In fact, Mauritius is not one island, but a group of small islands, representing one island state, or more precisely a republic. The Republic of Mauritius is considered the star of the Indian Ocean, one of the most popular seaside resorts in the world.
Mauritius Island – the largest of the islands that make up the republic. And it is on this island, in its northeastern part, that the capital of the country, the city of Port Louis, is located. Since Mauritius is surrounded on all sides by the ocean, almost all of the 330 km of coastline are beaches with clean white sand, cozy little bays and coral reefs.
In addition, in the center of the island there is a plateau covered with emerald tropical forests. Also here you can find several extinct volcanoes. All this together makes Mauritius a tourist paradise.
Mauritius yesterday and today
The pioneers of the island are the Portuguese. They were the first to christen it in the name of one of their ships – Sishna. At the end of the 16th century, the Dutch owned Mauritius, who turned the island into a sugarcane and cotton plantation, for which hundreds of black slaves were brought to the island. However, the Dutch had to leave the island because of the hordes of rats, which moved to the ground from ships from different countries. The next owners of Mauritius were the French, thanks to whom roads, fortresses and a shipyard appeared on the island. At the beginning of the 19th century, the island passed to Great Britain and received its current name. Republic of Mauritius was only in 1992.
Today, Mauritius is considered one of the most prosperous countries in the region. The presidency in the state is presidential, the basis of well-being is the textile industry, cane sugar production and tourism. Thanks to the luxurious nature and developed tourist infrastructure, the influx of tourists on the island only grows every year.
Most of the inhabitants of the island speak English, which is considered the official language of the state. However, this does not mean that a Frenchman or a German will feel misunderstood: French and African and Creole dialects are also common in Mauritius.
Climate of Mauritius
Since the island is in close proximity to Africa, the climate can be called rather subtropical, but without the sweltering heat. The reason for this is the south-east trade winds that cool the shores of Mauritius all year round. The rainy season – monsoons – occurs from February to May, but these showers do not happen every year, and their duration is only 2-3 days.
Rainfall in Mauritius falls a lot, the climate is quite humid. The air temperature is kept at + 24-26 degrees, this can be considered as cool weather for this climate zone. And the water temperature all year round is about + 23-27, which is ideal for a beach holiday.
Recreation and tourism in Mauritius
Due to the moisture-saturated climate, the nature of Mauritius is striking in its diversity, despite the relatively small size of the island. For rare species come lovers of exotic nature. They also will not be amiss to visit the Botanical Garden, located in the north of the island. The park is famous for a giant tropical water lily, as well as a unique palm tree. In the southern part of the island are the reserves of La Vanilla and le-a-Erette, where you can watch the turtles.
Fans of underwater recreation are located on the eastern shore, rugged lagoons. And from west to east the coast is bordered by coral reefs, which also attract diving enthusiasts of various levels – from beginners to professionals. South and southeast of the island are a real find for fans of windsurfing and kitesurfing, simple and deep-sea fishing. Needless to say, the beaches of Mauritius are world famous. Blue Bay and Gri-Gri are especially popular.
In addition to water activities, there is a golf course, several riding centers on the island, and you can also ride a jeep or quad bike. Rock climbing is also one of the most popular entertainment on the island. In general, here you will be offered a lot of entertainment, if you are certainly not their cowardly. At your service are diving, snorkeling, fishing, surfing, windsurfing, water skiing, kitesurfing, kayaking, sailing, parasailing.
On the island of Mauritius celebrate many holidays. Perhaps this is a consequence of the multinational population of the state. There are festivals, fireworks, and colorful processions with dragons. The brightest celebrations are the Chinese and Indian New Year, the holiday of Kazadi, the Night of Shiva. Independence Day Mauritius is also celebrated with various processions, carnivals and performances. Late autumn is celebrated Diwali – a Hindu holiday. The procession in honor of the goddess Lakshmi is colored with bright lights on all the streets of the capital. Also, all Muslim holidays, Catholic Christmas and New Year are celebrated with pleasure. In addition, tourists have created a tradition to celebrate weddings and anniversaries of family life in Mauritius.
