Mauritius Travel Guide

Situated off the E coast of Africa, covering just 720 square miles (1,864 sq km), Mauritius is a paradise nation equipped with modern resorts that have been carefully developed to preserve the island's beauty and ecology.

Mauritius is a fascinating, picture paradise country, blessed with lush forests, streams/waterfalls, fringed with palms, dazzling white sands and colourful coral reefs.

A holiday here is all about the resorts and whilst relaxing on the white sandy beaches and swimming in the dazzling blue seas is the 'Main Event', there's plenty to see and do too. The island has plenty of historic sights, cultural diversity, geographic variation and plenty of activities to distract you from the daily grind of beach and pool.

Natural beauty aside, Mauritius is renowned for the warmth and friendliness of its multi-cultural population. With a variety of owners (Portuguese, Dutch, French and British) and with injections of African slaves, Arab traders and Chinese indentured labourers over the centuries, the island has it's own unique cultural charm and allure.

Most of the tourist resorts are situated along the 205-mile (330km) coastline, with the capital Port Louis, on the west coast, being the centre of operations for most visitors. The bulk of the population, however, reside on the central plateaux around Curepipe, the island's other major town.

The beaches are a huge draw to this country and are well distributed around the island, although those in the East are prone to winds, particularly during June, July and Aug, and beaches in the South are wild and undeveloped (some have dangerous currents). Elsewhere, miles of soft white sands shelve gently into a safe bath-like lagoon. There are no private beaches but coastal development sometimes makes them the exclusive preserve of the hotels which line the shore. On public beaches expect hawkers and the public to share your space, and they can get crowded at weekends.

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