Island of Mauritius Tourism and travel guide         HOME     TRAVEL GUIDE     PHOTOS     MAP OF THE ISLAND     WEATHER Scuba Diving in Mauritius   Home Origins of the island General Information Facts Entry Formalities Flaura Marine Life Beaches Places of interest Museums Island Cruises Deep Sea Fishing Scuba Diving Golf in Mauritius Health & Spas Mauritius Festivals Night Life Weddings & Honeymoons Map of Mauritius Mauritus travel guide   Mauritius- the island of incomparable beauty situated in the Indian Ocean is home to some of the world's finest coral reefs and marine life ever to be seen. Teeming with hundreds of gaily-colored fish, the underwater world of Mauritius can be deemed a natural wonder in its own right. Scuba Diving in Mauritius is one of the most sought after water sports enjoyed by tourists. The brilliant multicolored reefs and profuse aquatic life under the crystalline turquoise water of the Indian Ocean encapsulate fun and adventure on your holidays. Scuba diving is the perfect way in which tourists can partake in the pleasures of watching nature's amazing beauty. Scuba diving in Mauritius is indeed a very enjoyable experience.   In Mauritius, diving is possible all year round but the best season remains at summertime, from November to April, where the water’s temperature can reach 29°C. In winter, the sea cools down noticeably and can fall below 20°C: the waters are rough and visibility is quite poor. Scuba diving has always been a very popular pastime for tourists. Nothing gets the adrenaline pumping like the rush of swimming with schools of fish streaming by your side as you take in the beauty of vibrant coral reefs and the marine life of Mauritius Mauritius is attractive to scuba divers because the island provides quite safe and near perfect conditions.       With a coral reef that extends right around the island and water that is both warm and crystal clear, Mauritius is a place of enchanting beauty for divers from around the world. The diving sites in Mauritius are secure, given the warm temperatures of the water and a generally good visibility that even the first timers are more than enthusiastic to dive into the azure water of the island Even though Mauritius is an evergreen scuba diving destination, the months of summer are considered the best time for this particular water sport activity. This is so because in the summer season, the warm water attracts an abundance of fish and marine life. Persons going for diving during this particular period an easily catch sight of exotic fishes that include parrot fish, groupers, wrasses, sweetlips, angelfish, sergeant majors, trumpet and clown fish, moray eels, crayfish along with a wide variety of corals, sponges and sea anemones.   Scuba divers in Mauritius are spoilt for choice of dive sites. There are numerous dive sites strewn all over the island. Beginners can start at the shallow side of the ocean whereas experienced divers can head straight for the more adventurous dive sites such as cliffs, caverns, reefs, pinnacles and wrecks. One of the well-known and popular dive sites in Mauritius is the Cathedral that is located off the Flic en Flac on the western coast of Mauritius. Other dive sites in Mauritius include the Whale Rock and Roche Zozo that is an underwater rock pinnacle and the submerged crater near Ile Ronde. All the major hotels and resorts of Mauritius arrange for scuba diving trips along with instructors. Some even have a dive centres that are operated by professionally trained staff, to ensure a memorable and safe diving experience
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International Tours » Mauritius

Mauritius - a tiny island located in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, offers pristine natural beauty and a pleasant environment. Visit Mauritius and have a unique holiday experience amidst translucent lagoons, world class hotels, casinos, and delectable cuisine. A complete holiday experience awaits you at this beautiful coastal paradise called Mauritius.


RESORTS IN MAURITIUS --- Radisson Plaza Beach Resort Island Sports Club PLM Azur Hotel Mont Choisy

Basking in warm tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, is the beautiful island of Mauritius. Unusual lunar-like mountain peaks rise above vast plantations of sugar cane, while coral sand beaches encircling the Mauritius island are a haven for the watersports enthusiast. Mauritius enjoys a delightful mix of cultures from Europe, Africa, India and Asia and is shown in the high standards of service and cuisine.

Economy

Mauritius has had one of the world's fastest-growing economies since the early 1980s and is increasingly attracting foreign investors. Sugarcane is the chief crop, and it is grown on 90% of the country's arable land. Tea and food crops are also grown, and there is a fishing industry. Textiles and sugar are the major exports. In recent years, the country has decreased its dependence on sugar, diversified its industrial base, and adopted free-trade economic policies. High-technology manufacturing, financial services, and data processing are growing, and tourism is increasingly important. The country's chief trading partners are the European Union nations and the United States. Mauritius is a member of the Southern African Development Community.

History

Mauritius was probably visited by Arabs and Malays in the Middle Ages. Portuguese sailors visited it in the 16th cent. The island was occupied by the Dutch from 1598 to 1710 and named after Prince Maurice of Nassau. The French settled the island in 1722 and called it Île de France. It became an important way station on the route to India. The French introduced the cultivation of sugarcane and imported large numbers of African slaves to work the plantations. The British captured the island in 1810 and restored the Dutch name. After the abolition of slavery in 1835, indentured laborers were brought from India; their descendants constitute a majority of the population today.

Politics on Mauritius was long the preserve of the French and the creoles, but the extension of the franchise under the 1947 constitution gave the Indians political power. Indian leaders in the 1950s and 60s favored independence, while the French and creoles wanted continuing association with Britain, fearing domination by the Hindu Indian majority. In 1965, Britain separated the strategic Chagos Archipelago (see British Indian Ocean Territory) from Mauritius, but Mauritius continues to claim the islands and has sought their return. The 1967 election gave a majority in the assembly to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam's proindependence Labor party. Independence was granted in 1968, and Ramgoolam became the first prime minister. Mauritius joined the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations.

The 1960s saw the rise of left-wing militancy, while in the 1970s and 80s political coalitions formed along ethnic and class lines. The economic crisis of the late 1970s and early 80s, after Cyclone Claudette and a drop in world sugar prices, intensified internal disputes.

In 1982 the left-wing Mauritius Militant Movement (MMM) came to power, and Anerood Jugnauth became prime minister. The following year a split in the MMM led Jugnauth to form the Mauritius Socialist Movement (MSM). Jugnauth headed a series of coalition governments. In 1992, Mauritius became a republic, with Cassam Uteem as its first president. In 1995, Navinchandra Ramgoolam, son of the former prime minister, and a Labor-led coalition came to power after defeating Jugnauth in a landslide, but in Sept., 2000, Jugnauth and an MSM-MMM coalition returned to power in a similar landslide. President Uteem resigned in 2002; Karl Offmann was elected by the national assembly to succeed him. In Sept., 2003, Jugnauth resigned and his MMM coalition partner, Paul Bérenger, became prime minister. Bérenger became the first person not of Indian descent to hold the post. The following month Offman was succeeded as president by Jugnauth. In the July, 2005, national assembly elections, Ramgoolam's Labor-led Social Alliance won a majority of the seats, and he became prime minister.