Nestled between 20S of the equator & the Tropic of Capricorn is a dazzlingly beautiful set of islands and a bunch of complex contradictions known as Mauritius. This island is regarded as the “jewel” of the Indian Ocean with its population of Indian (primarily Bihari and Tamil), Chinese, French, African and Creole (half European – French and African).

Dazzling clear blue waters, beautiful super luxury hotels and resorts and some of the world’s best diving spots greet you here. Scenically dazzling with beautiful roads winding through its hilly volcanic countryside – this is a holidaymaker’s paradise with tourists pouring in from all over the world. Mauritius was the rest place of the now extinct dodo – and a vast variety of tropical fauna and flora are to be found at the famous Casela Bird Park and other spots on the island.

Even more memorable are the clean talcum beaches like Flic en Flac, Mon Choissy and the incredibly beautiful scuba diving to be done. The world under the waves is Cinderella like and quite different to the one above. This can be explored through a unique undersea walk with air piped through glass helmets, the famous blue safari submarine ride 35 metre deep and the thrilling scuba diving conducted by Dolphin diving.

Mauritius is unique throughout the beautiful Indian Ocean islands for its clear blue waters and is best experienced by lovers of the ocean. Gorgeous Creole seafood like octopus and squid curry, pickled octopus tentacles, Mauritian Cane Rum and other exquisite liquers, shrimp curry, crab meat,  lobster, spicy Indian food and duck are delicacies that must be savoured. Underwater the world is a dazzling combination of sunlight, coral reefs, shoals of multicoloured fish, clear peaceful blue water, sea cucumbers, ship wrecks and love.

Taking off from IGI Airport, New Delhi, a seven-and-a-half hour flight across the deep wild blue of the Indian Ocean lands one at Sir Seewosagur Ramgoolam Airport, Plaissance, Mauritius. The first impression from the air is that one is in Mumbai, and on landing, in South Africa - with Indian looking customs officials to meet you at the colourfully painted airport.

Scenically Mauritius is dazzlingly pretty with beautiful roads. It is a shopper’s paradise. The island was ruled by the French for almost 350 years  and then by the British for another 100.

Indians from Bihar, UP and South India were brought here to work as indentured labour on the sugar plantations of the previously uninhabited island. Today, the Indian community is in power strengthening Indian influence throughout Africa and is known as the little India of the Indian Ocean with many Hindi films shot here, but its population of 2 million is very cosmopolitan and French.

Heart throbbing Creole Sega music and bars like Danny’s Zulu Tam Tam Bar with spontaneous informal bands with audience participation, the El Diablo discotheque and the Banana Cafe make it a joy to visit and a music lover’s paradise.        

Mauritius consists of many worlds. It has some excellent European resorts and many European people as well as Chinese, Creole and African. It unites many worlds. However, it has its drawbacks.

Sloppy, rude and quarrelsome natives, super expensive resorts not open to the general public but only to Hollywood and corporate millionaires and corrupt politicians who can spend a million dollars in a week, dull and petty bureaucrats pandering to the whims of western tourists and some anti-Indian sentiments are among these. Parts of it are very slack and lazy.

Adjoining destinations like Madagascar, the Reunion Islands, South Africa,  Comoros Islands, and the Seychelles make it a central hub for the region. Travelling through Mauritius and then to Antananarivo, the capital of  Madagascar, and from there to the ancient tribal palace of Ambohimanga, the Central town of Antsirabe 160km from Tana and the seaside resort of Morandava on the western coast by the Mozambique channel through lemur infested forests, beautiful wild rural areas, baobab trees and African ostrich farms is quite an adventure – memorable and an experience of a lifetime.

Mauritius, is relaxing, stunningly beautiful, a joy to visit and delightfully Indian, with temples, Ganesh pujas and the Ganga Talab lake there filled with Ganga water – often it is difficult to tell that one is not in India (a better one), and most persons of Indian origin look to India as the mother country – but it needs to get over some of its petty problems and visa restrictions before it becomes the perfect paradise.