You could be forgiven for thinking that Mauritius was a Caribbean island with its stunning turquoise sea and white sand beaches. Actually, Mauritius is situated around 1,200 miles off the east coast of Africa, the island is hemmed by 330 kilometres of immaculate white beaches. Take to the waters, meanwhile, and you’ll spot pods of dolphins playing. The south, west and east coasts are defined by beaches that wouldn’t look out of place in Aruba, while in the north, shallow bays give themselves over to watersports like wind and kite-surfing.

But Mauritius has plenty more strings to its bow, too. Look beyond the beaches and you’ll find a trove of natural history. The 800-metre-high mountains and forests in the interior are home to some of the world’s rarest animals. The island is also ring-fenced by one of the largest unbroken barrier reefs in the world, so the scuba diving opportunities are on a par with the Maldives.

In the 600 years since Mauritius was first discovered, the island has been a cultural sponge. Its proximity to Madagascar has rubbed off on it in the form of creole cooking. Grand Baie, close to Grand Gaube in the north, is the culinary capital of the island. And the island’s time under French rule has added chateaus to its architectural assets, including the Chateaux de Labourdonnais, in northern Mauritius.

Searching for the best deals...