Mauritius

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Mauritius, a jewel of the Indian Ocean, is a volcanic island lying about 900 km east of Madagascar. This tropical paradise of 2,040 km² enchants with its exceptionally clear turquoise waters, its white-sand beaches lined with casuarina trees, its abundant coral reefs and its unique Creole culture — a harmonious blend of African, Indian, European and Chinese influences. Port-Louis, the lively capital, sits alongside spectacular inland scenery: the Rivière Noire gorges, Chamarel with its Seven Coloured Earths and the Rochester Falls. Mauritius is also world-renowned for its luxury hotels, among the most refined anywhere.

A continuous lagoon, and a history of mixing

Mauritius is unusual in being ringed almost entirely by a coral reef, which turns the coastline into a succession of calm lagoons. That is what makes the swimming so gentle — and why each coast has its own character: the east, exposed to the trade winds, is windy and favoured by kitesurfers; the west, in the lee, is warmer and more sheltered; the north concentrates the activity around Grand Baie; the south, wilder, offers cliffs and the rare beaches with no reef.

Two UNESCO sites tell the other Mauritius, the historical one. Le Morne Brabant, the mountain that plunges into the sea in the south-west, sheltered escaped slaves; the Aapravasi Ghat, in Port Louis, is the depot where close to half a million indentured labourers from India landed after abolition. Today's Mauritian population — Hindu, Creole, Muslim, Sino-Mauritian — descends directly from that, and séga, recognised by UNESCO, is its soundtrack.

Inland, the tea road climbs towards Chamarel and its seven-coloured earths, the Black River Gorges national park and the Trou aux Cerfs crater. From the heights of Le Morne, on a clear day, you can make out the illusion of the underwater waterfall, an optical effect created by currents of sand.

The southern winter, the best window

From May to December the southern winter brings dry air and temperatures of 22 to 27 °C: this is the best stretch, with a peak of visitors in July-August and at Christmas. From January to March the hot season is humid and carries the cyclone risk. The sea stays between 22 and 27 °C all year — you swim in any season.

Driving on the left, eating out

Driving is on the left, a British legacy, on a decent network that clogs around Port Louis. Buses are very cheap and cover the island well, provided you accept the pace. Hiring a car remains the best way to escape the hotel-beach-buffet triangle.

The Mauritian table is one of the great pleasures of the trip, and it is found outside, not in the resorts: dholl puri — the split-pea flatbread that is the real national dish — mine frit, rougail, gâteaux piments, and the seafood at Mahébourg market on Mondays. Book a table in someone's home at least once: that is where the cooking is best.

Essentials & your questions