Mauritius

At a Glance

Mauritius is an Indian Ocean island with a multicultural society descended from African, Indian, Chinese, and European communities, all of which contribute to a remarkable food culture and a genuine diversity of traditions on a small island. The beaches and sea conditions are excellent, and the interior has volcanic peaks and sugar cane fields worth exploring. It is more culturally layered than many Indian Ocean islands and rewards those who look beyond the beach.

• Only high-income country in sub-Saharan Africa by World Bank classification.
• Dodo bird was only here — and was extinct within 80 years of Europeans arriving.
• Malaria-free and one of Africa's safest countries, despite being rarely mentioned in that context.