Thinking of a holiday to the Seychelles? Excellent idea!  Nature was in a very good mood when she made these islands scattered in the Indian Ocean.   The beaches are definitely the major attraction – unhurried, almost deserted, white sands caressing topaz waters and backed by lush hills…

So out of the 115 self-contained paradises on offer, which island should you go for? Whether it’s one of the three main islands of Mahé, Praslin or La Digue or any of the outlying islands, you’ll always find a real pot of gold!   Mahé is the largest island in the Seychelles and is home to the capital city of Victoria.  Mahé’s not all beaches though!  The interior boasts the Morne Seychellois National Park (more about that in our next blog).

Our selection of hotels and resorts matches this stunning environment.  The Banyan Tree, overlooking the scenic Intendance Bay on the south coast, is a first class luxury resort offering private villas, fine dining and watersports.   Le Méridien Barbarons on the west coast is set amidst tropical gardens, sparkling indigo lagoons, and pure white sands.  The intimate Sunset Beach Hotel on the north-west coast perches on a headland with spectacular views of the Indian Ocean.

There are loads of things to simply love in Mauritius and really nothing at all to dislike.  Unfortunately that wasn’t the fate of one famous inhabitant of this Indian Ocean holiday paradise…

The dodo (raphus cucullatus) is probably the island’s best known wildlife, even though it’s no longer with us!  Flightless, it stood about a metre tall, weighed around 20 kilogrammes, lived on fruit and nested on the ground.  It’s been extinct since the late 17th century.  It was hunted to extinction by the Dutch, who called the bird “walghvogel” (loathsome bird) because it tasted so bad.  That didn’t seem to stop them eating them though!  Some scholars suggest that the name Dodo came from “dodoor” (Dutch for sluggard) but it probably comes from “dodaars” (literally – knot-arse!)  describing the knot of feathers on the hind end of the animal.

Yet another possibility is that the name dodo reflected the bird’s own two-note call.  Unfortunately, we’ll never know the answer to that last one, but if you want to be“dodoor” all day long on Mauritius’ magnificent beaches, rest assured that no-one will bother you!

One of our more popular destinations in the Indian Ocean has a surprisingly “European” feel, despite being due east of Madagascar and the coast of Mozambique! The reason behind that continental ambience in Mauritius is its history..

First settled briefly by the Dutch (who called it Mauritius), the island became a French colony in 1715 and was renamed “Isle de France”. Many of the public buildings you can still see in the capital, Port Louis, were built under French rule: Government House, the Chateau de Mon Plaisir at Pamplemousses and the Line Barracks.  Although Port Louis today is a bustling, modern, city with it fair share of skyscrapers and high rise blocks.

During the Napoleonic wars the “Isle de France” was a base for French raids on British commercial shipping, so in December of 1810 the British invaded.  Under the 1814 Treaty of Paris, the “Isle de France” was renamed Mauritius again, and together with Rodrigues and the Seychelles, became a British colony.  That’s why you’ll still find a predominantly French feel to Mauritius. French is probably more widely spoken than English, although virtually every Mauritian is competent in both.

The British were directly responsible though for giving Mauritius it’s real “melting pot” population by shipping Chinese, Malay, African and mainly Indian indentured labourers (essentially slavery in disguise)  to work on the plantations. That’s what delivered Mauritius’ rich diversity of culture, cuisine and tradition.  Europe blends with India, Africa and China in almost every aspect of Mauritian life.  Churches are found side by side with  mosques, temples and pagodas.  Christian, Indian/Hindu and Muslim festivals are celebrated by each community with equal enthusiasm.

The variety of Mauritian cuisine also reflects this multi faceted culture.   There are traditional, strongly French influenced,  dishes from the colonial past alongside new tastes and aromas of the more exotic, Indian and Chinese dishes.     Add to this recipe glorious sunshine, incredible beaches and a magnificent interior and you’ll soon understand why Mauritius is a genuine “European” paradise in the Indian Ocean.