The Exclusive Indian Ocean Jewel - Mauritius

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Why choose Mauritius as a holiday destination?

What is so appealing about this small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean that tourists are willing to spend hours in a cramped flight just to have a short holiday there? The answers are numerous and would certainly differ from person to person but below are just a few of the most common reasons to choose Mauritius for your holidays.

Mauritian holidays can come as packaged deals with everything taken care of, from airport transfers to excursions, from hotel bookings to specific dining requirements. For those who do not like the restrictive nature of an all inclusive package there are numerous luxury apartments, both large and small, luxurious beach villas and a range of different types of self-catering accommodation not to mention the assortment of bed and breakfasts and beach-front cottages. These varying types of accommodation suit not only all types of budgets but also different social compositions as well. There are small, intimate and romantic villas, apart hotels and B&Bs for honeymooners and couples, or family-oriented penthouses, apartments and villas for those with children or for groups of friends wanting to spend their holidays together.

As to activities on the island to occupy holidaymaker's, there is almost nothing Mauritius does not offer. The most obvious attraction would be water-sports in the warm, clear blue waters of the lagoon. Snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, wind-surfing and excursions in glass-bottomed boats are just a few ways to enjoy the beauty of the coastal regions. What could be more appealing than to spend an hour or two snorkeling around the lagoon, taking in the myriads of brightly coloured, tropical fish flitting around their native coral, or to take the plunge and go deeper, exploring further with a scuba diving expedition?

Water-sports are not the only activities available on the island although they are the most obvious. When one thinks of Mauritius, it is usually to imagine clear, warm lagoons, dazzling expanses of white sand, shady palm trees and exotic cocktails. Lush, tropical vegetation and verdant mountains do not often form part of the picture and yet these too make up part of the island and offer an exciting backdrop to many non-beach oriented sports and activities. At specific locations there are such attractions as walking with lions, river trekking and canoeing while hiking and mountain biking are popular activities all over the island. For anyone over the age of twelve, there are rock-climbing trips at Albion in the south-west of Mauritius and for those of a more adventurous turn of mind, skydiving is also available.

Of course, these attractive activities would be nothing without the overwhelming spirit of Mauritian hospitality. Whereas in some tourist hot-spots, one gets the feeling that the locals resent the intrusion of foreigners into their environment and tolerate them simply to extract the maximum amount of money possible, in Mauritius, tourists are made to feel welcome and completely at home from the moment they arrive. Hospitality on the island is not simply an industry, it’s a way of life and guests are made to feel that their enjoyment is of prime importance.

The unsurpassed sea-food and Mauritian cuisine is yet another reason to visit the island although it would, perhaps, be taking things a bit far to suggest flying there simply to experience the culinary delights. Rather, these taken in conjunction with the openness and friendliness of the people, the luxurious accommodation available, the huge range of out-door activities and of course, the heat and sunshine of the tropics, make Mauritius one of the most attractive holiday destinations in the world.

Places of Interest
Discover all the interesting sites the island has on offer. With its luxuriant nature and rich history, Mauritius has a number of very interesting places to visit and sites that will awe you for the shear beauty of the landscape…

Beneath the natural beauties of Mauritius's landscape, lies another, but sometime forgotten, gem: the Mauritian Culture, better yet, cultures. Going to its discovery can be a journey into some of the most fascinating and refined thousands year old ancestral traditions. It would be too simple to classify Mauritius as having one culture as so many unique and distinctive parts forms this whole. It is made up of the different customs and traditions of those who, during the last 400 years, have settled on these shores. Here Europe meets India, China, Africa and so on. Who would imagine that such unique and diversified customs thrives on such a small place?

This rich diversity is found in every aspect of the Mauritian life. Churches can be found next to a mosque, Indian temples next to Chinese pagodas. Various Indian believes, Buddhist, Christian and Muslim festivals are celebrated with much fervour and devotion all year round by the different communities. Some of these celebrations can be quite spectacular like the fire-walking ceremony that is performed on the Cavadee day.

Another proof of this rich diversity is in the variety of Mauritian dishes (cuisine). There are traditional western dishes coming from the colonial past of the island; alongside someone can discover delicate new taste and aromas of the more exotic, oriental dishes brought by the Indian and Chinese migrants. Some are unique to Mauritius, as various delicacies have also been adapted to suit the Mauritian taste, which combines the flavours of the East and finest of the West.

Mauritian folklore is another living tribute to the variety and depth of the islanders' culture. This is illustrated by the many different sound and rhythm. See and hear the beautiful sophisticated Indian dances or the Chinese spectacular lion and dragon ones. Or dance to the frantic rhythm of the Sega, the most typical folkloric dance of Mauritius.