1 destination · 10 things to do

Mauritius

Mauritius is a volcanic island in the Indian Ocean, ringed by coral reef and turquoise lagoons and crowned with green, jagged mountains. It is small enough to cross in an afternoon yet wonderfully varied: the basalt hulk of Le Morne Brabant, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and symbol of the island’s fight against slavery, rises above the kitesurf lagoons of the south-west; the rainbow sands and waterfall of Chamarel sit in the hills above; and the forests of Black River Gorges National Park shelter rare birds and long hiking trails. On the west coast, spinner dolphins gather in the bays off Black River and Tamarin, and Casela brings safari drives and big cats to the dry plains below. In the north, the capital Port Louis hums with markets and street food, the botanical garden at Pamplemousses grows giant water lilies, and catamarans sail from Grand Baie to the offshore islets. In the east, the beaches of Trou d’Eau Douce face Ile aux Cerfs, the island’s favourite day out. This guide picks the trips worth booking, the hotels to base yourself in, and how to fit it all together.