Mauritius is a perfect tropical island destination about 2000km off the south east coast of Africa. It can be added to an African safari or visited as a destination in its own right and is a good all year round option with a nice warm climate. Mauritius has a lot to offer everyone from honeymooners to families. Water sports are popular and the island is surrounded by reefs but there is plenty to explore inland too with tropical forests, hills and hiking, colourful markets and a tasty food culture! Little wonder that Mauritius has recently been voted 'World's Leading Island Destination' in the 2009 World Travel Awards.
Mauritius is part of the 'Mascerenes Islands' in the Indian Ocean, principally including Maurtius, Rodrigues and Reunion. These islands were formed by a series of undersea volcanic eruptions 8-10 million years ago.
The climate is tropical and affected by southeast trade winds. May to November is a warm, dry, winter and November through to May is the hot, wet and humid summer period. Cyclones can occur during November - April. Mauritius is a year round destination being hotter (average 23-33C) November to April and cooler (17 - 23C) May to October.
The official language is English though the national language is Mauritian Creole (very similar to French).
The currency is the Mauritius Rupee, no visas or vaccinations are required by UK passport holders, flights operate most days with various airlines, taking around 11-12 hours from London and the time zone is 4 hours ahead of GMT.
History - Mauritius was 'discovered' in the 9th century by the Arabs, then in the 16th century was visited by the Portugese. The Dutch were the first to colonise the island and named it after Dutch Prince Maurice Van Nassau. Unfortunately, along with their residing came the destruction of the ebony forest and the extinction of the Dodo, a flightless bird which was easily caught and eaten! The French took possession of the island in 1715. In 1814 Mauritius, Rodrigues and the Seychelles were handed to the British and English became the official language. However, the Treaty of Paris that was signed that year ruled that the population kept it's own language, religion and laws so French is still widely spoken today. The British abolished slavery in 1835 and labourers were brought in from India. Traders from China and Muslims were attracted to the island at this time and added to the rich mix of culture which nows makes up the population of Mauritius.
Beaches are definitely the big draw card of Mauritius! Clear, warm waters and beautiful sandy beaches make this a tropical idyll. There are large lagoons lined with sand, perfect for enjoying swimming or just sun bathing. There are endless opportunities for water sports, diving and snorkelling.
The North has many water sports such as waterskiing, windsurfing, sailing and deep sea fishing. The West coast has lovely sunsets, great surfing and shallow waters close to shore. The East is wilder and has many nature reserves and shady coves and lagoons. The South East has dramatic high cliffs creating a craggy coastline as the waters break through the reefs from the open sea.
