The Gorgeous East: Bois Cheri Tea factory, Rhumerie St-Aubin, Mahebourg & Lunch

Begin your 8 hours tour with a hotel pick-up at your accommodation anywhere in Mauritius. You will meet & be greeted by our guide and after boarding to your comfortable vehicle, then set off for your first stop. Firstly, you'll head to the Bois Chéri Tea factory. A guide will lead you through the factory & the tea plantation, offering you to discover the history, stories, and tales of the Bois Chéri and the importance of tea productions in Mauritius. After the guided tour of the tea factory, you will visit the tea production museum learning more about the history of tea in Mauritius. The Bois Chéri offers a great panoramic view of the south of the island. Nowadays Bois Chéri produces a new range of flavored teas, green teas & herbal teas. You may taste them during your visit.

Then heading to discovering the Rhumerie St Aubin. Set in a charming colonial house, exhibiting tropical and traditional vibes, The Rhumerie de St Aubin Distillery will have you learn all you need to know about Rum making on paradise island. You will get to enjoy a boozily delicious rum tasting session, discovering the different flavors of rum the distillery manufactures. Freshverde holidays offer you to enjoy a visit to the Rhumerie de St-Aubin & having a guided tour with one of the experienced guides who will take you behind the scenes to provide a detailed explanation of the rum-making process while you visit the distillery. You can enjoy a quaint visit and rum tasting. Highlights: - Visit the Rum House and Tasting - Guided tour of the Sugar Factory - Visit of La Vieille Cheminée du Domaine de Saint Aubin - Visit the vanilla house - Visit the Anthurium Greenhouse - Visit the tropical botanical garden and spice garden at Saint Aubin - The Mini Farm of Domaine de Saint Aubin

After some time, you'll be heading to visit the Natural bridge. You simply cannot miss out on this opportunity to witness the power of nature. A simple visit and we can understand why. Be prepared to be amazed by how nature can be powerful. The name itself suggests it, Pont Naturel, which literally means natural bridge, is famous because of the natural bridge formed by the powerful waves crashing against the rocks that once stood as a wall and hence created a bridge. The bridge is supported by hanging cliffs on the left and right and offers spectacular views. You can cross the bridge but caution is advised as it is a bridge fully formed by rocks only hence it is very rugged, you can also be splashed by drops of water with the incoming waves. We definitely recommend a visit to Pont Naturel, bring your camera and wait patiently for the waves crashing against the rocks which make for breathtaking pictures. The green landscape around does not disappoint either!

Afterward, you'll head to a local restaurant to savor a 3-course lunch comprising Fresh Salads, Rice, Soups, chicken, fish & vegetables Then, head to Mahebourg to visit the National History Museum of Mauritius, which will take you into a historical journey of the island dating back to the 18th century. The Naval Museum of Mauritius contains the reminiscences of the French colonial empire. The interesting aspects of the Naval Museum lie not solely in its collection of exhibits, but also in its history as a building. It is worthwhile to see both the exterior of the building & the different exhibitions. In addition, you will also get to see exquisite artifacts of many other ships' wrecks. Some bones of an extinct species of Giant Tortoises & of the Dodo are displayed at the museum. These bones bear testimony to their existence until some few hundred years back.

After some time, visit Mahebourg waterfront to know about the Culture and History of Mauritius which is very interesting. Located in the traditional Mauritian Village, the new Mahebourg Waterfront is ideal for a relaxing walk as well as a journey back in time taking part in the local Mauritian history! You will get the chance to see and learn more about the epic battle that was fought in this region. There is also the memorial known as Bataille de le Passe that pays homage to the fighters who lost their lives in the battle. You will get to see the panoramic view where the battle took place.

Then head to the mahebourg local market, is a spectacular sight for those who wish to experience the lively local culture. You will find amazing products here at a great bargain.The Mahebourg market was initially focusing on silks and textiles, but today you are sure to find a large variety of World of Seashells on offer. The market offers typical market products such as vegetables, fruits for the surrounding locals but also a wide variety of local handicrafts and souvenirs of the paradise island. One thing we surely advise you not to miss is the food. At the Mahebourg Market, you will have a large selection of food such as Briyani, Dholl Puri (lentils pancakes), Chinese Noodles or the very famous Gato Pima (fritter made with split pea). They make up for a delicious street food tasting, don’t worry we won’t tattle to your diet!

On the way, we will go to to visit the Frederick Hendrick Museum. The Frederik Henrik Museum is a historical site which at present bears the remnants of the first human settlement in Mauritius. Located at Old Grand Port, this place is considered a historical site bearing witness to the Dutch and French colonial settlements in Mauritius, on the coast of south east Mauritius. The very first inhabitants of Mauritius, the Dutch, settled here to colonize the island. The museum is surrounded by a luxuriant tropical garden, includes a visitors’ centre with an exhibition of artifacts found during archaeological excavations in the area since 1997 and the remains of some ruins. They consist of building materials: stones, bricks, nails; military objects like musket balls, cannon balls, flint stones and many other interesting utilities.

Pointe Canon is an interesting place to go to have a nice overview of the different sites surrounding Mahebourg. You will see the imposing Lion Mountain that overlooks the sugar cane fields, Mouchoir Rouge islet, facing the waterfront, and Ile aux Aigrettes further north, a small protected island located in the lagoon and which is also a nature reserve. Pointe Canon is the place where the inhabitants of the region meet during events such as regattas and the commemoration of the abolition of slavery celebrations in February. You will see the panoramic view of the South East and the ocean. After a long day at exploring, your East full-day adventurous tour ends with return transport to your hotel.