Grand Bassin sits in the crater of an extinct volcano, high on the central plateau of Mauritius, and it is the holiest place on the island for Hindus. The lake has a quiet, dark look, and around it stand temples, shrines and, towering above the shore, a huge statue of Shiva that was put up in the 2000s. Close by is another statue of the goddess Durga. The place is also called Ganga Talao, and the story goes that in the early 1970s a priest dreamed that the lake was linked with the sacred Ganges, and water carried from India was poured into it. Since then pilgrims have come in numbers, above all at Maha Shivaratri in February or March, when many walk from all over the island in white, carrying decorated wooden frames on their shoulders.
For a rider, the road up from the lowlands is a pleasure. The tarmac twists through sugar cane, then through forest and small villages, with the air getting cooler as you gain height. Nothing is steep for long, but the bends are many and the surface changes from smooth to patched. The area around the lake gets busy at weekends and during festivals, when the road fills with pilgrims on foot, and the parking by the temple can be tight for a motorcycle. Be patient and careful around the walkers.
Dress as you would for a temple: shoulders and knees covered if you go in, shoes off at the temple doors. Visitors are welcome, and the atmosphere is calm, scented with incense and flowers, and punctuated by the cries of the macaques that have claimed the place as theirs. Do not carry food in the open, and do not carry anything you do not want stolen from your hand. The monkeys are quick and fearless.
Grand Bois, five kilometres away, and Chemin Grenier, a bit farther, have pumps and shops. The surrounding hills are part of the Black River Gorges area, and the damp forest is home to endemic plants and a few rare birds. Come in the morning, when the mist hangs on the water and the light is soft, and you will understand why people walk for a day to reach it.