Travel Mystic Mauritius General Information:
The shores of Mauritius are located some 500 miles off the east coast of Madagascar, just north of the Tropic of Capricorn at latitude 20 degrees south and longitude 57 degrees, 35 minutes east.
 The island’s 200 mile coastline is virtually encircled by one of the world’s largest unbroken coral reef systems.It is part of the African continent, rising from the sea in a series of volcanic eruptions over 8 million years ago. It is also the best known of the Mascarene Islands, first described by Arab traders a millennium ago, and named for the Portuguese explorer Pedro Mascarenhas in 1513. The Portuguese used this largest, uninhabited island for reprovisioning, but it was claimed and named by the Dutch for Prince Maurice of Nassau, son of William of Orange.
Its major cities are the capital--Port Louis (pop.146,000), Beau Bassin and Rose Hill (98,000), Vacoas-Phoenix (96,000), Curepipe (78,000), and Quatre Bornes (75,000).
Mauritius’ history has been one of colonization, of waves of population and of a pastiche of cultures overlaid and intermixed…blended with beauty, beaches and la bonne vie. Geographical Information:
The island is over 720 square miles in area, making it about the size of the state of Rhode Island. It rises gently from the northern coast to a central plateau, culminating in a steep drop towards the south with peaks of weird and abstract shapes. Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire is the highest of these at some 2,700 feet. Remnants of volcanic activity dot the island from extinct craters, like Trou aux Cerfs, and lava boulders abound, many of these have been gathered into cairns during land clearing for sugar cane planting. The island’s surrounding coral reef is broken in several places, allowing surf to crash through; the most spectacular and largest break is on the southern coast between Souillac and Le Bouchon. Between the breaks the white coral sand beaches stretch invitingly, presenting a coastline that’s, interestingly, both serene and rugged. Time:
GMT + 4. Mauritius is 4 hours ahead (3 hours during the European summer) of Greenwich Mean Time. Noon in Mauritius is 3:00 AM in New York and midnight in Los Angeles. Climate And Best Season To Visit:
The Mauritius climate is surprisingly varied. The coast is generally around 8 degrees F warmer than the Central Plateau…and it’s quite possible for it to rain in one locale and not in the other, even though physical distance is not great. Summer, from January through April, can be hot and humid with daytime temps averaging in the high 80’s. Summer is cyclone season and while direct hits are rarities Mauritius can experience days of squally rain. There are no distinct monsoons and rain is possible on any day of the year. The wind blows either from the north or from the regular trade winds blowing from the southeast. The winter season lasts from July to September, and is completely and perfectly pleasant. Daytime temperatures range to the high 70’s, falling to high 50’s at night, with less rain and humidity. Coastline
68 miles (177 km) ********************************************* | |
