Complete guide to Mauritius

From our agency in Port-Louis, we see Mauritius as a land far more contrasted than beach brochures suggest. In 65 kilometers from north to south, you move from the white sand beaches of Trou aux Biches to the basaltic peaks of the South-West, crossing the central plateau planted with sugar cane and dotted with Tamil, Creole and Sino-Mauritian villages.

Four regions structure a coherent journey. The North, around Grand Baie, concentrates nightlife and excursions to the islets. The West, from Flic en Flac to Le Morne, offers the most beautiful sunsets, kitesurfing and diving on the drop-offs of Pointe aux Sables. The wild South unfolds its cliffs from Gris-Gris to Chamarel waterfall, in dense tropical vegetation. Inland, the Black River Gorges National Park still shelters the Mauritius kestrel and the pink pigeon, two species saved from extinction.

The cuisine tells the island's history better than any museum: dholl puri at 30 rupees at Port-Louis market, fish vindaye at a guesthouse in Mahébourg, chilli cakes at aperitif time. For a first visit, we recommend 10 to 12 days to combine a beach base, two or three nights inland and an extension to Rodrigues, the sister island 1 hour 30 minutes by plane that keeps a pace forgotten elsewhere.