Mauritius
Essential Information
Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation off the coast of the African continent in the south west Indian Ocean, about 900 kilometres east of Madagascar. It was originally discovered by the Arabs in the 9th century, and later colonised by the Dutch in 1598. When the Dutch left in 1710, the French took possession in 1715. The British later took control of the country in 1810. In 1968, Mauritius was finally granted Independence and Sir Seewasagur Ramgoolam became the first Prime Minster.
Mauritius is the most developed of the Mascarene Islands. The capital, Port Louis, is Africa's wealthiest city. While the island is renowned for its beaches, there are many other attractions on offer including the busy garment markets in the Central Plateau towns of Quatre Bornes and Curepipe and the untouched, lush forest of the Black River Gorges National Park.
Language and Culture
English is the official language of Mauritius and is taught in the majority of schools. However the French language dominates public life and the colloquial language, Creole, is spoken by everyone.
Mauritius is a multi-ethnic country - thanks partly to the abolition of slavery in 1835. As the newly freed slaves refused to work in the plantations, indentured labourers were brought in from India. Chinese and Muslim traders were also attracted to these shores. Religions include Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism and co-exist with each other peacefully.
Cuisine
Mauritius is a cauldron of different cultures which gives rise to its eclectic mix of cuisine. Delights on offer include: Creole, Chinese, European, African and Indian. Tomatoes as well as onions, ginger, garlic and chillies are central to Creole cuisine. Fresh fish and seafood can be found in abundance particularly in Chinese cooking. Local vegetables and fruits abound all year round.
Do not hesitate to try the local favourite snacks: ' dholl purri '; wheat pancakes stuffed with yellow split peas and served with curry and tomato sauce, faratas, gateaux piments (Chilly bites) or 'samousas'. Rum is a favourite drink and its production is common throughout the island.
Music
Mauritius is known for sega music. It evolved among slaves, and is primarily a fusion of African music with European dances like the quadrille and polka. The songs usually describe the miseries of slavery, and nowadays has been adapted as social satires to voice out inequalities felt by the blacks. The traditional instrumentation includes the ravanne, a goat-skin covered drum, the triangle, and the maravane, a flat musical instrument made of reed (or sugar cane flower stems) and filled with jequirity or canna seeds which is shaken horizontally with both hands.
When to go and Climate
Mauritius enjoys a tropical climate with year round heat. The summer months are from December to April, when it can be extremely humid, and the so-called 'winter' runs from May to November, and is cooler and drier. The best months to visit Mauritius are May to early December. January and February, the peak cyclone months, are best avoided by water-sports enthusiasts and divers. Although cyclones rarely hit Mauritius but cyclones way out at sea can bring days of rain.
Coastal temperatures range between 25°C and 33°C in summer and between 18°C and 24°C in winter. On the plateau it will be some 5°C cooler. The highlands are also the wettest part of the island – it can rain here at any time of year, and even when it’s not raining the area can be cloaked in low-lying cloud.
When the winds are at their strongest in July and August it can be blustery on the east coast, though the breeze brings welcome relief in summer.
There is no high or low season in Mauritius, although you will find it busier at Christmas/New Year and during August when the French school holidays cause an influx of tourists.
How to get there from the UK
Mainland Mauritius has only one airport, the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (http://aml.mru.aero). There are two domestic airlines, Air Mauritius and Catovair, both of which connect mainland Mauritius with the island of Rodrigues. The biggest airlines that fly to Mauritius are: Condor, Air Mauritius and British Airways.
No visa is required for British and Irish passport holders. With only 3 hours time difference in British Summer time, there is no real jet lag.
Currency
The Mauritian unit of currency is the rupee (Rs), which is divided into 100 cents. There are coins of 5, 20 and 50 cents, and Rs 1, Rs 5 and Rs 10. The banknote denominations are Rs 25, Rs 50, Rs 100, Rs 200, Rs 500, Rs 1000 and Rs 2000.
Links
For more information on the many more delights Mauritius has to offer go to Mauritius.net (http://www.mauritius.net/index.php), the official site for Mauritius.
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