This island consists of a tropical climate. The summers are hot and humid and can be seen during the months of November to April. And will have cool winters during May to October. Heavy rainfalls can be expected during January and March and also one needs to be ready for the unexpected cyclones Life and Critical Illness Cover

The required clothing is the light weights during the day and warm clothes at nights.

The total population in this island comes to 1,288,000. The population is also a mix of many ethnic groups such as Indo-Mauritian, Continental Africa, France, Madagascar, Britain and China.

The native language of the country is Mauritian Creole, which is used by maximum of the population. The other languages in this region include English, French, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Guajarati, Mandarin, Hakka, Bhojpuri and Arabic.

The religions followed by Mauritians are Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, Adventist Protestantism and Roman Catholicism being the most followed by the residents.

The history of Mauritius ages back to 1600s where European explorers have first settled in this region and later in 1638, it was permanently settled by the Dutch. But it was during the British administration, where rapid social and economic changes have taken place. Today, this island is considered as a “paradise” and stands as one of the most popular tourist destinations.

The currency of Mauritius is the Mauritian Rupee. It has its top business sectors like telecommunications, electrical equipment, cement, fuels, and gypsum products and service sectors.

The history depicts the rich culture of Mauritius which showcases its entire great works in literature, arts, and music.

The cuisine of Mauritius is influenced with many cultures like Creole, Chinese, European and Indian.

The most popular sports on the island are rugby, football, boxing and horse racing.

The wonderful tourist spots in this region are Mauritius National Botanical Gardens, Crocodile & Giant Tortoises Park and Nature Reserve, Mauritius aquarium, Glass Bottom Boat Trip, Mauritius Safari, Archery excursion, Alexandra waterfalls, Chamarel waterfalls, Mahebourg, Gabriel Island and lots more to visit.

The available modes of transportation in Mauritius are bus, cabs, taxis, seaport and airport.

Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport is an international airport serving the Mauritius Island. It is located at the Plaine Magnien. Most of the aircrafts maintenance is carried out here. It operates the passenger flights.

The facilities provided at the airport includes information desks, shopping, duty free shopping, catering, post office, baggage storage, bars, restaurants, health services, parking and many more.

The car rentals available at the airport are ABC car rentals, ADA co Ltd, Avis, Budget, Europcar, First Car rental and SIXT.

Ethnically majority of the population is Indian but there are many people of mixed African & European descent on the island. English is the only official language but Mauritian Creole and French are commonly used.

To see:

North: Grand Bay and La Cuvette beach are a shopping and leisure paradise with many restaurants, bars and discos for a fu filled night out. Pereybere public beach is popular for its shopping facilities, restaurants and pubs. The ruins of the old Balaclava estate are near the Baie aux Tortues named after the many tortoises in the area. The Triolet Shivala, the longest village on the island has the biggest Hindu temple, the Maheswarnath, first built in 1819 with presiding deity Shiva.

East: Flacq Market boasts the country’s largest open air market which attracts a large number of people. The Waterpark Leisure Village is a great place to visit with family, friends and children. Ile aux Cerfs has the most beautiful beach in Mauritius and is a paradise for water sports.

South-East: Ruins of the first Dutch fortifications can be seen at the Vieux Grand Port, the oldest settlements in Mauritius. A few of the world’s rarest birds, including the kestrel, the extremely rare Pink Pigeon, the Green Gecko Phelsuma and the Aldabra giant tortoise are native to Ile aux Aigrettes. The main fishing village on the island, Mahebourg has the Martello Towers symbolizing the end of slavery and the beginning of Indian immigration. Domaine des Grand Bois covering an area of 900 hectares has stags, monkeys and boars living in the luxuriant vegetation of the hillside. Souillac is a small seaside resort along the rugged coast.

West: Set amidst the erosion of the volcanic ash, the waterfalls of Chamarel rise from the moors and the native plant life. Casela Bird Park stretches over 25 hectares and contains more than 140 bird species from all five continents and includes fish ponds, tigers, tortoises, monkeys, deer and orchids. Yemen Reserve lets you get close to herds of deer, as well as admire some splendid species of Mauritian fauna SIPP Property Investment

Inland: L’Aventure du Sucre lets you discover the fascinating history of Mauritius and its sugarcane and relish authentic Mauritian cuisine at restaurant “Le Fangourin”. Resting within the crater of an extinct volcano, Ganga Talao a natural lake is an important pilgrimage site for those of the Hindu faith. Maha Shivaratri festival or the night fasting dedicated to Shiva attracts many who come walking here. The Black River Gorges national park of 6,574 hectares has magnificent landscapes, with endemic plants and rare bird species.

Mauritius is a paradise for deep sea fishing, including Marlin and Tuna. Spas at Mauritius are a tranquil attraction where experts nurture your beauty and health. Mauritius also offers great golf courses for the avid
golfer. Duty free and local shopping only makes the place more attractive.

The best way to get around Mauritius is by car and car rental agencies like Budget, Europcar and Hertz offer their services.

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The World Travel Awards Africa and Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony in Johannesburg on Wednesday, July 7, was attended by 1,200 of the region’s most senior industry leaders.

Representatives for the islands walked away in triumph with so many of the accolades as CEOs, directors of leading travel companies, government ministers, heads of tourism departments and destinations, industry association leaders, and celebrities looked on.

Air Mauritius was awarded the Indian Ocean’s Leading Airline and Mauritius’s Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport won the title of Leading Airport.

The Indian Ocean Leading Destination award also went to Mauritius along with the new category of Indian Ocean’s Leading Beach Destination won by legendary Hotel Trou Aux Biches.

The awards, established 17 years ago, are committed to raising the standards of customer service and overall business performance throughout the international industry.

Winners of the regional ceremony will now go on to compete in World Travel Awards 2010 final in London, immediately before World Travel Market on Sunday, November 7.

Wednesday, July 07, 2010 Sydney Airport has welcomed the commencement today of an Air Mauritius service between Sydney and Mauritius.

Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport has car rental desks serviced by ABC car rentals, ADA co Ltd, Avis, Budget, Europcar, First Car rental and SIXT.

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Scuba Diving in Mauritius is an all time favorite and also famous pursuit for the tourists. It is one of the most sought after sports attractive to the visitors as it provides safe and perfect conditions and with a coral reef extending around the island with the water that is both warm and crystal clear.

Summer is the perfect time for this water sport activity as the warm water attracts more fishes and marine life. A number of dive sites are spread across the island. The beginners can start at the shallow side of the ocean and the professionals can go for the adventurous sites like the cliffs, reefs, pinnacles and wrecks.

Following are the important points you should know about diving in Mauritius:

ü  At the large North and West Coast – Lagoons, you will find the water very calm and if you are an experienced diver, you can come across large coral blocks and underwater caves behind the barrier reef.

ü  The underwater life is varied on the East Coast with much water circulation in the lagoon, with old shipwrecks attracting the scuba divers.

ü  You can find nearly 30 Diving Centers which are operated independently or within the hotel premises.

ü  Scuba Divers can check out for the specials available like night diving, honeymoon diving and training sessions which are of international standards.

So come, enjoy and take along with you an exciting and adventurous experience at this wonderful water adventure that also assures your safety with group of instructors to guide and tour you at various diving sites.

The car hire services you can find at the airport are ABC car rentals, Avis, Budget, First car rentals, SIXT and Europcar.

Port Louis

Curepipe is the town’s main residential area with many shops and restaurants. An extinct volcanic crater between Curepipe and Floreal lies Trou aux Cerfs provides great views of the island from its rim. The crater is 85m deep and 180m wide.

Pamplemousses Gardens created at the end of the 18^th century lie to the north of St Louis, and are famous for their large collection of indigenous and exotic plants, including the giant Victoria regia water lilies and many species of palm trees, including the talipot palm, which is said to flower once, after 60 years, and then die. Some tortoises here are over 100 years old.

Domaine Les Pailles is a nature park of 3000 acres at the foot of the Moka mountain range featuring attractions like a natural spring, a spice garden, a replica of a sugar mill and an old rum distillery credit card machines

The Aquarium is populated by 200 species of fish, invertebrates, live coral and sponges, all originating from the waters around the island, a treasure trove of the Indian Ocean.

Domaine des Grands Bois is a 2000 acre park where rich fauna like ebony, eucalyptus, palm trees and wild orchids provide the backdrop for stags, deer, monkeys and other wildlife.

La Vanille Crocodile Park is a farm breeding Nile crocodiles imported from Madagascar.

Casela Bird Park stretches over 20 acres of land and contains more than 140 varieties, amounting to 2500 birds. Specimens from the five continents may be seen there, but the main attraction is the Mauritian Pink Pigeon, which is one of the rarest birds in the world.

Car hire companies in Mauritius include Argus, Easycar, Europcar, Sixt and Hertz.

Tamarin Bay

Belle Mare Beach is filled with white pristine sand, vacant for most of the week, surrounded by hundreds of coconut palms. There are two golf courses nearby and the beach itself is simply breathtaking.

Blue Bay Beach is named for the crystal-clear ice blue water and offers the best snorkeling and diving. The beach offers all tourist facilities and tends to get crowded on the weekends.

Cap Malheureux Beach is a great spot for fishing, wreck diving, and swimming. The beauty of the place just leaves you speechless, so better carry a camera for great pictures.

Flic-en Flac Beach near Port Louis is a nice beach for swimming, snorkeling, diving, and some great sunsets. White sand and a deep, blue lagoon stretch for a mile along the coast. The beach offers all tourist facilities.

Mont Choisy Beach along the northern coast is the longest beach in Mauritius. White sand bends around the coast creating a bay of beautiful, turquoise water, lined with casuarinas trees that provide shade and a perfect backdrop for the ocean. The beach is a great place to chill, swim or go snorkeling.

Pereybere Beach is deeper than most of the lagoons and a favorite among the young people for the sand soccer games and kite surfing along with some great swimming. The water here is deep and crystal clear, ideal for snorkeling.

Ile aux Cerfs Beach offers water sports kiosks, great snorkeling, a complete golf course and restaurants that cater to almost every palate. The complete Mauritian beach experience can be had here.

Trou-aux-Biches Beach offers great activities from the amazing Mauritius Aquarium close by to a Hindu temple for you to explore. With great golden sand the beach is very popular with families.

Grand Baie Beach is a small peninsula on the northeast coast of the island. Boutique shops and sales of local crafts make this an ideal place to come learn about Mauritian culture.  The sand is soft, the water warm with light waves. The beach slopes gently so even small children can enjoy the water near shore.

Car hire companies in Mauritius include Argus, Easycar, Europcar, Sixt and Hertz.

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The bird was first sighted by Dutch explorers who discovered and named the island of Mauritius. The theories about the name of the bird vary from an approximation of the calling of the bird to other words in Portuguese and Dutch that describe its appearance or the taste of its meat. The first good description of the species was done in 1606 by a Dutch naval admiral and explorer.

The bird was about one meter tall and weighted about 20 kilograms. It ate fruits and vegetation and nested on the ground. As many other island species the bird was not accustomed to protecting itself. It had no natural enemies on the island because of its size. Moreover, the bird was completely flightless. Dodo birds were completely unafraid of people and fell easy pray to them. Nonetheless, there are many accounts describing the bad taste of the dodo meat so hunting is not attributed as a major cause for their extinction.

The main causes are destruction of their habitat and the other animals humans brought with them on their ships. People cut down the forests where the birds lived. They also brought with them dogs, pigs, cats and rats which destroyed their nests. There is also evidence about a big flood that appeared on the island during this period. It further threatened the now fragile population of the species.

The biggest find of dodo remains was found in 2005 in the part of Mare aux Songes. An international team excavated remains of birds in different parts of their lives. Their findings are exhibited in museums in South Africa, the Netherlands and Britain.

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