Mark Twain once wrote that “Mauritius was made first and then heaven, and heaven was copied after Mauritius”. 

With more than 160 kilometres of beaches encircling this compact island, you’d be forgiven for thinking Mauritius was all about the powder white sand. But, dig a little deeper, past the emerald waters and luxurious resorts and you’ll quickly learn it’s an island that rewards when you explore.

The lush mountainous interior is full of hiking trails to panoramic viewpoints, volcanic craters, thundering waterfalls and endless shimmering sugar cane fields. There’s a whole underwater world waiting to be explored whether it be through snorkelling, scuba diving, on a glass-bottom boat or even a subscooter.

Mauritius is one of the best examples of successful cultural integration and the island’s culture is based on the diversity of the population. European settlers, African slaves and creoles, Chinese traders and Indian labourers with a multitude of religions all live in unity. This blend of cultures and religions has had a wonderful influence on the nation’s architecture, buildings and cuisine.