Mauritius is a tropical island in the Indian Ocean. It is situated 20 degrees south of the equator on the Tropic of Capricorn. It is about 800 km to the east of Madagascar. Rodrigues and Reunion are the islands which, with Mauritius are known as the Mascarenes Islands. Mauritius is 1,864 sq. Km (720 square miles). Population is approximately 1,233,669.

Mauritius is of volcanic origin and rises gently from the coasts to 500 metres to the central plateau where you will find the volcano Trou aux Cerfs, which is now dormant and has been for a very long time.

TROPICAL CLIMATE

The information below are realistic Mauritian climate facts. Unlike most websites, here you will find a detailed summary instead of a whole island average because the temperature can vary by 8 degrees centigrade depending on where you are in Mauritius. Below is a brief summary and more detailed table of typical temperatures in Mauritius. Albion is on the west coast of Mauritius and central in terms of north and south. Mauritius normally experiences the South East Trade Winds which blows from the South- East of the island for the whole year round.

Mauritius has a tropical climate with just two seasons: summer and winter. The summer months are from November to April with day temperatures ranging from 32 to 35 degrees centigrade on the coasts and 29 degrees centigrade on the central plateau. Night time temperatures are around 25 degrees centigrade on the coasts and on the central plateau 21 degrees centigrade. The winter months are from May to October with daytime temperatures of up to 27 degrees centigrade on the coasts and 22 degrees centigrade on the central plateau. Night time temperatures on the coast ranges from 20 to 23 degrees centigrade whilst on the central plateau can dip from 11 to 15 degrees centigrade.

Cylone Season is at its peak from January to March and Mauritius does experience around 3 small cylcones every year. However the cyclones only last two days and it tends to be that a direct hit only happens on average every 15 years. So whilst the 3 cyclones may bring rain and wind it is not too much to worry about and you would be unlucky if you had one whilst you were there on holiday. Having said that Cylcones are a force of nature and unpredictable so please take care if encountered.

Rain in Mauritius is actually quite pleasing and i will explian why. The winter months are much drier than the summer months. The rain is normally short and very heavy and if you find yourself stuck under a rain cloud then do not stay there. The rain in Mauritius is normally very localised and whilst it may be raining where you happen to be, there will normally always be many parts of the island where you might escape it.

THE PARADISE

Mauritius is surrounded by beautiful white sandy beaches, turquoise lagoons, palm trees and coral reefs. The beauty of the island is overwhelming and no photographs can really do it any justice. Those who love nature will be absolutely astonished by the magnificence of the mountains, nature reserves and wildlife parks. The Mountains of Mauritius can mostly be found dotted around the island and have some very bizarre and interesting features. The indian ocean gently laps the shores of Mauritius in the most amazing array of blues and greens you'll ever see. Most of Mauritius is surrounded by coral reef which means that there are no sharks to worry about or large waves. It also means that if you like diving then Mauritius is the perfect destination as you will find miles of miles of coral reef to explore. The Sea is incredibly clear and you are never more than 1 hour's drive away from the warm waters.

THE ISLAND AND ITS PEOPLE

Mauritius achieved independence on the 12TH March 1968 with Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (later Sir) as the Prime Minister and in 1992, it became an independent republic within the commonwealth. The flag of Mauritius consists of four equal width horizontal stripes. In descending order, these are red, blue, yellow and green.

The colours have been interpreted as: Red for freedom and independence, Blue for the Indian Ocean, Yellow for the light of independence shining over the nation, Green for the agriculture of Mauritius.

Anyone and everyone would feel at home in Mauritius. The people (Mauritians) are of different nationalities: Indians, Africans, Europeans and Chinese. The Indo-Mauritians are divided into three groups: Hindus, Tamils and Muslims. They are all united and live in peace with each other. The people are full of charm, very courteous and helpful.

The official language of Mauritius is English and is spoken and understood by most. The real language of the people is Creole which is understood and spoken by all Mauritians, whatever their mother tongue. Though, strange but true, it is neither taught in schools not officially recognised as a language, and has no popular written form. The Creole language evolved from the pidgin used by the French masters of the 18th century to communicate with their slaves, also borrowing words from African and Malagasy dialects. French is also widely spoken. The main mother tongue of the country's largest ethnic group is Hindu. Tamil was actually the first Indian language spoken in Mauritius.

Mauritians have their own brand of music and dancing which is known as Sega. It is believed to have come from Africa. It is a wild, sensual dance inherited from the slaves who expressed their feelings of sadness, fears, hopes and expectations in the form of song and movement. It is traditionally performed by pairs of the opposite sex.

The mixture of the island's various races is reflected in the Mauritian cuisine: spicy curries, tropical fruits and vegetables, Chinese and European food.

Many religious festivals are public holidays and each culture has been very well preserved without allowing one to swamp the other.Festival of Pere Laval is celebrated by Roman Catholics, Cavadee by the Tamils, Maha Shivaratree and Ganga Asnan by the Hindu, Chinese Spring Festival by the Chinese, Divali (Festival of light) by the Hindus and Tamils, Eid-Ul-Fitr by the Moslem.

The crest of Mauritius reflects its past more than its present, flanked by a dodo and a stag, both clutching shoots of sugar cane. The shield portrays a medieval ship, presumably representing the island's discoverers, and three stylistic trees. There are also a key and a shining star, depicting the country's motto which appears below it:  STELLA  CLAVISQUE  MARIS  INDICI as Mauritius was referred to in the past as the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean.