Ile Maurice, Mauritius Hotels and City Guide

Mauritius Travel Guide

With its year-round hot climate, powder-white coral beaches, championship golf courses, boutique hotels, villas, 5-star spa beach resorts under thatch, serene botanic gardens, laid-back ambience and friendly locals, Mauritius is the perfect destination for those needing a break from the cares of the world, as well as an idyllic honeymoon island. Water sports abound, including big game fishing, sailing, scuba diving in coral reefs, waterskiing, parasailing and kite-surfing, while lush mountains entice walkers with rugged gorges and waterfalls. Because the colourful, amiable islanders are descendants of a potpourri of ethnic groups from India, East Africa, Madagascar, China, France and England, a miscellany of gastronomic delights will suit every taste.

Situated slightly north of the Tropic of Capricorn in the southwestern Indian Ocean approximately 860km east of Madagascar, the small volcanic island of Mauritius measuring 65km long by 45km wide basks in an azure ocean under a tropical sun, its 177-km coastline hemmed by coral reefs affording protected blue lagoons.

Port Louis, the busy capital, port and commercial centre boasting high-rise buildings, is scenically situated on a natural harbour under the Moka Mountains in the northwest. Once a haven for corsairs and their rich pickings, it is now an anchorage for cruise liners. The city is graced with broad avenues on which elegant French and British colonial buildings whisper of times gone by as they rub shoulders with exotic eastern architecture. Mosques, temples, pagodas and cathedrals are indicative of the multi-ethnic religions followed in this island state.

Grand Baie is the popular main town on the north coast known for water sports, a vibrant atmosphere, shops and galleries. The east coast is wilder, home to superb hotel resorts. There are several small towns along the coast, including Belle Mare and Trou d’Eau Douce with Flaq inland.

The main south coast town is historic Mahébourg, once the capital. Rocky shores, strong currents and large breakers typify the south coast, away from the protecting reefs. Main towns on the west coast are Tamarin and Flic en Flac which boast long white beaches and spectacular sunsets. Central Plateau towns include Curepipe, Quatre-Bornes, Vascoas, Beau-Bassin and Rose Hill.

Mauritius Facts

Capital: Port Louis
Area: 1,865sq.km
Population: 1.3 million
Official language: English
Currency: Mauritian Rupee
Time Zone: GMT+4
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 3-pin and 2-pin plugs
Diallingcodes: 230 for Mauritius; 020 from Mauritius
Religions: Hinduism is the dominant religion followed by Catholicism, Islam, Christianity.
President: Anerood Jugnauth

Hotels in Ile Maurice, Mauritius