Excerpt
Sooner or later someone in Mauritius will tell you that when God made the island he liked it so much that he fashioned paradise in its image. Mark Twain is responsible for perpetuating that idea and I am grateful to the label on a bottle of the local Green Island Rum for the complete quotation: ‘You gather the idea that Mauritius was made first and then heaven, and that heaven was copied after Mauritius.
Like heaven, Mauritius exudes an air of exclusivity, partly because the government does not allow charter flights and pursues a tourism policy of quality not quantity. However, holidays to Mauritius neednt be expensive, as I hope to show in this guide.
By contrast, the island of Rodrigues, although part of Mauritius, is a place of simple charm. I was struck by the tremendous sense of community and the laidback way of life is a lesson to us all. I am told that it resembles the Mauritius of 30 years ago. Tourism in Rodrigues isnt only in its infancy - it has barely left the maternity ward. Although development of the islands tourism potential has begun, with the expansion of the airport and creation of the islands first ‘four-star hotel, tourists are still a novelty here and receive an incredibly warm welcome. My advice is to get to Rodrigues as soon as possible, before it all changes.
Whilst Réunions beaches may not rival those of Mauritius, its natural beauty is world class. The rugged, mountainous interior attracts hikers, naturalists and adventure sports enthusiasts from around the globe.
Each of the Mascarenes has its own trump card, as I am sure you will discover. However, in combination they are unrivalled. If you visit just one youll love it, but if you can take in all three youll be smitten.