Sports in Mauritius

Like in any other place, sports are of primordial importance in the life of Mauritians in terms of the health benefits that they provide as well as the role that they play in maintaining social peace. The Ministry of Youth and Sports is the responsible body for the promotion of sports on the island as well as providing all the necessary infrastructures. Though a small remote island, sportsmen and women in Mauritius have been to international games such as the Olympic games and one of the local, Bruno Julie, even got the bronze medal in boxing in 2008 (Beijing).

Physical education is crucial in Mauritius and it is a compulsory part of the educational system during the whole of secondary education. All secondary schools thus have facilities such as football and volleyball grounds for sports practice. The youngsters are thus made to enjoy sports as from an early age and they even go further as to represent the island in regional games. Amongst the sports practised in Mauritius are the common ones such as football, volleyball, badminton, boxing, athletics, swimming, handball, tennis, basketball, wrestling etc.

For tourists, Mauritius provides an excellent setting for land sports. What could be more exciting than trekking in the beautiful forests surrounded by nature and the call of birds! Or even better, lashing after your preys over hunting lands amongst the endemic trees rifles in hand! The experience of golfing in Mauritius is indeed an unforgettable one given the natural surroundings of white beaches and blue waters. For horse lovers, the sugarcane fields, green meadows and sandy beaches provide a wonderful platform to enjoy your strolls.

No one can deny the fact that water sports in Mauritius is one of a kind; it is next to impossible to refuse the call of the sea while sojourning on the island. A broad spectrum of these sports are available on the island ranging from free swimming, diving, snorkelling, scuba diving to underwater walks, kayaking, catamaran sailing, parasailing, kite surfing, water ski. They can be practised either individually or as part of a hotel package.

Most common sports worldwide can be practised on the island; the choice is up to you. While some of them may depend on current weather conditions such as golfing others can be practised at all times. So even if you are far away from home, rest assured that you will not miss on your usual sport on the island!