Try out a few of the many watersports on offer. Photo / Dennis Richardson
Mauritius. Ile Maurice. It doesn't matter which of its common names you use, this tiny island in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Africa, is exotic in any language.
Aquamarine waters lap gleaming white beaches, while palm trees and willowy casuarinas whisper in the sultry breeze.
Mauritius deserves its idyllic reputation, but there's more to it than simply tropical beauty.
With its colourful history - it was discovered first by the Dutch, then fought over by the French and English - Mauritius today has a mix of French, English, Indian, Chinese and Creole cultures, which brings with it a mouth-watering cuisine, excellent shopping, and a multitude of sights and activities.
To make the most of it all, try this guide to whiling away your time in Mauritius.
1. Relax
Most of the island is surrounded by a barrier reef, which creates a tranquil, safe lagoon fringed by postcard-perfect beaches that beg you to lie back in a deckchair, read a book and maybe sip a cocktail or two (I recommend those made with Mauritian rum).
Unlike some islands, the water doesn't disappear at low tide, meaning you can cool off in water of a decent depth at any time.
There are unobtrusive resorts all around the island, with the highest concentration near the best beaches. On the southeast coast try Les Pavilions, which, as well as having a gorgeous stretch of beach, also has the dramatic granite and basalt backdrop of Le Morne Brabant mountain.
On the mid-northeast coast is the Belle Mare region, where you could try the stylish Beau Rivage resort. Other popular beach areas are around Flic en Flac and Grand Baie. Day trips to outlying islands such as Ile aux Cerfs and Ile des Deux Cocos are also popular.
2. Play
Watersports are de rigeur and most resorts offer free use of snorkelling gear, canoes, pedal boats (try it, it's fun), windsurfers, glass bottom boats, small sailing craft and waterskis.
For a fee you can hire a jet-ski or powerboat, or have a go at paragliding or ski-tubing.
Mauritius has excellent dive sites just offshore, where brightly coloured tropical fish swim among the coral and bigger species such as tuna, rays and sharks lurk in the depths.
For a different underwater experience, rent a mini-submarine. At 40 metres below, you can have a meal or even get married with a backdrop of a coral-encrusted shipwreck and a parade of fish.
If you'd rather catch fish than look at them, the best season for tuna, marlin, sailfish, mako, wahoo and dorado is October to April.
On land, there's golf, mountain biking and horse riding, or you can hike or take a quad bike adventure into the mountainous interior.
For an adrenalin rush, check out Les Cerfs Volants, a series of flying foxes that zip you through a diverse range of scenery, before taking a dip in a natural pool and enjoying a typical Mauritian lunch.
The Mauritius Turf Club was established in 1812, and since then Mauritians have embraced horse-racing with a passion. Every Saturday from mid-April to December the Champ de Mars racetrack in the capital, Port Louis, takes on a carnival atmosphere as locals gather to socialise.
3. Eat
The island's ethnic diversity means you can travel the globe in one meal, or at least savour a different continent at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Try French pastries for breakfast, Chinese sweet and sour at lunch, and a Creole (African) stew for dinner.
In between, snack on Indian dholl puri (a kind of pancake) and samosas, French bread, or spicy creole chilli cakes.
Fresh seafood features across all cuisines, and if you enjoy a decent drop of wine, that's covered too, with most wines coming from France and South Africa.
4. Shop
Shopping options in Mauritius range from markets to shopping centres, and specialty shops to galleries.
Textiles - especially cashmere, woollens and cottons - are a major industry, and top labels such as Armani, Versace and Billabong are manufactured on the island. Garments surplus to export are sold locally at attractive prices and they're the genuine article. Local clothing labels are also good quality.
The Indian influence means finely crafted jewellery, great silks and pashminas, which are found in both markets and specialty stores.
Intricate model sailing ships are a popular souvenir, and even if you're not buying, it's worth dropping into one of the factories to see how they're made.
Port Louis has a bustling central market and good shopping at the Caudan Waterfront. Grand Baie, Floreal-Curepipe and Quatre Borne are other hotspots for retail therapy.
Each town hosts a market at least once a week and it's worth finding out what day they're held. The Quatre Borne market comes highly recommended, and is held on Thursdays and Sundays.
5. Indulge
If you want some serious pampering, stay at one of the many Mauritian resorts that have an attached spa.
Noisy renovations meant the spa at Beau Rivage wasn't operating during the day, but after one evening session I realised that was a good thing for my bank balance. The combination of gorgeous French beauty products and Oriental techniques make the Mauritian treatments addictive, and it would be easy to over-indulge.
* Heather Ramsay travelled with assistance from Air Mauritius and Naiade Resorts.
www.airmauritius.com
www.naiaderesorts.com
- Detours, HoS
