Mauritius

Blissfully isolated more than 600km northeast of the mainland, this tiny volcanic outcrop surrounded by a massive turquoise lagoon is a stunning mountainous gem that barely feels connected to its big sister, Mauritius, let alone the wider world.

Often billed as the 'Mauritius of 25 years ago', Rodrigues actually bears little resemblance to its neighbour beyond the scenic strips of peach-tinged sand. The island's population is predominantly African and Creole and you won't find a stalk of sugar cane anywhere on Rodrigues' hilly landscape. The pace of life, too, is undeniably slow, which gives the island its time-warped vibe. Great food, some fine natural sites and a host of activities round out an experience that lives long in the memory as one of those beautiful forgotten worlds in some remote corner of the globe.

Rodrigues

Northern Mauritius puts on show the best and worst (such as it is) of the country's tourism. Grand Baie, at the centre, has a somewhat over-hyped atmosphere, but it's the sort of place where you can take what you want – Mauritius' best nightlife, some excellent restaurants and numerous excursions, for example – and then head elsewhere. As places to stay go, we prefer the smaller beachside villages around Grand Baie: Trou aux Biches, Mont Choisy, Cap Malheureux and Pereybère. They're quickly developing, but they generally retain the uncrowded beaches and village feel that first drew travellers to Mauritius. The inland plain of sugar cane fields – pocked with volcanic boulders stacked by indentured servants – is known as Pamplemousses and gently slopes towards the sea. Here you'll find a triptych of wonderful sites: Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens, Château Labourdonnais and L'Aventure du Sucre – a museum dedicated to Mauritius' traditional colonial export.

The North

Port Louis ( por loo-ee), the island's capital and largest city, can feel like a kaleidoscope of countries and cultures, with flashes of India, Africa, Europe, China and the Middle East. Unless you've essential business to transact here, though, or you're in the country for a prolonged visit, there aren't that many reasons to come – there are numerous other day excursions that we'd rank above Port Louis. But if you are here, it can be a good place to take the pulse of the country and get an alternative slant on the island's rarefied world of resorts and private beaches. Most interest lies amid the bustle of the downtown streets, the tangle of ethnic quarters and some wonderfully preserved colonial buildings. Apart from Le Caudan Waterfront, it all shuts down after dark, when countless commuters rumble out of town en route to their homes on the Central Plateau.

Port Louis

At once Mauritian town and leading tourist resort set on a gorgeous stretch of coast, Grand Baie is classic Mauritian tourism, for good and for ill. In the 17th century, the Dutch used to call Grand Baie 'De Bogt Zonder Eynt', which means 'The Bend Without End'. Today it appears as though it's the development – not the bay – that's without end. Grand Baie has all the vices and virtues of beach resorts the world over. The virtues include good accommodation, bars and restaurants, while the vices can be found in water frontages consumed by concrete and touts, although the latter, in true Mauritian style, nudge rather than push. To escape the downtown scene, head for charming and quiet Pointe aux Canonniers.

Grand Baie

As wonderful and whimsical as the name sounds, Flic en Flac isn't quite the picture of paradise you saw on your travel agent's website. The area's moniker is thought to be a corruption of the old Dutch name Fried Landt Flaak (Free and Flat Land); the endless acreage of shoreline was undoubtedly striking when explorers arrived in the 18th century. Today the area is exploding with apartment complexes, souvenir shops, moneychangers and pinchpenny holiday rentals. Although development in Flic en Flac has gone the way of Grand Baie, the town's still a dozen clubs and restaurants short of attracting a party crowd.

All is not lost, however. The beach is still one of the best in Mauritius, and if you stay at any of the high-end resorts in the Wolmar area outside the town, you'll uncover some stellar stretches of sand, glorious diving and a small handful of palate-pleasing restaurants.

Flic en Flac

Known throughout the island for its hushed, bucolic vibe, cool breezes and world-class rum, Chamarel is a wonderful mountain hamlet and an alternative to coastal Mauritius and all those beaches. The town has an excellent culinary scene that's worth crossing the island for, it's home to the famous Terres de 7 Couleurs and Rhumerie de Chamarel, and it's the western gateway to Black River Gorges National Park and the precipitous Chamarel Waterfall.

Chamarel

The northern edge of Mauritius has stunning views out to the islands off the coast, most obviously the dramatic headland of Coin de Mire. Although it feels like a quiet little enclave today, Cap Malheureux (Cape Misfortune; named for the number of ships that foundered on its rocks) is a place of great historical importance for Mauritius: it was here that the British invasion force finally defeated the French in 1810 and took over the island. A little past the cape lies the minuscule, picturesque fishing village also known as Cap Malheureux.

Cap Malheureux

Mauritius' biggest and best national park is a wild expanse of rolling hills and thick forest covering roughly 2% of the island's surface. It's difficult to overstate the importance of this park – it's the last stand for Mauritian forests and many native species. It's also the most spectacular corner of the island, so if you make only one day trip from the coast, make it here, perhaps combining it with Chamarel. Once prime hunting grounds, the area became a protected reserve in 1994 after scientists identified over 300 species of flowering plant, nine endemic species of bird and a 4000-strong population of giant fruit bats. It remains an important habitat for three of the island's most endangered bird species: the Mauritius kestrel, the echo parakeet and the pink pigeon. Introduced wild boar, macaque monkeys and deer also wander through the vast swathes of old-growth ebony, and sightings are not uncommon.

Black River Gorges National Park

At first glance, this is paradise spoiled, but think again. Like Marilyn Monroe and Cleopatra, Île aux Cerfs' killer looks have triggered its demise. Once sparsely populated by cerfs (stags; imported for hunting from Java), this picturesque island is now overrun with touts and replete with tourists baking under the tropical sun or lazing in the perfect, gin-clear waters. The obtrusive crowds and general summer-camp vibe may be off-putting at first, but few people realise that the island boasts over 4km of sandy bliss. Hike a mere kilometre down the beach and you'll uncover an idyllic ocean vista that you can have all to yourself.