Mauritius, a volcanic island, lies about 1,200 mi/1,900 km east of continental Africa and makes a pleasant stopover on a trip to India or Australia (a visit to the island can also fit into visits to Southern Africa and Madagascar). Its closest neighbor, Reunion (an overseas department of France), is about 110 mi/177 km away. The terrain includes beautiful coastline and beaches, verdant gorges and volcanic mountains.
Mauritius (pronounced
more-RISH-us) was initially known only to sailors who stopped to get provisions as they made their way across the Indian Ocean. Eventually, the country had a series of rulers: It was first discovered by the Arabs, who named the island Dinarobin. The Dutch named the country after their prince, Maurice Van Nassau, and then abandoned it to the French, who in turn lost it to the British at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The British ruled the country for 150 years before granting independence in 1968. The change of power went smoothly, as Mauritius kept the Westminster-style of government. Since then, democratic governments have alternated with almost the same socioeconomic programs.
In 1970, Mauritius established the Export Processing Zone, which has attracted many textile manufacturers (mainly from Hong Kong), with the result that unemployment was reduced from 50% to about 10%. However, modern Mauritius faces some economic problems because the European Union has lowered the guaranteed price of sugar, and globalization is also threatening the textile industry. The country annually exports about 500,000 tons of sugar to Europe under the so-called Sugar Protocol that dates back to 1975. This accounts for nearly 20% of the island's export revenue.
Despite setbacks in the textile and sugar industry, tourism is becoming a major source of revenue. The country has also diversified the economy by promoting new sectors such as information technology and financial services.
The main attractions of Mauritius are excellent beaches, mountains, world-class deep-sea fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving, intermingled cultures, volcanoes, bird sanctuaries, the Black River Gorges, shopping, shell hunting and festivals and multicolored temples.
The island will appeal to travelers who are already in that part of the world and who love beaches, the ocean and a relaxed atmosphere. Don't expect everything to be within an easy walk or drive from your hotel.
Mark Twain once wrote that God modeled heaven on Mauritius.
Mauritius is home to a number of the world's rarest species of birds: the Mauritius kestrel (once the world's rarest bird, it has rebounded from a total number of four birds to around 350); the harpy eagle; the pink pigeon (the world's rarest pigeon); and the echo parakeet (the world's rarest parrot). It's too late, of course, to save the dodo bird. When sailors first visited the island in the 17th century, the island's dodo birds were unaccustomed to predators and could not fly, so sailors simply walked up and whacked them on the head. In those ecologically unenlightened days, the inevitable result was the extinction of the fowl. Though early Dutch settlers destroyed the dodo and other distinctive indigenous life, they did successfully introduce the Javan sambar deer.
African slaves were brought to the island when French colonizers decided to expand the cultivation of sugar cane. After their liberation in 1834, indentured laborers were brought in from India because the ex-slaves refused to till the soil.
Following the near-eradication of malaria after World War II, the island witnessed a population explosion that has given it one of the highest population densities in the world. The population level has now stabilized, as couples usually have no more than two children.
Until the completion of the Suez Canal, Mauritius was an important port of call (to stock up on water and food) for Europe-to-Asia trade.
The island has newspapers published in as many as six different languages. Many signs are written in Chinese, French, English and Hindi.
The Maha Shivatree (dates vary) is the most fascinating Hindu celebration on Mauritius and the largest Hindu festival outside India. Devotees clad in pure white carry the kanwar, a wooden arch decorated with flowers, paper and tiny mirrors, in procession to the sacred lake Grand Bassin. Worshippers will carry water from the lake to their temple. Another festival, the Tamil ritual Thaipoosam Cavadee, is not for the faint-hearted as devotees will walk with their bodies pierced with needles, hooks and skewers.
