Mauritius holidays

Beyond lazing around on the beach and sandy barefoot walks, Mauritius offers a multitude of water-based activities to spice up your trip. Diving, kayaking, parasailing, snorkelling, stand-up paddling, underwater sea walking… the list goes on. Head to Grand Baie on the north side, the centre of the island’s water sports industry, for all the action and to book lessons.

The Black River Gorges National Park on the south side of the island is a vast stretch of pristine tropical rainforest. Trek through the park to Plaine Champagne for a panoramic view of dramatic cliffs and stunning gorges and, if you’re lucky, you may also see some rare native birds.

With an all-inclusive holiday deal in Mauritius, you can sample a full range of exotic dishes including Indian, African, European and Chinese cuisine. Must-try dishes include fish vindaye (curried fish with saffron, mustard and garlic), rougaille (tomato-based stew with meat or fish), and alouda (almond-flavoured milk drink).

Mauritius is also famous for its rum, so if you’re interested, why not visit a distillery?

Mauritius has only two seasons: summer is from November to April, while winter is from May to October. The summer is hot, humid and rainy, and cyclones may occur between January and March and therefore cheaper holiday deals during this period. Winter is dry, with temperatures averaging 22C making it a good time to visit. Air fares are more expensive from June to August, so opt for October and November if possible – these are the shoulder months when the weather is glorious but it’s still cheap to travel.