General Information about Mauritius
Formerly a Dutch colony and a French colony, Mauritius became a British colonial possession in 1810 and remained so until 1968, the year in which it attained independence. The British crown colony of Mauritius once included the current territories of Mauritius, Rodrigues, the outer islands of Agaléga, St. Brandon, Chagos Archipelago, and Seychelles. The Mauritian territories gradually devolved with the creation of a separate colony of Seychelles in 1903 and the excision of the Chagos Archipelago in 1965.
Mauritius is a major tourist destination, ranking 3rd in the region and 56th globally. It enjoys a tropical climate with clear warm sea waters, beaches, tropical fauna and flora complemented by a multi-ethnic and cultural population.
Mauritius received the World’s Leading Island Destination award for the third time and World’s Best Beach at the World Travel Awards in January 2012.
Issues often encountered by foreign tourists include scams, overcharging and dual pricing.
Trip Highlights
- Visit to Ile Aux Cerfs via speed boat.
- Full day tour of North Island. Visit the capital city-Port Louis, Place d’ Arms, eventful Champ de Mars racecourse and the Caudan waterfront.
- Full day tour of South Island. Visit popular places such as Trou Aux Cerfs, Grand Bassin and Chamarel.