Luxury Vacations in Mauritius

Blinded by white sands and electric blue seas, it’s hard to look beyond this Indian Ocean idyll’s coastline.

But focus further inland to discover waterfalls tumbling from jungle-wrapped gorges and volcanic crater lakes. In the Chamarel Seven Coloured Earths geopark, rocks glow in retina-burning hues, while the dense, rolling forests of Black River Gorges National Park present magnificent hiking trails. Famously home to the extinct dodo, the island is a sanctuary for endemic flora and fauna. Many species are showcased in the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, where parakeets glide through treetops and giant water lily pads drift slowly across serene ponds. Once at the crossroads of African and Arabian trade routes, this is a culturally diverse nation. Hindu temples are fringed by heritage tea plantations and spicy street food sizzles below Port Louis’ opulent colonial-era facades. A basaltic monolith omnipresent on every horizon, Le Morne Brabant – once a refuge for runaway slaves – is a symbol of freedom and hope.