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Mauritius is a small tropical island in the southwest Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa and about 900 kilometres (560 miles) east of Madagascar. Like most tropical locations, Mauritius has two main seasons; summer from December to April when the climate is hot and humid and winter from May to November when it is cooler and drier. The official language of Mauritius is English, though mostly French or Creole are spoken by the locals. The currency is the Mauritian rupee, though in some of the more exclusive duty free shops you will find goods are only priced in Euros.

This tropical paradise has something for everyone. For those that love water sports, snorkelling, water skiing, scuba diving and para-sailing, to name but a few are all available. Many of the hotels offer all or some of these as part of their all inclusive packages. If nature is your preference, there are beautiful botanic gardens and nature parks as well as peaceful mountain ranges, not forgetting of course the pristine beaches for which Mauritius is famous.

For those who like to shop in the fashionable boutiques there are plenty throughout the island and the capital Port Louis has some very cosmopolitan shops. However, if you would prefer to experience more of the local way of life, then I would suggest the markets. Port Louis has a large market with a variety if stalls (though you must be wary of pick pockets here). My personal favourites were the markets at Flacq a market town on the East of the island. Here in addition to the many stalls, there are local shops that you can browse through at your leisure. The markets also give you an ideal opportunity to barter. I found that many stall holders would drop their prices by three to four hundred Mauritian rupees simply because I said "I'd like to look around at the other shops first"!

The population is made up of four main ethnic and religious groups, from highest percentage to lowest they are; Indo-Mauritian (predominately Hindu with some Muslims), Creole (mainly Catholic), Sino-Mauritian (Chinese faiths) and Franco-Mauritian (mainly Christian). This blend of cultures makes this a truly fascinating place to visit. There is very little tension between these groups with them all, for the most part, respecting each other's beliefs and living harmoniously together. You will find Hindu temples next to Muslim mosques and Catholic churches, giving a rare opportunity to admire the different architectures and styles of religious buildings literally side

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