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This idyll of white sand beaches, shallow lagoons, coral reefs, cane fields and forested mountains is a land so beautiful that even that most cynical of travellers, Mark Twain, thought it the model for paradise. The 'crossroads' history of the island makes for an enchanting blend of cultures, religions and cuisine, and more energetic holidaymakers will enjoy the array of land and watersports, including superb golf and scuba diving.

Mauritius highlights

The amazing golf, including an immaculate, breathtaking championship course at Ile Aux Cerfs, a private tropical island on the east coast, and the Gymkhana Club in the verdant heart of Mauritius, oldest and still one of the best courses on the island, dating back over a century and formerly run by the British Navy.

The supremely beautiful Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens, with 200-year-old palms and huge water lilies.

The stunning beach and cosmopolitan town of Flic-en-Flac.

Geography & General Inforamtion

Mauritius is a volcanic island situated in the Indian Ocean far off the west coasts of Madagascar, by 20.30 degrees South and 57 degrees East. Mauritius is part of the "Macarena" islands Its area is of 2,040 Km2 and is surrounded by coral reefs and lagoons..

With a population of 1,200,000, Mauritius is an over-populated island with inhabitants from several origins.

The economy, relying on sugar and textiles exports, and now on the tourism industry, is healthy as compared to the majority of African countries but with a low growth rate. The infrastructures are fairly developed with good roads and telephone network. The electricity and water supplies are less reliable. Mauritius is a reliable and safe destination, well organised to receive the average 800,000 visitors yearly.

 

Language

Creole language, a simplified mix of French with English, is the common language linking all the communities together. Otherwise, French is widely spoken but the official language is English. In many homes and among peers, different Indian or Chinese dialects are spoken.

Climate

Mauritius has a tropical climate with more rain in summer than in winter. Generally hot (27 to 37 °C in summer) and very humid (above 80 %) with a high rainfall, Mauritius has microclimates; the high grounds are cooler (av. 22oC) and much wetter (5,000 mm / year) than the coastal regions (1,000 mm / year).

Tropical cyclones occur in the warmest months of December to March. These very months are where the climate is fine for holidaymakers staying near the sea but can be very uncomfortable when moving around the island. The sea temperature is very pleasant during these months, between 25 and 29°C.

Most Mauritians prefer the winter period, as it is fresher and dryer, especially at night. The sun is also more bearable allowing long expositions, which is not recommended during summer. The sea in winter remains pleasant (around 22°C.)

Food & Cuisine

Given the ethnic mixture, it hardly comes as a surprise that there's a wide variety of cuisines: Chinese, Indian, European and Creole provide a great choice, using the natural resources of this tropical island.

Mutton, chicken, fish, seafood and vegetables are offered in delicious curry sauces. Dishes will appear accompanied by rice and, usually, achards, a variety of vegetable chutneys, and perhaps pickled limes. One of the island's favourite dishes with visitors is millionnaire's salad, made from hearts of palm.

If you're not a spice lover, fish and seafood or freshwater crayfish provide local flavour. Smoked marlin is an island delicacy.

Fresh fruit abounds: lychees, pineapples, bananas, mangoes, papaya, passion fruit and guavas are piled high in the markets and the hotel dining rooms.

For aperitif there are some very good rums, and rum goes into many of the desserts, too. Imported wines are expensive, but local wine (made from imported grape juice) is appreciated by many, as are the island-made beers.

The Dodo

The dodo once waddled along the deserted beaches of Mauritius blissfully unaware than when man arrived in the sixteenth century he would shake the harmony of its existence. The Dodo was first sighted around 1600 on Mauritius and it was extinct less than eighty years later.

Some of the birds may have been eaten by the Dutch sailors who discovered them. However, the primary causes of their extinction were the destruction of the forest (which cut off the Dodo’s food supply), and the animals that the sailors brought with them, including cats, rats, and pigs, which destroyed the Dodo nests.

 

 

 

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