Mauritius, an uninhabited island until Dutch, French, and later British colonisation brought settlers, indentured labourers, and enslaved people from across Africa, India, and China, has become one of the world's most genuinely multicultural societies, a blend visible in its food, festivals, and languages, wrapped around some of the Indian Ocean's most photogenic coral lagoons.
Lagoons and Coastline
Le Morne Brabant, a dramatic basalt peak at the island's southwestern tip, was historically a refuge for escaped slaves and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, surrounded by one of the island's most beautiful lagoons, the famous 'underwater waterfall' optical illusion, visible from above, is just offshore.
The island's barrier reef, nearly encircling Mauritius, creates calm, shallow lagoons ideal for swimming and snorkelling, while the open ocean beyond offers world-class kitesurfing conditions, particularly around Le Morne.
A Multicultural Heritage
Port Louis, the capital, reflects the island's layered history through its Chinatown, Hindu temples, mosques, and colonial French architecture, all within walking distance of each other, the central market is the best place to sample the island's genuinely fusion cuisine, blending Indian, Chinese, French, and African influences.
Mauritius was the only known habitat of the dodo, driven to extinction within a century of human settlement, the Natural History Museum in Port Louis displays a reconstructed skeleton and tells the sobering story of the bird's rapid disappearance.
Recommended Stay · Mauritius · Belle Mare
One&Only Le Saint Géran
A peninsula resort surrounded by lagoon on three sides, with a private beach, spa, and a golf course designed by Gary Player.
