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Famous for its sumptuous landscapes and its beaches with turquoise waters, Mauritius, has many other surprises in store for you. Did you know that sugar cane has other purposes than sugar? Why is Mauritius named as such? So many questions about this island country in the Indian Ocean, for which you will find the answers below.
Known for its sugar cane cultivation, its production has been steadily declining over the years. Mauritius, seeking to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, has found another purpose than the sugar industry for sugar cane. By crushing sugar cane, a fibrous residue is obtained, called bagasse. It is this element that will be used to feed the thermal power station during its combustion. On the island, four sugar companies have thermal power stations. With the aim of increasing the share of renewable energy, the island is not short of ideas.
Surrounded by the ocean, it is the ideal place to practice water sports. Mauritius is part of the Mascarene Archipelago, composed of the islands of Rodrigues, Mauritius, Agalega and the archipelagos of Saint-Brandon. The Chagos Archipelago where the Diego Garcia island is included, was part of Mauritius Island. Nevertheless, during the British colonisation and just before their independence, Britain decided to detached the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius and created its British Indian Ocean Territory with a military base located on Diego Garcia. Since its independence Mauritius has claimed sovereignty over the Chagos, supported by several international decisions, but they remain under the administration of Britain with its military base on Diego Garcia. On the other hand, there is the Tromelin Island too. It is not used by Britain as a military base, however, it is administered by France, while Mauritius claims sovereignty over it.
This famous bird, which cannot fly and which today is extinct, used to reside on these lands. The last dodo died out in 1681 but you can find an identical reconstruction at the Natural History Museum in Port-Louis thanks to the discovery of its skeleton in 1865. It is the emblem of the island and can be found everywhere. The island's football team is also nicknamed by this name, Les Dodos.
Mauritius has the highest population density with more than 1.265 million inhabitants. Despite its size, this makes it the most densely populated territory on the African continent. In addition, the territory welcomes more than one million visitors every year. Mauritius is a paradisiacal place where many people wish to stay.
Mauritius has two UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Aapravasi Ghat (2006) and the Morne Cultural Landscape (2008).
The Aapravasi Ghat, which means "place of arrival of immigrants" in the Indian language, is a building built in 1849 which housed the hired workers. The cultural landscape of Le Morne is a mountain near the sea. This majestic landscape where the blue of the sea contrasts with the green of the vegetation is one of the most visited places.
Four traditions are also classified by UNESCO: the Mauritian sega tipik (2014), the sega drum of the Chagos (2019), the sega drum of Rodrigues (2017) and the Geet Gawai (2016).
The Mauritian sega tipik is a dynamic performing art that takes place at events. It combines singing and music while dancers follow the rhythm. The Chagos sega drum is also a mixture of dance, song and music with the drum as the central element. The sega drum of Rodrigues is similar to the sega drum of the Chagos. Finally, the Geet Gawai is a song practised during the ceremonies that precede the wedding, mixing rituals, prayers, songs, music and dances.
After having been visited by the Arabs in the 10th century, then by the Portuguese in the early 16th century, it was the Dutch who were the first colonisers. The Arabs sailors mentioned it under the name Dîna Arobin and the Portuguese under the name Isla do Cirne. The Dutch, who occupied the island from 1598 to the 18th century, in 1712, gave it the name Mauritius in honour of their head of state Prince Maurice d'Orange. It will also be called Isle de France after becoming French. The island then took back the name Mauritius when it became under the control of the British, until its independence proclaimed on 12 March 1968.
Mauritius has not registered any official language, however some languages are in the majority. Mauritian Creole is the most widely spoken language, followed by French and English. Indian languages are also widely spoken. Indeed 68% of the population has Indian origins, which also explains the strong presence of Hinduism.
The Trou aux Cerfs is today a huge crater covered with greenery. Formed thousands of years ago, this volcano is considered to be extinct as it has not been active for more than 10,000 years. Despite the fact that there is no longer any volcanic activity, Mauritius remains a volcanic island. Its geography was formed by volcanoes, traces of which can still be found today. For example, the 7 colours of the Earth of Chamarel would be due to the presence of volcanic ash. Like Reunion Island, Mauritius is located on a tectonic plate, the Somali plate.
Reflecting the island's cultural mix, Mauritian cuisine is a tasty blend of Chinese, French, African and Indian origins. Among the most popular dishes you will find Mine Frit (Chinese noodle dish), Dholl Puri (filled pancakes) and Farata, another pancake eaten with Curry (a mixture of spices). As for drinks, you can taste Alouda (milk and Indian basil seeds) and Lassi (fermented milk).
Near the iconic Le Morne Brabant peninsula, a UNESCO Word Heritage Site, in the South West of Mauritius, lies the underwater waterfall illusion : one of the island's most spectacular natural phenomena. This illusion create the appearance of an underwater cascade, as a waterfall plunging into the depths of the ocean. This can be explained by the movement of sand and silt deposits on the ocean floor. The underwater waterfall illusion is best appreciated from a helicopter tour of the Mauritius Island, which provides a stunning perspective of this unique natural wonder.
The Albion Lighthouse, located on the west coast of Mauritius, is one of the island's most iconic structures offering breathtaking panoramic views and a rich history to discover. Built in 1910, this historic lighthouse standing at 30 meters tall and with a strategic position has guided lots of ships safely through the Indian Ocean for over a century. The Albion Lighthouse, over the years, has become a symbol of Mauritian heritage drawing visitors who are eager to explore history and enjoy the panoramic views.
Mauritius is renowned for its rich and vibrant marine biodiversity. The island's marine life is centered around its coral reefs that form part of one of the largest world's lagoon systems. Mauritius presents a remarkable diversity of corals which create spectacular underwater landscapes as well as protection for numerous fish species (dolphins, sharks, rays...). Among them you may encounter rare or endangered species such as the hawksbill turtle and the dugong. The island is committed to protect theses threatened species and is actively involved in eco-tourism offering activities such as snorkeling or scuba diving to explore the beauty of its marine ecosystems.
Now that you are unbeatable on Mauritius and its interesting facts, don't wait to come discover the wonders of this beautiful island by staying in one of our luxury villas in Mauritius for your next holidays. Villanovo has selected especially for you exceptional villas in the East of the island (Belle Mare, Trou d’Eau Douce), the West (Black River, Le Morne), the North (Roches Noires, Pointe aux Canonniers, Trou aux Biches) or in the South of Mauritius (Bel Ombre, Mahébourg, Pointe d'Esny).
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