SALT is not an ultra luxury resort – but we did not miss that at any point. The focus is much more on carefreeness and tranquility, in a paradisiacal ambience. This makes the SALT a great choice for couples or friends who want to enjoy a break from everyday life.

→ Book your stay at the SALT of Palmar here!

We had a sponsored stay at the SALT of Palmar in Mauritius, but this does not affect my opinion and review about the hotel.

Mauritius – A wild island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, not far from Madagascar on the East Coast of Africa.

If you are one of those travelers who like to combine their beach vacations with adventures, wild life & hikes, then Mauritius is the ideal destination for your next vacation!

We’ve traveled the island already three times and in this post I will tell you my most favorite places, which you must not miss on Mauritius! In addition, you will find in this post my personal travel tips for Mauritius, advice on things to do in Mauritius and a map with the most beautiful places & attractions on the island.

The best things to do in Mauritius with map & travel tips

When is the best time to travel to Mauritius?

When autumn begins in my home country Germany, Mauritius is slowly entering summer, which brings sunny warm temperatures.

But even the winter (May to October) Mauritius is worth a visit, because the temperatures do not fall below 20-23 degrees Celsius. A plus point of winter on Mauritius is that you will meet far fewer tourists, as well as benefit from low hotel prices.

During the gliding periods between summer and winter, it is usually a bit windy on the coast, which means that it can quickly get chilly, especially in the evening. A light jacket and a sweater should therefore definitely be in your luggage!

How many days are ideal for Mauritius?

To explore the island, do some hiking, discover beaches and still have time to relax, 7 to 10 days are ideal. This period is enough to enjoy the most beautiful places and sights on Mauritius at a leisurely pace. It also will allow you enough time for all the tings to do on Mauritius. However, you can also add more days to your itinerary if you want to unwind a little longer.

How to get to Mauritius?

From Europe you can fly with Air Mauritius from Paris to Mauritius in about 11 hours. Another popular hub is Istanbul: Turkish Airlines flies about 10 hours from the Turkish capital to the African island.

With Condor, Mauritius can be reached directly from Germany, but the airline is clearly not one of my favorites in terms of comfort, which is why I like to avoid long flights with Condor.

The trip to Mauritius is long, but it is worth it!

Book your stay in Mauritius

The best places to visit in Mauritius

The most beautiful waterfalls

Chamarel Waterfall

One of the easiest waterfalls to reach, which offers a breathtaking view, is the Chamarel Waterfall in the Chamarel Geopark. From the parking lot you will only need to climb a few steps to reach the viewpoint. The 83m high Chamarel Waterfall is the highest waterfall on Mauritius and plunges down a cliff into the abyss surrounded by spectacular scenery.

Unlike other waterfalls on Mauritius, you can’t swim in this one, but it’s worth a visit just for the view.

An entrance fee of 500 MRS (Mauritius Rupees) / 11 Euros must be paid for Chamarel Park, but this also includes other well-known sights in Mauritius, which are located in the park. Among those is the Seven Colored Earths – This is the name of the colorful hilly landscape, which looks as if it came from another planet. It was created thanks to the volcanic activity of Mauritius several million years ago. Over time, the warm and humid weather eroded the basaltic rock, creating the unique shape and color of the Seven Colored Earth.

You can also see a small group of Aldabra tortoises, which are originally from the Seychelles and were settled in Mauritius in 1880 after the native tortoises were unfortunately wiped out. 

Tamarind Falls

Among the most impressive waterfalls in Mauritius are without a doubt the Tamarind Waterfalls – also called 7 Cascades. A powerful stream of water, plunges on several levels into different water basins and creating a total of seven small to impressively large waterfalls. While it is possible to hike down and up all the pools, it would take an entire day. However, there is a popular loop trail which starts at the highest of the seven falls. The trail takes you to a total of five of the Tamarind Falls and there are several places where you can swim. I marked the starting point on the map, which you can find at the end of this post. For me, this is one of the best things to do in Mauritius, which you must not miss.

→ Explore the Tamarind waterfall with a guide & book your tour here

→ Mauritius Waterfall Tips by my Followers:

Gris Gris Waterfall

Very close to Gris Gris beach (more on that below), you’ll find the hidden and lesser known Gris Gris waterfall, which most tourists miss because they don’t know of its existence! (Which, by the way, includes us. We didn’t get the tip until after we left).

To find this secret spot on Mauritius, follow the path along the Gris Gris cliffs while keeping the ocean on your right. You will reach a clearing between the trees, from where you can already hear the sound of the water.

Cascade 500 Pieds

1.5 hour loop trail, starting at Alexandra Falls View Point in Black River Gorges National Park.

The most impressive hikes in Mauritius:

Among the best things to do in Mauritius is definitely the hiking. You will have the chance to explore so many beautiful locations. 

Le Pouce

The most beautiful hike for me in Mauritius, was the trail to the top of Le Pouce, which means “The Thumb”. The mountain is with its 808 m height, the third highest elevation on Mauritius.

The path to Le Pouce begins moderately and initially leads through a forest until you have pushed through the treetops. Here you are already rewarded with great views.

Follow the path for about an hour and shortly before the summit you will meet a small monkey family that lives here and curiously eyes hikers.

Only the last little bit involves a bit of climbing, but it’s worth the effort. On the summit you get an indescribable panoramic view of the coast as well as the surrounding impressive mountains. It was, for me, the most beautiful view, which we were allowed to see in Mauritius!

With sturdy shoes, a good profile and if you are relatively athletic, the climb, even on the last meters, is no problem. We even encountered a family with a daughter of about 13 years, who made it to the top without any problems.

But even if you prefer to skip the last meters of climbing, the hike is well worth it!

Le Morne Brabant

Climbing the 555 meters up to the basalt monolith on the Le Morne peninsula is high on many travelers’ to-do list for Mauritius. But the hike is a tricky one..

For the ascent and descent for Le Morne Brabant you should plan about 3 hours, whereby the first hour uphill is unproblematic and with a moderate climb.

But after the “South West Viewpoint” the most difficult part begins, where a sign “Dangerous Climbing” warns. From here follows intense steep climbing, without any protection. Especially on the way back, the path is very slippery due to scree and should only be covered with a very good shoe profile and by climbers in good physical condition.

We decided against the ascent of the last piece, because it was already shortly before sunset and we only wore sneakers without much profile. Next time we will be better prepared.

However, we did have our drone flying and the view from the “South West Viewpoint” was already great.

For children and older people, I would recommend the hike to Le Morne Brabant only up to this penultimate viewpoint before the difficult part starts afterwards.

→ Mauritius Hiking tip by my Followers:

La Tourelle du Tamarin

For a unique view of the lagoon and the striking Le Morne Brabant, I was recommended the hike to La Tourelle du Tamarin by a follower from Mauritius. We’ll make up for that next time!

The best beaches in Mauritius

Among the best things to do in Mauritius is sometimes simply to do nothing at all. Visit a beautiful beach and relax for the day.  

Le Morne Beach

The beach around the Le Morne peninsula is one of the most beautiful ones in Mauritius: white sandy beach, a shallow entry into the water and a breathtaking view of the sunset.

There is a public “Public Beach”, but in Mauritius all beaches must be open to the public – even if they are right next to a resort. Therefore, you can walk along the water until you find a nice spot. We especially liked the area in front of the resort “LUX Le Morne”.

During a boat or catamaran tour, it is worth taking a detour to the turquoise lagoon in front of Le Morne. It resembles an aquarium with starfish and colorful fish, which makes it ideal for snorkeling. The best spots are in front of the Beachcomber Golf Resort and around the famous Crystal Rock – a mushroom-shaped coral rock that juts out of the water.

Flic en Flac

Also a great white sand beach with a shallow and calm lagoon. You can also see the iconic Le Morne Brabant in the background, which looks exceptionally beautiful in photos. We stayed at Sugar Beach Resort on this beach (a detailed hotel review of the resort will follow soon) and enjoyed every moment!

→ Mauritius Beach recommendations by my Followers:

• Mon Choisy
• Pereybere Beach in the North of the island
• Blue Bay in the South
• Gris Gris & Roche qui Pleure in the South, which are not suitable for swimming, but for great drone shots. The high waves rush with an impressive force onto the reef, which makes for a great sight.

Tours and places you can’t miss during your Mauritius trip:

I would not want to finish my Article without showing you the best things to do in Mauritius and the most exciting activities. Everyone offers a unique experience and a lifelong memory. 

Attending a Dolphin or Whale Tour

In the waters around Mauritius, dolphins and sperm whales can be seen all year round. A tour to swim with the gentle giants is therefore an unforgettable experience, which you must not miss on your trip to Mauritius.

Between July and November you even have the chance to meet the impressive humpback whales.

Unfortunately, not all providers offer tours that are pleasant for both humans and animals. We have not experienced it ourselves, but learned from a follower that some packed boats probably race without consideration in the dolphin schools.

We therefore opted for → this private tour which is both animal-friendly and unforgettable for the participants. Vitamin Sea only offers private excursions to guarantee an individual experience. Although the tours starts during sunrise, it is worth getting up early. At this time there are no other boats in the lagoon and the dolphins are most active. 

While the sun was slowly rising, we encountered the first larger school of spinner dolphins, but they still seemed sleepy and wanted to have their rest, which is why we did not jump into the water, but we kept a lookout for another school! With success: A little later we discovered a small group of bottlenose dolphins, which were very playful and romped with us through the water.

It was an unforgettable experience to see the animals up close and hear how they communicate under water.

I highly recommend this animal friendly private tour! It was one of the best moments of our trip and I think will be the best thing to do in Mauritius for anyone visiting this beautiful island. 

→ Book the same tour here!

La Vallée des Couleurs Nature Park

Should you not have perfect beach weather during your trip to Mauritius, or are simply longing for adventures and adrenaline, then I can highly recommend La Valle des Couleurs. No matter if you’re young or old, this nature park has thrilled everyone we’ve met. On several ziplines, suspension bridges and co. you can enjoy the island from a whole new angle and conquer your fear of heights. The highlight of the park is the 1.5-kilometer-long zipline, to which you are attached at the back of your body and thus get a feeling of flying. It is the third longest zipline in the world! You can also explore waterfalls, ride on off road quads through the rainforest and see the 23-colored earth that gives the park its name. It is created in the same way as the one in Chamarel Park, but is more colorful and impressive in my opinion.

Cost:

• Admission adults: 400 RS / 8 EUR
• The various attractions such as ziplines or quads must be booked separately and can be booked either as a single attraction or discounted package → Check out the activities & prices here!

Diving

Mauritius is a popular diving and snorkeling destination. So if you already have your diving license (or even plan to do it in Mauritius?) nothing stands in the way of an adventure in the depths. There are even sunken shipwrecks which can be explored. We ourselves went diving at Belle Mare Plage beach with the Blues Diving Center at Constance Resort and dove through canyons of coral in the so called “Aquarium”. The diving center is PADI licensed and also open to guests who are not staying at the resort.

Visiting the Chamarel Rum Distillery

Driving around the island you will see numerous fields where sugar cane is grown. From this not only sugar can be produced, but also a worldwide popular spirit: rum!

A visit to a rum distillery belongs without a doubt on your travel list for Mauritius! There is only one distillery that still produces its rum traditionally from fresh sugar cane and does not use industrial molasses: At the Chamarel Rum Distillery, you can experience up close how the noble drop is produced in different stages.

Tours are offered every hour and cost 439 MUR / 10 euros per adult. This includes a tasting of seven rums and the ticket fee is consumable (discounted from your restaurant bill) afterwards in the restaurant, which belongs to the distillery.

Black River Gorges National Park

The largest protected forest on Mauritius is the Black River Gorges National Park, through which meanders more than 50km of trails, as well as the dark Black River. The forests with ancient ebony trees provide refuge for numerous bird species, wild boar, monkey colonies and deer. You can get a great view of the area from the Gorges Viewpoint lookout.

During our last visit we made a discovery: if you stand at the Gorges viewpoint and look to the right, you will see a marked path that leads into the forest. Follow this path for about 10 minutes until you reach a water stream. On this you can carefully walk downstream on the large stones for about 50 meters and then arrive at the beginning of an impressive waterfall. There is no safety here, so this little detour is not suitable for children and you should be extremely careful, as the stones can be slippery due to the water. However, the endless view into the Black River National Park is spectacular!

A helicopter flight over Mauritius

Unfortunately, we missed this experience on Mauritius, because we did not take care of it early enough: A helicopter flight over the striking landscape of Mauritius and to the “underwater waterfall” in front of the Le Morne peninsula.

Although the flights are very expensive, they are already booked up several days in advance. Therefore, it is worthwhile to look for an appointment at the beginning of your trip or already at home. There are numerous providers, which, however, hardly differ from the tours and prices.

Saving tips:

– You will save money if you book a helicopter flight for four people, because the third and fourth person only pays a small surcharge. Therefore, it is worth organizing a trip together with family members or friends.

– A cheaper alternative to the helicopters are sightseeing flights with a seaplane over Mauritius. However, due to the price, these are usually booked out even earlier.

→ Book your helicopter flight here!

I recommend to book your tour in advance to save a spot!

Visit the Flacq Market

The best market in Mauritius for souvenir shopping or just to marvel is the Flacq Market in the east of the island. It is much less touristy than the larger market in Port Louis. The market sells everything from vegetables and spices to jewelry and clothing! The market is very popular with locals, which is why you will have an authentic experience here!

Port Louis

During our third visit to Mauritius, we finally managed to visit the capital Port Louis. A total of almost 160,000 people from different cultural backgrounds live in the vibrant city. This is clearly reflected in the cityscape, as well as in the culinary offerings. Therefore, we booked a → tasting tour to explore Port Louis with our eyes as well as through our taste buds. We visited various street food stalls, as well as the Grand Market, where you can find all kinds of food, textiles, souvenirs and much more!

→ Book your Port Louis tasting tour here

Mauritius is not a typical vacation island, where there is nothing to see besides white beaches and blue water. You can find so much more! Besides its dream beaches, Mauritius has so much to offer that even after three trips to the island, we still have places and activities on our list. With its diverse landscape, Mauritius offers a huge variety of activities that guarantee an eventful trip!

I hope this post with the best places to visit and things to do in Mauritius helps you planning your own unforgettable adventure.
On my Instagram profile you can also find my Mauritius Story Highlight Part 1 and 2, in which you can experience all the moments up close. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me in the comments or send me a message on Instagram.

Map with the best places to visit in Mauritius:

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