Mauritius is part of the Mascarene island group and is located in the south-wester-n Indian Ocean (20°17S,57°33E), some 855 km east of Madagascar and 1800 km east of the African continent.

It's nearest neighbor is La Réunion, a French " Département d'Outre-Mers", which lies approximately 160 km due west. Mauritius is 1860 sq km in size, including approximately 10 sq km of lakes and has a coastline of 177 km.

The island is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs. The resulting lagoons are full of marine life and are ideal for diving. Its beaches with fine sands are renowned throughout the world.

Mauritius is the most accessible island in the Indian Ocean, boasting as much tropical paradise as Maui or Martinique and, better still, offering it at a bargain price. Though nestled up alongside Africa, it's actually more influenced by its British and French ties and massive Indian workforce.

Here, you can enjoy a dish of curried chickpeas or a nice Yorkshire pudding on the terrace of a French café, sipping imported wine or a thick malty ale while listening to Créole music and the conversation of locals in any number of lingoes.

Its range of visitors facilities runs the gamut from pamper-happy beach resorts and organised excursions to locals who'll put you up in their homes and rent you their cars for daytrips. If you're looking for a lazy beach vacation, you could certainly do worse, but don't forget the rambling interior and the multicultural capital Port Louis. Waves from the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 completely submerged a village in the north of the island. There have been no reports of casualties.