It is truly amazing just how much a small island like Mauritius has for its visitors. Located just east of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, the country has been ruled by both the French and the British over the course of its history, before becoming an independent nation in 1968. The Grand Bay area was the first to experience a tourist boom. Visitors fell in love with the gorgeous Pereybere beach and its array of shopping, restaurants and pubs, then started to venture farther to discover the other attractions of the island.
Culturally, a Mauritius holiday can uncover a curious mix of Hindu, Creole, French, and Chinese. Though English is the official language, you’ll find evidence of all these cultures. At the Triolet Shivala, its Hindu roots on display at the Maheswarnath, a temple that was built in 1818 to honour the important Hindu gods. In the south east, evidence from the days when the Dutch occupied the island can be spotted at Vieux Grand Port, an old Dutch fortification. The cuisine sampled during a holiday in Mauritius also demonstrates its international flare with rich curries, Indian breads, and sweet gateaux (or cakes) as the locals call them. To accompany a meal, sip locally made rum and Phoenix, the island-made beer.
Fantastic wildlife is another reason to make a Mauritius holiday your first choice. The island is well known and respected for its efforts to protect its native species. One of the world’s rarest birds, the kestrel, is found here, along with deer, tortoises, dolphins, geckos, crocodiles, monkeys and boars. In this tropical environment, you’ll discover countless ways to make your holiday a true adventure.
The market in Flacq is the best in the region. It is charming and chaotic at the same time with a mix of locals and tourists buying everything from souvenirs to spices.
Take a glass bottom boat ride in Blue Bay, where the water is a brilliant blue and the beaches have the whitest sand you’ve ever seen.
Its colonial history makes Mauritius unique with grand plantation houses, sugar mills and small-batch rum production.