Mauritius boasts endless sugar-cane plantations, dramatic mountains, a vibrant mix and some of the finest beaches and aquamarine lagoons in the ladian Ocean. The island has a distinct lndian flavour, seasoned with African, Chinese, French and British elements. You can enjoy a dish of curried chickpeas or a Yorkshire pudding on the terrace of a French café, sipping imported wine or a thick malty ale listening to Creole music and the conversation of locals in any number of tongues.

July to September (winter)

Lazing on the long, casuarina-fringed beach of Belle Mare Diving offshore, especially at the northern end of the island Hunting for bargains in the downtown market in Port Louis Strolling around the beautiful Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens at Pamplemousses Hiking in the River Gorges National Park-a must nature lovers

Read the romantic novel Paul et Virginie by Bernardin de St Pierre, or Petrusmok by well-known author Malcolm de Chazal

Listen to Ti-Frere, the most popular sega singer, or Creole singer Jean Claude-Monique

Eat rougaille (a Mediterranean dish of tomatoes, onions, garlic and any kind of meat or fish) or daube (stew)

Drink lassi (a yogurt and ice-water drink) or alouda glace (a syrupy brew of agar,milk and fruit syrup)

Tapeta! (cheers!)

Home to the extinct dodo; sugar plantations; coconut palms; pamper-happy beach resorts; lndian-fusion cuisine

Undersea walks are becoming increasingly popular in Mauritius-participants don lead boots and diving helmets and stroll along the seabed feeding the fish, while oxygen is piped in from the surface

The cornerstone of Mauritian Creole cooking is the carri, a rich, spicy onion sauce that owes a lot to lndian cooking. This is one dish is best sampled in the home, or in the kitchen of a small guesthouse, where every cook creates their own personal blend of herbs and spices. Once you’ve tasted a home-cooked carri poisson (fish curry), other meals will seem bland.