Its climate is idyllic with sunshine all the year round, temperatures varying little from summer to winter, the only disturbing factor is the rare cyclone which descends to disturb the peace. Its name is Mauritius. The lagoons, surrounded by beaches of silvery sand, a holiday maker's dream, have nowadays some of the best hotels in the world on their shores. The forests are home to rare birds and provide opportunities for hunting the wild boar and deer. Botanic gardens proudly display their huge variety of tropical trees and shrubs, while nature reserves and bird sanctuaries allow the visitor a closer view of some of the rarer inhabitants of the island including the pink pigeon.
Good roads ensure accessibility to all parts and public transport is both cheap and efficient.
The wealth of produce of tropical fruit, vegetables and seafood enable the restaurants to provide cuisine of the highest standard. Each year the number of restaurants of different ethnic origins increases, but French influences remains dominant. Its people, mainly from India with minorities of Creole, Chinese and European are warm and friendly and although English is the official language, French and Creole are the most widely spoken. The climate is tropical, the constant south east winds temper the heat of the summer, October to April, and provide the vital ingredient for sailing and wind-surfing, two of the most popular water sports. Port Louis, the capital is a thriving port, centre of commerce and extensive shopping centre, much of it duty free.