Mauritius Travel guide
Along with its
natural beauty Mauritius has a valuable tourist resource in
the warmth and friendliness of its multi-cultural
population. Since being officially 'discovered' in 1505 by
the Portuguese, the island has been occupied by the Dutch,
the French and the British. All have added to the melting
pot that constitutes the island's human heritage, along with
injections of African slaves, Arab traders and Chinese
indentured labourers over the centuries.
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.
Although everyone who visits Mauritius comes for the sandy
beaches and blue lagoons, most are delighted to discover
that the island has plenty of other attractions too, from
some of the world's rarest stamps to the first ever race
course to open in the southern hemisphere. Of course no
holiday would be complete, either, without good food and
entertainment. Mauritius offers both, with some delicious
local cuisine that makes use of tropical fruits and
vegetables, and the chance to learn the island's indigenous
wild dance, the Sega, which originated among the African
slaves of yore.
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