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General information to the Traveller en route to Mauritius
Just inside the Tropic of Capricorn and some 1.200 miles off the coast of Africa lies the beautiful island of Mauritius. The stunning white sand beaches offer a superb choice of watersports, and the 330 kilometre coastline is almost entirely surrounded by one of the largest unbroken coral reefs in the world, perfect for diving and snorkelling. The landscape of Mauritius is rich and varied, mountains dominate the islands interior, surrounded by gorges, lush fields of sugar cane and the beautiful sandy coves. The people of Mauritius are as varied as the landscape, a fascinating blend of people from Europe Africa India and the Far East have created a unique cosmopolitan island culture. The standards of accommodation, facilities and service are very high in Mauritius, and there are many top class hotels. Evening entertainment is centred around the hotels and is mainly local folklore shows, Creole music and sega dancing. The island is deceptively large and it is very easy to spend your holiday in the proximity of your hotel, however there is plenty to see and do other than relaxing on the beach.-
Short History
17th century
Mauritius, as the island is named, in honour of Holland's Stadtholder Prince Maurice of Nassau, is a useful stopping-point for ships on their way to Dutch bases in Java. Attempts at agriculture on Mauritius fail.

18th century
The French assume control in 1715 and change the name to Ile de France. Six years later their first colonists arrive. Slaves are brought in to work the sugar plantations and to man naval vessels. Mahé de La Bourdonnais, Governor from 1735 to 1747, establishes the first sugar factory.

19th century
The island has become a key spot in the Indian Ocean. The British find this irresistible, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars, since it is close to the brightest jewel in their imperial crown—India. They take over in 1810 (more officially in 1814 at the Treaty of Paris) and, having reestablished the name Mauritius or Maurice Island, attempt to apply British traditions and the English language.

The inhabitants accede politely but continue speaking their Creole tongue and leading a French lifestyle. In 1835, abolition of slavery is finally imposed, and slave owners are paid off by Britain. Asian workers are brought in to provide cheap labour. Sugar is king in the 1850s, while in literature and in real life, Mauritius is at the height of fashion. But the opening of the Suez Canal (1869) isolates it from shipping routes. The island suffers a series of disasters, including cyclones and epidemics. By the end of the century Mauritius is falling into decline.

20th century
During World War II, Mauritius is a British naval and air base. In 1968, the island becomes an independent member of the British Commonwealth, and a Republic in 1992.Open Monday to Friday 9.30 a.m.–2.30 p.m., on Saturday to 11.30 a.m.

Mauritius is the sugar-cane island of the Indian Ocean. Fields of cane cultivation, broken only by small villages, stretch over a wide plateau above the tropical white sand beaches, breezy bays and glorious seascapes.It was also the island of the dodo, a large, flightless bird whose good-natured simplicity resulted in the poor creature's total extinction.The island forms part of the Mascarene Archipelago, all that remains of an ancient land mass which once united Asia and Africa. To the southwest lies Réunion Island, with its savagely beautiful volcanic landscape, while some 560 km (350 miles) east appears Rodrigues Island, a mere dot in the ocean, surrounded by even smaller islets and reefs, and an integral part of Mauritius.

Small as Mauritius is, covering only 1,865 sq km (720 sq miles), it is one of the most densely populated places in the world and supports some 1 million people, most of them descendants of Indians brought in to work the sugar plantations after the abolition of slavery. There's also a large Chinese community and a number of Creoles, descended from French colonists. Africans and Malagasy add to the mixture of races and religions, one happy result being that there's nearly always a festival going on in one of the great variety of Hindu or Chinese temples, mosques or Christian churches.

On the jittery world market of today sugar is an uneasy staple commodity. Increasing tourism partially helps to counteract unemployment and low incomes: a good airport, magical beaches and the flowery loveliness of the resorts beckon visitors in ever greater numbers. Inland, mountains rise in lonely splendour and you may glimpse a Java deer vanishing into the bushes. Bamboo thickets, lagoons, plunging waterfalls and delicately pretty Creole buildings are all part of the Mauritian scene.

On this island the French writer, Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, some 200 years ago, set his idyllic and tragic romance of two love-struck adolescents in Paul et Virginie, a novel that helped usher in the Romantic movement. Mauritius knew its most glittering moments in the middle years of the 19th century. Joseph Conrad and Mark Twain both dropped by at different times. Baudelaire visited for three weeks, and wrote of a port filled with masts and sails and air haunted by the scent of green tamarinds. Darwin, naturally, couldn't resist this naturalist's paradise, and the HMS Beagle put in here on her famous voyage. Seen from grey, drizzly Europe, it appeared like a dream of rare flowers, foaming cascades, airy colonial houses and balmy days.

Independent since 1968, Mauritius is hard at work now keeping down its population growth and pushing up its income. The friendly inhabitants of all the rainbow of races will confide their problems but will also express their optimism in the progress being achieved by their welcoming, Indian Ocean homeland. For Mauritius has a fascinating past, an inviting present and a rosy future

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