Mauritius

Renowned as a "dream holiday" destination, the Mascarene Islands also offer outdoor exploring opportunities aplenty, such as cycling, mountain hiking and canyoning. Local national parks boast some of the world's rarest birds, making the coverage on conservation in this guide a useful feature for naturalists. Watersports are top of many visitors agendas, and the whole range of options are covered, from diving and snorkelling around coral reefs to deep-sea fishing for marlin. As well as these activities, the guide offers information on Port St Louis in depth, colourful local festivals and markets and what to see and do on Mauritius, Rodrigues and Reunion island on a region-by-region basis. There are also details of hotels and restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets.