THERE IS MORE TO DISCOVER IN Mauritius

Popular with honeymooners as well as families looking for exotic getaways, Mauritius features among the world’s best island destinations. The country presents a plethora of captivating experiences for visitors beyond its dazzling beaches and aquamarine waters. Visitors can enjoy an amazing selection of activities, attractions, and places of interest, from traditional museums and nature parks to thrilling activities like zip lining, sea cruises, island hopping, fishing, and more. Our group of eight found many such fascinating discoveries and experiences, all of them in Mauritius!

- Prashant Nayak

Know why Mauritius is called Little India

Mauritius was uninhabited until 1598, when the Dutch first came, though Arab and Malay sailors are known to have visited the island as early as the 10th century. Then the French came, and finally, the British colonised the island before it gained independence in 1968. During British rule, many Indians from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were taken as indentured labourers to work on the sugarcane farms in Mauritius. Today, it is not surprising that over 68 per cent of Mauritians are of Indian origin, whose forefathers migrated to Mauritius as indentured labourers. The Indians in Mauritius still retain their distinct Hindu identity, and one can find massive statues of Durga and Shiva in the Ganga Talao, a tranquil area near the airport.

Walk through the sugarcane fields

The first sugarcane plant was brought to the island by the Dutch in 1635 from Java, Indonesia. Red sugarcane changed the history of Mauritius. Initially, the Dutch used it to make an alcoholic beverage called arrack, and with the French, the sugar industry set the pace. Today, most of the agricultural land in Mauritius has vast stretches of sugarcane fields that provide a spectacular backdrop behind the turquoise water and the scintillating white sands.

Close Encounters at Casela